PA Property Tax Reform

Pennsylvania "You" Lost!!!

2010-05-19T14:23:00.002-05:00

Congratulations citizens of Pennsylvania. You lost your last big chance for an honest politician in Harrisburg. Sam Rohrer was the one hope this Commonwealth had left. Sam has never accepted one dollar from any special interest group. He owes no one! Do you think that either of the November candidates can make that claim? Good luck with that one! Pennsylvania is headed for insolvency and no one seems to care.

Are you aware that many of the people contacted by phone on Tuesday were not even aware that it was election day? This is like sheep being led to the slaughter without a wimper. The apathy and disinterest of the citizens of Pennsylvania is horrifying. And what is even more horrifying is that this mentality is evident across the Nation. That is exactly how we got into the mess we are in!

What will it take for people to understand exactly where our State and this great Nation are headed. Government controls health, education and welfare. Does that not sound familiar. Maybe a word like “socialism”?

Main Entry: so·cial·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm\
Function: noun
Date: 1837
1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done

I don’t want it and it is being force fed to all of us!

Unfortunately this is all being fed to us under the pretext of “change”. We have always been “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”. We did not and do not need change....we need to fix the things that are bent or broken. “Fix” not try to change the entire country and our constitution! One day, in the not too distant future, people are going to look around and wonder “how did we ever get to this”? And guess what....when you finally recognize all of this for what it is....BAMMMMMM....you are going to be too late to change it back! You will live to see the day when you long for “the way things were”! Think about the future that you are creating for your children and grandchildren. Do you want them to live in a society where there is no free enterprise? Where the government controls absolutely everything! You had best answer that question now before it is too late!

I don’t know about you but that “hopey-changey” thing is not working for me! Economy is still poor, job loss is still climbing, and mortgage/housing is still a mess!!!! What is happening in this Country scares me to death!

Primary Election.....There Is Still Hope!

2010-05-16T19:20:00.003-05:00

Primary Election Day...May 18th...could be a wonderful beginning or the beginning of the end for those of us living here in Pennsylvania. I start here to familiarize you with the "primary election" process that almost universally places "big machine" and "party backed politicians" in front of voters and tells them these are their menu choices. The "main line media" jumps on these "party selections", also endorses them, and buries mention of those considered "also rans" under a mountain of coverage for the "chosen one's" wonderful accomplishments. And of course, being the political followers (sheep) that we have all become, we assume that our party and our main-line media organizations have wisely chosen the right candidate for us and we go skipping to the polls to vote for them.

Now this seems nice and orderly and keeps the voting process simple and uncomplicated and does not allow for too much clutter in the minds of the mere voters. The problem is that we do not, and never will, see what goes on behind the scenes to bring a candidate to party endorsement. The deals that get made to get support from economically, socially and politically powerful special interest groups virtually guarantees "quid pro quo" behavior on the candidates part if elected. Then, when the hand-picked chosen one's and their hand-picked government organizations ultimately have to pay the piper we get the chance to start complaining yet again. Phrases like "just another politics as usual", "they are not representing my views at all", "we have to vote these people out come next election", then the confidence we should have that those who govern are doing the right thing by us and for us erodes just a little bit more.

I need to speak to you about a candidate in the race for Governor of Pennsylvania. The first thing you need to know is his name. SAM ROHRER, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE! Time is short for Sam and for all of us because he did not become the endorsed candidate by the State Republican Organization. He has had very little coverage by the main-line media and has been running a purely "grassroots" campaign. Please go to SamRohrer.org to find out all you can about Sam. I will tell you this much. Sam is honest! He has never taken a dollar from any special interest group. If Sam wins this primary it will be on his own money and the support of those who believe in him. So therefore, there will be no paybacks when he takes his oath of office and he will truly be working for "We The People".

Sam Rohrer is fiscally and socially conservative. Here are just a few of the things that Sam is passionate about:

. Provide PA with a fiscally responsible government
. End and Replace School Property Tax
. Expand School Choice
. Cut Taxes for Job Creators
. Defend Private Property Rights
. End Compulsory Union Membership
. Reduce Taxes and Regulations for Job Creators
.100% Pro-Life
. 100% 2nd Amendment Rights

Please, please get out and vote on May 18th. There is still hope! A vote for Sam Rohrer is a vote for our future!

Helen

Scam or Slam or Both

2007-01-18T11:21:00.000-05:00

Yes, ACT I is a disaster. The tax shift to EIT or PIT, if approved by voters, is going to cost the average homeowner even more in property tax than they already pay. This piece of legislation is an embarrassment and a total failure.

People must realize that even if they vote down an EIT or PIT, our illustrious govenment officials in Harrisburg have left an "open door" for school districts to continue to increase taxes.

Districts can raise taxes in accordance with whatever their "inflation index" is for the year (for 2007/2008 the index ranges between 3.4% and 5.5%). That is an automatic tax increase!

According to Act 1 Backend Referendum the school disrict can then go to the Department of Education for exceptions. Last year our district not only got their exceptions approved by PDE, they actually got more than they requested. So you see, the districts are not real concerned about whether or not the voters accept an increase in EIT or PIT. They already know they will get whatever they need through backend referendum.

ACT I expands the backend referendums orginially set forth in Act 72 (hailed by all as a total disaster) for special education, health care costs and pension obligations. These items alone cause some of the biggest tax hikes that we have seen. Furthermore, the backend referendum for school construction is modified to provide an exception for school construction indebtedness incurred before the effective date of ACT I. Explains why so many of our school districts scrambled to get new school construction approved last year. No surprise there!

When given the opportunity to tighten the "back-end" referendum provisions that existed under Act 72 of 2004 (the previous law that was to distribute the gambling tax revenues), the legislature instead broadened the exemptions and enabled school districts with the power to circumvent voter referendum and continue to increase spending without hindrance.
Ed Rendell, along with all legislators in Harrisburg, should be ashamed.

This is one of the biggest scams/slams that has come down the road in quite a while.

nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com

ACT I Disaster

2007-01-18T11:16:00.000-05:00

Groups try blocking tax shift

By ALISON HAWKESBucks County Courier Times

HARRISBURG — Upset with Harrisburg's solution to property tax relief, taxpayer groups are springing into action in an effort to defeat a proposed swap to income taxes to feed school district budgets.

A coalition of 22 groups is getting ready to send out the word to voters that the tax shifts they will vote on in May will do little to ease their tax bleed and might actually hurt them worse in the long run under the current plan.

“Vote no and make them go back to work in Harrisburg,” said Joe Gable, chairman of the Central Bucks Taxpayer Association. “That's our message.”
Gable said he and others are planning media outreach, talk show appearances and even a new blog at bucksdailybuzz.com.

The response from taxpayer groups is an early sign that Act 1, passed in June as the Taxpayer Relief Act, might not go over well in its first test with the public this spring, and if not could become the latest in a series of blundered property tax plans out of Harrisburg.
Since its inception, the tax plan was roundly criticized as being too modest and passing the buck on difficult tax issues to the locals.

As the process unfolds at the school district level, the fissures in the plan are becoming more apparent to those on the front lines of the local tax relief issue. More than a dozen citizen tax study commissions, charged with the task of coming up with the type and level of income tax shift best suited to their districts' taxpayers, are throwing up their hands and saying doing nothing is better.

No recommendation means their school boards must decide what to propose for their May ballots.

Dee John, chairwoman of Uniontown Area School District's local tax study commission, said her commission refused to make a recommendation because no option seemed palatable. A 0.4 percent increase in earned income taxes seemed too high for workers in her district to bear and any household earning more than $46,500 would be paying higher taxes overall, she said. A hike in sales taxes would be fairer, she said.

“The Legislature let us down,” said John, a Realtor. “Why are they asking the school districts to do this? Why do we vote these people in office? I don't get it, do your job.”

Neshaminy School District's tax study commission had a similar response. The break-even point there would be $55,000, below the district's median household income.

