UCRC considers policy and legislation to be an important aspect of our responsibility to the county’s registered Republicans. This Tuesday voters will be asked to approve or disapprove an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to permit the General Assembly to enact legislation authorizing local taxing authorities to exclude from taxation up to 100 percent of the assessed value of each homestead property within a local taxing jurisdiction, rather than limit the exclusion to one-half of the median assessed value of all homestead property, which is the existing law?
There are many opinions about the question. We suggest you thoughtfully consider the following opinion.
While few if any municipalities take advantage of alternative methods of raising tax revenues by other means than property taxes, this act would allow for all funding to be raised by other ways.
As the nature of our Economy changes, as do the demographics of our population, with a larger percentage of senior citizens less able to keep up with property tax increases, it is imperative that municipalities be permitted to consider other revenue streams in the future. Allowing local flexibility to consider what works best allows citizens a much greater voice in this process and to take advantage of opportunities that may be unique to their location. While the entrenched thinking of current legislators may that this change is but a bit of window dressing, voters can change that view as well.
Please consider supporting this amendment and then work with legislators to bring about meaningful changes.