Gebhard, Mastriano Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Eliminate School Property Taxes - Senator Mastriano

Gebhard, Mastriano Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Eliminate School Property Taxes - Senator Mastriano: Continuing to fight for Pennsylvania homeowners who are struggling to keep their homes due to increasing school property taxes, Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48) and Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) have introduced a constitutional amendment to eliminate the burdensome tax.

Gov. Corbett Needs To Back Property Tax Elimination

I was disappointed yesterday to learn that Gov. Tom Corbett has not read House Bill 1776 (The Property Tax Independence Act), has not met with its prime sponsor, Rep. Jim Cox, and did not know enough about the bill to take a position on it. The elimination of school property taxes is the No. 1 issue facing Pennsylvania taxpayers ... and the governor better get up to speed on it quickly.

Corbett talks Pa. budget with regional editors, reporters

School Property Tax Elimination Update

With the state budget stalemate dominating the news, hardly anyone is talking about property tax relief. David Baldinger, administrator, of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition, checks in with this update on the elimination of property taxes front:

It's been quite a while since the last PTCC Update and many of you have written to ask what's happening with HB 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA). In a word, nothing. The General Assembly and the House and Senate leadership are far too occupied with budget concerns right now to consider any far-reaching legislation.

The SPTEA has been fully drafted and is still available for co-sponsorship. It is Representative Sam Rohrer's intention to issue a second co-sponsorship memorandum shortly and then formally introduce the bill this autumn.

In the meantime, if you want to help you can contact your Representative to request his or her co-sponsorship of the School Property Tax Elimination Act. The bill currently has 26 sponsors but more is always better. The current sponsors are listed below; please contact your Representative if he or she is not on this list. In many cases you will be offered phony excuses why they won't co-sponsor or why the plan won’t work, but this is almost always because of petty political maneuvering that has nothing to do with the worthiness of the bill. Accept no excuses!

The current School Property Tax Elimination Act co-sponsors:

Rep. Sam Rohrer R-128 (Berks)
Rep. Kerry Benninghoff R-171 (Centre, Mifflin)
Rep. Karen Boback R-117 (Columbia, Luzerne, Wyoming)
Rep. Thomas Caltagirone D-127 (Berks)
Rep. Jim Cox R-129 (Berks)
Rep. Tom Creighton R-37 (Lancaster)
Rep. Gary Day R-187 (Berks, Lehigh)
Rep. Gordon Denlinger R-99 (Lancaster)
Rep. Russell Fairchild R-85 (Snyder, Union)
Rep. Jaret Gibbons D-10 (Beaver, Butler, Lawrence)
Rep. Keith Gillespie R-47 (York)
Rep. Neal Goodman D-123 (Schuylkill)
Rep. Seth Grove R-196 (York)
Rep. C. Adam Harris R-82 (Juniata, Mifflin, Snyder)
Rep. Rob Kauffman R-89 (Cumberland, Franklin)
Rep. Mark Keller R-86 (Franklin, Perry)
Rep. Jerry Knowles R-124 (Berks, Schuylkill)
Rep. Tim Mahoney D-51 (Fayette)
Rep. Bob Mensch R-147 (Montgomery)
Rep. Merle Phillips R-108 (Northumberland, Snyder)
Rep. Thomas Quigley R-146 (Montgomery)
Rep. Dante Santoni D-126 (Berks)
Rep. Stan Saylor R-94 (York)
Rep. Curt Schroder R-155 (Chester)
Rep. Tim Seip D-125 (Berks, Schuylkill)
Rep. RoseMarie Swanger R-102 (Lebanon)

The PTCC and the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations send our heartfelt gratitude to those Representatives who have agreed to co-sponsor the SPTEA. If your Representative is on this list, we STRONGLY request that you contact him or her to thank them for their co-sponsorship. These legislators are always very encouraged to know that their help is appreciated.

Whether you are contacting your Representative to thank them or to request their co-sponsorship, you can find their contact information by Zip+4 here: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm

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Northeast Pennsylvania Information Session

Northeast Pennsylvania is by far the worst region of the state for legislative support for the School Property Tax Elimination Act. To help overcome this problem, the five Northeast region member groups of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations will be holding a public information session about the SPTEA in late September. These five grassroots groups will introduce their organizations, the details of the SPTEA will be presented, and the politics of the SPTEA enactment will be discussed; there will also be an audience participation question and answer session following the presentation. The event will be emceed by Sue Henry of WILK radio. This promises to be an exciting evening, so please watch for a future PTCC Update for further details and plan to attend.