“It's a tax increase and this has been sold by the Rendell administration as a tax shifting,” said Richard Sypek, a Neshaminy commission member and retiree. “I think this Act 1 is a very bad piece of legislation.”

The property tax plan, passed after six months of grueling debate, was essentially an expansion of the earlier Act 72. It drives out $1 billion in gambling proceeds to taxpayers in the form of “free” tax relief, puts some controls on school district budget increases and expands senior tax relief by enlarging the Property Tax and Rent Rebate program.

For property tax relief beyond that, voters must decide district by district whether to switch over to higher income taxes, in some districts by as much as an additional 1 percent of their salaries. Existing income taxes at the local level would remain.

Some lawmakers are picking up on the public's roasting of the new tax plan.
Rep. Dave Steil, R-31, whose Pennsbury School District tax commission made a recommendation but unhappily so, said he senses the disapproval and even expected it. But giving voters the chance to have a say is one step in the longer process of finding a solution to the property tax debate, he said.

“I think our responsibility is to ask the voters; ask the people who pay the taxes,” he said. “The next step is we have to move to a statewide tax. That's more onerous to people in my district because we will still have to raise a tax and we will have to send it somewhere else.”

But taxpayer groups believe Harrisburg missed an opportunity to pass deeper relief when there was momentum last year to do so. Many are throwing their weight behind a plan called “Plan for Pennsylvania's Future” to eliminate property taxes altogether through a combination of a broader, lowered sales tax, an income tax hike and an increase in realty transfer taxes. The idea is to spread the tax pain as evenly as possible across all age and demographic groups.

“We're trying to send a message to the Legislature that this is not adequate. This is not what we want,” said David Baldinger of Reading, who leads the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition. “They seem to have trouble understanding the word "elimination.' ”

With taxpayer groups sounding a loud “no” against the May referenda and school districts taking a publicly neutral stance, there might be few standing to defend the measure to voters.
Rep. Chris Sainato, a Lawrence County Democrat, said he won't sound a bugle for it, even though he voted for the plan.

“Every school district is different. I'm not going to say you should do it or not,” said Sainato. “It's going to be up to local groups, if there are any local groups who support it.”

In reacting to public disappointment last year, Gov. Ed Rendell and lawmakers promised to revisit the issue with a second, deeper layer of property tax relief. But it's difficult to say when that might occur.

Steve Miskin, spokesman for House Republican Leader Sam Smith, said the Democrats' agenda is pretty full right now with a new healthcare initiative and transportation funding.
“It's going to be about priorities,” he said.

Steil's district includes Lower Makefield, Newtown, Newtown Township, Yardley and District 2 of Upper Makefield.

nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com

Read This and Weep

2006-08-22T08:12:00.000-05:00

Williamsport Sun-Gazette
Sunday, August 20, 2006

Memorial Day and Independence Day are two days that are notorious in this country for honoring our freedom, and paying tribute to our military men and women, for the ultimate sacrifices, which they have made to preserve this freedom over the past 230 years.

Channel 22 News reported the death of the second most decorated World War II Veteran, who lived in Stroudsburg. He was second only to Audey Murphy.

This hero passed away while his home was being placed on the auction block to be sold in a sheriff sale because he got behind on his taxes and bills. For those in a position of authority, have they not the awareness of right and wrong with a compulsion to do right? It is tragic and unforgiving when degrading or humbling any living war veteran. What has happened to the conscience of the average America, who professes to be so righteous and claims to be sincere, while the likes of them allow such a disservice to be instilled upon a war hero as he approached the end of his life.

This war hero was why so many Americans without a conscience are living a life of freedom, which is questionable whether they’re deserving of it or not.

Weldon C. Cohick Jr.
Linden

FROM BOB LOGUE:

PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ALL THE COWARDLY SHEEPLE YOU KNOW:

FOR FOUR YEARS STOP VOLUNTEERS HAVE TRIED TO GET THE PUBLIC INTERESTED IN PROTECTING HOMES FROM BEING STOLEN BY VULTURES AIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE SITUATION LIKE THE ONE DESCRIBED IN THE SUN GAZETTE ARTICLE ABOVE IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SCREAMING ABOUT. IT IS A DISGRACE THAT VETERANS--INCLUDING WAR HEROES FROM ALL WARS-- AND GOOD CITIZENS IN GENERAL HAVE BEEN LOSING THEIR HOMES BY THE THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR TO THIS CORRUPT PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM. THIS IS THE SYSTEM THAT GOVERNOR ED RENDELL, CANDIDATE LYNN SWANN AND MANY OF YOUR LEGISLATORS DEFEND AND WANT TO PRESERVE. .

MOST OF THE SHEEPLE OF PENNSYLVANIA ARE APPARENTLY TOO LAZY OR APATHETIC TO GET INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT. THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE DONE LITTLE OR NOTHING TO HELP ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXES ON PRIMARY RESIDENCES SHOULD BE ASHAMED. SLEEP COMFORTABLY IN YOUR NICE COZY HOME THAT THIS VETERAN AND MANY OTHERS FOUGHT TO PRESERVE. YOU DON'T DESERVE THE SACRIFICE OF THIS SECOND MOST DECORATED HERO FROM WORLD WAR II...AND THE SACRIFICE OF MANY THOUSANDS MORE WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED OR WERE WOUNDED TO PRESERVE YOUR FREEDOM AND PROTECT YOUR HOME. NOW IN THEIR ADVANCED YEARS, THEY NEED OUR PENNSYLVANIANS TO FIGHT FOR THEM SO THEY CAN KEEP THEIR HOMES. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HELP ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXES ON PRIMARY RESIDENCES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE INDIGNITY HEAPED ON THIS WAR HERO? DID HE DESERVE TO LEAVE THIS EARTH KNOWING THAT HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF LOSING HIS HOME? IMAGINE HOW ABANDONED AND UNAPPRECIATED HE MUST HAVE FELT. DID HE DESERVE THIS EMBARASSMENT? COULD THE STRAIN OF LOSING HIS HOME HAVE ADVANCED HIS DEATH? GO BACK TO YOUR FOOTBALL GAME....SOAP OPERA OR OTHER 'VITAL' INTERESTS. THIS HERO WAS NOT RELATED TO YOU...SO WHY SHOULD YOU GIVE A DAMN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?

BOB LOGUE, STOP PRIMARY RESIDENCE PROTECTION PLAN.

For information on how you can help contact stoptax@alltel.net
For information concerning the PA Coalition of Taxpayer Associations PCTA go to www.dbta.org

"Rear End" Referendums

2006-08-16T15:58:00.000-05:00

'Back-end referendums' won’t help taxpayers. The recent enactment of Special Session Act 1 of 2006, the so-called "Pennsylvania Taxpayer Relief Act," came as a disappointment to taxpayers throughout the Commonwealth who are fed up with increasing school property taxes.

When given the opportunity to tighten the "back-end" referendum provisions that existed under Act 72 of 2004 (the previous law that was to distribute the gambling tax revenues), the legislature instead broadened the exemptions and enabled school districts with the power to circumvent voter referendum and continue to increase spending without hindrance.

Like Act 72, this law represents a weak attempt at curbing school spending through voter referendum. Certain proposed property tax increases that exceed a district’s so called "inflation index," which ranged from 3.9 to 6.5 percent in 2006, would have to be approved by voters. While this sounds like an excellent solution, Act 72 gave taxpayers in only one of the 111 participating school districts the ability to vote on proposed tax increases.

The façade of voter control of school property tax increases is two-fold. First, the "inflation index" allows many districts to increase property tax rates substantially without voter consent. The "inflation index" varies by district and gives school boards generous leeway to increase spending well above traditional measures of inflation, without facing referendum.

Second, Act 72 provided ten spending exceptions for which school districts could avoid voter referendum. These loopholes allowed many tax increases to occur without voter input. In fact, 26 of the 111 school districts that opted into Act 72 submitted budgets greater than the "inflation index," but only one district was required to hold a voter referendum, as all the others were exempted.

