News Advisory

Office of State Rep. Samuel Rohrer

DATE:  October 30, 2007
(For Information: Ty McCauslin (717) 772-9979)

Rohrer and Bipartisan Coalition to Introduce
School Property Tax Abolishment Proposal

What:  Rep. Sam Rohrer will be joined by a bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers and several leading tax reform advocates to introduce legislation to permanently abolish school property taxes in Pennsylvania. 

Who:  Reps. Sam Rohrer (R-Berks); Dave Argall (R-Berks/Schuylkill); Jim Cox (R-Berks), Gordon Denlinger (R-Lancaster); Tom Quigley (R-Montgomery) and Rose Marie Swanger (R-Lebanon).

Also offering support for the School Property Tax Elimination Act of 2007 will be Dave Baldinger, Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition; Rebecca Heller, The Patriot’s Voice; Joel Sears, York County Taxpayers Council; James Broussard, Citizens Against Higher Taxes and representatives from several other interested organizations.

When:  Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Time:  9 a.m.

Where:  Capitol Media Center

P.S.  An excerpt from an article in the “Bulletin - Philadelphia’s Family Newspaper” (http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=18966612&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=6):
“Mr. Rohrer’s bill initially drew some controversy from Democrats and liberal Republicans for its earlier broadening of state sales taxes to include a 3 percent tax on food and clothing. That item, however, has been dropped from the bill.

Instead, the Rohrer measure would raise revenue by broadening the current 6 percent sales tax to include items that are now exempt, such as health club memberships and attorneys’ fees. The bill also includes a 0.003 percent increase in the state income tax.”

Thank you, Marge!

It’s nice to know you keep us informed.

sharonp - 30 October 2007 07:59 PM

Thank you, Marge!

It’s nice to know you keep us informed.

You’re welcome, Sharon.  I sure hope this bill gets passed.  It’s the only one that will provide the tax relief homeowners need, the only one that deals with school spending, accountability and true performance, and by reducing business taxes by 50%, it should help the State’s economy and job growth.

I really *want* to be interested, but unless it involves a reduction in spending, I’m just not…

Who cares what taxes are collected in which manner when in the long run, expenditures are the real driver of how bad we get, um.... soaked?

pboin - 30 October 2007 09:16 PM

I really *want* to be interested, but unless it involves a reduction in spending, I’m just not…

Who cares what taxes are collected in which manner when in the long run, expenditures are the real driver of how bad we get, um.... soaked?

The School Property Tax Elimination Act of 2007 does address spending:
Under the first phase of the SPTEA (Years 1-4), all districts will begin held harmless in that they will initially receive 100% funding sufficient to meet all financial obligations and will be established at a per student expenditure level per district. Initial funding will receive quarterly adjustments for changes in enrollment as well as yearly base increases indexed to the rate of inflation.

Under the second phase of the SPTEA, all districts will integrate locally-driven, state of the art performance and evaluation methods to improve spending efficiency and academic performance. The savings that accrue as a result of this data-driven decision making (D3M) technology belong to the school district to use as desired. This is first time that Pennsylvania schools will be given the tools to conduct regular, ongoing performance analyses.

If a district desires additional revenue for major projects such as new school construction, they can present a “no-exemption” ballot referendum to the voters of their district to raise additional revenue by either an earned income tax or a personal income tax. However, property taxes will not be able to be re-instituted to raise revenue.

This sounds very promising.  My hope is that growing districts that have been struggling with inadequate state funding the past ten years won’t get penalized.  Since the funding formula was frozen in the early 90s there have been winners and there have been losers.  Those districts that have remained the same or increased in size the last 15 years have been able to keep property taxes low since the state funding continued to flow.  Growing districts like those in York County have had to keep raising property taxes as the state funding diminished relative to rising costs.  This plan needs to address the broken state funding formula if it is to succeed.  Hopefully efforts like the recently completed state wide educational cost study and the York County cost study will lead to a fair funding formula that will adequately funds our schools.

The School Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA) is historic in that, for the first time, Pennsylvania schools will be fully funded.

* All schools will be held harmless, providing financing at current levels.
* The legislation establishes an exclusively dedicated Education Operating Fund (EOF) separate from the General Fund into which all sales tax revenue would be deposited and from which schools would be funded.
* Equity in schools is guaranteed because the state assumes the responsibility of school funding. Each school will receive the resources it needs regardless of the local ability to pay. This solves the funding problems faced by rural, urban and fast-growing districts.
* In addition, the first 50 percent of gaming revenue is dedicated to enhancing the addressing of the equity issue in rural, urban and fast-growing districts.
* Eliminates unfunded mandates

Schools will receive their funding from the Department of Education. Initially, the SPTEA will fully fund the districts at their current per-pupil level. The SPTEA then will provide equity adjustments to bring less affluent districts to a statewide per-pupil benchmark level, thus leveling the playing field between wealthier and poorer districts. All students in Pennsylvania, regardless of their location or their area’s economic condition, will have the opportunity for a quality education.

