PA Property Tax elimination analysis

See this site for a decent analysis of the recent situation in Pennsylvania concerning so-called school property tax elimination, reduction, reform, whatever they are calling it now.

http://pataxpayers.blogspot.com/

The following from the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition says it best, so why reinvent the wheel?

http://pataxpayers.blogspot.com/

This week has been an absolute zoo in the state House of Representatives – and that analogy is insulting to the zoo animals!

Because the bill supported by the PTCC and PCTA, HB 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA), was not allowed out of the House Appropriations Committee for a fair hearing by the majority leadership, its language was attached as an amendment to HB 1600 to ensure it would be debated.

Unfortunately, the amendment was defeated on Tuesday (1/29) mostly because the legislators bent to the will of the special interests and marched in lockstep with their caucus leaders...

...It is obvious that the majority Democratic House Leadership is in total confusion from having HB 1600 defeated and the Perzel amendment approved. This turn of events has thwarted their plans for their bogus property tax “relief” and they obviously need time to regroup.

HB 1600 is dead, the second fake tax swap plan, HB 1489, is on life support, and the Democratic Caucus has no fallback position. They promised property tax relief during the 2006 election, have been unable to deliver, and now are facing the voters again in 2008. They are in a VERY precarious position.

If they would choose to help themselves, HB 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act, is still in the Appropriations Committee and could be brought out for a vote if they would be willing to make a deal with 1275’s sponsors. I have no idea whatsoever if the Democratic Leadership would be willing to do this but it certainly could solve their problem.

This debate still has a long way to go and many more votes will have to be taken, so we’ll just have to wait to see how and when all of this plays out.

In the end, the taxpayers have again paid the price for the ridiculous political gamesmanship of this dysfunctional legislature. It is time that these politicians stop the “business as usual” and tend to the people they represent...

http://pataxpayers.blogspot.com/2008/02/update-week-in-review-and-zoo-in.html