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Welcome CEPT!

The Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations (PCTA) recently gained its 32nd member group! Citizens for the Elimination of Property Taxes from Perry County has already proven to be a hard-working, dedicated organization that will be a big help in supporting the SPTEA in South-central Pennsylvania. If you live in the Perry County area and want to help you can contact them at nopropertytax@gmail.com. Welcome to the PCTA, CEPT! We're pleased to have you aboard to keep the momentum building.

If you're fed up with unfair taxation and unresponsive politicians and would like to form your own taxpayer advocacy group, contact any PCTA member group for advice and assistance. The PCTA members are listed on the PTCC Web site under the "About the PCTA" tab.

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Just one more note: If you change your e-mail address, please send a note to me about the switch so you'll continue to receive the PTCC Updates. It will be appreciated.

That's all for now. There'll be another update when more information is available and please watch for details about the Northeast Pennsylvania event.

As usual, I want to thank all of you for your continuing support of the PTCC and PCTA efforts to bring about true education finance reform and school property tax elimination. You are truly appreciated.

Property tax reform top priority for PA counties

The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, which represents all 67 counties in the Keystone State, has released its legislative priorities for 2009.

As in previous years, topping the list of nine priorities is property tax reform.

The association, which bills itself as the voice of county government, says its legislative priorities cover a wide variety of issues, but carry a common theme: "Our communities' needs are many, and cutting funding for critical services at the state level does not automatically result in cost savings."

"Failure to adequately fund mandates, and thus passing responsibility to local taxpayers, shifts the tax burden but does not reduce it," says Jim Kennedy, a Butler County commissioner and president of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.

Property tax reform, which has eluded state lawmakers for more than 30 years, remains the No. 1 priority of county officials, Kennedy says.

"Counties continue to advocate options that will allow county elected officials to select fairer revenue sources, more compatible with local economic conditions, in return for a reduction in property taxes," Kennedy said. "As in previous years, our top priority is tax fairness. We will continue to call on the General Assembly to authorize optional local tax bases such as the sales tax or the personal income tax in return for a dollar-for-dollar reduction in property taxes. But tax fairness also includes measures that affect the tax base and how services are funded, and this is why we are advocating to restore the ability to assess oil and gas interests."

Here's the list of priorities released by the county officials:

1) Tax Fairness
2) Commonwealth Budget Issues
3) Court Administration/District Attorney Funding
4) Clean And Green
5) 911 Services
6) County Recycling Fee Authorization
7) Dedicated And Adequate Funding For Mass Transit, Local Roads And Bridges
8) Marcellus Shale
9) Mentally Ill Inmates/Specialty Courts

You can download an eight-page report with more details on each issue at the Association's Web site, http://www.pacounties.org/

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

Rendell scheme to cut taxes with gambling is a bust

Daniel R. Reynolds, writing in The Philadelphia Inquirer, says that after five years in operation, Pennsylvania's much-ballyhooed gambling venture has turned out to be a bust.

"Expanding gaming in Pennsylvania is simply an additional de facto tax - on top of the state lottery implemented many years ago," Reynolds writes.

Gov. Ed Rendell's promises of substantial property tax relief have never materialized, Reynolds says.

From Reynold's column:

There is work to be done on the issue of taxation in Pennsylvania, but it is not the work that Rendell, Fumo, and their brethren in Harrisburg have done - and that, in the end, can benefit only casino operators. Lawmakers must lead for the good of the entire public, not just a segment of it, and abolish the property tax as a means of funding public education in Pennsylvania.

The residential property tax is a regressive tax - that is, it taxes poor people at higher rates than it does rich people. Because of their lower property values, poor communities are forced to implement higher property taxes to raise enough money to fund their schools. And communities with high property values can afford to keep their property taxes lower.

Read the full column at the newspaper's Web site.

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

More good reasons to eliminate property taxes

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article on how high property taxes have turned the Buffalo, N.Y., region into "property-tax hell."

Pennsylvania should learn a lesson from its neighbors to the north.

From the article by Steve H. Hanke and Stephen J.K. Walters:

When every U.S. county is ranked according to its average property-tax bill as a percent of home values, nine of the worst 10 are in upstate New York.

All housing markets are local and local government policies can have an enormous impact on property values. Higher property tax rates, for example, inevitably send home values downward. Why? A $6,000 tax bill adds $500 to a monthly mortgage, and simultaneously reduces the amount a buyer would be willing or able to pay for a home. Cut the tax bill and you help struggling homeowners hold onto their houses. And lower taxes allow would-be buyers to spend more for homes.

