How badly will Act 1 go down?

The folks over at Capitolwire.com, a subscription-based news service covering Pennsylvania state government, are running something akin to an office pool to predict how many school districts will approve the Act 1 question on today's ballot.

Peter DeCoursey put out an open call a couple of days ago accepting predictions from various pundits, commentators, activists and assorted political types.

I'm predicting that only 62 school districts will vote Yes on Act 1.

Here's a recap of predictions from the group's Web site:

"Act 1 Referenda predictions are in. May the best seer win! Capitolwire's contest, to ask readers to guess how many school districts' voters will opt to raise their income taxes to lower their property taxes on Tuesday, is over. Now we are just waiting for the results.

So far, we have received predictions from the state's foremost TV ad guru, Democrat Neil Oxman, former Republican State Chairman Alan Novak, pollsters Terry Madonna, David Rodbart and Chris Borick and others.

Here are the 36 predictions that arrived by May 14 at 8 p.m., starting with those who predicted the lowest number of tax-swaps. The tax swap questions are on the ballot in 498 school districts.

And also, not sure what info led him to this decision, but Novak changed his prediction hours before the Monday 8 p.m. deadline from 133 to 60.

WITF Radio's Damon Boughamer, 31; Commonwealth Foundation's Matt Brouillette, 32; Scott Lamar, producer, "Smart Talk" on WITF-TV, 42 Tim Potts, DemocracyRisingPA, 42; Ray Landis, PA AARP: 43; Pollster Terry Madonna of Franklin & Marshall College, 51 Senate staffer Brian Turk, 52; Senate staffer Stacee Harer, 53; PR specialist Jeff Jubelirer, 55; Reform leader Russ Diamond, 57; Consultant and former Republican State Chairman Alan P. Novak, 60; Tony Phyrillas, columnist, The Pottstown Mercury. 62; Senate aide Jason High, 65; Gene Stilp, a Stilpish 78.5; David LaTorre, PR maven, 80; Pennsylvania Federation of Independent Businesses Kevin Shivers, 90; Montgomery County Democratic Committee Chairman Marcel Groen, 92; Gov. Ed Rendell's TV adman, Neil Oxman, 99; Senate staffer Erik Arneson, 99; Chris Borick, pollster and public opinion professor, Muhlenberg University, 110; Rep. David Reed, R-Indiana, 110; Political consultant Ray Zaborney, 120; PR consultant/speechwriter/adman Charlie Gerow, 125; Rep. Steve Nickol, R-Hanover, 125; Eric Epstein, Rock The Capitol, up to 150; Rep. Katie True, R-Lancaster, 150; Capitolwire's Pete DeCoursey, 160; WITF-TV "Smart Talk" host Nell McCormack Abom, 164; Rep. Jerry Nailor, R-Cumberland, 166; Tom Shaheen, PA Family Institute, 166; Senate staffer Sandra Christman, 174; Robert Scarborough, 175; David Rodbart, Susquehanna Polling, 195 Political consultant/lobbyist Kathy Pippy, 203; Conservative activist Jim Panyard, 260; Chris Jensen of GovNet and Capitolwire, 280; Dennis Baylor, 329.

Once the results are in, the winner gets lunch with Pete DeCoursey in Harrisburg."