Allegheny Regional Asset District
Encyclopedia
The Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD) is a special purpose unit of local government
in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
. Its physical boundaries are the same as those of Allegheny County, and include the City of Pittsburgh. The district was authorized by an act of the Pennsylvania Legislature (Act 77 of 1993). It provides grants from half of the proceeds of the 1% Allegheny County Sales and Use Tax
.
The County levied the tax in March 1994 and every municipal government in Allegheny County voted to participate in its benefits. 25% of the funds go directly to the County and 25% goes to the other municipal governments based on a formula weighted to help distressed communities. The proceeds are used to help shift the tax burden away from property taxes and for municipal functions such as road repair and police protection. Municipal funds do not go through the RAD Board; they are distributed directly to the municipalities from the Commonwealth. The remaining 50% is distributed by RAD.
RAD grants are distributed to civic, cultural and recreational entities, libraries, parks and sports facilities. The distribution is made by a Board of Directors
composed of four persons appointed by the County Chief Executive, two appointed by the Mayor of Pittsburgh and one person elected by the six appointees. The six appointees serve terms concurrent with the appointing authority while the seventh member serves for two years. The Board also appoints a 27-person Advisory Board to provide public input and comment on policies and procedures.
The District's annual budget process ends with the adoption of a budget in December for the following calendar year. Each proposed allocation requires the support of six members. All meetings and votes of the Board are conducted under the provisions of Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act which requires public meetings and opportunities for public comment.
For 2008, the District adopted an $83.4 million budget; about 31% of the funding went to libraries, 30% to parks, trails and other green spaces, 17% to the stadiums and arena, 11% to special facilities (Zoo, Aviary, Phipps Conservatory,and Convention Center), and 10% to art and cultural organizations. Less than 1% was budgeted for administration.
These entities are known as contractual assets and receive guaranteed funding for a period of five years (2005-2009). Their total RAD funding for 2008 is about $60 million:
This entity is known as a multi-year asset which has been guaranteed funding for more than one year. Its RAD funding for 2008 is about $14 million:
Each year, other entities can submit applications for funding. Usually about 75-85 of them receive it. The total RAD funding for this group for 2008 is about $9 million, over two-thirds of which goes to large, well-established organizations in the region, such as:
The balance goes to smaller organizations, mainly musical and theater groups.
Re-appointed in December 2009 by City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
. His term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
. His term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Re-appointed in December 2009 by City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
. His term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato. His term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
. Her term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Dr. Rosen was nominated to the RAD Board by the Friendship Development Associates.
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
. Her term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Special-purpose district
Special-purpose districts or special district governments in the United States are independent governmental units that exist separately from, and with substantial administrative and fiscal independence from, general purpose local governments such as county, municipal, and township governments. As...
in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
. Its physical boundaries are the same as those of Allegheny County, and include the City of Pittsburgh. The district was authorized by an act of the Pennsylvania Legislature (Act 77 of 1993). It provides grants from half of the proceeds of the 1% Allegheny County Sales and Use Tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
.
The County levied the tax in March 1994 and every municipal government in Allegheny County voted to participate in its benefits. 25% of the funds go directly to the County and 25% goes to the other municipal governments based on a formula weighted to help distressed communities. The proceeds are used to help shift the tax burden away from property taxes and for municipal functions such as road repair and police protection. Municipal funds do not go through the RAD Board; they are distributed directly to the municipalities from the Commonwealth. The remaining 50% is distributed by RAD.
RAD grants are distributed to civic, cultural and recreational entities, libraries, parks and sports facilities. The distribution is made by a Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
composed of four persons appointed by the County Chief Executive, two appointed by the Mayor of Pittsburgh and one person elected by the six appointees. The six appointees serve terms concurrent with the appointing authority while the seventh member serves for two years. The Board also appoints a 27-person Advisory Board to provide public input and comment on policies and procedures.
The District's annual budget process ends with the adoption of a budget in December for the following calendar year. Each proposed allocation requires the support of six members. All meetings and votes of the Board are conducted under the provisions of Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act which requires public meetings and opportunities for public comment.