These flaws remain in the new legislation. A lengthy list of loopholes and a hefty inflation index will allow districts to avoid the ballot box and leave voters helpless in the face of major spending and tax increases. Throughout the Commonwealth, property taxes will continue to rise and further burden taxpayers.

In the State College Area School District, the new mandate started a spending race. The school board’s effort to pass a $102 million construction plan in advance of the implementation of referendum could lead to bloated budgets for years to come. Why? Because paying off debt that was incurred before the implementation of Act 1 is exempted when future tax increases are considered.

The expensive proposal has created a massive public outcry, but the ultimate decision is in the hands of State College’s nine-member school board, not the taxpayers. If the building plan faced voter referendum, its future would be uncertain.

Statewide, it appears that tax increases over the next three years will far exceed any expected relief in 2008 or 2009. A 5 percent annual increase in property tax rates — the average cap for school districts in 2006 — represents $1.5 billion in increased revenue from 2005-06 to 2008-09.

Many lawmakers from both parties — whether they voted for or against the bill — acknowledge that Act 1 was a compromise, and that they desired something more substantial. Yet taxpayers and homeowners will continue to suffer until lawmakers give them real control over tax increases.

Pennsylvania’s school boards exercise far more taxation power than their counterparts in other states. According to the Education Commission of the States, Pennsylvania is the only state that places no practical limits on the taxing and spending power of school boards. Yet Pennsylvania’s only limit on local school boards is the new token referendum, which most school boards will be able to avoid even while hiking property taxes.

The Pennsylvania Taxpayer Relief Act merely serves as a Band-Aid for Pennsylvania’s property tax crisis. Rather than confronting increased school spending, the recent legislation offers voter referendum with no teeth and no way to control the spending explosion that is taking place in our school districts. Sound property tax relief in Pennsylvania will not become a reality until school spending is substantively restrained by empowering taxpayers with a vote on any and all tax increases. Only when we give control back to the people who pay the bills will relief come to Pennsylvania homeowners.

Mary F. Yoder is a research intern with the Commonwealth Foundation, an independent, non-profit public policy research and educational institute located in Harrisburg.

For information concerning the PA Coalition of Taxpayer Associations go to www.dbta.org or nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com

"Con Game"...whose in?

2006-08-16T15:53:00.000-05:00

Looks like a con game!

The most logical explanation for Pennsylvania's ill-conceived and hastily written slot-machine gambling law is that it was drafted not by members of that august body known as the General Assembly of the Keystone State, but by the lovable group of film incompetents called the Keystone Kops.

As evidence -- only the most recent clue to be uncovered -- the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (Keystone Kops, indeed!) will not tell the public who holds how much of a stake in each of the 22 applicants for 14 gambling licenses the board hopes to issue by the end of the year.
Members of the board apparently know but don't think you need to or that their charter allows them to tell.

This means -- not to pick on Franco Harris, but he's a big guy and can take it, and the former Penn State and Pittsburgh Steeler standout is an investor in one of the groups seeking a license -- the public can't be certain whether Harris is a major financial partner or just a celebrity front man for other politically well-connected concerns.

The same is true for businessman Brian Tierney, who is now the chief executive of the company that owns our former sister newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and is a slots applicant as well.

The list of potential licensees released by the Gaming Board does not even identify those who set up the children's trusts involved in several of the slots applications. "Trust," in this case, apparently refers less to the funds and more to what is required of the public.
But it is proprietary information and, therefore, confidential, a spokesman for the Kops ... er ... the Gaming Control Board said.

This is state-sponsored gambling. The stakes are stratospheric. Billions of dollars are involved. Residents of the commonwealth have no right to know who will be getting how much of what?
It gets better -- or worse, depending on whether you enjoy slapstick. A legislative attorney who helped write the slots law disagrees with the Kops over what can and cannot be disclosed.
"It has to be really related to some kind of business plan or trade secret that would otherwise be damaging if it were disclosed publicly," a lawyer for state Sen. Vincent Fumo, D-Philadelphia, said. "I wouldn't know how ... making that public harms the business model and plans of the applicant."

Nor do we. Nor, amazingly, does the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission -- and horse racing has been linked in the past with a betting scandal or two. The commission released detailed corporate structures and ownership stakes behind each applicant for a racing license that would also qualify for a slots license.

But those charged with regulating the state's nascent gambling industry are saying, "We know. That's enough. You don't need to. Just trust us."

Trust and gambling are not often thought of as natural partners in the tradition of, say, Abbott and Costello. That's why players ask the dealer to cut the cards.

"It only makes it look like both the government and applicants have something to hide," Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, said of the open-records fiasco. "And that's not where they want to start if they want to earn the public's confidence."
As we have stated previously, every aspect of the state's gambling enterprise must be operated transparently, above board and beyond reproach.

Confidence? This keeps looking more and more like a confidence game.

from on-line www.centredaily.com August, 2006

For information concerning the PA Coalition of Taxpayers go to www.dbta.org or contact nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com

Sucker Bet for Taxpayers

2006-08-09T09:44:00.000-05:00

Gov. Ed Rendell is riding high in the polls and sitting on top of a giant pile of cash as he prepares to seeking another four-year term.

He has the state’s biggest media outlets (the fawning Philadelphia TV stations and newspapers) in his back pocket. He has the power of incumbency, which allows him to travel all over Pennsylvania at taxpayer expense for thinly disguised campaign appearances, including handing out millions of taxpayer dollars in areas Rendell needs to buy votes.

But don’t bet the farm that Rendell will coast to re-election. Rendell does have an Achilles’ heal. Actually, he has two major problems. Rendell promised to cut everyone’s taxes when he first ran for governor. He has failed to deliver on the promise. The best he could do is a rebate plan, where he plans to borrow money from the state lottery to send a few hundred dollars back to low-income seniors. The rest of the state -- 80 percent of Pennsylvania taxpayers -- won’t get a dime back from Rendell.

The second glaring blunder in Rendell’s first term was the middle-of-the-night passage of a casino gambling bill pushed by Rendell through the Republican legislature. Almost every Democratic legislator voted for Rendell’s gambling plan and enough Republican legislators joined in to form a gambling majority.

Two years later, we are finally beginning to realize how awful this gambling bill truly is. And politicians are beginning to understand that the anti-gaming constituency is not going away. Many Pennsylvania voters will go to the polls this November with one thing mind: Punish Rendell and the legislators who brought gambling to Pennsylvania.

Republican state senators, chastised by the drubbing their leadership took in the May primary, have asked the the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to delay licensing slots parlors until the Legislature can go back and fix the many loopholes in the gambling law. A citizens group called CasinoFreePa is organizing a petition drive to have the entire gambling bill repealed. Even Lynn Swann, the GOP candidate for governor, has figured out that gambling could be his ticket to unseat Rendell. On Friday, Swann called on Rendell to specifically list gambling reforms that the governor favors so the Legislature can act on them."Passing a piece of legislation for reform knowing that the governor is not going to sign it means what?" So it appears that the first licenses will be awarded next month before the Legislature has an opportunity to fix the gaping holes in the gambling law.

It appears all the nightmare scenarios that gambling opponents warned us about two years are coming true. We have lobbyists and legislators owning casinos that will be regulated by the state. We have a Gaming Control Board that can’t live within its means. The board has already spent all of the money the Legislature has set aside for it and has had to borrow money from other state agencies.

Insiders predict Rendell, if re-elected this November, will go back to the Legislature early in 2007 and propose expanding the slots parlors to full casinos, just like neighboring New Jersey. If the Gaming Board can’t get its act together to regulate a dozen slots parlors, what makes you think it can handle full-blown casinos?

Swann also took a shot at Rendell for vetoing a bill two years ago that would have eliminated a provision allowing lawmakers to have stakes in companies licensed under the state’s slot machine law. The same bill would have forced Gaming Control Board meetings to be open to the public and it would have imposed right-to-know laws on the board’s business. It also would have required state police background checks of board employees. But Rendell vetoed the bill. Pennsylvania’s rush to enact gambling has opened a Pandora’s Box of financial mismanagement, shady deals and cronyism. One look at Rendell’s campaign contributions from the gaming industry should raise questions about what the governor’s motives were in pushing so hard to bring casinos to Pennsylvania.

