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Jo Ellen Litz,  County Commissioner 1996-99 & 2004-2011

 

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Litz Co.

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League of Women Voters

Report on the 118th Annual County Commissioner’s Conference in Pittsburgh PA.

Jo Ellen Litz, August 4, 2004

 

Attended the Energy, Environment and Land Use Committee meeting to discuss and help set related platform for County Commissioners.  Language concerning the following are in process:  Growing Greener II initiative; Phasing in the increased use of renewable energy and possibly clean coal technology; an optional 1% transfer tax to preserve open space and agricultural lands along with suggested language to allow infrastructure improvements.

 

Attended a session on Domestic Relations Cooperative Agreements.  In summary, revenues under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act entitle counties to 66% federal reimbursement for operational costs with additional incentives to meet three of five performance criteria.  Attainment also qualifies a county for bonus payments.  There is no cap.  A bonus is usually an amount equal to the regular payment.  Sometimes a county will have trouble figuring out how to spend the money.

  1. Cost effectiveness-CPA ranks high—collections over budget 6/1
  2. Over 80% of cases completed that walk in the door.
  3. In over 80% of cases paternity is established.
  4. Over 80% of current support is collected
  5. Collections on arrears beyond the monthly support obligation.

The balance of DR’s budget comes from levied court costs and fines.  MOE-maintenance of effort is critical.  17 counties did not meet 3 of 5 goals, and will be audited yearly (mostly class 1-3 counties) and the other counties will be rotated for audit.

PA is number one in percent of collections per case, which benefits the kids.

Lebanon should have received their allocation in June. 

 

Attended a session on legal developments as they relate to PEMA. 

bullet Mutual Aid & Assistance- Direction of disaster management services is the responsibility of the lowest level of government affected.
bullet Must develop mutual aid agreements with adjacent political subdivisions.
bullet May enter into mutual aid agreements with similar organizations in other states with the approval of the Governor.
bullet Where one political subdivision has jurisdiction in an area greater than itself but not the entire area of a county, before paying expenses, an agreement must be entered into designating one of the involved political subdivisions the agent of each of them for paying expenses.
bullet Public funded universities, colleges, secondary & elementary schools shall be made available to local, county & state officials for emergency planning and exercise purposes.
bullet Acceptance of grants offered to political subdivisions through the Commonwealth from Federal sources may only be accepted with consent of the Governor.
bullet All equipment, supplies, and materials received by way of Federal grants shall be treated as property of the Commonwealth…
bullet A duly enrolled EMA volunteer is entitled to limited workers’ comp and death benefits--$200/week with a maximum of $15,000.
bullet The Governor’s proclamation authorizes clearing of roadways as necessary for health, safety, and welfare of residents.
bullet For the Robert T Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act from FEMA, the Governor must declare an emergency first.
bullet The county is designated an emergency planning district for SARA (Super Fund Reauthorization Act)…..
bullet There are 9 counter terrorism planning, preparedness and response task forces in PA.
bullet 911 grants cannot be subpoenaed.  This information is not covered by right-to-know.  We cannot turn over tapes of calls without a court order.  There are no test cases.  The exclusion falls under public safety in the Right-to-Know law.

 

Attended a session on the Department of Corrections revisions to Title 37 Regulations.  In summary, there are 40,000 State and 30,000 local prisoners.  38 states have county jail inspections.  In some counties, judges can be responsible for overcrowding by not sending State-sentenced prisoners to State prison.  County jails are interim facilities, holding cells.  They were not set up to handle sex offenders, geriatrics, aids, and pregnant women….  A copy of a letter from Secretary Beard was read.

 

Attended a session entitled From Adversity to Efficiency:  Making County Government Work.  There are five dysfunctions that can keep you from functioning together:

  1. Absence of Trust
  2. Fear of Conflict
  3. Lack of Commitment
  4. Avoidance of Accountability
  5. Inattention to Results

The most important dysfunction is trust.  To overcome, figure out what each commissioner values most.  Find common ground—usually family.  The election is over.  To overcome, figure out what each commissioner values most.  Find common ground.  The election is over.  You won.  So did I.  Admit weaknesses and mistakes,  Ask for help.  Accept questions and input about your areas of responsibility.  Give one another the benefit of the doubt before arriving at a negative conclusion.  Take risks in offering feedback and assistance.  Appreciate and tap into one another’s skills and experience.  Focus time and energy on important issues, not politics.  Offer and accept apologies without hesitation.  Look forward to meetings and other opportunities to work as a group.

