Pennsylvania Water Infrastructure Bond Measure (2008)
| Pennsylvania Water Infrastructure Bond Measure | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 4, 2008 | |
| Topic Bond issues and Water | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Bond issue | Origin State Legislature |
The Pennsylvania Water Infrastructure Bond Measure was on the ballot as a bond issue in Pennsylvania on November 4, 2008. It was approved.
A "yes" vote supported authorizing the state to incur $400 million in debt in order to provide loans and grants to local governments for water and sewer projects. |
A "no" vote opposed authorizing the state to incur $400 million in debt in order to provide loans and grants to local governments for water and sewer projects. |
|
Pennsylvania Water Infrastructure Bond Measure (2008) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
|
|
2,879,592 | 62.27% | ||
| No | 1,744,555 | 37.73% | ||
Measure design
The measure authorized Pennsylvania to borrow $400,000,000 ($400 million) to provide grants and loans to municipalities and public utilities for the acquisition, construction, improvement, expansion, extension, repair, and rehabilitation of drinking water systems, storm water systems nonpoint source projects, nutrient credits, and wastewater treatment systems. The measure allowed $200,000,000 ($200 million) to be used in outright grant to municipalities. The remainder was earmarked for disbursement as loans to those who qualify for the funds. The amount of a grant, loan, or combination of grant and loan awarded for a project according to the measure could not exceed the monetary limits set by Act 64 of 2008, which varied based on the annual average daily flow of a sewage treatment system or the population served by a water system.[1][2] The total cost of repayment was estimated at $621 million, with an annual cost of $31 million upon all the debt being issued ($11.2 million and $23.1 million in 2009-10 and 2010-11, respectively).[3]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for this measure was as follows:
| “ | Do you favor the incurring of indebtedness by the Commonwealth of $400,000,000 for grants and loans to municipalities and public utilities for the cost of all labor, materials, necessary operational machinery and equipment, lands, property, rights and easements, plans and specifications, surveys, estimates of costs and revenues, prefeasibility studies, engineering and legal services and all other expenses necessary or incident to the acquisition, construction, improvement, expansion, extension, repair or rehabilitation of all or part of drinking water system, storm water, nonpoint source projects, nutrient credits and wastewater treatment system projects? | ” |
Full Text
The full text of this measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
- Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association[4]
Arguments
- The Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association said, "Pennsylvania faces over $20 billion alone to modernize its aging sewer and water systems in the coming years, based on EPA’s latest Clean Water and Drinking Water Needs Surveys. These numbers clearly demonstrate the need for much needed state and federal funding for these systems. The $400 million in new state funds will allow Pennsylvania communities to begin to address their water and sewer upgrade needs.[5]
Opposition
Arguments
- Joe Hilliard of The Lehigh Valley Political Blog said, "The well has run dry for Gov. Ed Rendell. He has increased state spending my more than $7 billion since taking office in 2003. He has increased state debt by another $3 billion. It's time to take away his credit card. There are probably many worthwhile projects that need to be funded in Pennsylvania, but Gov. Ed Rendell and the free-spending state Legislature have squandered their credibility on spending issues. I don't trust Rendell or the Legislature with my money. I will not support handing the Harrisburg bunch another $400 million."[6]
Path to the ballot
In Pennsylvania, the state government can issue bond issues without voter approval to suppress insurrection, rehabilitate areas affected by human-made or natural disasters, and fund capital projects that do not exceed 175 percent the average annual tax revenues for the previous five years. All other bond issues require voter approval of a ballot measure.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Philly.com, "Voters Asked To Approve Sewer/Water Bond," accessed September 24, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania General Assembly, "Senate Bill 1341," accessed September 24, 2015
- ↑ Fiscal Note, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations
- ↑ Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, "Vote Yes on November 4th to Infrastructure Bond Referendum," accessed September 24, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, "Vote Yes on November 4th to Infrastructure Bond Referendum," accessed September 24, 2015
- ↑ tonyphyrillas.blogspot.com, "Vote no on the Water-Sewer Referendum," accessed September 24, 2015
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