2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 7 - Municipalities › Chapter 117 - Municipal Deficit Financing › Section 7-576e. - Application by municipality to Secretary of Office of Policy and Management for designation as tier IV municipality. Approval. Notice to municipal legislative body. Approval or rejection by municipal legislative body. Designation by Municipal Accountability Review Board. Ex-officio members of board. Additional board authorities and responsibilities. Timing for designation by board.

(a)(1) The chief elected official of a tier III municipality or the legislative body of such municipality, by a majority vote, may apply to the secretary to request designation as a tier IV municipality. The secretary may approve the request if the secretary determines that such designation is necessary to ensure the fiscal sustainability of the municipality and is in the best interests of the state. Prior to submission of any such request by the chief elected official, such official shall provide notice of intent to apply for such designation to the legislative body of such municipality. Such legislative body shall have thirty days from receipt of such notice to approve or reject the chief elected official's decision to submit such a request. If such legislative body does not approve or reject such decision to seek such designation during such thirty-day period, the chief elected official's decision to submit such request shall be deemed approved by such legislative body.
(2) The Municipal Accountability Review Board may designate a tier III municipality as a tier IV municipality based on a finding by the board that the fiscal condition of such municipality warrants such a designation based upon an evaluation of the following criteria: (A) The balance in the municipal reserve fund; (B) the short and long-term liabilities of the municipality, including, but not limited to, the municipality's ability to meet minimum funding levels required by law, contract or court order; (C) the initial budgeted revenue for the municipality for the past five fiscal years as compared to the actual revenue received by the municipality for such fiscal years; (D) budget projections for the following five fiscal years; (E) the economic outlook for the municipality; and (F) the municipality's access to capital markets. For the purpose of determining whether to make a finding pursuant to this subdivision, the membership of the board shall additionally include the chief elected official of such municipality, the treasurer of such municipality and a member of the legislative body of such municipality, as selected by such body. In conducting a vote on any such determination, the treasurer of such municipality shall be a non-voting member of the board. The board shall submit such finding and recommended designation to the secretary, who shall provide for a thirty-day notice and public comment period related to such finding and recommendation. Following the public notice and comment period, the secretary shall forward the board's finding and recommended designation and a report regarding the comments received in this regard to the Governor. Following the receipt of such documentation from the secretary, the Governor may approve or disapprove the board's recommended designation.
(3) If any municipality is designated as a tier IV municipality, the following individuals shall serve as ex-officio, nonvoting members of the Municipal Accountability Review Board, provided such additional members shall only serve for purposes of the tier IV municipality that they represent: (A) The chief elected official of such municipality, or the chief elected official's designee, (B) an elected member of the local legislative body of such municipality, or such member's designee, as selected by a majority vote of the local legislative body of such municipality, (C) in the case where the municipality has an elected treasurer, the municipal treasurer or other municipal official responsible for the issuance of bonds, and (D) a member of the minority party of the municipality's legislative body as elected by such minority party members. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 7-568 to 7-575, inclusive, and sections 7-576a and 7-576b, a municipality designated as a tier IV municipality pursuant to this section shall retain such designation following the issuance of a deficit obligation subsequent to such municipality's designation as a tier IV municipality. With respect to a designated tier IV municipality, the Municipal Accountability Review Board shall have the same powers and responsibilities as it has with respect to designated tier III municipalities in addition to which it shall have the following additional or superseding authority and responsibilities:
(i) To review and approve or disapprove the municipality's annual budget, including, but not limited to, the general fund, other governmental funds, enterprise funds and internal service funds. No annual budget, annual tax levy or user fee for the municipality shall become operative until it has been approved by the board. If the board disapproves any annual budget, not later than the May twenty-first prior to the beginning of the new fiscal year, the board shall specify the reasons for such disapproval and shall provide the legislative body until the June fifteenth prior to the beginning of the new fiscal year to resubmit the annual budget in accordance with this section. If the legislative body has not adopted a budget by such June fifteenth date or its resubmitted annual budget is not approved by the board, the board shall adopt an interim budget and establish a tax rate and user fees. Such interim budget shall take effect at the commencement of the fiscal year and shall remain in effect until the municipality submits and the board approves a modified budget. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, or any public or special act, local law, charter or ordinance or resolution, a municipality may approve a modified budget pursuant to this section after any applicable deadline for such adoption has passed.