High property taxes also discourage investment in new homes. Builders won't build where property taxes drive buyers away.

The problem of heavy property taxes crushing fragile upstate economies has not gone unnoticed, just unsolved. A special Commission on Property Tax Relief, supported by Democrat Gov. David Paterson, recommended in August that local property tax increases be capped at 4% annually or 1.2 times the inflation rate -- whichever is less.

That wouldn't have cut taxes, but it would have moved New York toward a less oppressive tax system. And for a moment, it seemed that the idea might even take off when the state Senate passed a tax-cap bill earlier this year. But the state Assembly voted instead to raise marginal tax rates on incomes above $1 million and use the proceeds to pay for property tax relief for low-income homeowners. That standoff all but killed tax reform.

Read the full article at the newspaper's Web site.

Did you catch the part about how property taxes can add up to $500 on monthly mortgage payments? Looking for a way to stimulate the housing market and rebuild the economy? Eliminate property taxes!!!

To learn more about efforts to eliminate property taxes in Pennsylvania, check out the Web site of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition.

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

'Property Tax Madness'

The Philadelphia Inquirer has a big package on its Web site called "Property Tax Madness."

It's interesting stuff, but it's also the latest example of how the state's biggest newspaper is usually a couple of years late with the news.

Other newspapers have been harping on the need for property tax reform for years.

The gist of the Inky package is: "An Inquirer analysis of 500,000 tax records in Philadelphia and four suburban Pa. counties found wildly disparate tax rates that widen the economic divide between haves and have-nots."

You can check it out here.

And for the latest on the grassroots effort to get property tax reform passed in Pennsylvania, check out the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition Web site.

Help is needed to eliminate property taxes

David Baldinger has a message for Pennsylvania taxpayers. The only way to eliminate school property taxes is to lobby your legislators and legislative leaders. Here is Baldinger's latest message:

Dear Friends,

The "Save Our Homes" rally was held on June 2 in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg and was, by most accounts, a huge success. We had a great turnout of enthusiastic homeowners and lawmakers from both parties and our voices were heard loudly and clearly.

The media coverage was somewhat spotty and sometimes was tremendously inaccurate but we still had quite a bit of favorable coverage and a few good editorials.

A recap of the rally that includes photos, a complete video of the event, and media coverage has been posted on the PTCC website at http://mysite.verizon.net/drbsr/PTCCWeb/rally060208.htm. Please take a few minutes to check it out and, if you have the forty minutes to spare, please watch the video – it contains a lot of good messages.

The rally was a terrific starting point but we need intensive follow-up over the next few weeks to hammer the message home. Here are the details:

If the rally is insufficient to motivate the House Democratic Leadership to report HB 1275 out of the Appropriations Committee, Representative Sam Rohrer intends to again attach the bill's language as an amendment to one of the budget bills that must be debated during June. I'll be sending another update about this when details become available.

HB 1275 has undergone two major revisions from the version that was debated in January. The sales tax has been eliminated for five major retail professional services – legal, accounting, architecture, engineering, and computer – to blunt the intense lobbying, mostly from the Pennsylvania Bar Association, that helped to kill the bill in January. The revised version of HB 1275 also offers no property tax reduction for commercial properties but caps their taxes at current levels. This was another major hurdle that couldn't be overcome in January.

The bottom line is that all of the major objections to the School Property Tax Elimination Act have been addressed and the politicians have NO MORE EXCUSES for not passing this bill.

I have just one short story to tell you. At the rally one lawmaker told me that I should tell all HB 1275 supporters to let their representative know that the sales tax has been removed from food and clothing. I was taken aback by this comment, as the provision for taxing food and clothing was eliminated from HB 1275 over a year ago. Nevertheless, he said that some of his colleagues told him in January that they would not vote for HB 1275 because it taxes food and clothing!

At first I was flabbergasted by this but my reaction quickly turned to outrage and tremendous anger. For whatever reason, these politicians voted against a bill that they didn't even understand! If they are so blatantly ignorant of the provisions of a bill that is so urgently needed, if they are so lazy that they can't take the time necessary to learn about such vital legislation, they do not deserve to be representing us.

The June vote on HB 1275 will be a litmus test for the November elections. Both the PTCC and the PCTA, along with several newspapers, are advocating the ouster of any lawmaker who votes against this bill. It is time to let the politicians know that we will stand for no more delays, no more political games, and no more excuses. They must be sternly warned that their jobs will be on the line in November if they again refuse the will of the people that they supposedly represent.

