THE BALLOT QUESTION
WHY HOMEOWNERS SHOULD VOTE YES
Most people either ignore a ballot question in an election or just ignore it. This is one that shouldn’t be ignored. Here’s why you need to vote YES on this.
On November 7th, Pennsylvanians will be voting on a property tax exclusion referendum. Some people are not aware of this ballot question, and others are confused as to what the question is about. Here's why people like Charles Urban, The PA Liberty Alliance and LuLac strongly recommends a YES vote. Here is a short explanation and a little bit of history...
In 1998, the legislature enacted a “Homestead/Farmstead” exclusion that could have provided up to a 50% exclusion of the median assessed value of homestead/farmsteads (i.e. primary residences) within the taxing district. In other words, this could have allowed a property tax reduction of approximately half the median property tax bill in the school district, county, or municipality.
Since then, this exclusion was not used for anything other than the small amount of gambling “relief” that came years later. In order for the exclusion to have reached the full 50% of median assessed value, the legislature would have had to pass legislation enabling that to happen. They didn’t.
THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE. IT HAS BEEN NEARLY TWENTY YEARS SINCE THE LEGISLATURE ADDRESSED PROPERTY TAX PAYER AND HOME OWNERS.
Now the voters will be voting on whether or not to raise the Homestead/Farmstead exclusion from the current 50% of median assessed value, to 100% of each individual Homestead/Farmstead’s assessed value.
So why would the legislature pass this Constitutional Amendment when they aren’t even funding the existing 50% exclusion? And why would the PA Liberty Alliance and we here at LuLac recommend a YES vote?
After years of trying to pass HB/SB 76 to eliminate the school property tax for all properties in Pennsylvania, some legislators feel that it may be easier to first eliminate school property taxes for primary residences (Homesteads/Farmsteads) only in an effort to prevent struggling families and senior citizens from losing their homes at sheriff auctions, and also to give relief to many more who are being crushed by ever-increasing property taxes.
Unlike the State Representative who represents my district, I still believe that HB/SB 76 is the best approach, as it completely changes the status-quo and would be an enormous benefit to our economy. I do, however, recommend a YES vote for two reasons.
First, the Amendment itself doesn’t do anything to provide relief. If the voters approve the ballot question, their property taxes will still be there the next day. This initiative only allows for a future piece of legislation to reduce or eliminate property taxes, at which time the bill will either be supported or opposed. But, and HERE’S THE IMPORTANT PART HERE, this amendment would simply allow for more future options.
Second, the legislators will treat this ballot question as a referendum on property tax elimination. If the voters vote “no”, legislators and special interest groups who oppose property tax elimination will say that Pennsylvania residents don’t believe there is a property tax problem.
Regardless of the real reason you may have voted “no”, this will be the interpretation. You don’t get to explain why you voted “no” and this will only serve to make our fight even more difficult.
If, however, the voters approve the ballot question, there will be much more leverage in getting something meaningful passed. A “yes” vote will even aid in the fight to pass SB76, even though it would not use the Homestead/Farmstead exclusion when signed into law.
The same special interest lobbying organizations who are opposing SB 76 are also ramping up their opposition to the ballot question. This should send you a clear signal. It boils down to this…
If you want to maintain the status-quo of ever-increasing property taxes and you don’t mind that this unfair tax is devastating hard working families and leaving up to 10,000/year homeless, then vote “no”.
If, however, you believe the property tax should be eliminated, or at a minimum needs some serious attention, then vote “yes” next Tuesday.
10,000+ folks lose their homes to the Sheriff yearly in PA...you can assist them and yourself!
Property owners have been paying the freight for TOO LONG. There is a crack in the doorway by Voting YES.
It puts Legislators on notice that they need to get off their asses and do this.
That will lead the way for taxpayers who own homes and pay for the big administrative salaries, the cousins and nephews hired by political School Boards, the pensions of the retired teachers that we pay for.....this gives taxpayers/homeowners a chance to kick that door in.
LET’S DO THIS!