Pennsylvania Local Government & Economic Development Over Generalizing On George Klaus 12-2015 Pennsylvania Local Government & Economic Development Origin, Somewhere In Time Wide Variety In Capacity & Organization Size Manager Political/Governmental Philosophy 1
Part Time Elected Officials Boards & Commissions, Volunteer Organizations One Issue Officials Decreasing Quality Of Officials Increasing Responsibilities / Tough Jobs Economic Development Not My Job Consensus? Concern? Elected With Small Voter Turnout Government By Solicitor Pennsylvania Local Government & Economic Development Limited Service Counties Traditionally - Human Services, Judicial Trends - Community Development, Environmental, Transportation Limited Cooperation With Schools 2
LGs Look Outside For Project Help Authorities COGS County Planning Commissions Regional Planning & Development Organizations Economic Development Organizations State & Federal Agencies Companies, Consultants, Colleges Pennsylvania Local Government Boundary Issues Local Government And Community Municipal Vs. Human Boundaries Functional Vs. Governmental Consolidation No Annexation State Consolidation Law Boundary Change Regionalizing Services Vs. Changing Boundaries 3
Pennsylvania Local Government & Economic Development Effects Of Small Government On Economic Development Location Multiple Taxes, Permits, Codes, Zoning Differing Attitudes Toward Development Professionalism Varies Pennsylvania Local Government & Economic Development Landlocked Boroughs And Cities Economic Decline Tax Base Problems Small Land Mass / No Room For Development 4
Local Government Revenues Mostly Taxes Property - Residential, Business Earned Income More Property Tax Reform?? Fees (Increasing) State Grants, Entitlement Payments Service Demands ( Increasing) Local Government Planning Lots Of Plans Little Strategic Vision Little Economic Development Planning New Municipal Planning Code Intermunicipal Planning & Zoning 5
Preservation, Distress & LG Preservation As Key Economic Issue Rural Urban Two Faces Of Financial Distress Growth Economic Decline Pennsylvania Local Government Core Values Conservative / Status Quo Small Local Government Is Best Close To People / Go It Alone /Independent Action / Local Control Distrust Of Professionals, State, Federal Government Home Grown Solutions / Local Flexibility 6
Pennsylvania Local Government & Economic Development Lack Of Efficiency In Services And Administration Growing Recognition Of Need For... IMC / Functional Consolidation Regional Police, Codes, COGs, Joint Public Works, Joint Land Use Planning IGC / Increase County/ Regional Role (Solid Waste, Storm Water, Community Devpt, Codes) Public - Public & Public - Private Partnerships (Local Government, Business, Non-profits, State, Regional Organizations, Feds) Professional Management Stable User Friendly Local Government Better Community Leadership 7
PSU Study The Responsible Small Local Government Roles of Local Govt Officials Education/ Leadership/ Teamwork Identify Community Needs Develop Policies On Services Provide Directly Those Services You Can Manage And Afford Get Someone Else To Handle What You Can t Monitor Service Delivery From Your Govt And Other Bodies Adjust As Needed Pennsylvania Local Government & Economic Development Differing Attitudes, Capacities, Needs Of Local Governments Re Community Economic Development Philosophical Underpinnings Brooking s 2003 Report Back to Prosperity / Renewing Pennsylvania Tom Hylton Save our Land / Save our Towns Keystone Principles for Growth & Development Sustainable Communities Stuff RMI, et al 8
Rural Twp 2nd Class/ Boros Community Health Article Do You Want Or Need Growth & ED? Interested In Industry Selectively/ Clean Vs. Dirty?/ Poor Rural Take Anything? Landfills, Prisons, Environmental Hazards Lack Of Infrastructure, Quality Of Schools? Lack Of Professional Management, CED Experience Rural Local Govts Cont. Local Economic Development Organization? Chamber Of Commerce? Officials Attitude? Planning & Land Use Controls? Need For County Leadership To Help Push Projects In Minimal Capacity Twps?? Greenfields Available, Maybe Cheap But Do We Need To Pave Farmland? 9
Suburban - Twps 1st class Professional Management Of Municipality/ Development Experience/ Planning Staff In Place Land Use Controls User Friendly Attitude More Likely More Sophisticated Governing Body? Suburban Local Govts Cont. Newer Infrastructure, Schools Better Services Concern For QOL Issues Good At Partnerships If They Want To Be Available Land, Higher Priced 10
