Legislation to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to allow for the exclusion of up to 100% of the value of a principal residence from property taxes has been unanimously approved by the state House.
Representative Rick Saccone (R-Washington & Allegheny Counties) said the legislative process to protect Pennsylvania homeowners from the burden of skyrocketing property taxes has begun to move in the right direction.
Saccone said there were a number of factors that contributed to this legislation taking so long to pass. "There really is a sentiment building across the state among property owners that they've had enough with property tax," he said.
However, before the amendment can be adopted, it must pass the Senate this session and then pass both houses again in the next session. Then it would go to a referendum of the voters. Despite all of those steps, Saccone said the likelihood of that happening is "the best it has ever been."
"Even though these things have always come up for the past 40, 50, 60 years, as I say right now, it's coming to a head," Saccone said. "People are losing their homes because of property tax."
Saccone urged people to get behind it. "Right now this bill is going to the Senate, so they have to get on their senators and remind them to support it so we can get this thing passed as quickly as possible, and prepare to do it again in the next session and get this thing on the ballot so we can get this thing enacted and into law."
He admitted the taxes will get shifted elsewhere.
"We'll probably see either a dollar-for-dollar swap with an increase in the sales tax, or in the income tax, which people are okay with because they'd rather spread that burden out across the entire state or even to people traveling through the state who pay sales tax," said Saccone. "They'd rather see that happen and keep their homes safe than keep the current system and risk losing their house at some point in their life."
