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Jubelirer Proposes Additional
Chances for Property Tax Relief
HARRISBURG -- Saying that the
once-and-done decision on Act 72 has left too many taxpayers
across the state without any prospect of property tax
relief, Senator Robert C. Jubelirer is proposing a series of
additional chances for school districts to participate.
"People desperately
want relief from property taxes, and they overwhelmingly
support the kind of taxpayer protection that a backend
referendum provides. We need to offer fresh opportunities
for people to access and realize these advantages. The
taxpayers are absolutely not ready to accept the 'game over'
declarations of nearly 400 school boards, and neither are
we," Jubelirer stated.
"One of the few
indisputable lessons from the Act 72 process is that the
deadline for participation was too far in front of the time
when money will start being available. This disconnect in
the timetable handed school boards a too convenient excuse
for negating property tax relief and avoiding spending
control," he said.
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The first
component would be a ballot question this November in the
non-participating districts asking voters if they would
like to place their school district under the backend
referendum provisions of Act 72. Jubelirer has proposed
legislation containing a version of the backend referendum
since 1990.
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A second
opportunity for school districts to "opt-in" for
state-funded property tax relief would occur when gaming
revenues actually are available. "This would erase the
common complaint that districts do not know if money will
ever be available," Jubelirer pointed out.
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A "safety valve"
provision would give taxpayers a say through a ballot
question if their school district turned down the second
opportunity to participate.
"Just mandating
participation would be simpler, obviously, but I believe
there is an element of fairness in this approach, given the
public process the districts have gone through. There has
never been a property tax relief plan devised that works for
everyone, so there may be districts where the boards and the
residents agree that Act 72 is not for them. This proposal
keeps the choice local, but ensures that the taxpayers are
not cut out of it, as too many were this spring," Jubelirer
observed.
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