Title 53, MUNICIPALITIES GENERALLY

The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provisio…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Municipality Authorities Act.

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Administrative service." In the case of authorities created for the purpose of making business improvements or providin…

(a) Resolution of intent.--Whenever the municipal authorities of any municipality singly or of two or more municipalities jointly desire to organize an authority under this chapter, they shall adopt a resolution or ordinance signifying their intention to do so. No such resolution…

(a) Power to withdraw.--When an authority has been incorporated by two or more municipalities, any one or more of such municipalities may withdraw from it, but no municipality shall be permitted to withdraw from an authority after an obligation has been incurred by that authority…

(a) Purpose.--An authority may amend its articles for the following reasons: (1) To adopt a new name. (2) To modify or add a provision to increase its term of existence to a date not exceeding 50 years from the date of approval of the articles of amendment. (3) To change, add to …

(a) Merger and consolidation authorized.--Any two or more existing authorities, all the projects of all of which are leased to the same school district, may be merged into one authority, hereinafter designated as the surviving authority, or consolidated into a new authority. (b) …

(a) Scope of projects permitted.--Every authority incorporated under this chapter shall be a body corporate and politic and shall be for the purposes of financing working capital; acquiring, holding, constructing, financing, improving, maintaining and operating, owning or leasing…

(a) Authorization.-- (1) A bond must be authorized by resolution of the board. The resolution may specify all of the following: (i) Series. (ii) Date of maturity not exceeding 40 years from date of issue. (iii) Interest. (iv) Denomination. (v) Form, either coupon or fully registe…

(a) Rights and remedies.--The rights and the remedies conferred upon bondholders under this section shall be in addition to and not in limitation of rights and remedies lawfully granted them by the resolution for the bond issue or by any deed of trust, indenture or other agreemen…

(a) Board.--Except as set forth in subsection (a.1), the powers of each authority shall be exercised by a board composed as follows: (1) If the authority is incorporated by one municipality, the board shall consist of a number of members, not less than five, as enumerated in the …

(a) Powers.--The board shall have the power to: (1) Invest authority sinking funds in the manner provided for local government units by Subpart B of Part VII (relating to indebtedness and borrowing). (2) Invest moneys in the General Fund and in special funds of the authority othe…

(a) Treasurer.--The treasurer of an authority, or other designated recipient, shall receive the money due the authority and deposit the money in an account with a designated depository. The money shall be remitted in the name of the authority or designated recipient and may not i…

(a) Authorization.--Any municipality, school district or owner may sell, lease, lend, grant, convey, transfer or pay over to any authority with or without consideration any project or any part of it, any interest in real or personal property, any funds available for building cons…

(a) Services.-- (1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2), all construction, reconstruction, repair or work of any nature made by an authority if the entire cost, value or amount, including labor and materials, exceeds a base amount of $18,500, subject to adjustment under subsecti…

(a) Authorization.-- (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the authority shall have the power to acquire by purchase or eminent domain proceedings either the fee or the rights, title, interest or easement in such lands, water and water rights as the authority deems necessary f…

(a) Acquisition.--In the event that the authority shall own 90% or more of all the outstanding capital stock entitled to vote upon liquidation and dissolution and which is not subject by its terms to be called for redemption of any corporation owning a project and organized and e…

The use of the facilities of the authority and the operation of its business shall be subject to the rules and regulations as adopted by the authority. The authority shall not be authorized to do anything which will impair the security of the holders of the obligations of the aut…

(a) Power of authorities.--The Commonwealth pledges to and agrees with any person, firm or corporation or Federal agency subscribing to or acquiring the bonds to be issued by the authority for the construction, extension, improvement or enlargement of a project or part thereof th…

(a) Conveyance of projects.--When an authority has finally paid and discharged all bonds, with interest due, which have been secured by a pledge of any of the revenues or receipts of a project, the authority may, subject to agreements concerning the operation or disposition of th…

The effectuation of the authorized purposes of authorities created under this chapter shall be for the benefit of the people of this Commonwealth, for the increase of their commerce and prosperity and for the improvement of their health and living conditions. Since authorities wi…

The provisions of this chapter shall be severable, and if any of the provisions are held to be unconstitutional it shall not affect the validity of any of the remaining provisions of this chapter. It is hereby declared as the legislative intent that this chapter would have been a…

(a) Project.--If a project established under this chapter by a board appointed by a municipality is of a character which the municipality has power to establish, maintain or operate and the municipality desires to acquire the project, it may by appropriate resolution or ordinance…

(a) Retroactive revival.--Upon the filing of the required municipal statements of revival with the Secretary of the Commonwealth and issuance of a certificate of revival, an expired authority shall become a retroactively revived authority. (b) Municipal statement of revival.--A m…

