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With current conditions in the housing market through out much of Pa. Vacant houses, abandon house, difficulty getting mortgages, I would hope that school property taxes would be a top priority of or legislators. It seems that many of our school districts are in financial trouble also. The tax bill as I've read it would not make any schools financial situation worse but it would give the school boards some responsibility to work within a budget because it ties the schools income to the cost of living just like home owners and tax payers. What up legislators can't you hear your constituents a lot of us are need of this relief.
END THE PROPERTY TAX MESS NOW !!!
SUPPORT AND PASS HB/SB-76 ALREADY !!!
Property Tax Reform is a good place to start
Elimination of Property Taxes should be the #1 priority. Politicians are you listening? Pension Reform should be #2. In the Dallastown District teachers salaries account for over 70% of the $91 million dollar budget and thanks to the politicians who in 2001 voted themselves a 50% pension increase and gave the teachers a 25% increase a $7 billion dollar surplus turned into a $50 billion dollar deficit this year. Get busy political office holders or you may not get elected next time.
Property tax elimination should be their first priority!
I may be a millionaire, but property tax is killing me too!!! PASS HB?SB76!!! Lovey wants a new Rolls-Royce.
Property taxes are a huge issue since the assessments and Common Level ratio in Berks County are horrendously high as compared to neighboring counties. I could build the same house in both Berks and Montgomery counties, and my property taxes in Montgomery County would be almost half what is levied in Berks county on the same appraised value. That's the crazy part. No wonder we all complain about our property taxes!
First priority should be property tax reform
Property Tax has to be #1 Period
Please redo your poll and add Property Tax Elimination Act to the options. You will find it is the #1 topic that is most important to us!!!! I have been following this topic because it is a hardship for my family. I see how it's affecting so many others as well and I see how many reps are in support of it...... So what is taking so long??? Now everyone's off til Sept??? Help the people- make Property Taxes a priority and make this happen!!!
Eliminate School Property Taxes! This is a terribly segregating and outdated tax! I support HB SB 76.
HB 1776! PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION!
property tax reform/elimination is a top need - It should be first and the other three also.
Property tax elimination now!
Property tax elimination now!
HB/SB 76 is THE most IMPORTANT thing right now. Why is this NOT one of the choices. Please DON'T be AFRAID to make this a PRIORITY!
The onerous property tax MUST be eliminated.
This should be number 1!
We do not own our homes, the school boards own them!
How can property tax elimination not be #1?
Homeowners are struggling to pay this oppressive tax.
Property tax elimination needs to be the #1 priority. The Harrisburg legislators need to stop dragging their feet and get it done! STOP playing politics with HB76 and SB76. Get off your *** and pass this bill!
If school property tax elimination is not passed, the three items that were listed are moot. People are leaving the state as fast as they can because they can't afford the school taxes.
While transportation is important and of course we have to make sure the teachers and state workers get their guarenteed pensions, I believe keeping people in their homes is most important. The property tax elimination should be the #1 issue if they truly are the peoples representatives. I can't believe liquor sales or even the lottery issue were put ahead of the property tax issue. But that just goes to show you where the priority of the governor and legistlature lies. Special interests is who they serve,not the people.
How the heck is property tax elimination not in the top three!?!? Someone is sleeping on the job.
My guess is that the Reading Eagle is not up to date with the number one issue not only in Berks County but across the state of PA.....Eliminate Property Tax ..support and pass HB/SB76.
With over 323,000 home foreclosures and 106,000 tax liens with a value in excess of $887,000 in this state, HB 76 is far and away the number priority.
Property Tax Elimination is by far the #1 issue.
Pass HB76 Now!!
GET HB76 TO THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE. FORGET ABOUT YOUR DEGREE IN BOVINE SCATTOLOGY, AND SAVING YOUR OWN ASS. HELP THE SUFFERING POEPLE OF PENNSYLVANIA!!!
Property Tax Elimination should be #1. The others are irrelevant in compariison.
Eliminate school property tax so that I can afford to stay in my own home and perhaps have some of my hard earned money to help my children attend college. The younger generation will be saddled with debt and many will never be able to afford their own homes. We are in serious trouble. Time to stand up and be heard or you will see young people leaving in droves.
