WILLIAMS COMMENTS ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF PROPERTY TAX REFORM BILL

Senator Connie Williams issued the following statement on the passage of Special Session House Bill 39:

HARRISBURG, JUNE 15 – “This is a good start that will allow us to begin a new path to fund our schools. We are not finished dealing with inequities in school funding, but with this measure we will have the opportunity to talk about school funding issues without worry that school property taxes will get out of hand.

Enactment of this reform measure will provide property tax relief to seniors initially and then to all homeowners, without raising other taxes.

 Earlier this week, some House members attempted to advance a different reform plan that not only would have expanded the types of services that were subject to the state sales tax, but also that would have eliminated the exceptions to the back-end referendum. Exceptions give schools a break for expenses beyond the district’s control, such as construction costs, court orders, and school improvement plans to meet No Child Left Behind requirements, delaying the need for a voter referendum. The House plan would have further delayed property tax relief and it would have made reform onerous on school districts.

 Taxpayers want property tax relief and not simply a tax shift. Enactment of this proposal is a significant first step toward real property tax relief.”