State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Connecticut > Title4 > Chap050 > Sec4-124sSec. 4-124s. Regional performance incentive program. (a) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Regional council of governments" means any such council organized under the provisions of sections 4-124i to 4-124p, inclusive;
(2) "Regional council of elected officials" means any such council organized under the provisions of sections 4-124c to 4-124h, inclusive;
(3) "Regional planning agency" means an agency defined in chapter 127;
(4) "Municipality" means a town, city or consolidated town and borough;
(5) "Legislative body" means the board of selectmen, town council, city council, board of alderman, board of directors, board of representatives or board of the mayor and burgesses of a municipality; and
(6) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management or the designee of the secretary.
(b) There is established a regional performance incentive program that shall be administered by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. On or before December 1, 2007, any regional planning agency, any regional council of elected officials, any regional council of governments, or any combination thereof, may submit to said secretary a proposal for joint provision of a service or services that are currently provided by municipalities within the region of such agency or council or contiguous thereto, but not currently provided on a regional basis. On or before December 31, 2008, and annually thereafter, any such entity may submit a proposal to the secretary for: (1) The joint provision of any service that one or more participating municipalities of such council or agency currently provide but which is not provided on a regional basis, or (2) a planning study regarding the joint provision of any service on a regional basis. A copy of said proposal shall be sent to the legislators representing said participating municipalities.
(c) (1) An entity specified in subsection (a) of this section shall submit each proposal in the form and manner the secretary prescribes and shall, at a minimum, provide the following information for each proposal: (A) Service description; (B) the explanation of the need for such service; (C) the method of delivering such service on a regional basis; (D) the organization that would be responsible for regional service delivery; (E) a description of the population that would be served; (F) the manner in which regional service delivery will achieve economies of scale; (G) the amount by which participating municipalities will reduce their mill rates as a result of savings realized; (H) a cost benefit analysis for the provision of the service by each participating municipality and by the entity submitting the proposal; (I) a plan of implementation for delivery of the service on a regional basis; (J) a resolution endorsing such proposal approved by the legislative body of each participating municipality; and (K) an explanation of the potential legal obstacles, if any, to the regional provision of the service.
(2) The secretary shall review each proposal and shall award grants for proposals the secretary determines best meet the requirements of this section. In awarding such grants, the secretary shall give priority to a proposal submitted by any entity specified in subsection (a) of this section that includes participation of all of the member municipalities of such entity, and which may increase the purchasing power of such member municipalities or provide a cost savings initiative resulting in a decrease in expenses of such municipalities, allowing such municipalities to lower property taxes.
(d) The secretary shall submit to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding a report on the grants provided pursuant to this section. Each such report shall include information on the amount of each grant, and the potential of each grant for leveraging other public and private investments. The secretary shall submit a report for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2007, not later than February 1, 2008, and shall submit a report for each subsequent fiscal year not later than the first day of March in such fiscal year. Such reports shall include the property tax reductions achieved by means of the program established pursuant to this section.
(P.A. 07-239, S. 8; P.A. 08-182, S. 11.)
History: P.A. 07-239 effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 08-182 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdivs. (4) to (6) defining "municipality", "legislative body" and "secretary", respectively, amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions re submission of proposals for joint services or a planning study and deleting prior submittal requirements, replaced former Subsec. (c) with new Subsec. (c) re information to be submitted to secretary and criteria and priority for awarding grants, and amended Subsec. (d) by revising provisions re submittal deadlines and by adding provision requiring report to include information on property tax reductions, effective July 1, 2008.