School property tax elimination is the most important issue in PA at this time. I don't want to lose my home.
Are you kidding me? Property Tax Reform is not one of your three choices? I'm surprised you didn't list ATM fees.
Property tax reform is the most important issue in Pennsylvania!
HB & SB 76 should be Number 1 priority !!!
I joined this fantastic group called C A S T. They have an excellent and well organized plan to target the legislators who are not on board with elimination of property taxes. Harrisburg might be off for the summer, but C A S T is NOT !!! They have planned a letter and e-mail campaign to wake the lawmakers in Harrisburg up and not let them rest this summer. I would highly recommend you join C A S T and NOW !!! Send an email to admin@eyesonpa.com and they will promptly contact you with all the necessary information you will need to make a difference in the passage of this bill. I joined them a week ago and already have my first assignment !!! Nothing difficult at all, very simple and laid out plans for you to follow. Hey, the left has been doin this to us for years ! Time to strike back and make a difference !! Join C A S T today and be part of finally bringing much needed Tax Elimination to Pennsylvania ! I did... will you ? Email
admin@eyesonpa.com to bring the change we need to this state.
School Property Tax Elimination - pass HB/SB 76
The three options listed - all nice but not the most important. Liquor store privatization is industry driven. Transportation funding - what happened, did we stop funding it? Pension reform, necessary but late. The current pensions have to be funded and property owners are on the hook for benefit rates set by Harrisburg. Along with every other unfunded/underfunded mandate and regulation that Harrisburg has passed on to the local school boards. Our legislators have been raising our taxes all along through their proxies, the school boards.
Legislators have divided themselves into two camps, those who realize that homeowners will no longer tolerate the status quo and those who don't. Party allegiance will fall away on this one issue. For many homeowners this is a matter of survival. Homes do not generate money, infact they take money to maintain.
This will not go away...
ELIMINATION OF PROPERTY TAX ..... Please!!! First order of Business....
NUMBER 1 Priority: Elimination of PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION....
Hey Harrisburg here is your chance to prove to the people who elected you to do your job. I have been hearing about tax relief for over 15 years, But at election time its your TOP Priority! HB/SB 76 should be the first issue on the Agenda!
To Mario Scavello Stop sitting on the fence and do something!
Seriously? Elimination of School Property Tax doesn't make the first three? It should be number one!! It's hard to believe that 79 taxpayer groups across the state, all having been contacting their representatives and senators about getting The Property Tax Independence Act (HB 76 / SB 76) out of respective committees and onto the House and Senate floors for debate, vote and passage to the Governor are being virtually ignored. The three issues from which the poll asks you to choose combined will not produce the same immediate advantages that working to pass the Property Tax Independence Act will. This is the shameful state into which our government has fallen; when we the [taxpaying] people are ignored in favor of special legislative issues. It is not that pension reform is not important -- but even if accomplished in a direction favoring we, the [taxpaying] people, we won't feel any positive effects for years! Work on passing HB 76 and SB 76 NOW!
PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION NOW !!!
EVERYONE SHOULD JOIN CAST - Citizens Against School Taxes. They are a grass roots organized campaign to convince the legislators who are not on board with HB / SB 76 to get with the program. They have the data, and a well organized campaign to do just that, and you can do it all from the comfort of you own PC. They have done the background work, now YOU must carry the water and soak Harrisburg with a WAVE of support for HB & SB 76.
CONTACT : admin@eyesonpa.com for complete details on how this campaign will take shape this summer. You can't afford not to.
Where is the property tax elimination bill! This is such a huge concern for many nowadays and it doesn't show up anywhere. The people that own homes are being penalized. We need to adjust this so it is fair to everybody. Just because I own a home and take pride in ownership, I have to pay more taxes. Boy is that crazy or what. There are way too many foreclosures happening all the time and the taxes are a major cause. Come on you guys in leadership positions, get it in gear or the next election you'll be on the way out the door.
Property Tax Elimination should be first on the list. It is time people own their homes and should not have to worry about being forced out of them due these outrages property tax.
ELIMINATE SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES #1 !!!
JOIN “CAST76”
Supporting cast members are needed now.
