HARRISBURG – May 14, 2012 – Under a bill to be introduced by state Sen. Jay Costa, the practice of Neighborhood Improvement Districts counting unreturned ballots as “yes” votes in district elections would be discontinued.
A Neighborhood Improvement District is a limited geographic area within a municipality in which a special tax is levied for the purpose of promoting the economic and general welfare of the district.
“Under the current law, when property owners within a Neighborhood Improvement District have a chance to vote for the approval, amendment or disapproval of a plan, a ballot that is not returned is counted as a ‘yes,’” Costa said. “That is unfair and unfortunate and the vote should not be counted one way or the other.”
Costa (D-Allegheny) said that the legislation, if enacted, would bring fairness and balance to the system of tabulating votes in a Neighborhood Improvement District.
The Forest Hills lawmaker said that the issue was brought to his attention by a constituent who requested the measure in response to the formation of a local improvement district on the South Side.
“This is common-sense legislation that closes a loophole in the Neighborhood Improvement District Act,” Costa said. “I am hopeful the bill will move quickly through the legislative process.”
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