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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tim Mahoney |
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Mahoney will reintroduce bill to consolidate school districts to save tax dollars
HARRISBURG, Jan. 26 – State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Fayette, will again introduce legislation that would provide taxpayers with a savings by allowing residents to approve the consolidation of small school districts in the state into countywide school districts.
"My legislation would give citizens in small school districts the option of approving a plan, through ballot referendum, that would provide local real estate tax reform," Mahoney said.
The Fayette County lawmaker said the proposal would allow county commissioners to place a referendum on the ballot asking voters if they support consolidating small school districts into a single, countywide school district for purposes of administration and taxation. The consolidation process could begin if at least two-thirds of voters approved the referendum.
Mahoney said if voters approve the ballot question, all schools participating in the new countywide plan could keep their identity and community atmosphere. Individual school buildings, facilities, sports teams and mascots would not be impacted, and could remain in place.
The proposal would affect small school districts located in fourth-class-population counties such as Fayette through eighth-class-population counties such as Sullivan County.
Mahoney said if two-thirds of the people support the referendum, than the named school districts can be consolidated into one school district. A county school board would be formed to govern the new consolidated district. The county school board would be composed of seven members and elected from regions within the county divided equally by population.
The state Department of Education would develop regulations and approve the application process for the countywide school consolidation plan.