For 2008, the District adopted an $83.4 million budget; about 31% of the funding went to libraries, 30% to parks, trails and other green spaces, 17% to the stadiums and arena, 11% to special facilities (Zoo, Aviary, Phipps Conservatory,and Convention Center), and 10% to art and cultural organizations. Less than 1% was budgeted for administration.
These entities are known as contractual assets and receive guaranteed funding for a period of five years (2005-2009). Their total RAD funding for 2008 is about $60 million:
- Allegheny County Library AssociationAllegheny County Library AssociationThe Allegheny County Library Association is an organization based in Western Pennsylvania that strives to provide Allegheny County's residents with the premier library system in the state. Formed in 1991, as an effort to encourage county libraries to collaborate and share resources, ACLA became...
- Allegheny CountyAllegheny County, PennsylvaniaAllegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
– Regional Parks - Carnegie Library of PittsburghCarnegie Library of PittsburghThe Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is the public library system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its main branch is located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and it has 19 branch locations throughout the city...
- Carnegie Museums of PittsburghCarnegie Museums of PittsburghCarnegie Museums of Pittsburgh are four museums that are operated by the Carnegie Institute headquartered in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
- City of McKeesportMcKeesport, PennsylvaniaMcKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
– Regional Park: Renziehausen Park Rose Garden and ArboretumRenziehausen Park Rose Garden and ArboretumRenziehausen Park Rose Garden and Arboretum is a city park with rose garden and arboretum located on Eden Park Boulevard off Walnut Street, in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. It is open to the public daily without charge.... - City of PittsburghPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
– Regional Parks: Frick ParkFrick ParkFrick Park is the largest municipal park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, covering .The park began when Henry Clay Frick, upon his death in 1919, bequeathed south of Clayton, his Point Breeze mansion . He also arranged for a $2 million trust fund for long-term maintenance for the park, which opened on...
, Schenley ParkSchenley ParkSchenley Park is a large municipal park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, between the neighborhoods of Oakland, Greenfield, and Squirrel Hill. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district...
, Highland ParkHighland Park (Pittsburgh)Highland Park is both a large municipal park and a racially diverse, mostly residential neighborhood in the northeastern part of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.The neighborhood has 6,749 residents according to the 2000 United States Census...
, Riverview Park - The National Aviary in PittsburghNational AviaryThe National Aviary, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is America's only independent indoor nonprofit aviary. It is also America's largest aviary, and the only accorded honorary "National" status by the United States Congress.-Location and features:...
- Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG AquariumPittsburgh Zoo & PPG AquariumThe Pittsburgh Zoo is one of only six major zoo and aquarium combinations in the United States. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Highland Park, the zoo sits on of park land where it exhibits more than 4,000 animals representing 475 species, including 20 threatened or endangered species.The...
This entity is known as a multi-year asset which has been guaranteed funding for more than one year. Its RAD funding for 2008 is about $14 million:
Each year, other entities can submit applications for funding. Usually about 75-85 of them receive it. The total RAD funding for this group for 2008 is about $9 million, over two-thirds of which goes to large, well-established organizations in the region, such as:
- Allegheny Land TrustAllegheny Land TrustAllegheny Land Trust is a regional land conservation group headquartered in Sewickley, Pennsylvania in the United States.- Mission :"Allegheny Land Trust's mission is to serve as the lead land trust conserving and stewarding lands that support the scenic, recreational and environmental well-being...
- August Wilson Center for African American CultureAugust Wilson Center for African American CultureAugust Wilson Center for African American Culture is a U.S. nonprofit arts organization that presents performing and visual arts programs that celebrate the contributions of African Americans in Western Pennsylvania....
- Children's Museum of PittsburghChildren's Museum of PittsburghThe Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is a children's museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is in the Allegheny Center neighborhood in Pittsburgh's Northside.- History :...
- David L. Lawrence Convention CenterDavid L. Lawrence Convention CenterThe David L. Lawrence Convention Center is a convention, conference and exhibition building in downtown Pittsburgh in the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The initial David L...
