• Latest
Aerial view of downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Lancaster City Residents Approve Home Rule Study

May 17, 2023
P.J. Reilly, Baiting Deer, and Tattling on One’s Neighbor

P.J. Reilly, Baiting Deer, and Tattling on One’s Neighbor

May 26, 2023
Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Dodgers Reinvite ‘Trans Nuns’ to Baseball Stadium, Issue Apology

May 26, 2023
Gavin Newsom walks in the 2019 Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco.

Newsom: Target is ‘Selling Out the LGBTQ+ Community to Extremists’

May 26, 2023
Podcast – Hunting and Biblical Law

Podcast – Hunting and Biblical Law

May 26, 2023
Ron DeSantis Launches 2024 Presidential Bid Via Twitter

Ron DeSantis Launches 2024 Presidential Bid Via Twitter

May 25, 2023
Podcast – Lancaster City to Study ‘Home Rule’

Podcast – Lancaster City to Study ‘Home Rule’

May 25, 2023
The Confiscation

The Confiscation

May 24, 2023
Stock image of gun wall rack with rifles and pistol.

Two Gun Control Bills Pass Pennsylvania House

May 23, 2023
Countless Veterans Struggle With Addiction

Countless Veterans Struggle With Addiction

May 23, 2023
CRT in Camp Hill Schools

CRT in Camp Hill Schools

May 23, 2023
Rep. Roy: ‘What’s Next, Rainbow Uniforms?’

Rep. Roy: ‘What’s Next, Rainbow Uniforms?’

May 22, 2023
The Failure of Lancaster County Churches

The Failure of Lancaster County Churches

May 17, 2023
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Sunday, May 28, 2023
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Lancaster Patriot
No Result
View All Result
  • Lancaster News
  • Perspectives
  • Obituaries
  • Events
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lancaster News
  • Perspectives
  • Obituaries
  • Events
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Lancaster Patriot
No Result
View All Result
Home Lancaster News

Lancaster City Residents Approve Home Rule Study

by The Lancaster Patriot Staff
May 17, 2023
in Lancaster News
2
Aerial view of downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Aerial view of downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Lancaster City residents on Tuesday voted in favor of commissioning a government study to consider a home rule charter in the city, according to unofficial election results posted by Lancaster County.

The proposed referendum question on the ballot said: “Home Rule Study: Shall a government study commission of nine members be elected to study the existing form of government of the municipality to consider the advisability of the adoption of a home rule charter and, if advisable, to draft and recommend a home rule charter?”

As of Wednesday afternoon, the unofficial results listed 3,593 votes in favor and 1,017 against.

Since 1972, when Home Rule charters were introduced, over twenty Pennsylvania cites have adopted Home Rule, a change which transfers the authority to make laws from the state government to local government.

Home Rule allows local governments far greater freedom, especially the ability to force citizens to pay more taxes to local government. According to the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development, “Local governments without Home Rule can only act where specifically authorized by state law; Home Rule municipalities can act anywhere except where they are specifically limited by state law.”

A Lancaster City government website set up to encourage residents to vote for the Home Rule study referendum contains the following sub-heading: “Voting Yes on Home Rule would give Lancaster City residents more local control over what happens in their own community.”

In a May 14 column published by LNP, Lancaster City Mayor Danene Sorace urged residents to vote yes on the study, noting that yearly property taxes are not sufficient to fund the city government. (The proposed 2023 city budget estimated over $30 million in property taxes.)

“The city budget increased an average of 2.5% each year over the last eight years,” Sorace said in the column. “Property tax revenue, our main revenue source, cannot keep up — on average, increasing less than 1% yearly. So, either property tax rates must go up, or the city must make cuts to services to balance the budget.”

Last year, Sorace proposed an 8% property tax hike.

In her column, Sorace did not discuss any city services that could be cut to prevent increasing taxation, and instead focused on Home Rule as an option to increase city “revenues” by raising the tax rates on citiy residents.

“Through home rule, the city could raise revenue by modifying other existing tax rates rather than over-relying on one source — property taxes,” she said. “Other taxes include earned income taxes, local services taxes and real estate transfer taxes.”

Under Home Rule, a municipality could theoretically be unlimited in the tax rate the city council could implement, a reality Sorace alluded to in her column, but brushed off. “While a lot can change through home rule,” she said. “I am suggesting slight changes to keep our city running effectively and sustainably.”

If the commission proposes a charter, another referendum would be put before city voters next year to approve or reject Home Rule.

Tags: danene soracehome rule
Next Post
Rep. Roy: ‘What’s Next, Rainbow Uniforms?’

Rep. Roy: ‘What’s Next, Rainbow Uniforms?’

Comments 2

  1. John Rushemeza says:
    1 week ago

    Politicians love an uneducated citizenry. Most people who vote for this most likely had no idea what they were voting for. Just that their politician of choice asked them to.

    Reply
  2. Pingback: Podcast – Lancaster City to Study ‘Home Rule’ - The Lancaster Patriot

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Mastriano Concedes Pa. Gubernatorial Race to Shapiro

Mastriano Concedes Pa. Gubernatorial Race to Shapiro

6 months ago
SCOTUS to Consider Taking Case on Constitutionality of Mail-In Voting

SCOTUS to Consider Taking Case on Constitutionality of Mail-In Voting

5 months ago

Popular News

  • The Confiscation

    The Confiscation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • P.J. Reilly, Baiting Deer, and Tattling on One’s Neighbor

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Two Gun Control Bills Pass Pennsylvania House

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Dutch Haven Closes, Up for Sale

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Podcast – Trusting in Lies: Julie Green, Bo Polny, and Reawaken America

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Connect with us

facebook instagram gab telegram mewe

Newsletter

THE MOST IMPORTANT LOCAL NEWS FOR LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

Subscribe to our mailing list and receive updates direct to your inbox!

Category

  • Faith
  • Lancaster News
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Media
  • National News
  • PA News
  • Perspectives
  • World News

Site Links

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

About Us

The Lancaster Patriot is a media company located in, and focusing on, Lancaster County Pennsylvania. We are dedicated to investigative local journalism and independent commentary.

  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 The Lancaster Patriot

No Result
View All Result
  • Lancaster News
  • Perspectives
  • Obituaries
  • Events
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 The Lancaster Patriot

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist