The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania announced yesterday its priorities for this year.
CCAP works as the advocate for all 67 Pennsylvania counties and provides leadership and support for excellence in county government. Each year, the organization chooses three issues to focus on during the year. CCAP President and Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess announced yesterday at a news conference in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg that the priorities will be funding and reauthorizing the state 9-1-1 system, adequate county mental health funding and vote-by-mail reforms.
Hess said that the needs reflect their ongoing commitment to provide exceptional service while using taxpayer dollars effectively.
Hess said that the revenue from the 9-1-1 surcharge has failed to keep pace with system costs over the last few years and can no longer be ignored, with 911 call volumes increasing across the state.
CCAP will also urge the state legislature on increasing and sustaining annual investments in mental health programs to help counties maintain and rebuild the existing safety net of services. For voting reform, CCAP would like to see ambiguities and gaps in the Election Code addressed concerning voting by mail, including provisions related to the law on counties’ authority to use drop boxes for mail-in ballots as well as clear and concise guidelines for curing ballot defects and third parties sending in mail-in ballot applications.
