Erie City Council approves home rule charter ordinance. What's next?
Erie City Council, during its regular meeting on April 16, voted 5-0 to give final approval to an ordinance regarding what's known as a home rule form of government.
The ordinance, which was approved 5-0 on second reading without discussion, does not put home rule in place.
Instead, it authorizes the creation of a ballot question that would ask city voters if they want to launch a nine-member commission to study the possibility of moving to a home rule charter.
The question is expected to be on the ballot for the Nov. 4 municipal election.
Further, citizens interested in serving on the home rule commission would have to be elected to those posts in relation to the ballot question.
Those candidates will be required to collect 200 non-partisan signatures on nominating petitions, similar to what other candidates for elected office are required to do.
Erie County Director of Elections Tonia Fernandez said the date to start circulating those petitions, and the deadline for submitting them to county elections officials, has yet to be determined.
City Council gave preliminary approval to the ordinance on April 2. City Council rejected a similar ordinance in January after some members said they felt the issue was being rushed.
Council members Tyler Titus, Ed Brzezinski, Jasmine Flores, Maurice Troop and Kathy Schaaf voted for the ordinance. Two of their colleagues, Council President Mel Witherspoon and Chuck Nelson, were absent Wednesday.
If city voters approve a home rule study, the commission would compile a public report on what home rule government might look like in Erie and make a recommendation on whether or not to move forward with home rule.
Then Erie voters would either approve or reject home rule through a second ballot question. The entire process could take years.
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The process would essentially empower city government to create its own constitution with greater flexibility and independence regarding issues such as city operations, taxation and executive/legislative structure.
Erie currently adheres to the state's Third Class City Code, with an optional charter, in terms of how its government operates. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, 'the basic authority to act in municipal affairs is transferred from state law, as set forth by the General Assembly, to a local charter, adopted and amended by the voters."
Home rule municipalities also have significant latitude to craft their own governmental rules in various areas, according to DCED, except where specifically limited by state law.
Nelson is among those who has advocated for the home rule study, saying the move would give citizens more say on how the city is governed and give city officials more ability to craft laws and make decisions based on needs specific to Erie.
Voters in Lancaster recently approved a home rule study. Two other third-class cities in Pennsylvania, Reading and Allentown, adopted home rule decades ago.
Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@timesnews.com. Follow him on X at @ETNflowers.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie voters will get chance to weigh in on home rule charter
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