Outwardly, Rendell promised tax relief from casino revenues, but the numbers don’t add up. Billions of dollars will have to be wagered and lost by Pennsylvania residents before a dollar is returned in property tax relief. And there’s a strong possibility that no tax relief will come to fruition until after 2010 when Rendell leaves office (if he wins a second term).

Rendell promised tax relief in 2002. Eight years is a long time to wait. And something else could have been done in the eight years Pennsylvania residents have been waiting for their luck to change.We know who’s already won. Rendell has millions of dollars in his campaign war chest from the gaming industry. Lawmakers can own as much as 1 percent of a gambling company. Political cronies sit on the Gaming Board or have been hired to work for the board. Nearly $50 million in taxpayer money has been spent so far by the board and not a single license has been issued. We also know who the losers are so far: Pennsylvania taxpayers who took Rendell’s sucker bet.

Printed in the Pottstown Mercury, written by tphyrillas@pottsmerc.com

For information concerning the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations go to www.dbta.org

Uniting of Taxpayer Groups

2006-07-25T12:56:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2006
Contact: Cheryl Zaleski, email: czaleski@casdtaxpayeralliance.com

Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations Demands Repeal of Act 1

Harrisburg, PA—Sixteen taxpayer advocacy groups from across the Commonwealth met for the first time at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg on Friday, 21 July 2006, uniting to denounce the recently enacted Act 1.

Through four hours of discussion and debate, they unanimously resolved to demand the immediate repeal of Act 1, the Governor’s and Legislature’s version of property tax relief.

Citing the fact that the Act gives only the lowest income senior citizens a mere $150 increase in property tax relief, while ignoring the rest of the property owners in the state who pay astronomically high property tax bills, the Coalition wants everyone to realize the massive fraud that has been perpetrated on the people of Pennsylvania.

“Ed Rendell claims this Act represents $1 billion in property tax relief. He is lying,” stated Cheryl Zaleski, spokesperson for the Coalition. “Property tax relief is supposed to be funded with future gaming revenues from slot machines. The gaming fund begins $300 million in debt thanks to Rendell’s pandering for the senior citizen vote, and a whole host of statewide programs must be funded before an accumulation of $400 million exists for initial distribution to property owners statewide. This will take years and years to achieve.”

“In the meantime, school property taxes continue to rise well above the rate of inflation, the exceptions given to permit school boards the ability to avoid voter referendum render the concept of the people controlling expenditures meaningless, and the Legislature expects everyone to pay an increased local EIT. These increases wipe out close to all savings the vast majority of homesteaders are targeted to receive whenever the gaming distribution begins. In short, the ‘property tax relief’ the Governor is championing is nothing more than another Rendell tax increase for the overwhelming majority of Pennsylvanians.”

The Coalition wants the Legislature to focus on property tax reform. The goal is to eliminate school district property taxes for primary residences, at minimum, and fund public schools with state revenues. Some coalition members advocate the elimination of all school district property taxes while some want to eliminate all primary residential property taxes.

The Coalition also recognizes that no matter what the funding source is for education, it needs cost controls. Another resolution passed by the Coalition supports a bill sponsored by State Representative Will Gabig. It will end teacher strikes in Pennsylvania and seeks the support of state legislators as co-sponsors to demonstrate their support for children and working families in Pennsylvania.

(End Release)

For additional information contact nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com or visit www.dbta.org

Here Are Your Taxes!

2006-06-27T09:46:00.000-05:00

Isn't this amazing?

HERE ARE THE TAXES YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
Capital Gains Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Court Fines (indirect taxes)
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory tax
IRS Interest Charges
IRS Penalties
Liquor Tax
Local Income Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Septic Permit Tax
Service Charge Taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Taxes (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Toll Booth Taxes
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone federal excise tax
Telephone federal universal service fee tax
Telephone federal, state and local surcharge taxes
Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax
Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax
Telephone state and local tax
Telephone usage charge tax
Toll Bridge Taxes
Toll Tunnel Taxes
Traffic Fines (indirect taxation)
Trailer registration tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

In addition to the above you pay for shelter, food, clothing, utilities, automobile, gasoline, health insurance, car insurance, life insurance, homeonwers insurance, and education. WOW! Kind of makes you wonder how the average person is able to make ends meet.

COMMENTS:

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world, had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What the hell happened!!!

nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com

Vicious Cycle

2006-06-26T12:20:00.000-05:00

This country was founded on and has continued to exist under the notion that private property is sacrosanct. Now, however, government has the right to tax it to a point where they seize it from you. This is close to fascist behavior: you work and flourish within capitalism, and the government takes your property—whether it be land, buildings, or cash.

Granted, there are legitimate expenses of government to remain a civil and educated society. The problem regarding property taxes at the local level is that the state permits local governments to tax at will, and there is no check or balance against that local government until the next election---4 years away. In the meantime, people’s lives have been ruined, primarily because as areas degenerate economically or in population, there is not enough tax base to contribute to costs. Hence, skyrocketing millage rates and/or reassessments where the government tells you your property is worth more than it really is on the free market, just so they can extract more out of you. Couple that with costs that are out of control due to greedy public employee unions who honestly believe that everyone should have less or none at all so that they can have more or everything---and you have a disaster of biblical proportions just waiting to happen.

That is where we are now. I fear that the Legislature will not even begin to wake up until the results of the 2010 census are reported. It will show an ever-older PA population, a decline in population, and another loss of a Congressional seat. The only thing the state Legislature is working so hard on is to make the Commonwealth of PA ever more irrelevant on the national scene, and because this state is so family unfriendly—despite the old tourist line about having friends in Pennsylvania—the best and the brightest of the youth we are able to educate leave the state either for college and don’t come back, or leave right after college and set up their lives elsewhere. This has been going on for at least a decade already—and no changes.

Over 33 million people live in the state of California and they have less than 40 state senators and less than 85 state representatives. We have about 12 million people and we have 50 state senators and 203 state representatives---complete with district staff, Harrisburg staff, plus Committee staffers. They get all the perks the Legislature does, except for the cars. This is why there is no state money for public education, so they compartmentalize us into 501 school districts, tell us to fend for ourselves, and some districts are lucky—because they have Hershey Park or Dorney Park or some other such thing that all of us subsidize their taxes when we go visit. Other districts have nothing—no tourism, no business, a lot of kids classified as special ed, horrible PSSA test results—and what happens to us? Out of control property taxes. Why? Because the politicians believe that MORE government, and hence more public employees, is the solution to the problem. That leads us to higher taxes the next year.

Voila!!—a horribly vicious cycle that the legislators in Harrisburg are too dumb and/or spineless to do anything about.

Cheryl Zaleski
Coatesville Taxpayers Alliance

KUDOS TO THE HOUSE

2006-05-05T16:57:00.000-05:00

Lately we have all been "hard" on the members of the House of Representatives for their inability to put forth meaningful property tax reform.

This past week the House made a "bold" move by postponing their vote on House Bill 39. Congratulations to them for having the guts to say "no". It would have been very easy for all of them to just vote "yes" to the bill and walk away from the issue. With the primary election right around the corner they could have all "fallen back" on the property tax relief that had just been passed. BUT THEY DID NOT!

This is not a ploy to interfere with Governor Rendell's election campaign. It is an honest attempt to come up with a plan for meaningful property tax reform.

Members of the special conference committee patted themselves on the back for coming up with what they titled "historical" property tax reform. Although this bill did increase the number of seniors who could qualify for relief it did nothing for the middle class homeowner or the seniors who did not meet the parameters for assistance as set forth by Harrisburg. As a matter of fact, this bill could do more harm than good for most PA homeowners. Even the seniors who do qualify for relief must understand that this bill does nothing to prohibit school boards from continuing to raise property taxes. You could receive relief this year only to find that your taxes rise by an amount that is greater than your relief. As long as control remains at the local school board level taxes will continue to spin out of control.

