Title
Ordinance Directing the Allegheny County Board of Elections to place before the qualified voters of the City of Pittsburgh at the 2011 May Primary Election a referendum question "Shall the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter, Article Five, Budget and Fiscal Matters, be supplemented by adding Section 517 - Real Estate Tax Increases?"
Body
Whereas, the residents of the City of Pittsburgh have an inherent right to place limits on their rates of local taxation; and,
Whereas, property owners in more affluent neighborhoods do not pay their fair share in property taxes, creating an unfair tax burden on property owners in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods; and,
Whereas, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania gives municipalities the right of home rule and Pittsburgh is a home-rule municipality and its' residents have the right, by referendum, to place restrictions on its government and local representatives; and,
Whereas, in other states where the people and their elected representatives have shared power over tax increases, the voters have demonstrated a willingness to approves tax increases once local government clearly demonstrates and justifies the need to do so;
Be it resolved that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The Allegheny County Board of Election is hereby directed to place before the qualified voters of the City of Pittsburgh a referendum question at the 2011 May Primary Election: Shall the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter, Article Five, Budget and Fiscal Matters, be supplemented by adding Section 517 - Real Estate Tax Increases, with the specific amendment as follows:
"Section 517. Real Estate Tax Increases. Notwithstanding any provision in the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances or any adopted Resolution on file in the Office of the City Clerk and only in a manner consistent with state law, Council and the Mayor shall only increase the rate of taxation on real estate in the City of Pittsburgh upon approval, in a referendum, in a municipal primary or general election, of a proposed City real estate tax increase, approved by a majority of qualified electors of the City of Pittsburgh. The question shall specify the amount of the proposed increase, the estimated revenues to be generated from the proposed increase, the purpose of the proposed increase and the duration of the proposed increase. This section shall take effect immediately upon passage."