Proposed Home Rule Charter

Introduction

Pennsylvania has multiple forms of government structures: counties, townships, boroughs, and cities. The City of Lancaster is a Third Class City operating under Optional Plan A of the Optional Third Class City Charter Law, often referred to as a strong Mayor-Council structure. In this structure, the Mayor is in charge of all of the administrative and executive functions of the City, and City Council is responsible for all of the legislative actions of the City. Under this form of government, Lancaster may only perform the duties and functions that are explicitly authorized by state law. This form of government also places limitations on the City of Lancaster regarding its finances and financial flexibility.

Pennsylvania offers citizens the right to choose another form of government known as Home Rule. A Home Rule Charter give the City the authority to perform and act in any manner that is not prohibited by the U.S. Constitution, the Pennsylvania Constitution, or the Pennsylvania Legislature. In other words, Home Rule gives greater power of self-governance.

In the 2023 primary election, residents in the City of Lancaster elected to form a Home Rule Study Commission to review, analyze and evaluate Lancaster’s governmental structure. Nine commissioners were elected to 1) study other governmental structures, 2) determine whether the current governmental structure works in the best interests of Lancaster’s residents, and 3) recommend changes to the structure for subsequent vote by City residents.

The Home Rule Study Commission studied for nine months, concluded that it would be in the best interest of residents to change from the existing Third Class City Charter Law to a Home Rule City, and began drafting a new charter. At the outset of the Commission’s drafting process, the Commission members elected to model the City’s form of government off of the existing structure. The Commission began drafting modifications and improvements to establish a foundation of an accessible, ethical and transparent government, providing for equitable representation, sound fiscal management, public health, safety & welfare, and local control.

The Charter Comparison PDFs below summarizes the major improvements being proposed by the City of Lancaster Home Rule Study Commission in three primary areas:

1. Budgetary and/or finance processes;
2. Accessible, ethical and transparent government processes;
3. Organizational structure of the government itself.

Notable improvements include (but are not limited to):

1. expanded referendum and voter initiative powers, expanding residents’ ability to have ordinances adopted or repealed
2. creation of an ethics commission
3. a longer and more publicly engaged process for the adoption of annual budgets
4. a requirement for five-year capital budgeting,
5. requirements for quarterly annual public budget reviews by the Administration with City Council
6. elimination of the position of Treasurer
7. expansion of the powers and responsibilities of the Controller

It is important to note that by electing a Home Rule Charter, the City of Lancaster will no longer be bound by certain tax rates established by the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The designation as a Home Rule City does not authorize the City of Lancaster to issue new taxes not already authorized by the State. Under Home Rule, Lancaster’s elected officials will gain increased flexibility to set tax rates in order to collect the necessary revenue to continue providing City services to all citizens, mindful of the burden that these taxes impose on City residents, especially those least able to pay.