The special conference committee had the audacity to suggest that in 2007, by way of voter referendum, taxpayers have the opportunity to swap dollar for dollar school property tax for earned income tax. WHERE IS THE TAX RELIEF!!! Doesn't that just come down to who gets your check? Are you going to write the check to your local tax collector or have it withheld from your paycheck? The Governor, the special conference committee, and all the Senators who voted "yes" for this bill should be ashamed. It was nothing more than pandering votes from low income seniors for the primary in May!

Kudos to the House for at least postponing a junk bill. This should give legislators the opportunity to put together a plan that will provide some meaningful tax relief to all PA homeowners who desperately need help!

Now is the time for all PA homeowners to stand together and make their voice heard in Harrisburg. E-mail your elected officials and all Senators and Representatives and let them know that you need, and you demand, meaningful property tax reform.

For a complete listing of all legislator e-mail addresses contact nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com or go to www.dbta.org where all e-mail addresses are listed.

I Can't Afford My Legislatures Anymore!

2006-04-04T14:57:00.000-05:00

Next time your state lawmaker comes around to press the flesh, press him on this: Why has the cost of operating the Pennsylvania Legislature jumped by more than 70 percent over the past 10 years?

Over the same period the state's budget has grown about 48 percent and the governor's spending is up about 7 percent, based on an analysis done by The Times-Tribune of Scranton. The price tag for running the General Assembly: $347 million.

Oh, there have been some constituent services added, such as improved Internet access to track bills. But the lion's share is consumed by salaries and perks. Lots of them. They add up fast, with salaries starting at more than $72,000, plus a generous pension plan, plus no-cost health care, plus car-leasing subsidies of up to $650 a month, plus per diem reimbursements of $141 for each day spent in Harrisburg.

Then there are assorted other costs, such as lawmakers' newsletters and the distribution of flags ($48,000 a year). And, who pays for these constituent services? Not the lawmakers.

While the perked-out prima donnas accrue their fortunes — and spend your money on constituent services — consider this: Unspent money budgeted for the Legislature doesn't go back into the General Fund. It's rolled over as a "continuing appropriation" — in effect, a slush fund that's now up to $135 million.

The buck stops with each and every lawmaker to lead by example. They can start by trimming their own budgetary bloat.

And we, the voters, can have our say on May 16th, the date of the primary election.

Editorial, Author Unknown
nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com

Just A Little Humor

2006-02-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the Archangel found him, resting on the seventh day. He inquired of God. "Where have you been?"

God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."

Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?"

"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put Life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."

"Balance?" Inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to different parts of earth.

"For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth but cold and harsh, while southern Europe is going to be poor but sunny and pleasant.”

"I have made some lands abundant in water and other lands parched deserts. This one will be extremely hot…while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."

The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a landmass and said; "What's that one?"

"Ah," said God. "That's Pennsylvania -- the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, streams, hills, and forests. The people from Pennsylvania are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent and humorous and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking and high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace.

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there would be balance!"

God replied wisely, "There will be Michael, wait until you see the idiots I put in Harrisburg."

Author unknown
nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com

Keep The Fight Alive!

2006-02-23T13:45:00.000-05:00

Keep the fight alive! It is obvious that our legislators are not going to pass any meaningful property tax reform. There are many reasons why!

First and foremost is the fact that property tax reform in many areas of Pennsylvania seems to be a non-issue so why would representatives and senators vote positively.

Until the homeowner’s throughout the Commonwealth understand that, at a minimum, school property tax can be eliminated, we will not see change. People across the state must become as angry about property taxes as they were about the “pay hikes”.

Most people are not interested in or are afraid of broadened sales and use tax. What may not be understood is that by broadening sales and use tax we can eliminate our biggest burden, which is school property taxes.

Even if a school property tax bill would be only $500.00…..that is $500.00 too much. That same homeowner would have to spend $10,000 in one year on taxable commodities to equal their school property tax bill. The above is an extremely low estimate. Let’s consider the homeowner that is paying $2000.00 per year in school tax…they would have to spend $40,000 on taxable items in one year to equal their school property tax bill.

There is a need to educate the public in general about property tax reform. I can’t believe that if people understood the benefits associated with broadened sales and use tax they would not support it.

Property tax reform needs to happen. Not just property tax relief! Even if the state, in its generosity, gives each homeowner $400.00 in property tax relief how long do you think it will take before your local school board increases your taxes and steals away any relief you might see. The state needs to rescind local school board authority by way of education finance reform, which goes hand in hand with school property tax elimination.

Our elected officials have gone out of their way to keep property tax reform quiet. It is time that we as middle class Pennsylvania homeowner’s get loud!

I continue to encourage everyone to e-mail you friends, family, business acquaintances and educate them as to the benefits of property tax reform as opposed to property tax relief. Unless we get the word out there and have people across the state tell their elected officials that they want school property tax elimination it will not matter who is seated in the House and the Senate….property tax reform won’t happen!

Continue to e-mail representatives and senators to let them know that you want school property tax elimination. Regardless of where these representatives and senators are from they will vote on this issue which in turn directly impacts on your quality of life! Remember, they ALL work for ALL of us!

Please keep the fight alive!

For complete lists of e-mails for Representatives and Senators please write to nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com

Education Funding

2006-02-09T11:20:00.000-05:00

Why has education funding decreased and property taxes increased in the Commonwealth of PA? Why has the Governor and General Assembly abandoned any commitment to a consistent formula for funding basic education?

I have been told that the dilemma concerning property tax reform and finance reform for education does not have a “one size fits all” solution. I strongly disagree.

First, education is a state responsibility, embedded in the Constitution. Second, this responsibility is exercised through a partnership of the state and local school boards. Third, financial responsibility for the system is shared between the General Assembly and the school boards.

Although education is a state function embedded in the Commonwealth’s Constitution, Pennsylvania has a long tradition of local control. Throughout most of the state’s history, local revenues have been the major source of funding for public education.

Real estate taxes are a serious problem. Counties set their own assessment standards, resulting in inconsistent and often unfair assessments of individual properties relative to one another. The property tax burden has increased significantly over the past several years because school districts have had to use property tax as a means for making up for the declining state share of education costs.

Pennsylvania continues to have one of the nations most ineffective and unfair statewide funding systems for elementary and secondary education.

The share of statewide elementary and secondary education costs supported by state appropriations in Pennsylvania is far below the national average and ranks Pennsylvania near the bottom of 50 states. The amount of state funding is several hundred dollars less per student than the national average.

As a result of insufficient state funding, public education in Pennsylvania is more dependent on local taxes, especially property tax, than most states.

Also, as a result of insufficient state funding, public education in Pennsylvania is very dependent on local wealth and Pennsylvania therefore has one of the most inequitable funding systems.

We have been “tuned in” to special sessions of the legislature. The General Assembly is in session throughout the year. It has no authority in special session that it does not have in regular session. Special session is much about public relations and potentially about focused attention. The leaders and members of the General Assembly seem to continue to be unwilling to acknowledge the direct relationship between the state’s low funding for school districts and students and the high property taxes in Pennsylvania.

Our legislators have the opportunity to make history with “meaningful property tax elimination and education finance reform”. Yet, for months they have not been able to come up with, or agree to, any meaningful proposals. Governor Rendell’s gaming revenues will not give the property owners the “total relief” that is needed. We can no longer wait for “future” dollars to appear. We need property tax reform NOW.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania needs to rescind local control and assume total responsibility for funding education.

Call, write, or e-mail…just make sure your voice is heard!

www.nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com for e-mail lists of Representatives and Senators.

Information taken from December 2005, The Education Policy and Leadership Center

Make Your Vote Count

2006-02-03T13:03:00.000-05:00

I always believed I was doing my civic duty by going to the polls on Election Day and voting for the people I felt were the best candidates. I then went about my business and never looked back.

