12 districts oppose tax shuffle

The South Williamsport Area School Board in Lycoming County unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the repeal of Act 1, joining 11 other school districts in Pennsylvania.

Why isn't your school district joining the fight to repeal a terrible law that Pennsylvania politicians forced on us as a diversion to finding real property tax relief?

It's time Pennsylvania taxpayers demanding that their representatives on school boards start working for them and not the special interests that drive up the costs of our public schools.

The school board in the Tunkhannock Area School District is one of the 12 that passed the Act 1 repeal resolution. Board Vice President Jack Tomlin informs me that board members are also placing an advertisement in the local newspaper to inform the voters about Act 1 shortcomings. (The board members had to pay for the ad as individuals per the Act 1 rules).

The Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations (PCTA) has issued the following press release urging repeal of Act 1. It's the group's third call for dissolution of the phony tax relief plan signed into law last June by Gov. Ed Rendell.

Here's the text of the association's press release:

Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations: 'Act 1 is a fraud'

Taxpayer advocacy groups across Pennsylvania issue third call for repeal

The recent announcement by the Pennsylvania Department of Education granting permission to all 210 school districts that applied for permission to increase property taxes above the so-called inflationary index -- without the need for voter approval -- is further proof and validation of the PCTA's earlier statements that Act 1 is a fraud on the taxpayers of Pennsylvania and must be repealed.

The PCTA, a group of 23 taxpayer advocacy groups spanning the entire state of Pennsylvania, has unanimously issued its third demand for repeal of Act 1.

"The PDE granted every one of the 210 requests to increase property taxes above the index without the need for taxpayer approval," said David Baldinger, who runs the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition from Berks County, a member of the PCTA. "The PCTA predicted this would happen back in July of 2006. Not one piece of this egregious legislation represents property tax reform, and our predictions are being validated before your very eyes."

Joe Gable, who runs the Central Bucks Taxpayers Association, also a member of the PCTA, agrees. "The exceptions available that allow school boards the ability to easily avoid voter referendum render the concept of taxpayers controlling property taxes meaningless, and the Legislature expects everyone to pay an increased local EIT or PIT for that meaningless right."

The PCTA maintains that the most offensive statements about Act 1 are the false and misleading statements by the Governor's office that, "(Act 1) protects homeowners by limiting the property tax increases that school boards can approve without voter approval," as well as the assertion that the tax shift aspect under Act 1 represents "historic property tax relief."

Neither could be further from the truth. Taxpayers in 210 school districts have already lost their right to control property taxes thanks to the loopholes deliberately placed in the Act, and in districts where taxpayers have heard little about Act 1, some voters may unknowingly approve the tax shift resulting in most taxpayers being subjected to even higher taxes, with no relief or control in sight.

The opportunity for true property tax reform was squandered in Harrisburg during the summer of 2006 by passing Act 1. It fails to provide reform; fails to provide voters with control of property tax, and fails to solve inequitable funding across all school districts. The most harm inflicted by Act 1 will be felt in districts that are already financially stressed.

The PCTA supports a broader source of statewide educational funding through a modification of the state sales tax, possibly combined with state income tax, to eliminate property tax and provide more equitable school funding across the state, like the legislation introduced by Rep. Sam Rohrer in 2006.

Cost control and economies of scale were inherent in his bill. To further control cost and pressure on taxes, the PCTA supports legislation introduced by Representative Will Gabig to permanently end teacher strikes in Pennsylvania as 37 states have already done. Pennsylvania has more teacher strikes than all of the other states combined robbing our children of the right to uninterrupted education and coercing districts into even higher property tax rates.

For additional information, visit the following PCTA member Web sites:

For more information on Act 1, including customized Act 1 calculators, visit www.ptcc.us

For more information on ending teacher strikes, visit www.stopteacherstrikes.org