The key to passage of HB 1275 is not only your own representative but the House leadership of both parties. It is the leadership who tells their members how to vote on an issue and all will follow these leaders like sheep except for the few courageous, independent lawmakers who deserve our thanks.

During the next week or so, please telephone, write, or e-mail your representative to let him or her know that you strongly support HB 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act, and that you expect them to vote for this bill when debate begins in June. You can locate your representative's contact information from the "Find Your Legislators" link in the left column of any PTCC webpage.

In addition, please contact the House leaders listed below my signature to firmly tell them that you want HB 1275 enacted NOW. These leaders can make all the difference in the passage of this legislation and it is very important to tell them your feelings.

The June debate will offer us another opportunity to make HB 1275 a reality and your help is urgently needed. Please do all you can top spread the word to everyone you know and to tell the politicians that we want action NOW.

Thank you so much for your continuing support! Please feel free to write to me at any time with concerns or questions, and your comments are welcome on the PTCC blog that you can access from the top of any PTCC webpage.

David Baldinger
PTCC Administrator

www.ptcc.us

Republican Caucus Leader:
Hon. Samuel H. Smith
527 East Mahoning Street
Punxsutawney, PA 15767
(814) 938-4225
Fax: (814) 938-1950
ssmith@pahousegop.com

Democratic Caucus Leader:
Hon. H. William DeWeese
222 Elm Drive
Suite 101, P.O. Box 832
Waynesburg, PA 15370
(724) 627-8683
Fax: (724) 627-6043
wdeweese@pahouse.net

Democratic Caucus Whip:
Hon. Keith R. McCall
162 West Ridge Street
Lansford, PA 18232
(570) 645-7585
Fax: (570) 645-9526
kmccall@pahouse.net

Why did the media ignore tax rally?

Here's a more complete roundup of today's media coverage of Monday's "Save Our Homes Rally" in Harrisburg.

The event should have received a lot more coverage. The hundreds of people who went to Harrisburg Monday to demand the elimination of property taxes were not paid lobbyists or special interest groups. They were people who took time away from their jobs or other commitments to try to save their homes from Pennsylvania's antiquated way of funding public education.

Although some lawmakers attended the rally, most of the people gathered in the Capitol Rotunda were everyday citizens of Pennsylvania. Why does the media hover around politicians and lobbyists and ignore the people of the this state?

The most comprehensive coverage of the rally is in Tuesday's edition of The Mercury, which ran a lead story entitled, "Taxpayers rally: Save Our Homes" and a sidebar, "Lawmakers optimistic about revised tax plan"

The same story by reporter Michael Hays was picked up by the Daily Local News in West Chester under the headline, "Tough talk on Taxes" (There were quite a few Chester County lawmakers who were no-shows at the rally, even though several busloads of Chester County residents attended.) Another Chester County newspaper, The Phoenix, also ran both stories that originated in The Mercury.)

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review focused on state Rep. Sam Rohrer's long struggle to eliminate property taxes in a story headlined, "Lawmaker tries again to eliminate property tax"

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also ran a story, "Seniors rally against property taxes"

Even though David Baldinger, one of the organizers of the rally hails from Berks County (as does Rep. Sam Rohrer), the Reading Eagle ignored the rally.

The state's biggest newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, also ignored the story, as did The Morning-Call in Allentown.

The Associated Press moved a five-paragraph brief on the rally, which is all The Harrisburg Patriot-News ran even though the event was in the paper's backyard and was probably the biggest political story of the day.

The Pennsylvania Cable Network taped the rally and showed it several times on cable systems across Pennsylvania.

WFMZ Channel 69, which covers the Lehigh Valley and Berks County, ran a report on its evening newscasts and also posted it on its Web site.

No coverage in the Philly TV stations, who are busy covering a story about a TV anchor who read the private e-mails of his fired co-anchor.

In the blogosphere, the event was mentioned at GrassrootsPA, PowerBlog!, Lincoln Blog, THE CENTRIST and TONY PHYRILLAS

There's also a bunch of photos posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

'It makes no sense to use a 19th century tax to fund a 20th century education'

No surprise. The best coverage of Monday's Save Our Homes Rally in Harrisburg can be found in The Mercury, which has been leading the crusade on tax reform for years.

You can also read more about the effort to eliminate school property taxes at PowerBlog! and at GrassrootsPA and at The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Web site

The Pennsylvania Cable Network also covered the the rally and showed the event several times on Monday. For photos from the event yesterday, see the TONY PHYRILLAS blog.

