Bethel Park voters to decide on five ballot questions
In addition to deciding who should be governor, senator, congressman and various other government officials, voters in Bethel Park will have to answer five ballot questions in the Nov. 6 general election.
One question comes from the county and the other four are specific to Bethel Park.
All Allegheny County voters will decide whether they agree to a property tax increase to pay for after-school, early learning and nutrition programs for children.
Bethel Park residents will also decide on four potential changes to the home rule charter. Two of the ballot questions concern relatively minor changes. One would correct a typographical error in the original document and the other would make numerous changes to pronouns to make the charter gender neutral.
Two other changes concern the citizens’ initiative process. Bethel Park allows citizens to challenge an ordinance and possibly overturn it if enough people sign a petition and vote for the subsequent ballot question.
A commission to study the home rule charter found a potential flaw in this process, if a citizen challenges a new tax levy. If council raises taxes and a resident challenges that decision, the municipality may not be able to collect taxes at all until the challenge process is complete. And since the challenge process can take several months, it could potentially shut down the municipal government.
The commission recommended a change so that the municipality could continue to collect taxes under the old rate while the challenge process proceeds. Voters will decide whether or not to approve that change.
Another change would eliminate the provision where citizens challenging an ordinance get two chances to garner enough petition signatures to prompt a referendum.
To challenge an ordinance, a group of citizens have to circulate a petition and if they gather signatures from at least 20 percent of the electorate, based on the number of voters in the last gubernatorial election, the matter will be placed on the next election ballot. The current law would allow them time to gather more signatures if they fall short on the first petition drive.
The proposed change would give citizens one chance to gather the signatures.
The Home Rule Study Commission, made up of elected officials and private citizens, studies the home rule charter a few years ago and recommended changes. These four potential changes are part of the commission’s recommendation.
Last year, voters approved several minor changes to the charter, mainly concerning planning and budget deadlines.