I have voted every election since I have been eligible to vote. I believed that the people that were elected into office were there to represent my best interest and I need not be concerned. HOW NAÏVE!

I have never before been a political activist. It has only been since my rude awakening concerning “lobbyist and government” that I realized my interests were not necessarily being served. I had no idea, until these last few years, the mess that has been created in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the local, county and state levels. “We the people” also share some of the blame for putting total trust and confidence in our elected politicians. I think we all realized how that trust was violated with the middle of the night “pay hikes”. “We the people” must now be the “watchdog” and challenge decisions being made that directly impact our quality of life.

One of the most important areas where our State has failed us is “education”. Everyone “talks the talk” about children being our future and how important education is to our nation. Yet, every year our State’s contribution to the education of our young people seems to be less and less. The State does not contribute their fair share towards the cost of education, has done nothing to relieve the unfunded and underfunded mandates on school districts (NCLB and IDEA) and have allowed school districts unlimited spending that falls on the backs of the residential property owner. Lobbyist groups, such as teachers unions, seem able to get whatever they need to support teachers salaries, benefits and pensions but the State’s contribution to education has not kept up with the ever rising costs.

There are so many things in our system that need to be “fixed”. My primary focus is presently on education. I still believe in the elimination of school property tax. I still believe in a more fair and equitable system of funding education by way of broadened sales and use tax. I do believe that the State should collect and disburse the funds associated with education and take control away from the local level.

Our Representatives and Senators have failed to come up with, or agree on, any plan that would provide meaningful tax reform and look seriously at the way in which education is funded. The Commonwealth needs to step up to the plate and get serious about education instead of paying just lip service. They need to contribute the funds that are necessary to insure a good education for all children. On a local level, our school districts need to become more fiscally responsible. They cannot continue to create unbalanced budgets and spend money that they anticipate collecting through property tax increases every year. The Commonwealth homeowner has been “tapped out”.

Our elected officials need to get out of the back pockets of the special interest groups…all of them…and start representing the common folks that they are supposed to represent. With this being an election year, I believe, all residents in the Commonwealth need to seriously look at the candidates in their district. Investigate what they have voted for or voted against concerning property tax reform and other important issues. If they haven’t done the job then let’s get people in office who can. Check out PA Clean Sweep at www.pacleansweep.com and join the movement to clean house in Harrisburg!

Our Governor of Philadelphia needs to be replaced by a Governor of Pennsylvania!

nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com for e-mail lists of all Representatives and Senators.

One Size Can Fit All!

2006-01-28T17:24:00.000-05:00

Many people have written to me asking for lists of Representatives and Senators and ask to whom they should write. My answer is always the same…ALL OF THEM!

I recently received correspondence from a Representative, who shall remain nameless, in response to one of the many e-mails I had sent. The e-mail began by saying: “don't usually respond to "out of towners," but I wanted to remind you that many of us, while hoping for a workable property tax relief plan for seniors on fixed incomes, still do not want to eliminate the property tax.”

This representative’s district is within 35 miles of my home….not sure if that makes me an “out of towner” or not. It is a district with much industry that greatly reduces the homeowner’s share of the school property tax burden. I find it hard to believe, that given the opportunity to fund education differently, that the constituency in this district still would not be delighted to eliminate their school property tax bill every year regardless of the amount. The closing statement on this e-mail read: “Please consider the differing circumstances in the state and recognize that no "one size fits all solution" will work for Pennsylvania.”

Well guess what…it is a one size fits all problem…and Harrisburg had better find a one size fits all solution. It needs to be a one size fits all solution that will work for all residential property tax paying citizens (don’t forget…we are the majority). The best “one size fits all” solution is the elimination of school property taxes and the re-thinking about the way our schools are funded.

What I do recognize is the fact that the votes of all Representatives and all Senators, regardless of the district that elected them, produce changes in law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and thus affect my life as a resident. It is an all or nothing situation because change in law affects each and every one of us.

We do not call these people District Representatives or District Senators. They are PA STATE officials. Regardless of who put them in office, they work for all of us. KEEP WRITING TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM….THEIR VOTE WILL IMPACT DIRECTLY ON YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com for e-mail lists of Representators and Senators

Taxation Without Representation???

2006-01-20T17:11:00.000-05:00

We can no longer say that we have “taxation without representation” but we can however say that we have “taxation without competent representation”.

This week the Senate held specials sessions to discuss Senate Bill 854. For those of you who are not familiar with this bill I will give you a very brief explanation.

1) Expanded sales and use tax to include some business transactions, advertising, accounting, consulting services, basic telephone service, amusement/movie theater admissions, dry cleaning, clothing alterations/shoe repair, vending machines, so on and so on and so on. No tax levied on food or clothing (only candy).

2) Promises a 40% reduction in property tax.

3) Will increase PIT from 3.07% to 3.29%

These are the very basics of the bill on which they are preparing to take a vote!

Now lets look at the ramifications:

1) Businesses are rallying to fight against the broadened sales and use tax as it relates to their business. They will probably win because the Business Associations are a large special interest group within the State. I found it interesting to hear PA Institute of Certified Public Accountants testify that “residential property tax can not be carried on the backs of already over taxed business”. Imagine that! They may as well have said “but it should be carried on the backs of the already over taxed residential property owners”. The amount of tax relief that is being proposed is built on the expanded tax structure. If the business community wins, the amount scheduled for relief will probably be even lower!

2) When they talk about the 40% reduction…..LISTEN UP!!! Legislature will approve a 40% property tax reduction based on the “mean” tax bill in the county. You need to find out from your elected officials what the "mean" tax bill is for your county and find out what this will mean in tax relief for you. In some cases this may be of little help.

3) I say this because by the time your school board increases your taxes in 2006, the government reaches into your pocket and raises your PIT/EIT or possibly both, you pay the additional broadened sales and use tax throughout the year….guess what….your tax relief is gone…and maybe more….you could actually pay more in 2006 if this bill is passed than you would if they passed nothing at all!

Keep in mind that as long as local authority, by way of your school boards, have the power to continue to raise your school property taxes they will increase.

I have been saying, and continue to say, if we do not call, e-mail, write to those who are making these decisions we will get the short end of the stick AGAIN!

DO NOT LIE DOWN AND LET THEM PASS LEGISLATION THAT DOES NOT TOTALLY ELIMINATE SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES!! IF YOU DON’T FIGHT NOW….YOU ARE GOING TO PAY LATER!

If special interest groups can get the attention of the Senate….so can we! We should call our special interest group "TRUMPP" (Tax Reform for the Unheard/Unappreciated/Unrepresented Majority of Pennsylvania Property-owners). We hold the "trump card" come election time and we are a voice to be reckoned with! Which "U" are you?

For e-mail lists of Representatives and Senators contact http://www.nopropertytaxes.com/

Patience Is A Virtue, Possess It If You Can......

2006-01-13T14:40:00.000-05:00

Since I started this blog I have heard from so many property owners/taxpayers across Pennsylvania that are feeling totally defeated. Because of this I thought it appropriate to address a posting regarding the issue of “instant gratification”. Just remember that these defeated, frustrated taxpayers collectively represent the majority of Pennsylvanians.

We are a society that has become so accustomed to instant gratification. We send e-mail, we get an immediate response; we want to purchase something, we use a credit card; we want food, we go out and buy it; etc., etc., etc. Unlike many places in the world where everything is a fight for the right!

The battle that is being fought for property tax reform has no instant gratification. We write, we e-mail, we call those that are making decisions that directly impact our lives. But, for this battle there is no instant gratification! Should there be instant gratification? YES! But it probably “ain’t gonna” happen! Write to me and I'll tell you why!

Yes, government may adopt a plan for token tax relief but the battle is not over until the taxpayers say it is over. We need to plant our feet, voice our opinion and fight for what we want for as long as it takes to get it done.