And why is there no mention of the rally on any liberal blog in Pennsylvania? Polls consistently say that property tax relief is the No. 1 issue facing Pennsylvania residents. I guess those well-to-do elitist don't have to worry about paying property taxes.

Hundreds rally for property tax relief

Here's a release from state Rep. Sam Rohrer, one of the organizers of the Save Our Homes Rally held today in Harrisburg:

Rep. Sam Rohrer (R-Berks) would like to thank the hundreds of concerned taxpayers from across the Commonwealth who joined with him and several other state lawmakers in the Capitol rotunda today to demand the elimination of school property taxes through the implementation of the School Property Tax Elimination Act.

This bipartisan, pro-growth plan (House Bill 1275) seeks to replace all school property taxes and other local nuisance taxes by maintaining the current 6 percent sales tax and expanding it to include services. All residential homeowners would immediately benefit from the implementation of this plan.

"I would like to personally thank each and every concerned taxpayer from across this Commonwealth who took time away from families or jobs to travel to Harrisburg to make your voice heard," said Rohrer. "Your participation represents a tangible example of your commitment and speaks for the tens of thousands of taxpaying homeowners who, like you, will settle for nothing less than the total elimination of school property taxes. Now is the time for both the General Assembly and the governor to act on the pleas of our people and support the passage of the School Property Tax Elimination Act.

Organized in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Taxpayer's Cyber Coalition and 27 other grass roots taxpayer groups from throughout the Keystone State, today's Save Our Homes Rally featured legislators, local leaders, and concerned citizens who spoke out in support of House Bill 1275 and against the unbearable burden that school property taxes have become.

"For the past 30 years and counting, thousands of our citizens have been forced from the security of their homes, many built with their own hands, by the very government who has been constitutionally entrusted to ensure the security of their property," said Rohrer. "In sharp contrast, the School Property Tax Elimination Act offers both hope and freedom for all Commonwealth citizens because, rather than an insignificant reduction, it will eliminate 100 percent of school property taxes on all primary residences.

"Furthermore, through the implementation of House Bill 1275, both the Legislature and governor hold the key to potentially providing relief for already overburdened taxpayers during these difficult economic times. The skyrocketing food, energy, and transportation costs, combined with rising property taxes have drained the budgets of countless homeowners. This bill provides the best solution to the problem by protecting the constitutional rights of homeowners to be secure in their homes while freeing up citizens' budgets to allow for the rising costs of food and energy," added Rohrer.

For more information on the School Property Tax Elimination Act, visit SamRohrer.com or PTCC.us

Newspaper: PA must change the way it funds schools

Republican lawmakers are pushing for the elimination of property taxes in Pennsylvania. Democrats want a new way to fund public education.

That is the $10 billion dilemma that has been facing Harrisburg for decades.

The two sides should be working together, says The Mercury in its editorial, "Tax-reform plan and school funding formula should go hand-in-hand"

From the editorial:

It's time for a bi-partisan solution. The local tax burden and shortfalls in school funding go hand in hand. But every time resolution draws near, legislators on both sides back down for fear of losing local control of schools if the state holds the purse strings.

This is not about losing control, it’s about fixing a broken system. The two issues of tax reform and school funding go hand in hand. Why not reach across the aisle and join them?

Read the full editorial here.

Rohrer: Abolish school property taxes now

A guest column today by state Rep. Sam Rohrer, who is leading the fight to eliminate school property taxes in Pennsylvania.

Abolish school property taxes now

The state's impending budget negotiations beg Gov. Ed Rendell and the legislature to remember the lessons learned from the credit crunch fallout: If you cannot afford it, do not expect someone else to pay for it.

Case in point: $6.2 billion dollars is a price that Pennsylvania taxpayers cannot afford to pay for the governor's leviathan 2008-2009 educational funding program. Even if state government agreed to give the governor a blank check to spend on education it would not fix the school funding crisis in Pennsylvania.

With the Boston Globe highlighting increased prices in every market over the past year (26 percent in milk prices, 40 percent in egg prices, and 300 percent in wheat prices), financially unstable school districts will no longer be able to force fiscally strapped homeowners to pay higher property taxes. This unconstitutional and oft-raised tax will lead to the inevitable foreclosure of countless more privately owned properties.

What we can afford and must address is comprehensive school finance reform. Again frivolously throwing more money at the school system will not provide the solution to a collapsing funding system.

