The
PTCC and PCTA support the enactment of
House Bill 1776 and Senate Bill 1400, The
Property Tax Independence Act
 |
House Bill 1776 and Senate Bill 1400, the Property Tax Independence Act, have been formally introduced!
The latest PTCC Update with full details and co-sponsor lists is here.
If
North Dakota can do it, why can't we?
View this excellent video presentation on Measure 2, North Dakota's
upcoming referendum to abolish the property tax. Click here. |
Urgent
Action Item
- A Message From State Representative Jim Cox. Click here. |
How to ELIMINATE school property
taxes!
Details
of the latest plan to eliminate and replace school property taxes have
been finalized and the legislation will be introduced shortly in the Pennsylvania
House and Senate.
House Bill 1776, The Property Tax Independence Act, looks in part to the former School Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA) for its basic structure. While The Property Tax Independence Act mirrors some of the provisions of the former SPTEA, the plan has been comprehensively rewritten to account for lawmakers’ concerns and preferences in order to eliminate objections common to the previous legislation.
- The Property Tax Independence Act will eliminate school property and local school nuisance taxes across the Commonwealth and will replace those taxes with funding from a single state source.
- The Property Tax Independence Act introduces a modernized school funding method that is based on 21st century economic realities.
- The Property Tax Independence Act will ABOLISH the school property tax as well as eliminate the local school earned income tax and nuisance taxes such as the per capita and privilege-to-work taxes imposed by school districts.
- The Property Tax Independence Act utilizes in great measure our current sales tax mechanism to fund schools, restoring the original intent of the tax.
- The sales tax provides a predictable and stable funding source that is tied to economic growth. This is in clear contrast to the school property tax which is not based on economic growth and is subject to much variation.
- Current school spending regularly exceeds tax revenue and The Property Tax Independence Act addresses this problem head-on by limiting school budget increases to the rate of inflation.
Read all of the details of The Property Tax Independence Act here.
See how much you can save on your total taxes through the enactment of The Property Tax Independence Act. Our exclusive Property Tax Independence Act Excel calculator is here.
The real faces of the school property tax issue
Here, in their own words, are the real-life stories of Pennsylvania families of all ages and areas of the state who are finding it increasingly difficult to withstand the oppressive economic hardship imposed by relentlessly increasing school property taxes.
These true accounts were submitted by PTCC and PCTA subscribers who volunteered to tell their stories. Their hopes are twofold: that Pennsylvania lawmakers will read their words and finally understand the hardship imposed by this inequitable, archaic tax and that they will act quickly to eliminate this unnecessary burden that is diminishing the quality of life for Pennsylvania homeowners.
Click on the photo to read their stories.
PTCC Quick Facts
WHAT is the PTCC?
The PTCC is the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition, a free subscription-based nonpartisan statewide E-mail list and website that serves as a taxpayer advocacy group for those who have no local group available to them. This list represents a virtual community of thousands of taxpayers from throughout Pennsylvania who are concerned with school property tax and education finance reform.
WHY does the PTCC exist?
School property and nuisance taxes are out of control and are draining the lifeblood of Pennsylvania residents. Pennsylvania school boards cannot continue to annually raise taxes by greater than the rate of inflation before homeowners can no longer afford to pay. This situation is a train wreck waiting to happen, and if something is not done quickly to resolve the problem the entire system will crash in a very short time.
WHAT are the PTCC goals?
The PTCC and the grassroots statewide umbrella group, the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations (PCTA), are dedicated, through legislative reform, to eliminating school property taxes for all Pennsylvanians and to the equitable funding of all Pennsylvania schools from a broad-based, statewide funding source. Such a source would equalize disparities between wealthy and poorer school districts, ensuring a quality education for all Pennsylvania schoolchildren. The PTCC is a proponent for the immediate repeal of Act 1, the fraudulent school property tax “relief” bill that was signed into law in June 2006. The PTCC is a supporter of House Bill 1776, The Property Tax Independence Act, a property tax elimination proposal that will abolish all school property and nuisance taxes and provide equitable funding for all Pennsylvania schools.
WHAT can I do to help?
Please take time to explore this site to learn more about the issues, the PTCC’s objectives, and pending tax reform legislation. Join the free PTCC e-mail list to receive updates, spread the word to your friends and relatives about this movement and urge them to join this group, and help with occasional action items to keep the momentum alive. In a grassroots movement such as this, EVERY person counts! Please join in this vital mission to achieve true education finance reform for all Pennsylvania taxpayers and schoolchildren.
WHY should I join the free PTCC e-mail updates list?
If you're happy receiving your information from this web page, that's great! We hope that you'll check back often for updates. But by joining the list you'll receive updates and action items more quickly, and we'll be able to keep a more accurate count of supporters when demanding legislative action. We'd really like to have you as a subscriber. And, of course, your e-mail address will always remain strictly confidential.