It may take time but only our perseverance will get the job accomplished. Yes, sometimes it is disheartening, and yes, sometimes you feel defeated….but….that is the exact outcome expected by your government, starting with Ed Rendell. They are sitting back waiting for the e-mails to subside, for the phones to stop ringing, for the citizen taxpayer to feel totally defeated.

Every e-mail you send, every letter you write, every phone call you make MEANS SOMETHING! This is the only way our legislators know that our silent majority is alive and well and keeping the press on them for meaningful reform.

Talk to anyone who will listen, send information to your e-mail list of friends, family and acquaintances. This is not a local issue….it is a state-wide issue….and we need property owners state-wide to join in the fight. Flood the computers of all the elected officials with e-mails stating that we will not accept token relief.

They may win the initial battle but if we stick together, one voice..one cause, we will eventually win the war!!

BUT DON’T LOOK FOR INSTANT GRATIFICATION….IT JUST WON’T HAPPEN!

nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com for e-mail lists of House and Senate members

Fiscal Irresponsibility On The Local Level

2006-01-09T14:14:00.000-05:00

Here is a prime example of the fiscal irresponsibility of our local school board. Our school property taxes are going to increase in 2006 and with the poor planning we see at our local level our school property taxes will continue to increase at a rapid rate for years to come. AND OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WANT TO LEAVE TOTAL CONTROL OF FUNDING EDUCATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL! Following is a copy of a letter sent to homeowner's in the DBSD area. Keep in mind that we opened a new elementary school in 2002 and a new middle school in 2005, this is the third new school which is planned to open in 2007.

School Tax Paying Friends and Neighbors,

As you all may know there is a new elementary school planned on Monocacy Creek Road in Monocacy. What most people may not be aware of is the fact that the property selected for this new project is totally inadequate.

First of all, the ground that the school is to be built on is too small for what is planned. The school is being built to house 400/650 children. The parking that they are able to provide will be for 190 to 240 cars max (we do not know exactly how many spaces there will be as of this writing). Parking will be a serious problem for school events but according to a comment by Mr. Robbins, our school superintendent, it will be a ”first come first served” as far as parking for school events that involve your children. Unlike the Amity Intermediate Center that opened in 2002 and is built in the middle of a development, there will be no place for overflow parking at this new facility. Big traffic and safety concern!

The grounds are surrounded by active railroad tracks to the south and the Monocacy Creek to the west. There are plans to fence along the railroad side (as much as they can because of the lay of the land) but there are no plans to completely fence in the entire area to protect our children. Big, big safety concerns.

But, one of the worst parts of the plan is the condemning of parts of two properties that are adjacent to the school owned grounds. Yes, there was condemnation of property when the Amity Intermediate Unit was built, but it did not effect any HOMES. These homeowner's are losing property within feet of their front porch steps....one homeowner could actually lose their garage because it is in the construction easement, another Historical home will lose a part of its picket fence that also is within feet of their front door, all in order to widen the narrow state owned road. One family will lose property up to the front steps of their home. Their front steps will empty onto the edge of the road. This is a family with two small children and no one on the School Board seems to give a hoot about the safety issues that surround these plans. This was obvious when the board was confronted at a December school board meeting.

The school is being built for the anticipated growth in Union Township over the next 3 to 5 years, as well as, the closing of the present Monocacy kindergarten and Amity/Birdsboro overflow. It is projected that the new school will/may require the addition of approximately 8 more classrooms by the end of the population boom. This addition makes things even tighter. We are building a school on a campus that, for all intents and purposes, we have outgrown before it is even built. There is not even enough property to add mobile trailers for classrooms if and when the need arises.

The entire plan has been very poorly put together. The School District should consider selling the current parcel of land and buying property somewhere that they are not under as many constraints in order to develop the kind of safe, expandable school that we are going to need. It appears, once again, our school board has no concern for the money that we as taxpayers are going to spend on a school that from the beginning will be inadequate and then will have to construct another multi million dollar school on another parcel of ground somewhere else anyway.

Because of the horrendous safety issues and the apparently poor insight of those that are doing the planning, we are asking you to please call the Daniel Boone Area School District Administration Building and voice your concerns about the welfare of your neighbors and most importantly the welfare of our children. It is not too late to acquire a change for the better if we all work together to make it happen.

Please contact School Administration at telephone number 610-582-6140 orFAX number 610-582-0059.

The Silent Majority Is Silent No Longer

2006-01-08T09:52:00.000-05:00

Government beware! The silent majority has found its voice! And we, the Pennsylvania property owners, are the majority!

As Pennsylvania citizens we have sat back for years allowing whatever happens in our State government to happen. NO MORE!

The strongest voice of the citizens of Pennsylvania rose over the government pay increases that happened in the dead of night and without public notice or debate. With one voice and one cause, we the people, managed to have the pay increases repealed.

Right now in Harrisburg, these same people are making decisions that are going to effect your life even more than the pay increase issue. Decisions are being made concerning your property taxes. Legislators are scrambling to try and come up with a proposal for token tax relief that they believe will quiet the Pennsylvania homeowners. Don’t let them get away with it!

Across the State your local school boards are behind closed doors calculating how much they are going to increase your school property tax for the 2006-2007 school year. Yes, Pennsylvanians, get ready for the news! Before the news breaks get involved! We are all busy, we all work, but if each voice isn't heard in Harrisburg like it was for the pay increases we will lose the battle.
Everyone who pays school property taxes needs to get involved. E-mails, phone calls, letters, whatever you can do....but DO something!

The biggest reasons that school property taxes have spun out of control are the facts that the majority of local school boards are fiscally irresponsible and have no concern for the taxpayers in their districts and the consistent annual reductions by the Pennsylvania legislature of the share of education costs paid by the State.

It is time for meaningful tax reform. It is time for SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION! It is time to remove authority from the local school district level. As long as local authority rules, no matter what tax relief our legislators provide, the school property tax will continue to rise until we are right back once again at “ground zero”. Our system of funding education in Pennsylvania is falling apart….we need change and we need it now!

Please continue to e-mail representatives and legislators and let them know that nothing short of SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION is acceptable. For information concerning e-mail address contact nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com and we will be happy to provide you with complete e-mail lists.

Special Session Overrun by Special Interests

2006-01-04T18:24:00.000-05:00

If anyone had the opportunity to watch the Senate Hearings on PCN today concerning Property Tax Relief proposals you will note that special interest groups had a lot to say about not broadening sales tax to businesses. Lobbyist groups such as large businesses, accountants, lawyers, real estate industry, insurance groups, etc, etc, etc, do not want to see property tax reform.

Which politicians are in the "back pocket" of these special interest groups? Pennsylvanians have a right to know how much special interests are spending on legislators to influence the laws that are passed. And they definitely do influence decisions made by our elected officials.

Visit http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05342/619014.stm to read an article published on Post-Gazette.com in December, 2005 that addresses the issue of special interest groups.

We need to start asking our elected officials why the House has not adopted Senate Bill 1 on lobbyist registration. And, does this have anything to do with the apparent "fumbling" around the issue of property tax reform? YOU BET IT DOES!

nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com for e-mail list of House and Senate members

Updates from Senators

2005-12-31T10:28:00.000-05:00

Here is the latest concerning plans being looked at in the Senate. Neither of these plans will give us complete school property tax elimination.

The Senate has scheduled a hearing on January 4, 2006 to look at a proposal passed by the House of Representatvies. They want to provide a 50% homestead reduction by expanding the sales tax base to additional goods (not food or clothing) and increasing the state's PIT from 3.07% to 3.29%.

Also, the Senate passed a property tax bill to provide for an earned income tax to reduce property taxes. The gaming money would be driven in to further reduce the property tax with seniors receiving the priority.

Whatever reduction you would see by the proposal passed in the House will be quickly regained with increase in PIT and annual increases in school property taxes.

The plan concerning gaming monies would end up costing you MORE. The increase in EIT and the annual increases in school property tax would equal MORE than you would receive in relief from ACT 72 gambling funds.

