Big changes are soon to come to Lancaster City. On November 5, 2024, Lancaster voters approved a home rule charter. Home rule is a type of municipal government where governmental affairs are determined by a local charter. It is designed to allow a municipal government to be more flexible with its structure and to adopt laws that are better suited for the needs of the city. It also strengthens the power that local citizens have over their municipal government by strengthening their participation in the law-making process.
The question of whether to adopt home rule was put on the 2024 general election ballot for the residents of the city to decide. A majority of Lancaster voters approved the charter, with the final results being 68.2% to 31.8%. The city of Lancaster will officially establish home rule on January 1, 2025, joining many other municipalities in Pennsylvania with home rule charters. The city has been exploring home rule for several years, with voters previously approving a Home Rule Study Commission in 2023. The decision made by Lancaster City voters in November was the result of this long process. Establishing home rule in the city of Lancaster will shift governance authority away from Pennsylvania state law and to a local charter. Lancaster’s local charter will be written, amended, and established by Lancaster City residents. The home rule charter will also establish an Ethics Commission, which will hold public and elected officials accountable and will investigate ethics violations.
The City of Lancaster’s main reason for pursuing home rule was to give the city stronger authority over taxation. Currently, the City of Lancaster only has control over one type of tax, property taxes, with all other taxes stuck at a fixed rate by state law. To raise revenue, the city must raise property taxes, which it has done nine times since 2006. However, the revenue gained from property taxes is not enough to keep up with government costs, creating a large deficit. Home rule will allow the city to have control over the income tax, the local services tax, and the real estate property tax, decreasing the reliance of the city on the property tax. Danene Sorace, the mayor of Lancaster City, considers the approval of home rule to be a “historic moment” and a “victory” for the city of Lancaster. She also voiced disapproval of Pennsylvania’s legislature, saying, “It is also extremely frustrating that our Legislature doesn’t give more options to governments (to raise revenue),” Mayor Danene has proposed an increase to the city’s earned income tax, which will result in high earners paying more taxes.
It will take a while for the city of Lancaster to fully transition to home rule. By mid-2026, a new administrative code must be written and adopted, which will be a more detailed version of the Home Rule charter. A new ethics code must be put into place by 2026 as well, under the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission. We do not know the specifics of how the city of Lancaster will change under home rule, but new and more efficient ways to collect revenue and greater participation from the people will hopefully keep the city’s services and infrastructure strong.
Junior Nicholas Carpenter is the News Editor. His email is ncarpent@fandm.edu.