Philip H. Klotz, AICP, Director of Government and Community Affairs and PEL Research Associate

Phil serves the dual role of research associate and director of government and community affairs. Prior to joining PEL, he worked for the Local Government Commission of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, first as community planner, then as assistant director and finally as executive director. Major accomplishments included successfully shepherding numerous commission bills through the legislative process; initiating and managing a Property Assessment Reform Task Force to develop and implement remedies advancing modernization, efficiency, transparency and fairness of the property assessment process in Pennsylvania; and serving as principle investigator for a Senate Resolution task force, teaming with five statewide municipal associations, 14 state agencies, seven university advisors and their students, and legislative staff to design, manage and research a two-year study of the unfunded and underfunded state statutory mandates placed on Pennsylvania’s counties and municipalities.

Prior to the commission, he was employed as a planner, advancing to project manager/senior planner, at a national engineering and planning firm, where he managed and conducted municipal planning, environmental science, and National Environmental Policy Act-related projects for counties, municipalities, the commonwealth and the US EPA.

Phil holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from the Pennsylvania State University and East Stroudsburg University, respectively, and a graduate certificate in public administration from Indiana State University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.