Eyes On Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition (PTCC), Lebanon-912, Berks Tea Party, and Daniel Boone Taxpayer Activists (DBTA) have developed a script.
“Eliminate School Taxes”
The legislators will be going to their home districts for summer break until late September. We are going to take this show on the road with a massive, statewide, grassroots campaign. We’re taking it to their home districts and offices.
We need a supporting cast to send letters and postcards, make phone calls, do 10-minute email “coffee” breaks, and personal visits.
We will provide you with the script and all the information you will need. For maximum impact, we will let you know who to contact and when.
Choose the activities you feel most comfortable with as a volunteer, but please sign up to help. Every letter, email, phone call or visit makes a difference to eliminate school property tax.
Contact admin@eyesonpa.com .
Please include your name, email address, phone number, and preferred activity (letter writing, emailing, making phone calls or visiting the legislator)
Property tax elimination should be the top priority.
Overwhelmingly, it looks like PROPERTY TAXES should be added to this poll. Why wasn't it added in the first place? This is the #1 issue that needs to be addressed.
All three of your choices listed are only wasting taxpayer dollars at this juncture. The topic that MUST be addressed first is property tax elimination. And make no mistake, property tax relief or reform is not property tax elimination. It is time for the elitists in Harrisburg to start doing the will of the people, not just massaging their own egos and mollifying the special interest people that pad the re-election coffers of the legislators.
The poll as stated does not reflect my true views. School Property Tax Elimination should be the number one issue, but we could not vote for that as it doesn't appear there. Governor Corbitt is ignoring the will of the people. This unfair tax that causes many to lose their homes must be eliminated.
Elimination of school property taxes #1 priority -10,00o lose their homes and 350,000 foreclosures each year people are struggling so you better listen and pass hb/sb 76.If you don't our # 1 priority will be to kick you out of office and we will do it. WE gave you a gold mine and you are giving us the shaft! You shafted us over the years and we the people are the government you are an employee of we the people. We pay the bills and demand you do what we want not what you think we should have.
Property tax elimination!
In our household, as in so many others, PROPERTY TAX is the #1 issue, and the 3 you mention pale in comparison. As loud as we have collectively been screaming about the issue of property tax, it is quite apparent it falls on a number of deaf ears who are disinclined to do the right thing for the hurting taxpayers, and the reason is blatant: It would interfere with the flow from a few dirty special interests with lots of campaign money and favors. The HB 76 property tax elimination bill is the best thing since sliced bread for the citizens and Commonwealth, and it is taking a big effort to get the facts and truth in the hands of the people....It IS happening, and the people WILL win this. Those lawmakers who are not on board will find themselves having to look for a job to make an honest living like the rest of us. Anyone for campaign reform to put the power back in the hands of the people? Anyone for bringing back the real meaning of civil servant? Finally, is there anyone out there with the good sense and bravery to agree, "but its for the kids" is school board propaganda to make you believe the more money we throw at any and all things called education will equate to better education and thus a better prepared next generation? I'd like to think our focus should be setting an example and raising moral kids with compassion and understanding of the plight of others so our grandparents and the rest of the hard working taxpayers are not extorted out of their homes so that little Petey and parents can ogle an (educational) football stadium with turf that only lasts 5 years before it must be replaced to the tune of $300,000, - Just one little example folks... AND, being a foreclosure vulture is just an unethical investment pursuit period.
HB76/SB76 SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION NOW !!!
What is the transportation issue ?
And I thought liquor privatization was a slam dunk ?
Sorry Eagle... you BLEW IT !!!
Tax Elimination is Definitely #1 followed closely by pension reform a very close 2nd.
and merely a sidebar mention... FOR SHAME !!!
The passage of the Property Tax Elimination Act (HB76/SB 76) should be a top priority. Property Taxes are creating a huge burden that many citizens can no longer handle. A solution MUST be found!
Property tax elimination is and should be the number one issue.
Property tax Elimination should be on the list.