Neither of these plans will give you school property tax elimination! Get on the phone.....get your e-mails out.....if we do not act now we are allowing them to once again "pull the wool" over our eyes.

nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com for e-mail lists of House and Senate members

Letter To All Pennsylvanians (complete version)

2005-12-30T13:33:00.000-05:00

An Open Letter To Pennsylvania Property Owners

We honestly don’t know what else to do. We need to reach each and every Pennsylvania Citizen Property Owner [don’t forget, we are the vast majority of Pennsylvania citizens!] and have you understand that school property tax (and possibly all property tax) elimination in Pennsylvania is possible now! We need to do this quickly, because our illustrious elected officials are soon going to let all of us down on a scale that has probably never happened before – even by voting themselves huge pay hikes in the middle of the night! How? By failing to pass the kind of tax and educational reform legislation that will accomplish a fairer tax base, eliminate property tax as the base for funding schools, and provide a more equitable system of overseeing and funding the education of our children. Instead, they (including and especially our governor, Mr. Ed Rendell) seem to feel that property owners will accept token tax relief that turns out to be a mere pittance which is anything but far reaching or permanent. This is clearly not acceptable!

We’ve decided to try cutting to the chase with an open letter to all Pennsylvanians. We challenge every newspaper and media outlet in the Commonwealth to publish it. If you don’t, shame on you. It will mean that you aren’t interested in covering the single most important issue facing all Pennsylvanians right now – even more important than the issue of illegal elected offical pay raises! And it will mean you aren’t really interested in helping all Pennsylvania Citizens to understand that tax elimination plans exist and are feasible!

First and foremost, we need our elected officials in Harrisburg to pass meaningful TAX REFORM legislation. They have had the opportunity at special sessions of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Senate during the fall of 2005 – and failed! From my point of view, they are completely bent on serving their own interests (or are clueless) and not interested in actually doing anything meaningful and lasting for Pennsylvania property owners [remember; the majority of us!]. Part of that lack of interest stems from the facts that most Pennsylvanian’s either;

1. have not heard about proposals to accomplish property tax elimination – or;
2. have been confused and frightened of them by the very elected officials they sent to Harrisburg to protect their interests - or;
3. are not aware that our current system of funding education is falling apart and needs to be revised……we are all paying heavily for the mistakes and fiscal irresponsibility of local school boards!

Having set the basis for our open letter, here goes.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a Co-owner of our Homes:

As a homeowner we co-own, or have co-owned, our property with a mortgage lender. Upon final payment of our mortgage we terminate this co-ownership and own our homes. Not true! We also co-own our homes with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as long as property taxes exist. If for some reason we are unable to pay our property taxes the Commonwealth can begin foreclosure proceedings. I would like everyone to take a close look at the “Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”. Article I clearly states that we have “the inherent and indefeasible right to acquire, possess, and protect property….”. Wake up homeowner’s! Your constitutional right to truly own (possess) your home is being violated. This is a possible ground for a future class action suit, certifying all Pennsylvania property owners as members of the class.

As a Renter how do I benefit from School Property Tax Elimination?
At a minimum there will be rent stabilization. Landlords, each year as taxes increase, must raise rent to cover the cost of their tax increase. If there are no school property taxes levied the landlords can pass on this benefit to their tenants.

Many families, perhaps for the first time, will be able to consider the purchase of a home. Most families that rent can budget themselves, within reason, for housing costs. Property ownership however is quite different. Although people may be able to afford the dollar amount associated with a mortgage, they cannot afford the extra amount included in the mortgage for escrowed property taxes. For example, perhaps a family could handle $600.00 per month for a mortgage but when you add to that another $300.00 a month for escrowed taxes it becomes impossible. There is no way to budget for a mortgage when you receive notices every year that your mortgage payments are being increased by large percentages to build more funds into your tax escrow account because of rising school property taxes.

Property tax elimination may put families into their very first home!

Broadened Sales and Use Tax on Food, Clothing and some Services:

Did you know that the PA sales tax instituted in 1953 was passed for the purpose of funding education? Ask your elected officials if 100% of these funds are currently being used for education purposes.

Across the nation 20 states charge state sales tax on food and 38 states charge sales tax on clothing. If this has been successful in other states, why can’t it work for Pennsylvania.

On an average grocery order of $100.00 approximately 30% of what is in your grocery cart is already taxed at 6%. If we can indeed lower the sales tax to 5% across the board, the typical increase on food would be about $3.20 on a $100.00 grocery bill.

Some of our legislators have played the “moral issues” card about taxing food and what impact it would have on the poor. Fortunately, in our State, we have systems in place to help the “poorest of the poor” by way of food stamps. This program is currently not subject to taxation so there would be no change.

Low-income families are classified as those that earn $32,000.00 or less for a family of four. In this low income group many own their own homes. The broadened sales and use tax cost is far outweighed by what would be saved in school property tax alone. Homeowner’s who pay $500.00 per year in school property tax (and this is a low estimate) would have to spend $10,000.00 per year on taxable commodities in order to equal what they pay for school taxes. That’s a lot of cash to spend!

Tax on clothing has also raised eyebrows. Again, look at the savings in school taxes before you think negatively about clothing tax. If necessary, there is no reason why families receiving food stamps could not receive tax exemptions on clothing by way of “clothing stamps”. Also, in the State of New York, for example, there are days set aside, especially end of summer for school shopping, where clothing is exempt from taxes. There is no reason why this cannot happen in Pennsylvania also. This can all be accomplished without a drastic impact on any group…poor, low income, middle class or wealthy.

Those that spend more will pay more. What could be more fair?

As far as taxing some services is concerned, again, look at your potential savings in school taxes and what you would have to spend each year to equal what you pay in taxes. If your school property tax is $1,000.00 you would have to spend $20,000.00 on taxable items; if your tax bill is $3,000.00 you would have to spend $60,000.00 on taxable items…you can figure it out from here! This money would now be in your pocket. Use it for children’s college funds, investing, buying a new car. Guess what? It would be yours to spend!

Business to business should not be exempt from sales tax. With what companies would be saving on property tax they can well afford to pay sales tax like everyone else. Businesses cannot fuss about adding sales tax to their services. This is of no cost to them and is passed on to the consumer.

Elimination of school property tax is also a great incentive for businesses to come into Pennsylvania. Relocation of business to Pennsylvania would be more appealing because of the break in property tax and the fact that the general consumer would have more money to spend because of a break in property taxes. Win – win!!

What could be better for the economy than an increase in industry in our State?

Real Estate Campaign Against Property Tax Elimination:
The real estate industry promoted a large campaign against tax reform plans because of an increase in real estate transfer tax. Yes, the real estate transfer tax would increase by possibly 1%. This means ½ % to the seller and ½ % to the buyer.

What was not said was this: “the increase in real estate transfer tax could totally eliminate school property tax”.

Would you rather pay an extra ½ % at the settlement table or have a school property tax bill every year for as long as you own your home? Think of the savings…school property tax bills could be anywhere from $1,000.00 per year to $10,000.00 per year depending on where you live and the value of your home. You would save this amount every year for as long as you lived in your home!

Increase in real estate transfer tax is a “no brainer”. Ask any potential homeowner what they would choose!

If, after reading this, you find yourself among the millions of Pennsylvanians who are demanding some form of property tax elimination, it is imperative that you notify your elected officials and let them know that you will accept nothing less from them. Because only your overwhelming voice will steer them to pass such legislation and not allow them to pursue the disastrous course of token relief they seem to be heading toward! Your vote and your voice count in a free and democratic society – and it has never been more important for you to use both!

Elimination of school property taxes is a strong beginning…. let’s all work together to get this accomplished!

For more information -- daily updates and “de-bunking” – on issues surrounding this matter of such critical importance to all of us, visit our “blog” at http://papropertytaxreform.blogspot.com/ or e-mail us with questions or comments at nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com! If you don’t have a computer, get to a friend or relative who has one and keep informed and involved!

David and Helen Pool
Douglassville, PA