A municipal authority is a form of special-purpose governmental unit in Pennsylvania.
An authority may fix and collect rentals or other charges and may issue revenue bonds.
A municipal authority may be said to be an independent corporate agent of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, exercising governmental, as well as private corporate power, in assisting the Commonwealth in meeting the needs of its citizens.
Prominent among them are the Allegheny County Airport Authority, which operates Pittsburgh International Airport and Allegheny County Airport, large sewer authorities in Allegheny and Delaware counties, and parking authorities in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
There are also important parking authorities in Allentown, Bethlehem, Erie, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Reading and Scranton.