School Property Tax Elimination should be # 1
The current population of our State can claim the same lament as the colonists - taxation without representation!!! It would seem that many of out State legislators forget about the folks who voted to put them in office. Of course, we, the voters, must assume much of the blame. We either do not bother to vote or we vote for The Party rather than vote for principal. As a result, we then find our station in life as a slave, forced to be taxed out of our homes. The unconscionable school tax does not consider one's ability to pay hence, 10,000 folks per year have lost their homes. Has the school tax produced the hoped for results? Are the children smarter or are the school employees richer?? We can fight back against this onerous tax by looking at the web address of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayers Assoc (PCTA) at www.PTCC.US. Semper Fidelis, John J.
Property tax reform is number one in my book!!! Liquor is the least of my worries,get the priorities straight!!!! We need to fix our road and infrastructure, my i lak understanding as to why I have to pay for my own transportation and for public transportation and I don' t use it. Stop funding that and we will have plenty of money to pay for education! Without burdening the property owners in this State there will be more money going back onto the economy. I should be able yo spend my money myself !
yo wheres school tax reform harrisburg should be shut down and started up with all new people help i am already spending a third of my ss check for school tax and it just went up another three %
Are you kidding me? Where is the school property elimination bill?
People are being forced out of their homes because of this regressive tax.
The republican leadership in Harrisburg has failed Pennsylvania home owners time after time. Gov Corbett and the leadership in Harrisburg LET HB76 out on the floor for a VOTE! Your special interest politics suck!!
No tax should have the power to leave you homeless!
HB/SB 76 must be considered and passed. this is the ONLY reasonable solution to the on-going and future issues for school funding. it spreads the responsibility more evenly while allowing older and struggling homeowners to remain...home owners. it puts an end to self serving school boards. it sounds like the current administration needs to go, along with all of the cronnies. as we're forced out, or pack up and leave, there'll be no one left to "govern" or get tax revenue from.
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property tax elimination needs to be the #1 priority. The legislators need to stop dragging their feet and get it done!
Property tax elimination should be the #1 priority.
Glaring omission to the list PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION. HB76. no tax should have the power to leave you homeless.
property tax!
I think Property Tax reform has to be higher priority!
Passing of HB76 and SB76 eliminating the current School Property Tax Tyranny is by far the most important issue. Lets us finally truly own our homes. Makes PA more business friendly. When you make PA more business friendly the rest for its problems will straighten themselves out. Do the right thing eliminate the School Property tax and Help out the Senior citizens,
Please add property tax elimination to the poll. You will get amazing results.
It is obvious that the Governor continues to demonstrate an out-of-touch agenda with the PA homeowner. PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION must be at the top his concerns. This is unacceptable!!!!!! The elimination of the property tax has to be addressed. PA is taxing homeowners out of their homes. What this tax was created for is unfair to the property owner that has no children in the school systems!!! The issue of property tax elimination cannot be ignored any longer.
Property Tax Reform! This issue needs to be addressed
Property Tax Reform HB/SB 76
It is unbelievable that you would not have property tax elimination on your poll. If you did, you might be surprised at which one is the number one priority. Please re-do your poll.
As far as the legislature goes, if the GOP cannot get property tax elimination passed now when they control everything in Harrisburg, then they deserve to go down in flames in the next election. I guarantee Gov. Corbett will not be re-elected if they cannot get this done. It is just simply unbelievable that they will not make this priority one. If they can't get it done, then I will be voting for the other party next time and give them a try at it. If the GOP wants to hold power next year....then they had better do something with property tax elimination NOW. We are sick of excuses and they have plenty of them.
What ever happened to Property Tax Reform. Remember those currently sitting in Harrisburg, and make sure they do not get a chance to go back.
number one priority should be property tax elimination
You left the MOST IMPORTANT issue off your poll. That would be SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION! No tax should have the power to leave you homeless!
Privatization of liquor stores -- come on! Way more important things than that.
Property Tax Reform. HB 76 and SB 76.
I find it ridiculous that our legislature thinks buying liquor is more important than helping residents keep their homes! And even worse, we voted for some of these jokers! Property tax reform should be the number ONE issue resolved in September. It is a disgrace that this has been put on the back burner for so long. How much longer are we going to put Pennsylvanians in jeopardy of losing everything they have worked so hard for?