In fact, school districts nationwide have been given access to unlimited funds with the goal of fixing problems-from underperformance to desegregation. Yet despite these "strategic investments," (a.k.a. increased taxes, increased spending and increased debt), these problems remain unresolved.

For example, a recent Cato Institute policy analysis revealed that Sausalito, California school district tax payers who "invested" $12,300 per pupil were rewarded with the lowest student test scores in the country.

Alarmingly all too similar, the Pennsylvania Legislature's Costing Out Report guesstimates that it will now cost $12,057 per pupil to bring statewide academic performance up to par with national standards.

Rather than relying on the mirage of expanded gaming revenue to avoid future astronomical property tax increases, Pennsylvania students and taxpayers deserve a fair and flexible solution leading to comprehensive educational funding reform.

Taxpayer-funded costing out study or not, the school property taxes remains one of the most unfair and completely immoral taxes since it is completely disconnected from the taxpayer's ability to pay.

However, by replacing our current "pay or you go" funding system with a "pay as you go" system, the School Property Tax Elimination Act (HB 1275) provides a broad-based, same-rate sales tax that allows Pennsylvania's economy to flourish as a 0 percent, School Property Tax FREE Zone, via a tax that is not only progressive but also allows us to remain economically competitive to our neighboring states.

While home values decrease, foreclosures continue to increase. As a result, many school districts are near financial distress because lowering property values are stressing revenue for already under-funded districts.

Again, under House Bill 1275, equality can be restored to each of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts by deriving funds from a voluntary, consumption-based tax based on the broadest public base-virtually anyone that purchases goods and services.
Districts will receive necessary funding, regardless of previous designation as "impoverished districts," through the state's Education Operating Fund to which all sales tax revenue is deposited. Additionally, local school boards will retain the decision-making power to allocate these funds without intervention from the state.

In an effort to make our public schools as efficient as possible, while providing a high-quality, properly-funded education, school districts will have the added advantage of implementing state-of-the-art, data-driven decision making (D3M) technology to accurately measure school spending and academic performance.

Other longstanding, unsolved challenges are fully addressed, such as long overdue equity adjustments that are realized through the designation of gaming revenues; legitimate discipline in spending that recognizes regular and necessary increases, indexing growth rates to sales tax collection; and the inclusion of local voter approval for future borrowing.

Finally and most importantly, true property ownership will be fully restored by House Bill 1275 through the total elimination of the school property tax for every homeowner.

In short, by relying on the flexible and fair, same-rate sales tax, we can restore the Constitutional right to own private property for every Pennsylvanian, while improving the economy of the state and of the individual through the comprehensive reform provided by the School Property Tax Elimination Act.

Join me and 27 taxpayer groups in support of this historic piece of legislation by participating in the Save Our Homes Rally on June 2 from 11:00 a.m. to noon in the Capitol Rotunda. For further information, please visit http://ptcc.us

State Rep. Sam Rohrer is a Republican who represents the 128th House District in Berks County.

Save Our Homes Rally on June 2

Bus transportation is being arranged by the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition to take residents to the Save Our Homes Rally at the State Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg on Monday, June 2. The rally starts at 11 AM. This could be the last chance this year to get the Legislature to act on property tax reform.

From Pottstown Area:

Bus will be leaving from the Wal-Mart in the Pottstown Center on Shoemaker Road at 8:30 AM. Contact Gene Endress of the PCTA's Owen J. Roberts taxpayer group at gendre1@comcast.net

From Reading Area:

Bus will be leaving from the K-Mart at Rt. 222 and Rt. 724, Shillington, at 8:30 AM. Contact David Baldinger of the PTCC at taxrally@mail.com

From Lancaster County Area:

Bus for the Eastern Lancaster County/Western Chester County area will be leaving from the Christiana Fire House at 8:30 AM with a pickup stop in Lancaster city. Contact John McCartney of the PCTA's CLASTA group at johnjhere30@comcast.net

From York County Area:

Bus will leave from the Southeastern York County area (Delta, Fawn Grove, Peach Bottom) with a pickup stop near York City. Contact Margie Lavin of the PCTA's SETRC group at info@setrc.net or Warren Bulette of the PCTA's YCTC group at bulette@juno.com

Tax elimination momentum growing

The major criticism of state Rep. Sam Rohrer's House Bill 1275 mostly from Democrats who like the current system of forcing Pennsylvania out of their homes through high property taxes is that elimination of schools taxes won't leave enough money to fund public education.

They're not sure that will happen. They just think it might. So Democrats do what they've always done. Sit on their hands and do nothing.

