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Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
Each city governed by an optional form of government pursuant to this act shall, subject to the provisions of and limitations prescribed by this act, have full power to:
(1) Organize and regulate its internal affairs, and to establish, alter, and abolish offices, positions and employments and to define the functions, powers and duties thereof and fix their term, tenure and compensation;
(2) Adopt and enforce local ordinances;
(2.1) Impose penalties of fine not exceeding one per month on a property and limited to no more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the first two continual and uncorrected violations and not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the third and any subsequent continual and uncorrected violation of the same subsection of a building ordinance, housing ordinance, property maintenance ordinance, fire prevention ordinance, electrical ordinance or plumbing ordinance on the same property, unless the violation is found to pose a threat to the public's health, safety or property, then penalties of fine may be provided for as follows:
(i) not exceeding one citation per five calendar days for a continual and uncorrected violation of the same subsection of such ordinance on the same property;
(ii) limited to no less than five hundred dollars ($500) and no more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the first two continual and uncorrected violations of the same subsection of such ordinance on the same property and no less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the third and any subsequent continual and uncorrected violation of the same subsection of such ordinance on the same property, or imprisonment for any term not exceeding ninety days, or both;
(2.2) Impose penalties of fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) or a term of imprisonment not exceeding ninety days, or both, for violations of any section of any other ordinance;
(2.3) Construct, acquire, operate or maintain any and all public improvements, projects or enterprises for any public purpose, subject to referendum requirements otherwise imposed by law, and to exercise all powers of local government in such manner as its governing body may determine;
(3) Sue and be sued, to have a corporate seal, to contract and be contracted with, to buy, sell, lease, hold and dispose of real and personal property, to appropriate and expend moneys, and to adopt, amend and repeal such ordinances and resolutions as may be required for the good government thereof;
(4) Exercise powers of condemnation, borrowing and taxation in the manner provided by general law applicable to cities of the third class.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Pennsylvania Statutes Title 53 P.S. Municipal and Quasi-Municipal Corporations § 41303. General powers - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-53-ps-municipal-and-quasimunicipal-corporations/pa-st-sect-53-41303/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
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