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Authority." A parking authority in a city of the first class. "Call or demand service" or "taxicab service." Local comm…

The General Assembly finds and declares as follows: (1) The health, safety and general welfare of the people of this Commonwealth are directly dependent upon the continual encouragement, development, growth and expansion of business, industry, commerce and tourism. (2) Unemployme…

(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established an advisory committee to be known as the City of the First Class Taxicab and Limousine Advisory Committee. The authority shall submit to the advisory committee issues and questions for their consideration regarding the regulation, e…

(a) Rates to be just and reasonable.--Every rate made for authority-certified taxicab, limousine or medallion taxicab service shall be just and reasonable and in conformity with regulations or orders of the authority. (b) Tariffs.--Under regulations as the authority may prescribe…

The authority may, by regulation or order, prescribe for a taxicab or limousine service requirements as it may deem necessary for the protection of persons or property of their patrons and the public, including the filing of surety bonds, the carrying of insurance or the qualific…

(a) Adjudication.--Contested complaints brought before the authority alleging violations of this chapter or rules and regulations promulgated by the authority pursuant to this chapter shall be assigned by the authority to a hearing officer for adjudication. Hearing officers assig…

(a) General rule.--The authority shall provide for the establishment of a driver certification program for drivers of taxicabs and limousines within cities of the first class. Standards for fitness of all drivers shall be established under such rules and regulations as the author…

(a) Budget submission.-- (1) The authority shall prepare and, through the Governor, submit annually to the General Assembly a proposed budget consistent with Article VI of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, consisting of the amou…

(a) Notice of assessment and payment.-- (1) The authority shall serve notice of the assessment determined pursuant to section 5707 (relating to budget and assessments) to each owner by electronic mail, as provided in 52 Pa. Code § 1001.51(b) (relating to service by the authority)…

(a) Regulatory Fund.--The Philadelphia Taxicab and Limousine Regulatory Fund is established as a special fund in the State Treasury. A balance remaining in the regulatory fund and previously held by the authority shall be transferred to the special fund in the State Treasury upon…

(a) Fees authorized.--The authority may collect fees necessary for the administration and enforcement of this chapter. Payment of fees may be enforced in the same manner and to the extent provided for the payment of assessments under section 5707 (relating to budget and assessmen…

(a) General rule.--In addition to the powers conferred upon the authority by other provisions of this title, the authority is empowered to issue, suspend, cancel or revoke certificates of public convenience in accordance with this subchapter and orders or regulations of the autho…

(a) System.--There is a medallion system within cities of the first class in order to provide holders of certificates of public convenience which authorize citywide call or demand service the opportunity to upgrade and improve the operations of taxicabs. In the case of a corporat…

(a) Property rights.--Medallions are property and may not be revoked or canceled by the authority. Medallions may be pledged to lenders or creditors as security on debt. All lenders or creditors who, after the effective date of this section, accept a medallion as security shall d…

(a) Vehicles generally.-- (1) A vehicle may not be operated as a taxicab with citywide call or demand rights in cities of the first class unless a certificate of public convenience is issued by the authority authorizing the operation of the taxicab and a medallion is attached to …

2004 Amendment. Section 5715 was deleted by amendment July 16, 2004, P.L.758, No.94, effective immediately. 2004 Unconstitutionality. Act 230 of 2002 was declared unconstitutional. City of Philadelphia v. Commonwealth, 838 A.2d 566 (Pa. 2003).

Within 30 days of the close of each fiscal year, a medallion holder shall apply to obtain from the authority a reissued medallion for a fee in an amount to be determined pursuant to the requirements of section 5723 (relating to budget and fees). Each year's medallion shall design…

(a) Limitation on number.--Subject to the limits established in section 5711(c) (relating to power of authority to issue certificates of public convenience), the authority may increase the number of certificates and medallions. In no case shall the number of citywide call or dema…

(a) Place of transaction.--A medallion may not be sold or transferred to another party unless the closing of the sales transaction occurs at authority offices in the presence of a designated authority staff member. The authority staff member shall witness the execution of each co…

2004 Amendment. Section 5719 was deleted by amendment July 16, 2004, P.L.758, No.94, effective immediately. 2004 Unconstitutionality. Act 230 of 2002 was declared unconstitutional. City of Philadelphia v. Commonwealth, 838 A.2d 566 (Pa. 2003).

(a) Minimum wage.--Each certificate holder shall pay at least a prevailing minimum wage rate or, in the alternative, charge at most a prevailing maximum lease amount to the drivers of its taxicab, as determined by the authority upon investigation. The minimum wage rate and the ma…

In cities of the first class, all medallion holders shall utilize the services of a centralized dispatch system. Any owner of a centralized dispatch system shall make such system available to all medallion holders for a reasonable fee, as described in a rate schedule to be filed …