The Mercury takes a look at HB 1275 and concludes:

"The plan has the potential to boost the economy of Pennsylvania, provide adequate funding for all schools regardless of district wealth, and relieve the tax burden for homeowners."

Read the full editorial here.

The struggle to pay school property taxes

Here's a sampling of the problems many Pennsylvania homeowners are having paying skyrocketing property taxes. For more, check out "In their own words: Real-life stories from Pennsylvania homeowners" at the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition Web site.

"My personal story! I am a senior female 77 years old. I lost my husband last September. When he died, he took half of our income with him. The property tax is $7600. I prepared years ago living on a budget, but always had enough to cover expenses. His death has been difficult for me. We were married 59 years. Our property tax will force me to leave my home. I do not believe this will ever be solved. Hope I am wrong."
– Fran, Boothwyn, Delaware County

"I cannot afford to retire in 2009 after 30 years of teaching in the public school system because my pension will not be sufficient to cover my house payment which includes my property taxes. The property taxes are greater than my principal, interest and homeowners insurance. I am 57 with health issues which require me to work until my SS kicks in which is at least 5 years away. I could work close to home and part time, but I can't afford to with not only the property taxes but all of the other problems with the economy. I can't afford to do simple home improvements like new sliders because the old ones are deteriorating. I will never own this home even when the mortgage is paid. I am only the grounds keeper for the state of Pennsylvania. I am not even a paid employee; I am a volunteer grounds keeper. If I for any good reason cannot pay my property taxes the state will fire me and take away my home. I am really considering selling when the economy improves and find a nice rental property and let someone else volunteer to work and pay to work to the state."
- Donna Alford, York County

"I have lived in York County for about a year and a half, prior to this, I lived in Montgomery County MD. This system of school districts is ridiculous to say the least. There should be only one school district per county with THE COUNTY controlling the schools like MD. There should be one school board made up on 7 or 9 members answerable to the COUNTY. This would allow one health plan for all school employees and there should be no right to strike. This fractured system of school districts results in higher taxes. My house in Montgomery County was assessed at $399,000 and my tax last year was a little over $4100.00 before the reductions that brought it down to $2900.00. This was THE TOTAL tax I had to pay. Here in York County, my house is assessed at $379,000 and the SCHOOL TAX alone was close to $6000.00. What is wrong with this picture?"
- Ben Mangus, Hanover, York County

"My husband & I are on Social Security now, & though we have some savings, it won't be long before we have to use it for the ever growing taxes that are due in Spring & Fall. The PA school tax is especially burdensome as you well know. We had hoped for a resolution to this long before now by the abolishment of that tax. If our savings are used up with those taxes, what will we use when an emergency comes along?? With the ever rising prices of gas & oil & food, the money we have to work with is getting less & less. We urge you to please put into law the END of the huge Property tax before ours & the savings of countless others is gone, homes lost, & hope erased. We have worked hard all our lives to maintain & keep our home, & now the resources we thought we had are like water sadly slipping through our hands."
- Richard & Joan Hornberger, Elverson, Chester County

"The past two years I have had to rely on my married daughter to help me pay my Octorara School Taxes, Chester County. My taxes went up $500 two years ago and $480 last year and they anticipate going up again this year. My school taxes are now $3200 and Borough/County taxes equal almost $900. (my home is a small rancher built in 1972) In order for me to stop depending on my children to help me pay, as my retirement and social security is only $1300/month, I am contemplating getting a reverse mortgage in order to stay in my home. My deceased husband and I worked hard for 20+ years to pay this house off and only when he passed away and the insurance paid it off, was it free and clear. Now I have to re-mortgage it to pay my taxes????? Please....something must be done to help the Pennsylvania taxpayer.
- Carol Moyer, Chester County

Pension hike would negate property tax relief, group says

STOP PRIMARY RESIDENCE PROTECTION PLAN or STOP, a citizens group working to eliminate all property taxes in Pennsylvania, opposes a proposal to increase pensions for retired state workers and legislators.

The group believes a pension increase would wipe out any potential savings from the elimination or reduction in property taxes, according to founder Bob Logue.

From a release issued by STOP:

The Pennsylvania House leadership is proposing increases in state employee pensions including retired legislators, teachers and other state workers. The issue of this letter is not whether the pension increases are merited, but instead where the money will come from to pay for the increases.

At least as far as the teachers and other school retirees are concerned, the increases will come from the school districts that employed them. As our school districts are required to replenish the pension fund to pay the proposed higher pensions, increases in property taxes — the major source of funding for school districts — will likely be forthcoming for homeowners and other property owners.