Here is a link to the announcement made this morning:  http://samrohrer.com/mail/util.cfm?gpiv=1999927939.12895.1&gen=1

It sounds good, I like it. It makes sense. It’ll never pass :(

The only way to get this bill passed is to let our legislators know how we feel.  Stan Saylor has not yet signed on as a co-sponsor, but most likely will.  I spoke to his office this morning and was advised he will read the bill today, and unless it contains something he is dead-set against, he will co-sponsor.  (Stan was a co-sponsor of the original bill - the Plan for Pennsylvania’s Future.)

Write or call Rep. Stan Saylor, the House leaders and Gov. Rendell and urge them to co-sponsor/support the School Property Tax Elimination Act of 2007.

Rep. Stan Saylor
Email:
Red Lion Office
Phone: 717-244-9232
Fax: 717-246-2387
Hours: M- W 8:30- 4:30, Th 10:00 - 6:00, F 8:30 - 12:30
Fawn Grove
1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month: 1-4 p.m.
2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month:  9 a.m. - 4 p.m
Phone: 717-382-4595
Harrisburg
Phone: (717) 783-6426
Fax: (717) 705-1835

Majority Leader:

Hon. H. William DeWeese
110 Main Capitol Building
PO Box 202050
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2050
(717) 783-3797
Fax: (717) 772-3605

Majority Whip:

Hon. Keith R. McCall
121 Main Capitol Building
PO Box 202122
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2122
(717) 783-1375
Fax: (717) 772-1231

Minority Leader:

Hon. Sam H. Smith
423 Main Capitol Building
PO Box 202066
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2066
(717) 787-3845
Fax: (717) 787-6564

Governor Edward G. Rendell’s Office
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
(717) 787-2500
To e-mail the Gov., go here:  http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Governor/govmail.html

1/25/08
House speaker predicts ‘ugly’ tax debate

Dennis M. O’Brien of Philadelphia says anticipated amendments to a Berks lawmaker’s proposal to eliminate property levies make it difficult to predict the outcome.

By Mary E. Young
Reading Eagle

The debate on a proposal that would expand the state sales tax and eliminate property taxes will begin Monday in the state House of Representatives, Speaker Dennis M. O’Brien said Thursday.

“You’re going to see tens and tens of amendments,” he said during a stop in Reading. “The process is going to look somewhat ugly.”

O’Brien said that predicting where the proposal by Rep. Samuel E. Rohrer, a Robeson Township Republican, would go would be difficult because of the unknown content of the anticipated amendments.

Exempting certain items that Rohrer wants to tax might convince more legislators to vote for the proposal, but removing too many items from the list could weaken the overall plan, he said.

O’Brien, a Philadelphia Republican, said he does not expect a division along party lines on the proposal.

“It will be less partisan,” he said. “That’s a reflection of going into the election process. They (lawmakers) are hearing from the voters who say they are tired of partisanship.

“There really is a willingness to break down these partisan barriers and do the work of the people.”

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=77588

By the way, here’s how our York Co. Representatives stand on HB 1275 as of 1/24/08:

Eugene DePasquale - NO commitment
Beverly Mackereth - YES - a SPONSOR
Keith Gillespie - YES - a SPONSOR
Ron Miller - YES - a SPONSOR
Scott Perry - YES - a SPONSOR
Stan Saylor - YES - a SPONSOR
Steven R Nickol - NO commitment

I sent e-mails as appropriate.

I urge everyone to do the same. You really need to let them know how you feel about the issues.

Complaining on a chat board does not do anything. Complain to those that make the decisions.

Just my 2 cents....

michaelb - 12 March 2008 01:10 PM

I sent e-mails as appropriate.

I urge everyone to do the same. You really need to let them know how you feel about the issues.

Complaining on a chat board does not do anything. Complain to those that make the decisions.

Just my 2 cents....

Thank you, michaelb!

I just noticed that one of the proposed ways for the state to make up the lost income is to add a sales tax to attorney’s fees…

The thought of politicians...most of whom are lawyers...agreeing to tax themselves makes me double over in laughter.

Look at Maryland’s situation...the bums will increase/impose a tax only on those with no lobbying power…

Yuppykiller - 17 March 2008 04:18 PM

I just noticed that one of the proposed ways for the state to make up the lost income is to add a sales tax to attorney’s fees…

The thought of politicians...most of whom are lawyers...agreeing to tax themselves makes me double over in laughter.

Look at Maryland’s situation...the bums will increase/impose a tax only on those with no lobbying power…

Oh yeah!  The PA Bar Assoc has already spoken out against their services being taxed, claiming those most in need of justice will not be able to afford it.  Well, I have a simple solution --- lower your exhorbitant fees!  Simple, huh?