YORK—Senator John DiSanto (Dauphin/Perry) implored his legislative colleagues and stakeholder groups to fully eliminate school property taxes at the Senate Majority Policy Committee’s well attended public forum August 13 at Penn State York’s Pullo Center.
Pennsylvania has struggled for decades to repeal and replace the school property tax with a more equitable way to fund public education. State residents, especially seniors living on fixed-incomes, have been forced out of their homes as they become unable to pay an ever-increasing and regressive tax. Expert real estate panelists at the forum shared instances in which school property tax bills exceeded monthly mortgage payments.
“Everybody around this table has a bogeyman in the room for why this can’t be done and it becomes a hysterical conversation,” DiSanto said. “The only way to address this problem is total elimination, do it and move on.”
DiSanto has once again cosponsored bipartisan legislation known as Senate Bill 76 which provides a path to total school property tax elimination by shifting school funding to increased sales and income taxes. “No tax should have the power to leave you homeless and SB 76 ensures Pennsylvanians are secure in their homes,” said DiSanto. “Pennsylvanians have spoken at the ballot box and at workshops like these across the state in favor of school property tax elimination. It is past time legislators deliver a solution for our homeowners.”
CONTACT: Jonathan Humma jhumma@pasen.gov (717) 787-6801
Senator DiSanto participates in a Majority Policy Committee Forum to review options for eliminating school property taxes.