Here is a reply I received from Liz Forest to my question about her supporting HB/SB 76, She has no clue! Liz Forrest I can answer Anthony Valentino Jr. here, Mark Dodel, but it isnt as simple as a yes or no. I have been following the PTTC FB page. Personally, I support the work that PTTC has done on HB76/SB76. If elected, Id like to sit down with the PTTC and work out how to get a good bill passed. Im certainly open to discussion and people need relief. From what I have seen there, though, Rep. Brown is telling her voters that HB76 is dead, and I have not yet seen the amendments for SB76 that would make it palatable to the House of Representatives now that it has passed yet another version of reform that is destined to fail -- one I might add that Rep. Brown voted for instead of sticking to her guns on HB 76. I hope that Sen. Argell will make those amendments public soon. I think SB76 is the best shot weve seen for real reform, but the longer it sits in the senate without action and the closer it gets to Corbetts new budget, the less optimistic anyone should be about its passage this session. If the same House, Senate and Governor are still in place this time next year without its passage, dont expect them to have a change of heart. In principle, I support shifting property taxes to a combination of sales and income taxes but the focus should be on primary residences. And of course, there will clearly be some unintended consequences for some businesses should the bill be passed. For example, the realtors are all behind HB 76, but that does not seem to be true of the PA Builders Association, of which Rosemary Brown or at least her familys businesses are members. Practically every professional service (architects, lawyers, surveyors, accountants) and home improvement services and all home furnishings would be subject to new taxes. Isnt that correct? That would make everything from the price of a new home to a second home to a bathroom upgrade way more expensive. That cant be helpful to an already depressed building sector. No property taxes to pay isnt great if you end up not being able to afford your house or needed repairs. And anyway, Anthony, we heard a lot from Rep. Brown about a lawsuit to fix the school funding formula to something fairer and at least adequate -- and which would make something like SB76 more of a possibility. Neither she nor Mario has come forward with that.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 21:12:31 +0000
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