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For Immediate
Release
9/27/11
Senate Passes Two Brubaker Bills To
Save Local Tax Dollars
HARRISBURG – The Senate passed two bills today that would streamline local
government operations and save taxpayer dollars, according to the sponsor of the
bills Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-36).
Under current law, municipalities must go through a bidding process that
includes multiple newspaper advertisements, sealed bids and additional meetings
to make purchases or enter into contracts that exceed $10,000. School districts
must meet similar requirements for purchases and contracts that exceed $4,000.
Senate Bills 290 and
293 would increase these limits to $18,500 and allow for annual adjustments
based on the Consumer Price Index. Brubaker said the changes would allow
municipalities and school districts to use fewer taxpayer dollars for newspaper
advertisements and increase local government efficiency.
"The current process requires local governments to spend a great deal of time
and taxpayer dollars to solicit bids for relatively small purchases and
contracts," Brubaker said. "Local governments should still communicate contracts
to the public to ensure taxpayers get the best deal possible, but these bills
would reduce some of the costly mandates and provide the flexibility to
effectively manage our tax dollars."
Senate Bills 290 and 293 were sent to the House of Representatives for
consideration.
The bills are part of a broad bipartisan package of legislation designed to
streamline and improve the competitive bidding process for state and local
governments, including counties, cities, townships, boroughs, towns, municipal
authorities and school districts.
Contact:
Kristin Crawford
(717) 787-4420
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