State Sen. James Rhoades has spent the past 27 years in Harrisburg and hasn't been able to deliver on his promise to enact property tax reform. But if the voters of the 29th Senate District give him another four-year term, Rhoades promises he'll get to work on that tax reform agenda.At least that's what the veteran lawmaker told The Reading Eagle.
Rhoades is facing the voters for the first time since he voted in favor of the 2005 pay raise for lawmakers and other state officials. Only half the Senate faces reelection every two years, so Rhoades escaped the wrath of angry voters who tossed out Chip Brightbill, another senator who represented parts of Berks County.
The 29th District covers all of Schuylkill County and parts of Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton counties.
Reporter Mary Young asked Rhoades why the Legislature has not been able to agree on property tax relief for the state's homeowners.
"Why can't we get it done? It takes 26 votes in the Senate, 102 in the House and a governor willing to sign it," Rhoades said.
Rhoades is also pushing the "referendum" option that the Legislature tried in 2007 with Act 1, which was rejected by most of the state's taxpayers. (Don't these state legislators get paid to make the tough decisions? Otherwise, why don't we disband the Legislature and save ourselves $333 million a year? We could put that toward property tax relief.)
Sounds like Rhoades has already given up. If the current makeup of the Legislature isn't willing to do the job, why not put some new people in there? Mike Folmer was a big improvement over Chip Brightbill.
No word yet if anyone is going to run against Rhoades.
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