Countdown to May 15

On May 15, Pennsylvania voters will have an opportunity to send a message to Gov. Ed Rendell and the members of the Pennsylvania Legislature.

Nearly every school district in the state has placed a referendum question on the primary ballot concerning a tax shift from the onerous property tax to either an earned income tax or a personal income tax.

This is what Rendell and the Legislature consider property tax reform. Asking you whether you want to pay from the left pocket or the right pocket. Either way, you're left with the bill.

That's all the most expensive Legislature in the country could come up with after a 10-month "special session" on property tax reform. The result, House Bill 39, now known as Act 1, is a slap in the face of every taxpayer in Pennsylvania.

On May 15, you have an opportunity to slap Rendell and the Legislature back. Maybe a swift kick in the pants, too. Regardless of what the question on your local ballot states, you should vote No. It's the only way to get the Harrisburg politicians back to the table to deal with property taxes.

So far this year, 23 school districts in Pennsylvania have passed resolutions calling for the repeal of Act 1. School board members who have been living with Act 1 since last June know that it's a sham. Act 1 isn't going to provide long-term tax relief to property owners. And it won't provide adequate funding for public education.

If your school district hasn't passed the resolution yet, find out what the school board is waiting for. Why aren't your school board members looking out for you?

Keep in mind that most of the school board members in Pennsylvania are up for reelection this year. This is the time to hold them accountable. Make sure they're working for you or vote them out.

Act 1 is a sham that will hurt — not help — the majority of taxpayers in most school district. In my school district, two-thirds of the taxpayers are worse off if the Act 1 referendum question passes.

Don't get confused about the money Rendell promised to use for property tax relief from the casinos. That check is in the mail. It just won't arrive until 2008 or 2009 at the earliest. And don't bet on Rendell getting his way in increasing the state sales tax to provide property tax relief down the road.

Act 1 is a tax shift. It's a shell game. It's meant to distract you so politicians don't have to do their job. It's a way to shift the tax burden on your neighbor. It's not property tax relief.

Every school board in Pennsylvania should adopt the resolution calling for repeal of Act 1 and lobby legislators to get rid of this sorry excuse for legislation.

For more information about the anti-Act 1 movement and to read a copy of the resolution, go to the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition Web site at http://www.ptcc.us/

There's also an Act 1 calculator at the site that you can use to see how this useless shift will affect your total school tax bill.

The PTCC, which consists of two dozen citizen taxpayer groups, supports the Plan for Pennsylvania's Future (also known as the Commonwealth Caucus Plan) as the only workable solution to Pennsylvania's property tax mess.

It's time to end the games that Gov. Rendell and his supporters in the Legislature have been playing over the past four years.

Contact your state lawmaker today and insist that the Plan for Pennsylvania's Future get a fair vote in the Legislature.

And vote No on May 15.