(ii) To review and approve all bond ordinances and bond resolutions of the municipality.
(iii) To monitor compliance with the municipality's five-year financial plan and annual budget and require that the municipality make such changes as are necessary to ensure budgetary balance in such plan and budget.
(iv) To approve or reject all collective bargaining agreements for a new term, other than modifications, amendments or reopening of an agreement, to be entered into by the municipality or any of its agencies or administrative units, including the board of education. If it rejects an agreement, the board shall indicate the specific provisions of the proposed agreement present or missing which caused the rejection, as well as its rationale for the rejection. The board may indicate the total cost impact or savings that are acceptable in a new agreement. At any time during negotiations and prior to reaching any agreement, or a modified agreement, the parties, by mutual agreement, may request guidance from the board as to the level and areas of savings that may be acceptable to the board in a new agreement. Following any rejection of a proposed collective bargaining agreement, the parties to the agreement shall have ten days from the date of the board's rejection to consider the board's concerns and propose a modified agreement. After the expiration of such ten-day period, the board shall approve or reject any such modified agreement. If the parties have been unable to reach a modified agreement or the board rejects such modified agreement, the board shall impose binding arbitration on the parties, in accordance with clause (v) of this subdivision, to arbitrate issues identified by the board as the cause for such inability or rejection. In establishing the issues to be arbitrated, as well as in making a determination to reject a proposed agreement, the board shall not be limited to matters raised or negotiated by the parties. Also, to approve or reject all modifications, amendments or reopeners to collective bargaining agreements entered into by the municipality or any of its agencies or administrative units, including the board of education. If it rejects a modification, amendment or reopener to an agreement, the board shall indicate the specific provisions of the proposed modification, amendment or reopener which caused the rejection, as well as its rationale for the rejection. The board may indicate the total cost impact or savings acceptable in a new modification, amendment or reopener. If the board rejects a proposed amendment or reopener to a collective bargaining agreement, the parties to the agreement shall have ten days from the date of the board's rejection to consider the board's concerns and put forth a revised modification, amendment or reopener. After the expiration of such ten-day period, the board shall approve or reject any revised modification, amendment or reopener amendment. If the parties are unable to reach a revised modification, amendment or reopener or the board rejects such revised modification, amendment or reopener, the board shall impose binding arbitration upon the parties in accordance with clause (v) of this subdivision. The issues to be arbitrated shall be those identified by the board as causing such inability or rejection. Prior to the board taking action on any such modification, amendment or reopener, the parties shall have an opportunity to make a presentation to the board.
(v) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, with respect to collective bargaining agreements of the municipality or any of its agencies or administrative units, including, but not limited to, the board of education, that are in or are subject to binding arbitration, the board shall have the power to impose binding arbitration upon the parties any time after the seventy-fifth day following the commencement of negotiations or to reject any arbitration award pending municipal or board of education action pursuant to section 7-473c or 10-153f on the date the board is established. If, upon the date of a municipality's designation as a tier IV municipality, the parties are in binding arbitration, or if the board rejects a pending arbitration award, the board shall immediately replace any established binding arbitration panel with an arbitrator selected in accordance with this section. If the board imposes binding arbitration or replaces an existing binding arbitration panel, it shall do so with an arbitrator selected by the Governor from a list of three potential arbitrators approved by and submitted to the Governor by the board. Such list of potential arbitrators shall include former judges of the state or federal judicial systems or other persons who have experience with arbitration or similar proceedings. Prior to the Governor's selection of an arbitrator, the parties may provide recommendations for such selection to the board. The board shall not be limited to selecting arbitrators from those recommended by the parties. The board may reduce the time limits in the applicable provisions of the general statutes or any public or special acts governing binding arbitration by one-half. In imposing such arbitration or in replacing an arbitration panel, the board shall not be limited to consideration and inclusion in the collective bargaining agreement of the last best offers or the matters raised by or negotiated by the parties provided the board shall indicate reasons for raising any matters not negotiated by the parties. The board shall be given the opportunity to make a presentation before the arbitrator. In addition to any statutory factors that shall be considered by the arbitrator with respect to proposed municipal or board of education collective bargaining agreements, the arbitrator shall give highest priority to the short and long-term fiscal exigencies that resulted in the municipality's designation as a tier IV municipality. Not later than ten days after the issuance of any of the arbitrator's decisions on the matters subject to such binding arbitration, the board may request reconsideration of one or more of such decisions and state its position as to the impact of such decisions on the short and long-term fiscal sustainability of the municipality. Not later than five days after the board's request for such reconsideration, the parties may submit comments to the arbitrator in response to the board's stated position. Not later than thirty days following the board's request for such reconsideration, the arbitrator, based on the record of the arbitration, may either modify or maintain the original arbitration decisions. The arbitrator's decisions shall be binding upon the parties. With respect to collective bargaining agreements negotiated pursuant to section 10-153d and arbitration awards issued pursuant to section 10-153f, the provisions of this subdivision shall not apply until the board has rejected such agreement or award pursuant to subdivision (7) of subsection (b) of section 7-576d on two occasions.
