1. BEYOND THE GREAT RECESSION: SAVING CITIES AND SCHOOLS
South Central Assembly Summit
June 13, 2012

2. FIRST THINGS FIRST… Stabilize finances
Establish organizational infrastructure
Change the culture/ improve service delivery

3. LET THE CHIPS FALL…
DCED Early Intervention Program: Comprehensive Audit
Engage business and community leaders
Create community – neighborhood meetings
Build a team – workforce meetings

4. OPERATIONS: “… need an extreme makeover.”
Critical investment in the City’s corporate infrastructure has been neglected.
Investment in human and technological capital is lacking.
Investment in facilities and operations has been limited at best.

5. FINANCES: “The future is bleak.”
REVENUES: 2% annual growth rate
EXPENSES: 5 to 6 % annual growth rate (health insurance = 18% growth rate)
“If nothing is done to reverse these trends, initial projections show a $69 million cumulative deficit by 2012.”

6. IT’S NOW OR NEVER
“Continued neglect will increase operating costs and make it more difficult to provide good customer service.”
“The primary findings of the report are that the City of Lancaster must upgrade its corporate and physical infrastructure, while at the same time addressing a serious fiscal situation.”
-- Management Partners
September 2007

7. Organizational Development
Strategic Planning
Staff meetings & work site visits
Customer Centered Culture: “Off the bus.”
Human Resources: Performance Measures, Salary Scales, Job Descriptions, Training

8. operations Leased computers Shared IT Services Phone systems
Facilities assessments

9. REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS Voluntary Contribution Program
Fees based on cost-recovery
Credit cards accepted for payments
Capital Budget used to fund infrastructure and other investments
Settled Worker’s comp claims
Sold Property liens
Collection of delinquent accounts
Tax increases

10. CUT EXPENSES Contract concessions Lay-offs Early retirement buy-outs
Hiring freezes
Salary freezes
Merit vs. Cost of living adjustments

11. IDEAL URBAN EXPERIENCE
A COMMON VISION
PROVIDE THE
IDEAL URBAN EXPERIENCE

12. OUR ENVIRONMENT Public art
Design standards and streetscape enhancements
Park improvements
Green Infrastructure
Public buildings
Utilities – water, recycling, solid waste

13. OUR NEIGHBORHOODS Rental property registration and licensing
Code Enforcement
Administrative Ticketing
SWEEP

14. OUR PARTNERS Institutional: F&M, MU, PCAD, LGH
Other Non-Profits: Religious, Social Service, Housing, Philanthropic
Community Development Groups: SACA, JSID, DID
Business Groups: Lancaster Alliance, Lancaster Chamber
Arts & Culture: Lancaster Arts

15. FINANCING LOCAL GOVERNMENT
THE FUTURE
PROSPER OR PERISH:
FINANCING LOCAL GOVERNMENT
IN PENNSYLVANIA

16. MUNICIPAL FINANCE TASK FORCE
Local governments must be given a menu of options for generating revenue.
The public safety contract arbitration system (Act 111) must be reformed.
State-mandated defined benefits must give way to consolidation of pension plans at the statewide level.
Inter-municipal shared services must be heavily incentivized and, in some cases, mandated.
Property tax reform must happen.

17. FOR MORE INFORMATION…
Pat Brogan Mayor’s Office, City of Lancaster