Urban Cities & Boros More Political Environment? Stability Of Politics? Quality Of Municipal Management? Fiscal Distress Will Recognize Need For Job Creation, Retention Of Existing Business Social/ Environmental/ Service Delivery/ Public Safety/ QOL Problems Urban Local Govts Cont. May Have ED Professionals, Planners Downtown Devpt Orgs & ID Orgs Condition Of Infrastructure? Land Available? Environmental Contamination - Brownfields Quality Of Workforce? Priority Access To State & Federal Programs 11
Working With Municipalities Some Tips for Business Development Introduce Yourself Develop Good Relationship With Key Officials Know Land Use Controls, Permits, Taxes, And Fees Know Relevant State Laws How Long For Permitting & Development Approval Processes? Communicate Your Intentions Early. So What Do You Bring To The Table? Requirements, Deadlines, And Information Don t Hatch Surprises Prove You Will Be A Good Neighbor Compromise State Or Federal Grant Applications Consultants County Commissioners, State Representatives, etc County Planning Follow Through Walk A Mile In Their Shoes 12
10 Things Local Officials Should Know About Economic Development Your local economic strengths and weaknesses Your community s place in the broader regional economy Your community s economic development vision and goals Your community s strategy to attain its goals Connections between economic development and other municipal policies & issues Your regulatory environment Your local economic development stakeholders and partners Your economic development staff The needs of your local business community Your community s economic development message Pennsylvania Local Government & Economic Development Some Local Government Helpers 13
Pa DCED www.inventpa.com/ DCED Website Funding Programs, Technical Assistance, Publications Single Application Process Governor s Action Team 717-787-8199 Center For Local Govt. Services 717-787-8169 Center for Community Financing 717-787- 7407 Center for Business Financing 717-787-7120 Pa. DCED cont. Regional Community Affairs & Development Offices Central 717-720-7302 Northeast 570-963-4571 Northwest 814-871-4241 Southeast 215-560-5824 Southwest 412-565-5098 14
Other State Helpers DEP www.dep.state.us PennVEST 717 783 8137 www.pennvest.state.pa.us/pennvest Penn DOT www.dot.state.pa.us/ Planning 717 787 3154 Local & Area Transportation 717 787 8197 Engineering Districts Other State Helpers Center for Rural Pa. Barry Denk 717-787-9555 www.ruralpa.org/ Pa Local Govt. Com. Legislative Research Org. www.lgc.state.pa.us/ 15
Other Helpers Penn State Cooperative Extension Service www.extension.psu.edu/ Regional Planning & Devpt Orgs, LDDs Pa Assn of LDDs www.paldd.org/ County Planning Commissions Municipal Associations Pa State Assn of Township Supervisors (www.psats.org) Pa State Assn of Boroughs (www.boroughs.org) Pa Municipal Authorities Assn (www.municipalauthorities.org/) Pa League of Cities & Municipalities (www.plcm.org/) County Commissioners Assn of Pa (www.pacounties.org/) 16
Non Profit Agency Helpers Pa Downtown Center Bill Fontana 717 233 4675 www.padowntown.org/ 10,000 Friends of Pa. smart growth www.10000friends.org/ Pa Planning Association www.planningpa.org/ PAHRA - Housing & Redevpt. Authorities www.pahra.org/ PEDA www.peda.org/ Federal Government Agencies USDA Rural Development www.rurdev.usda.gov/pa Business, Infrastructure, Community Facilities, Telecommunications, Housing Financing Programs State Director Tom Williams, Harrisburg 717-237-2262 9 Area Offices 17
USDA Rural Development Build a Town... RUS Water, Sewer, Storm Water Loans & Grants Telecommunications, Distance Learning, Broadband Loans & Grants Community Facilities Loans & Grants For Bldgs & Equipt To Munis, NPs, VFDs, Health Orgs, Colleges 18
USDA Rural Development Build a Town... RBS Programs / Financing Business & Industry Guaranteed Loans Intermediary Relending Program Rural Business Enterprise Grants Rural Business Opportunity Grants Value Added Grants Renewable Energy Grants & Loan Guarantees Cooperative Development REDLGs to Certified Rural Utilities for CED Feds US Dept. Of Housing & Urban Development www.hud.gov Ec. Devpt. : EDI, BEDI, CDBG, 108, Brownfields, EZ/EC Housing & CD Progs Philadelphia (215-656-0500) Pittsburgh (412-644-6428) 19
Feds ARC LDDs Appalachia Counties/ not SE Pa or LV Infrastructure, Ec Devpt., Heath Care, Education, Civic Devpt., Telecommunications Bus Devpt., RLF, Entrepreneurship Initiative www.arc.gov/ DCED & USDA RD Connection Feds SBA Philadelphia 215-580-2SBA SB Loan Guarantees, Technical Asst. www.sba.gov EDA 215-597-4603 Planning & Infrastructure Grants For ED www.eda.gov US Army Corps of Engineers www.usace.army.mil/ US DOT www.dot.gov 20
Handouts & Reference Stuff Economic Development, Local Government & The Community - Handout Standards For Effective Local Government Citizens Guide To Pennsylvania Local Government 21