Business and Community Leaders Address Municipal Consolodation and Marcellus Shale Taxation

June 1, 2011 - PRLog -- On Thursday, June 2, 2011 from 1:45-5:00 pm at the University of Pittsburgh, Alumni Hall Ballroom, 58 senior leaders from across sectors and spheres of influence in our region engaged in the Leadership Pittsburgh program will present Policy Briefs addressing their recommendations on issues and challenges facing local government in our region as it strives to become more effective, efficient and equitable to ensure our strength and stability now and in the future.

The 8 Policy Brief presentations represent the culmination of 9 months of these leaders engaging with civic issues and public policy including a study of local government  via the Leadership Pittsburgh curriculum; connections with an array of local governments (including 3 counties, the City of Pittsburgh, 17 boroughs and 6 townships); over 300 conversations with citizens (seniors, peers and emerging leaders) regarding their perspectives on local government; facilitated conversations with SEVERAL Local Government Policy Thought Leaders (including The Honorable Dick Thornburg and Ginny Thornburg; Moe Coleman, Director Emeritus, IOP; Terry Miller, Director, IOP; Dave Donahoe, Executive Director, RAD; The Honorable Frank Lucchino, Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County;  David Miller, Professor and Director of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs’ (GSPIA) Innovation Clinic, University of Pittsburgh; Sala Udin, President, Coro Center for Civic Leadership and Former City of Pittsburgh Council Member); and participation in Institute of Politics Forums.

A total of eight self-directed group projects were conducted under the rubric of "Engaging Our Local Governments, Understanding Our Issues and Challenges and the Opportunities for Our Future".  The leaders in LP XXVII conducted secondary research, interviewed peers outside of the class as well as senior citizens and young professionals over the course of nine months to develop their recommendations.  The projects address issues and mechanics of guiding a city-county consolidation that includes legal and financial solutions, suggested amendments, educational INITIATIVES, and Marcellus Shale tax reform proposals along with recommendations for a municipality “Cooperation Compact” which champions change in the state.  Several new ideas have emerged including a recommendation for implementing a program for municipalities that can be incentivized by Marcellus Shale related fees.  Another brief posits the creation of a "Social 911" and yet another outlines a mechanism for engaging business leaders in "secondment opportunities" for municipalities.

The Policy Briefs will be received and responded to by a panel of Local Government Thought Leaders including: The Honorable Dan Frankel, Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 23rd legislative district; Moe Coleman, Director Emeritus of the Institute of Politics of the University of Pittsburgh; Ellen Knight, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development and Frederick W. Thieman, President of the Buhl Foundation.

Sean Fabich, Senior Program Manager of Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. states, “Engaging senior leaders with significant spheres of influence in critical community issues is at the heart of the Leadership Pittsburgh program.  Especially important is raising these leaders’ awareness regarding public policy’s role in addressing the challenges we face.  Our knowledgeable panelists and I are greatly looking forward to these eight quick presentations that represent this class' best thinking and will provide key civic input into the issue of effective, efficient and equitable local government in our Region and in the Commonwealth.”

These briefs will be presented as part of the Graduation Session for the LP XXVII class.  Media is welcome to attend.

ABOUT LEADERSHIP PITTSBURGH INC.

LPI serves Southwestern Pennsylvania as an independent non-profit organization devoted to identifying, preparing, and connecting leaders to guide the Pittsburgh region.  Amongst its range of program offerings that create a continuum of civic engagement opportunities, LPI currently offers two selection-based programs:  Leadership Pittsburgh, which serves established organizational leaders, and Leadership Development Initiative, which targets high-potential young professionals.  The cohorts of these programs are created every year through a highly competitive process and include individuals of diverse backgrounds, professional levels, and organizations. The curriculum exposes these leaders to critical issues, skill development and community leadership opportunities. The programs of LPI are catalysts that speed understanding of the region, its components and how they interact in the system while intentionally building meaningful connections of established and emerging leaders from the corporate, public and non-profit sectors.

Leadership Pittsburgh’s approach to community leadership development has attracted leaders from organizations such as Bayer Corporation, Giant Eagle, Inc., PNC, UPMC Health Plan, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, the Monroeville Chamber of Commerce, The Hillman Foundation, FedEx Ground, and other top Pittsburgh businesses, non-profits, and public institutions.