- Historical Society of Western PennsylvaniaHistorical Society of Western PennsylvaniaThe Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania is a cultural organization in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After several attempts during the early and mid-century to establish a historical society, an organization called Old Residents of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania was formed on January 10, 1859...
- Manchester Craftsmen's GuildManchester Craftsmen's GuildManchester Craftsmen's Guild is a nonprofit multi-discipline art, education and music organization established in 1968 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, with the address of 1815 Metropolitan St. 15233...
- Pittsburgh Ballet Theater
- Pittsburgh Civic Light OperaPittsburgh Civic Light OperaPittsburgh Civic Light Opera is a nonprofit professional theater company based in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA....
- Pittsburgh Cultural TrustPittsburgh Cultural TrustThe Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, a nonprofit arts organization, is a driving catalyst behind the ongoing development of the Downtown Pittsburgh Cultural District, Pittsburgh...
- Pittsburgh FilmmakersPittsburgh FilmmakersPittsburgh Filmmakers is one of the oldest and largest media arts centers in the United States.This non-profit institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania began as a filmmaking-equipment access cooperative in 1971...
- Pittsburgh OperaPittsburgh OperaPittsburgh Opera is an American opera company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is one of two opera companies in the city, the other being Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Opera gives performances in several venues, primarily at the Benedum Center, with other performances at the...
- Pittsburgh Public TheaterPittsburgh Public TheaterPittsburgh Public Theater is a professional theater company based in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Cultural District.Established in 1974, it was housed in the Hazlett Theatre at the Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall on Pittsburgh’s North Side...
- Pittsburgh Symphony SocietyPittsburgh Symphony OrchestraThe Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.-History:...
- Pittsburgh Youth BalletPittsburgh Youth BalletPittsburgh Youth Ballet is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 and run by former Pittsburgh Ballet Theater ballerina Jean Gedeon, which draws young dancers from across the country to train for careers as ballet dancers. The School was founded in 1983, while the Company was established in 1990...
- River City Brass BandRiver City Brass BandThe River City Brass Band is a modified British-style brass band based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band performed its first concert on November 21, 1981, with its founder Robert Bernat as conductor. In addition to its accessible performance style, RCBB is renowned for its recordings and...
- Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall
- Western Pennsylvania ConservancyWestern Pennsylvania ConservancyThe Western Pennsylvania Conservancy , headquartered in Pittsburgh, has been around for more than 75 years and exists to protect the water, land and life of western Pennsylvania. Half of all the land that has been protected by land trusts in Pennsylvania has been conserved by the Western...
- WQED Multimedia
The balance goes to smaller organizations, mainly musical and theater groups.
Board Members
- Robert D. Jones, Chair
Re-appointed in December 2009 by City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
Luke Ravenstahl
Luke Robert Ravenstahl is the current Mayor of Pittsburgh. In September 2006, he became the youngest mayor in Pittsburgh's history at the age of 26. He is among the youngest mayors of a major city in American history....
. His term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
- Rick Pierchalski, Vice-Chair
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
Dan Onorato
Daniel "Dan" Onorato is the current Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Onorato won a crowded four-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for governor...
. His term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
- Stanley J. Parker, Secretary/Treasurer
Re-appointed in December 2009 by City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
Luke Ravenstahl
Luke Robert Ravenstahl is the current Mayor of Pittsburgh. In September 2006, he became the youngest mayor in Pittsburgh's history at the age of 26. He is among the youngest mayors of a major city in American history....
. His term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
- Daniel J. Griffin
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato. His term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
- Dusty Elias Kirk
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
Dan Onorato
Daniel "Dan" Onorato is the current Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Onorato won a crowded four-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for governor...
. Her term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
- Dr. Daniel Rosen
Dr. Rosen was nominated to the RAD Board by the Friendship Development Associates.
- Constance L. Yarris
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
Dan Onorato
Daniel "Dan" Onorato is the current Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Onorato won a crowded four-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for governor...
. Her term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.