State Senator Eric D. Coleman
October 5, 2009
Coleman Says New Laws Will Promote Regional Cooperation, Help Save Taxpayer Money
New laws make it easier for Mayors and First Selectmen to team up on economic development projects
Four new laws take effect today that could help make local governments more efficient and save taxpayer money by enabling higher levels of cooperation between municipal governments. All four laws emerged from the legislature’s Committee on Planning and Development, chaired by state Senator Eric D. Coleman (D-Hartford).
“Everyone is looking to save money these days, and that’s just as true in government as it is in balancing our family checkbooks. The question we’re asking is: where is government failing to communicate with itself, and duplicating its efforts? Where can we do more with less, and cut through red tape to get results?” said Senator Coleman. House Bill 6585, An Act Concerning Regionalism, will allow the chief elected officials of two or more towns to enter into agreements for the promotion of area economic development. These agreements will specify the types of development to be covered, and allow towns to work together while seeking mutually beneficial growth.
The law will allow municipalities to share in the property tax revenues that result from their cooperative development efforts. New developments would be taxed at the mill rate of the municipality where the development is located, and the revenues distributed according to an agreement reached amongst all participating towns. The state Office of Policy and Management must approve these agreements.
“Regional and intermunicipal cooperation can help make government, overall, more efficient in delivering quality services. In tough economic times this is even more important. These bills, and other efforts by the Planning and Development Committee, are positive steps towards encouraging cooperation between towns and cities, and making government work better,” said Gian-Carl Casa, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.
Another new law, House Bill 6466, will add greater transparency to all regional planning organizations (RPOs) across Connecticut, including the regional councils of governments, regional councils of elected officials, and all regional planning agencies. The act will allow private developers to request a pre-application review of their proposed projects of regional significance.
These reviews will greatly increase communication between local government and private developers, and allow developers the opportunity to make the best case for their proposals. Examples of such projects would include open air theaters, shopping centers, apartment buildings, and other indoor commercial or industrial spaces. House Bill 6463 will strengthen the voice of individual municipalities on the boards of the state’s five regional planning agencies by allotting a seat for each municipality’s chief elected official or their designee.
According to the Office of Legislative Research, the act also increases the number of board representatives for cities and boroughs located within a town. The law entitles a city or borough to a representative if at least half of the town's total population resides there and its boundaries are not coterminous with those of the town. Prior law entitled the town and the city or borough to one representative each.
Finally, Senate Bill 383 will allow municipalities to exempt RPOs from property taxes on property that the RPOs own or hold in trust. The law requires that the property be used to advance the official duties of these organizations.
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