Any savings realized by property owners from the slot parlors could easily be wiped away by millage increases to help fund these pension increases. This is the perfect example of why I have repeatedly stated property tax reductions are only temporary, and are not true property tax reform.

When you see a few hundred dollars in property tax reductions on your school tax bill this year, enjoy it, but don't get used to it…because those reductions will not last. Reassessments that may soon be ordered by the PA Supreme Court as they rule on the constitutionality of the base year assessment system most counties use; or millage increases by your local school board to offset pension increases or other budgetary increases, will soon wipe away your property tax reductions.

The only real property tax reform is abolishment of all property taxes — school, county and municipal on primary residences. Replacement sales and income taxes and the economic boom such a plan would unleash will strengthen the economies of our counties, school districts and municipalities. Then homeowners would truly own their homes for the first time ever.

Contact your PA State Senator and encourage her or him to push for passage of HB 1947 (which passed the House 197-0) or SB 717. Both pieces of legislation are currently in the Senate Finance Committee. Both would amend the PA constitution to permit abolishment of all property taxes on primary residences. It is important the Senate act on either of these bills this year.

Renewed effort for property tax relief

You have to give state Rep. Sam Rohrer, R-Berks, credit for persistence. He's been trying for years to get his plan to eliminate property taxes passed by the Pennsylvania House.

Rohrer told the Reading Eagle that he's going to give it another shot before the Legislature starts its annual 3-month summer vacation.

A revised version of Rohrer's School Property Tax Elimination Act will be offered in the House soon, according to the newspaper.

An earlier version of House Bill 1275, offered as an amendment to another tax relief plan, received just 47 votes in the 102-member House.

Rohrer told the newspaper he's addresses some of the objections lawmakers had about taxing professional fees and not taxing commercial properties.

Read "New round to begin in property tax fight" here.

There's also a rally planned for Harrisburg on June 2 to demand the elimination of property taxes. Find out more at the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition Web site.

And don't forget that all 102 seats in the House and 25 seats in the Senate are up for re-election on Nov. 4.

Taxpayer rally set for June 2 in Harrisburg

The Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition and its 26 taxpayer groups are planning a rally on the steps of the state Capitol in Harrisburg at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 2, to demand the elimination of property taxes.

The taxpayers' alliance supports passage of House Bill 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act.

The last time a grassroots rally was organized at the state Capitol was in 2005 when 2,000 residents demanded repeal of the pay raise. And guess what? The Legislature gave in and repealed the pay raise.

Read more about the rally and bus trips being organized by PTCC in today's edition of The Mercury.

Join property tax rally in Harrisburg on June 2

"The time is now to vigorously show the Harrisburg politicians how we feel about school property tax elimination," says David Baldinger, administrator of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition.

A rally is planned for Monday, June 2, in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg to support House Bill 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act, the legislation that is endorsed by the PTCC and the 26-member groups of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations.

Taxpayers who are fed up with rising property taxes are invited to take part in the rally from 11 a.m. to noon.

The timing of this rally is designed to coincide with the budget debate that will be in progress, ensuring that all members of the General Assembly will be in Harrisburg to receive the message, Baldinger says.

While the agenda has not yet been finalized, Baldinger expects that a large number of current lawmakers and candidates will be in attendance along with community, business, school leaders and taxpayer advocates.

Following the rally, the PTCC and FreedomWorks will be issuing an "Honor Roll" listing all lawmakers, candidates and community leaders who show their support for school property tax elimination by attending the rally.

"The purpose of the rally is to do our best to send a very strong message to the legislature that we are tired of their procrastination and expect action to eliminate school property taxes NOW," Baldinger says. "This is a major event and a large turnout of supporters will help to focus media attention on this issue and increase public awareness and support."

The PTCC is looking for volunteers to spread the word about the rally, organize folks in their area and arrange transportation to Harrisburg.

"This is a one-time event that is very important, so if you're willing to help please try to find as many folks as possible to attend - use carpools, limo buses, full-sized buses, any way possible to get people to the rally" Baldinger says.

The PTCC is already busy organizing a bus trip to the Capitol for Berks County residents. The approximate cost is $20 per person.

If you're interested in joining this trip for the rally, send an e-mail by May 11 to taxrally@mail.com with your name, address and telephone number.

If enough people respond by May 11 to fill a charter bus, Baldinger says he will send interested persons a return e-mail with the details of the trip and method of payment.