Berks County leads tax revolt

With a week to go until the May 15 primary election, 27 Pennsylvania school districts have officially called for the repeal of Act 1. Other school boards are considering taking similar action, but probably won't vote on the Act 1 repeal resolution until after May 15.

Berks County is leading the way, with 10 of the county's 18 school districts passing a resolution asking the Pennsylvania Legislature to abandon the tax shift scheme.

Many lawmakers who voted against Act 1 last June are telling consituents and taxpayer groups that defeat of the tax shift referendum by voters is a crucial step to get the Legislature to get back to work on passing genuine property tax relief.

The lawmakers believe Gov. Ed Rendell, the driving force behind Act 1, will brag that Pennsylvanians prefer property taxes and Act 1's "relief" and nothing more will be done if the referendum passes in too many districts, according to Anthony Pomponio, president of the Daniel Boone Taxpayers Association in Berks County. "Therefore it is important to vote against the referendum as it appears on the ballot!"

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

Here's the complete list of the 27 school districts that have called for the repeal of Act 1 so far:

1) Antietam (Berks)
2) Armstrong (Armstrong)
3) Athens (Bradford)
4) Boyertown (Berks/Montgomery)
5) Brandywine Heights (Berks)
6) Bristol Township (Bucks)
7) Canton (Bradford/Lycoming/Tioga)
8) Catasauqua (Lehigh/Northampton)
9) Centennial (Bucks)
10) Central Bucks (Bucks)
11) Coatesville (Chester)
12) Conrad Weiser (Berks)
13) Daniel Boone (Berks)
14) Exeter (Berks)
15) Governor Mifflin (Berks)
16) Marion Center (Indiana)
17) Muhlenberg (Berks)
18) Old Forge (Lackawanna)
19) Palmyra (Lebanon)
20) Pennsbury (Bucks)
21) South Williamsport (Lycoming)
22) Tunkhannock (Wyoming)
23) West Branch (Clearfield)
24) William Penn (Delaware)
25) Wilson (Berks)
26) Wyalusing Area (Bradford)
27) Wyomissing (Berks)