Great teams find ways to achieve buy-in even when complete agreement is impossible.  Reasonable people do not need to get their way in order to support a decision; they only need to know that their opinions have been heard and considered.

Perform simple but regular progress reviews; have regular communication with each other, verbal and/or written.

In the end, finance, strategy, neither political ideology nor technology are the answer.  Teamwork remains the ultimate advantage because it is so powerful and rare --Patrick Lencioni.

 

During the business meeting, commissioner’s discussed and voted upon platform items.  In brief, additions and revisions include:

  1. Added the ability to collect back taxes for up to five years when errors or unreported improvements in assessments are discovered.
  2. Rejected rolling reassessments at the time of the sale of a property.
  3. Supported an amendment allowing limited bid preference for local or domestic suppliers.
  4. Supported an extension of one year to adopt either the 1/50 or 1/40 benefit level for pensions.
  5. Rejected pension relief from actuarial funding during market downturns.
  6. Believing that each county should have the right to choose, commissioners supported language against mandated electronic voting paper audit trails.
  7. Supported extending the mine reclamation fund through 2029 based upon historic production..
  8. Supported intermediate punishment for nonviolent offenders.
  9. Supported reduced prison overcrowding.
  10. Supported  recouping of inmate costs.
  11. Supported a mentally ill offender and crime reduction program.
  12. Supported pre-trial detainees getting Medicare and Medicaid.
  13. Supported fees for medical expenses for juveniles in detention.
  14. Supported per person payments for State prisoner reimbursement.
  15. Supported forfeiture receipts to allocate drug funds to the general fund.
  16. Supported partial funding by the State for part time District Attorneys.
  17. Supported funding to establish drug and treatment courts.
  18. Supported a $5 increase in court fees for courthouse security.
  19. Supported fees for copies of court transcripts being deposited and available to the general fund, not court reporters.
  20. Supported an increase in State funding for conservation districts.
  21. Supported no forced distribution of a new one-half cent liquid fuels tax for the county portion of bridge renovations.  Wanted the ability to allow new funds to accumulate for large projects.
  22. Support a comprehensive NACO transportation policy in their platform (TEA 21).
  23. Support increasing reimbursement from 50% to 75% for emergency management and needed staffing.
  24. Supported adoption of energy efficiency standards for common products.
  25. Supported editing of parole decisions.
  26. Supported PA crop insurance assistance.
  27. Supported enhanced collaboration and consistency between county and municipal planning.
  28. Repealed an obsolete platform stand on profits from inmate phone fees.
  29. Repealed a State responsibility to reimburse trial fees for State inmates.
  30. Repealed an obsolete increase in District Justice fees.
  31. Repealed the accomplished Act 56 - 911 wireless fees.

 

ACT 72 HOMESTEAD EXCLUSION

9/2/04 Takes effect.  Within 30 days, county must respond.

10/16/04 Send lists of homeowners out to schools who are responsible to print, and mail the applications.  However, the applications come back to the assessment office.  Counties can charge the school districts for services.  Also, schools can pay counties to handle the entire process.  Mixed-use property is only partially exempt.

3/1/05 Homeowner deadline to respond

5/1/05 complete certifications

bullet The old Act 50 certifications are probably obsolete and need redone.
bullet Providing schools with electronic data is optional
bullet Must be owner occupied real estate.
bullet 54% of home owners think real estate tax is unfair
bullet 68% think taxes are too high
bullet 70% believe taxes are best set at the local level.  Different districts have different needs.  A menu of options like income or sales tax is needed.  CCAP will pursue their “Blue Print for Tax Fairness, which involves a grass roots effort.  In addition, Doug Hill will visit with Governor Rendell, and legislators.  HB 536 will need reintroduced next year.  A public relations campaign and education as well as a speaker’s bureau are also part of the plan.
bullet Demographic and regional breakdowns are available.

 

Obtained information on embezzlement--how it happens & prevention.

 

Obtained information on saving money on prescriptions.