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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. David Levdansky |
  
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Levdansky measure would eliminate school property taxes for all Pennsylvanians House Finance Committee approves amended Levdansky bill freezing millage rates in 2009
HARRISBURG, July 3 – School property taxes would be eliminated in 2010 under legislation sponsored by state Rep. David Levdansky that was approved by the House Finance Committee he chairs. He also added another of his proposals to the bill (H.B.1600) in committee, which would freeze millage rates set by school districts in January 2009.
"My bill provides the ultimate in school property tax relief – it eliminates the tax entirely; freezing millage rates next year will halt any tax increases before school property taxes would be eliminated in 2010," said Levdansky, D-Allegheny/Washington. "My legislation gives the General Assembly until 2010 to decide how to provide adequate and stable funding for our public schools that is fair and does not unduly burden senior citizens and working families.
He explained that once the rates are frozen, the bill would give the state legislature 15 months to implement a permanent method to eliminate school property taxes. In the meantime, the measure would transfer funds from the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, to cover any allowable increases approved by local school boards in 2009.
"Until there is a deadline to come up with a realistic plan that everyone can compromise on, we will never see true elimination," Levdansky said. "My measure would force lawmakers to get serious about coming to an agreement, rather than pandering to one select group of constituents."
Another tax elimination proposal (H.B. 1947) of Levdansky's is a constitutional amendment to eliminate school property taxes for homeowners only. That bill passed the House unanimously last January, but has yet to see action in the Senate.
"The Senate continues to sit on my bill to amend the constitution to eliminate the tax for homeowners. Without the constitutional amendment, we can only eliminate the tax across the board for all property owners because the constitution requires all taxes to be uniform. My House Bill 1947 would amend the uniformity clause to eliminate school property taxes on primary residences only, not other types of property," he explained.
A constitutional amendment must be passed in two successive legislative sessions and receive voter approval.
"Unless the Senate has a change of mind and approves House Bill 1947 before the summer recess, its inaction will have delayed the elimination of these taxes for another two years," Levdansky noted. "I’m not willing to wait for the Senate, that’s why I offered my amendment to House Bill 1600 to completely eliminate school property taxes in 2010."
Levdansky noted that senior citizens are in desperate need of school property tax relief, which is why the legislature has implemented programs that take into account their limited incomes, and it recently expanded the state's Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.
"This program is wonderful for our older property owners, however, we need to look at ways to help the rest of Pennsylvania homeowners," he said.
The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program offers help to senior citizens 65 or older, widows and widowers 50 or older and disabled residents 18 or older with their property taxes or rent. In 2007, the legislature doubled the income eligibility limit for the state Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program to $35,000 for homeowners, increasing the number of Pennsylvania residents eligible for a rebate from 335,000 to 753,000.
As a result, $203 million in property tax and rent rebate checks were mailed to 417,052 eligible seniors this week. Combined with the tax relief provided from slots revenue, about 68,000 senior homeowners will not pay any school property taxes this year. The deadline for applying for the program has been extended to Dec. 31 and Levdansky urges seniors to contact his offices for help in filing applications.
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