(4) (A) To require its approval of proposed transfers of a municipality's appropriations in excess of fifty thousand dollars, (B) to require its review, approval, disapproval or modification of the budget of the board of education for the municipality on a line-item basis and to require the board of education to submit to it any budget transfers, or (C) to appoint a financial manager and delegate to such manager, in writing, such powers as the board deems necessary or appropriate for the purpose of managing the financial and administrative affairs of the municipality for the period of time during which the municipality is subject to the powers of the board provided the board may override any actions taken by such manager at any time and shall not delegate the powers enumerated under subdivisions (2), (3) and (5) to (7), inclusive, and (11) to (13), inclusive, of subsection (b) of section 7-576d, or subdivisions (1), (2) and (4) to (6), inclusive of this subsection. The board shall consult with such municipality and the board of education of such municipality, as applicable, to establish policies and procedures for the implementation of the provisions of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this subdivision.
(5) The board may require that the municipality or its board of education notify and submit to the board any or all municipal or board of education contracts that exceed (A) fifty thousand dollars for municipalities with a resident population under seventy thousand, or (B) one hundred thousand dollars for municipalities with a resident population of seventy thousand or more, not less than thirty days prior to execution of such contract, for the purpose of the board's review and approval of such contracts. The board shall establish policies and procedures, in consultation with any such municipality and such municipality's board of education, to implement the provisions of this subdivision.
(6) To approve and authorize the issuance of obligations under section 7-575, including, with regard to a designated tier IV municipality otherwise ineligible to issue such obligations, for the purposes of issuing general obligations for purposes of deficit financing, addressing pension liabilities in accordance with section 7-374c, debt restructuring and other purposes allowed for which municipal obligations are authorized by the general statutes.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-370c, or any other public or special act, local law or charter, or ordinance or resolution, which limits or imposes conditions on the date of the first maturity of, or the due date of the first sinking fund payment for, or on the amount of any principal or any principal and interest installments on, or sinking fund payment deposit for, refunding bonds issued by any municipality, the board may authorize a designated tier IV municipality to issue refunding bonds for which the provisions of section 7-371 regarding such limitations shall not apply, regardless of whether or not such refunding bonds achieve net present value savings, as described in section 7-370c, with respect to the refunded bonds. The board shall only approve the issue of such refunding bonds upon a determination that, in its judgment, the issue of such bonds will improve the financial condition of such municipality.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-370c or 7-371, or any other public or special act, local law or charter, or ordinance or resolution, which limits or imposes conditions on the final maturity of, or the due date of the last sinking fund payment for, bonds issued by any municipality, the board may authorize a designated tier IV municipality to issue bonds for which the last installment of any series of such bonds shall mature, or the last sinking fund payment for such series of bonds shall be due, not later than forty years from the date of issue of such bonds. The board shall only approve the issuance of such bonds upon a determination that, in its judgment, such issuance will improve the financial condition of such municipality.
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of the section, no municipality shall be designated a tier IV municipality, by any means other than that provided in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section, until April 1, 2018.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 368; P.A. 22-35, S. 12.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 effective October 31, 2017; P.A. 22-35 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “five” for “three” in Subdiv. (2)(D) and substituting “five-year” for “three-year” in Subdiv. (3)(iii).