House Democrats killed what had been advertised as the most practical plan to eliminate the much-hated school property tax in Pennsylvania.
The vote for the tax elimination amendment introduced by Rep. Sam Rohrer, R-Berks, was 47 yeas and 148 nays. Only 10 House Democrats supported the plan, also known as House Bill 1275.
"It's very disappointing," said state Rep. Tom Quigley, R-Montgomery, a longtime supporter of Rohrer's plan. "This is a major setback for the property tax elimination concept."
HB 1275, or the School Property Tax Elimination Act of 2007, had the support of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations, an organization that represents 26 citizen taxpayer groups across the state.
The so-called Rohrer amendment was offered as part of the House debate on House Bill 1600, a tax-shift plan that would increase the state sales tax and the income tax in return for a reduction in property taxes.
Here's how legislators from Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties voted Tuesday on the amendment.
Voting to eliminate school property taxes:
BERKS COUNTY: David Argall, R-124, Tom Caltagirone, D-127; Jim Cox, R-129, David Kessler, D-130, Carl Mantz, R-187, Doug Reichley, R-134, Sam Rohrer, R-128, Dante Santoni, D-126, Tim Seip, D-125.
CHESTER COUNTY: Stephen Barrar, R-160, Tim Hennessey, R-126, Art Hershey, R-13, Curt Schroder, R-155.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY: Robert Godshall, R-53, Bob Mensch, R-147, Jay Moyer, R-70; Tom Quigley, R-146, Mike Vereb, R-150.
Voting against the plan to eliminate school property taxes:
BERKS COUNTY: None.
BUCKS COUNTY: Paul I. Clymer, R-145, Gene DiGirolamo, R-18, John T. Galloway, D-140, Chris King, D-142, Anthony J. Melio, D-141, Bernie O'Neill, R-29, Scott A. Petri, R-178, Marguerite Quinn, R-143, David Steil, R-31, Katharine M. Watson, R-144.
CHESTER COUNTY: Thomas Killion, R-168; Barbara McIlvanine Smith, D-156, Duane Milne, R-167; Chris Ross, R-158; Carole Rubley, R-157.
DELAWARE COUNTY: William F. Adolph Jr., R-165, Mario J. Civera Jr., R-26, Robert C. Donatucci, D-185, Thomas H. Killion, R-168, Thaddeus Kirkland, D-9, Bryan R. Lentz, D-161, Nicholas A. Micozzie, R-163, Ron Raymond, R-162, Greg Vitali, D-166, Ronald G. Waters, D-191.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY: Lawrence Curry, D-154, Michael Gerber, D-148, Kate Harper, R-61, George Kenney Jr. , R-170, Daylin Leach, D-149, Kathy Manderino, D-194, Thomas Murt, R-152, Josh Shapiro, D-153, Rick Taylor, D-151.
6 comments:
I believe your information is incorrect as to who voted for the amendment. Dave Kessler, who is listed on this report as a Republican but is a Democrat, voted against the amendment and against elimination of the property tax.
Someone just told me Dave Kessler voted for the amendment but only after it was apparent that it would be defeated.
Sorry about the typo on Kessler. He definitely is a Democrat. And he was opposed to the Rohrer amendment until he had a last-minute conversion. The theory that he voted for the elimination of property taxes because he knew it would be defeated makes sense. He was a supporter of HB 1600 for a long time. I think Mr. Kessler will be a one-term legislator. The district is Republican and there's a good candidate (Aaron Durso) running against him in 2008.
Kessler supports any and all plans that provide property tax relief. The guy votes exactly how you want him too, and now you question his intention??? How bizarre!
Dear Anonymous:
David Kessler supported HB 1600 right up until Tuesday's vote on the Rohrer amendment. He spoke in favor of HB 1600 in public forums, he wrote op-ed pieces supporting it. He supported it in his taxpayer-funded newsletter. I think you can make a good case for questioning his motives. This has to be the biggest conversion since Saul took the road to Damascus.
For those who support the Rohrer property tax plan...it should be mentioned that both the Republican and Democratic Appropriations Committees completed a fiscal note on the plan and he came up almost $3 billion short. Just because Rohrer says he eliminates property taxes with his plan - it doesn't mean it's true.
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