American Planning Association - Pennsylvania Chapter Pennsylvania Planning Association Pennsylvania Planning Association
American Planning Association - Pennsylvania Chapter American Planning Association - Pennsylvania Chapter Pennsylvania Planning Association
American Planning Association - Pennsylvania Chapter American Planning Association - Pennsylvania Chapter American Planning Association - Pennsylvania Chapter
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Governor Rendell Releases 2004-2005 Proposed Budget with Focus on Community Revitalization to Improve Quality of Life for All Pennsylvanians
Members and supporters of Pennsylvania Chapter of APA can find much of interest in the Governor’s Annual Budget Address. A few of the highlights in the Governor’s Budget message for planners included support for Main Street, Elm Street, Growing Greener, Brownfield redevelopment, and multi-municipal planning. Within the $22.3 billion proposal, the following recommendations of importance to planners were included:

From DCED:
Community Revitalization

  • $19 million total ($4 million increase) for the New Communities Program (Main and Elm Street increases)
  • $11.5 million for the Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program
  • $30 million for Housing & Redevelopment Assistance ($5 million increase)

Planning for Sustainable Growth and Municipal Cooperation

  • $3.75 million for Support for Coordinated Multi-Governmental Planning and Implementation
  • $3.75 million for Economic Development and Municipal Fiscal Stability, Regional Government Initiative, Voluntary Boundary Change
  • $1.5 million for Shared Municipal Services (SMS) ($.6 million increase)
  • $3 million for Act 47/Early Intervention
  • $550,000 for the Earned Income Tax Program

From DCNR:
Investments in state park improvements

  • $80 million over the next four years to meet its goal of electrifying 5,000 campsites, virtually eliminate all pit latrines, bring all sewer and water systems up to standard, and make all day-use facilities accessible for people with disabilities within Pennsylvania’s state park system

Investments in Community Recreation

  • $80 million to help meet the unfounded demand for recreation and conservation projects in older communities by building new and rehabilitating older pools, building new play fields, develop multipurpose trails and build new pavilions

Investments in Open Space Initiatives

  • $100 million to support community open space initiatives, help conserve privately owned lands and protect public lands

From DEP:
Community Revitalization

  • $40 million over 4 years to clean up brownfields and pave the way for the next generation of redevelopment projects that will contribute to the sustained economic growth of PA

Rivers and Streams

  • $80 million over 4 years to improve the health of PA’s rivers and streams

Growing Greener

  • $21 million enhancement of the Environmental Stewardship Fund to invest in watershed groups and county conservation districts that have achieved success in cleaning up the environment and revitalizing their communities

From PENNDOT:

  • $279 million for mass transit (3.44 percent increase), including an increase of $400,000 for Amtrak
  • $1.25 billion for new construction contracts, down slightly from last year
  • $1.143 billion for highway maintenance, an increase of $78 million
  • $143.1 million for bridges, an increase of $12.9 million

For the complete text of the Governor’s Address, go to: www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp

For the complete content of the Governor’s proposed budget, go to: www.governor.state.pa.us

More detailed analyses of the Governor’s Address and his budget will appear on this Web site during the coming weeks. Check back for more details.