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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tim Seip |
  
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Seip backs new budget, wins approval of bans on 'spot appeals' of assessments
HARRISBURG, July 4 – State Rep. Tim Seip issued the following comments on the 2008-09 state budget package and other legislation passed by the General Assembly:
"Even though the national economy made this a challenging year, we passed a budget package that includes no tax increases and makes progress in a number of key areas such as education funding, economic development, energy independence and repairing critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, sewer and water systems and dams.
"The $650 million energy independence initiative will turbocharge the alternative-energy industry in Schuylkill and Berks counties and across Pennsylvania. It will help to hold down fuel and electricity prices for consumers and businesses. It includes money to finance job-creating projects, and I will work to drive some of that funding to local projects like the proposed ethanol plant in western Schuylkill County. Pennsylvania has a large number of our citizens serving in Iraq, including many National Guard members, and I believe a major reason is because our state and our nation are not energy-independent.
"I am extremely pleased that the House and Senate have passed my legislation to ban the 'spot appeals' of assessments that have affected many homeowners in Schuylkill and Berks counties.
"These spot appeals are initiated only because a property is sold, despite the fact that a similar or identical property nearby may continue to be taxed at a lower rate. Singling out individual homeowners like that is wrong. Two bills that would ban spot appeals are headed to the governor's desk after receiving broad, bipartisan support in the House and Senate, and I am optimistic they will be signed into law."
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