This bill gives towns blanket authority to perform jointly any function the statutes or special acts allow them to perform individually. It applies to towns, cities, boroughs, consolidated towns and cities, and consolidated towns and boroughs. At least once every five years, the legislative bodies of the participating towns must review any agreement to jointly perform functions and assess its results. Current law allows municipalities to perform only certain specific functions jointly. In a number of cases, it requires them to form interlocal advisory boards, designate interlocal employees, and take other steps in order to do so.
Municipalities can also make agreements to share real and personal property tax revenue.
Current law establishes a process for towns and other municipal bodies to enter into interlocal agreements with towns within or outside Connecticut. It restricts these agreements to a specific, but long, list of municipal functions and services. The proposed agreement must be submitted to the local legislative bodies, which must hold at least one hearing on the proposal, consider suggesting changes, and approve or reject the final proposal. Municipal Revenue Sharing PA 00-85 authorized two or more municipal chief elected officials to initiate a process to agree to share real and personal property tax revenue. The agreement must be negotiated, with an opportunity for public participation, and adopted by each participating municipality's legislative body.