SB76/HB76 Property Tax Elimination Act is the top priority! PA home ownership is at risk.... don't pay your taxes and the local government confiscates your home for unpaid taxes! This archaic law is almost criminal. We need reform now.
The #1 priority for PA taxpapers is the elimination of School Property Taxes. Why is it not on your poll selection??????????
What's more important PA? Buying beer in a retail store or losing your home because you cant afford property taxes? It's evident where Governor Corbett's re-election priorities are... looking forward to the next election when the property tax elimination takes proper priority and gets said politician elected.
There is NO important issue other than HB/SB76!!! Get in the program.
Elimination of the School Property Tax should be the 1st priority taken up when Legislators return in the fall. Property foreclosures and seizures are not acts of government protection, but usurpation of our right to own property. Currently, over 429,000 homes in PA are in jeopardy of being lost. HomeOWNERSHIP will never be fully realized until property taxes are eliminated and we no longer have to pay RENT.
The poll failed to capture the single most important issue to the citizens of PA and that is Property Tax Elimination.
How could property tax reform be missed? It has the most immediate impact of all of the issues cited in the article. After that let's get on with pension reform.
The greatest priority is property tax elimination. No one cares about the others as much as this issue
It is obvious to me and many other Pennsylvanian's that the Governor continues to demonstrate an out-of-touch agenda with the PA homeowner. PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION must be at the top his concerns. As a School Board member I know how difficult it has been to create a balanced budget this year, and last year and the year before that. We have not filled positions and eliminated services which affect CHILDREN, who are at the top of our agenda! With a major increase in costs for PSERS and medical insurance next year, creating a balanced budget in our school district and most PA school districts will be impossible without a double-digit property tax increase. This is unacceptable to me and our taxpayers. The time has come to change education funding in PA. I urge everyone to support SB/HB 76 and I urge our our elected officials in Harrisburg to respond to the call of the people. Their voices grow louder every day!
Joe Zimmerman
I think property tax reform should be at the top of the list. Most can no longer afford to live in PA. My school is non operational due to an arsonist.. yet the taxes still go on and I am certain will now increase. If you are disabled it is impossible to support a home when half the mortgage payment goes toward taxes. One elderly family member lost their home to a tax sale as they were no longer able to pay taxes with their SSI.
Why isn't House and Senate Bill 76 listed as a top 3 priority?? I can think of nothing more important to PA property owners than the passage of these bills. Harrisburg, please get your priorities in order and bring property tax elimination to our citizens and a much needed shot in the arm to our state economy.
The number one priority should be property tax elimination.
They do nothing. Cancel their vacation. Property Tax is by far the most important, then pension reform.
Forget the other two and get this done. People wise up, vote them OUT.
Because the politictions aren't listening maybe they can get their ears checked with their great health insurance then let's see how they hear the words YOU'RE FIRED
Priority #1 for all Pa. Legislators is to uphold the oath that they took when they were elected to office: That the people have the right to be secure in their property! How secure can we be when our school taxes are forcing so many Pa. Residents out of their home and often out of Pennsylvania? These elected officials need to get THEIR priorities in order. School Property Tax Elimination - anything less is putting a band-aid on a bullet wound and gets us nowhere. Our Legislators need to start listening to the voice of their constituents. That's why they're supposed to be there - to represent US!
The number one priority should be property tax elimination. Every homeowner or future homeowner needs to stick together and ask why this is not top priority. If they say it cannot be done, they are lying so vote accordingly.
There is no higher priority than school property tax elimination. Why do they continue to dodge the issue. I could care less about the issues they picked. What is going on in our government?? Seems very fishy to me that they refuse to focus on this issue that clearly the majority of Pennsylvanians want addressed.
The people just want the passing of HB/76 !!!
We do not give a s--t about where we can buy our booze .
How come elimination of school property taxes are not on the list ????
It is coming to a head--the people have had enough and these pols who ignore or just sit on the fence (co sponsors who are idle ) will feel it at election time !!!!!
Pennsylvania is one of the states that still defers most of the cost for education to the local communities through school tax. Governor Rendell managed to include a budget increase for education, but Pennsylvania still ranks low compared to most of the other states. In fact, it's close to the bottom. Pennsylvania fails to achieve the goal of quality education. Communities with a low tax base cannot generate enough funds to meet the cost and as a result have substandard school systems, not enough quality teachers, not enough acceptable classroom space, and not enough books and supplies. This results in a poorly educated population.
Pennsylvania's approach is also unjust in that it does not tax in an equitable manner. It taxes by property without consideration of income or ability to pay or even if the people taxed have children in school. Renters pay the tax through increased rent. For someone who is unemployed and hanging on by a thread, it's a disaster. For the elderly with fixed and reduced income, it's a killer, and we are all destined to reach that stage in life.
School tax across the state really is properly a state expense. If the desire is to have quality education equally developed across the state, the state must finance it. The cost should be covered by income tax, business tax, and sales tax. If the governor is so set on having gambling revenue assist, then so be it. but put the revenue in the state coffers so the state can assure equal education across the state. So far, gambling revenues are negligible.
Educated children represent the future. The governor states that education is the key to our economic future. Our legislators did agree, finally, to the increase in the state budget for education. That's a good thing. It isn't large enough to start with. The fact is, it should be vastly increased. School tax has become a major issue throughout the country. Governor Rendell may have some vestige of conscience on the matter, but few of the legislators do.
A large number of states handle the cost properly. Some states avoid school tax. Not Pennsylvania. For example, Virginia charges no school tax. In fact, Virginia places a cap on what any township can tax residents for any purpose. In Alaska, there is no property or school tax. It's a cost expense in the state budget. Some states reduce the tax for the elderly. Not Pennsylvania. South Carolina provides an exemption for the elderly. New Hampshire provides a tax exemption for the elderly. New York provides a reduction for those over sixty-five. In Alabama homeowners over sixty-five are exempt from the tax. In Delaware there is a 50% reduction for anyone sixty-five or older. Meanwhile, some people have been taxed out of their homes in Pennsylvania.
In some Pennsylvania townships, the school board taxes to the hilt and the commissioners just say okay, giving them what amounts to a blank check at the expense of the residents. Many people have expenses that are not taken into consideration. Medical expenses are a prime example. This hits all people, but especially the elderly who, as a rule, have more severe medical problems. It should be added that this particular group has, on average, paid school taxes for a longer period of time. Consequently, they have paid considerably more. Many have filed for the Homestead Act exemption without any meaningful results. The discount amounts to pennies on the dollar
It's clear that the state legislators aren't going to revise the current system unless citizens themselves understand the inequities and force change. The legislators aren't really representing us. If we want equal quality education, the state has to relieve individual communities of the burden and take on the responsibility.
It's time for change in Harrisburg.
Because the politictions aren't listening maybe they can get their ears checked with their great health insurance then let's see how they hear the words YOU'RE FIRED
The elimination of property tax should be the top priority!!!!!
PROPERTY TAX is the number one issue. The house leadership has to let the current bills come to an up or down vote. It is pretty clear the Republican leadership is in the pocket of special interests by not allowing it. Public Pension reform is next.
Passage of HB/SB 76 SHOULD BE the top priority!
I also cannot believe that the elimination of School Property Taxes is not on TOP of ANY list of issues that need IMMEDIATE ACTION! For years we have watched people lose their homes for taxes that keep going higher and higher. The cost of running school districts won't go down because we are at the mercy of teacher's unions and other special interest groups. Our taxes were to go down with the approval of gambling, but the benefits were quickly eaten up with the increase in salaries and pensions and therefore taxes went up. So, some very intelligent people saw that there was a problem and came up with the best answer to keep people in their homes. There have been several versions out there, vetted and re-vetted and now HB/SB 76 is ready. All of the detractors would want you to believe that the plan would cut school districts short. The numbers are in and it appears that this plan would actually OVERFUND school districts. NO MORE EXCUSES! WE EXPECT OUR GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT OUR HOMES! Pass this Bill and let us be secure in our homes. We should not have to rent our homes from the school district and be subject to a Sheriff's sale if we can't pay. SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION (NOT REFORM) NOW! NO TAX SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO LEAVE YOU HOMELESS!
Property Tax Elimination
Why isn't Property Tax elimination on the list?.