Caught between a rock and property tax reform

On many occasions I’ve found myself between a rock and a hard place. Nine times out of 10, I usually choose the hard place, since, well, what doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger. On a few occasions I’ve found myself between a rock and a crazy place, and that’s when I usually choose the rock because, well, you know, crazy is as crazy does. Property tax reform will be one of the key issues facing our state legislators this year. Here's to hoping they're prepared to act, or prepared to not be re-elected this year. This week's rant takes a look at the rock, which is the state legislature, and the hard place, which is being populated by those we’ve elected to office but have somehow forgotten the reason they’re in Harrisburg in the first place. And of course, what’s stuck in the middle is property tax reform.

A collective resolution for all: hold our elected officials accountable

This week's rant takes us back a couple of years to a time when Montgomery County was in turmoil... and nothing has changed. We had elected officials meeting in private to discuss public business, and nothing was done about it. Now we're attempting to get our state legislators to pass property tax reform, and I certainly don't want to be sitting here in two years writing about how nothing was done about it. So let's all make one collective resolution to hold our elected officials accountable for doing the people's business.

Property tax reform near the top of my Christmas wish list

I know it's wishful thinking, but property tax reform can become a reality of the Pennsylvania state Senate would simply listen to the people who elected them and bring House Bill 76 to the floor for a vote. I've been ranting about it for months now, and I'm calling on Montgomery County's state senators to do the right thing, considering that more than half have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.

Not so thankful for an unresponsive state legislature

I have a lot to be thankful for. I can name a dozen or so right off the top of my head, but an unresponsive state legislature when it comes to property tax reform, ain't one of 'em. For anyone new to the blog, you may not be aware of my ongoing crusade to have the antiquated way we fund public education in Pennsylvania addressed, but for the rest of you, here is my latest rant, with an homage to Thanksgiving thrown in.

Politically Correct should be considered a crime

Every year when the holidays start to roll around I think about the way people tense up. When did this start? I can't put my finger on it, but I know it wasn't an issue when I was growing up. Now people are afraid to say or do anything that might for a moment, possibly, maybe offend someone else. Now I don't want to offend anyone, but at some point don't we have to take a hard look at the people claiming to be offended? I trace the origins in my latest column. Political correctness actually started in a comic strip, according to the Accuracy in Academia website. How appropriate is that? Or should I say ironic? Because it’s really not a joke. Political correctness has nearly eliminated free speech, or at least it has the potential.

Will more turnout when property tax reform is on the line?

The 24 percent turnout across Montgomery County on Election Day last week was abysmal at best. Several people asked me before last week’s election who they should vote for to make sure our property taxes don’t continue their ascent through our technically rented roofs. The short answer was; school board members. But I don’t really blame our school boards for the fact that our local districts own our homes and not us. Sure, they could do a better job of holding the line on expenses, but who couldn’t? When you’re given mandates and not the funds to carry them out, you’re not left with much of a choice. When you have a district full of special needs students, or you have to hire more English as Second Language teachers than other districts, you are given little choice other than to increase your spending, which, as we’re all well aware of by now, is subsidized by our tax dollars. So the answer for whom to vote in order to make sure our property taxes don’t continue their ascent through our technically rented roofs is a little easier, and they weren’t running in last week’s election. We’ll have our chance next year. For the rest of the story, click here

What day is it? Election Day

OK, so technically it's the day before, but I'm talking about Election Day in my latest rant, so I'm asking for a little poetic license here. How many of you will actually go to the polls on Election Day? How many of you will not complain about the way things are in this world if you don't go to the polls? It's really not that hard, folks. I do it twice a year. It's actually good for your psyche, so get up, get out, and...VOTE!

Where do you draw the line?

I've been railing against our state legislators for their inability to bring any real property tax reform to Pennsylvania, but I would never even think about threatening any of them, or anyone else for that matter, with physical violence because they don't agree with my opinion. When someone sits on the other side of the fence from you, you don't threatened them just because that's where they happen to like to sit. Where do you draw the line?

Time for state Senate to step up for property tax reform

Now that the state House has made it abundantly clear they do care anything about giving us property tax reform, especially in the form of House Bill 76, we need to turn our attention to the Senate, where a companion bill, SB 76, is being debated.

PA. Senate doing a similar property tax dance

My latest column looks at the Senate taking up SB 76, which is the mirror image of HB 76, also known as the Property Tax Independence Act. Unfortunately, it appears as if the Senate may be playing some of the same games as the House. Sen. Dominic Pileggi just introduced a bill that would provide relief for seniors. I'm not sure why our elected state legislators don't understand we want property tax elimination, not just 'relief' for some.

Property tax reform takes a shot to the gut

If you live in Pennsylvania, and you own a home, you need to read this column. It is absolutely astounding that we have state legislators who think they're in Harrisburg to please special interest groups and their party's leadership. We're going to make it very clear to all of them that we actually call the shots and that they're just there to run the plays. For Montgomery County residents, you can look to representatives Mike Vereb, Marcy Toepel and Mark Painter as three elected officials who get it. They voted in favor of the amendment that would have given us true property tax reform. All the others, especially those who signed on as co-signers of House Bill 76, made it very clear they're really no interested in doing what they were sent to Harrisburg to do.

Property owners officially snubbed by the people they put into office

For all of you who thought your state legislator was going to stand up for you because they were a cosponsor on House Bill 76, the Property Tax Independence Act, guess again. Unless you live in Rep. Toepel, Vereb or Painter's district, you were bamboozled, because they were the only three Montgomery County reps who voted yes to an amendment yesterday that would have put HB 76 on the floor for a vote, even if it was wrapped in HB 1189. Painter was the only Dem to vote in favor. I hope all you registered Democrats remember that come spring when the primary rolls around. All I can say now is, it's on!

Property tax reform finally being talked about in the PA state House

Property tax reform was supposed to be the topic of discussion in the House today. I'm not sure how far along they got, but here's my take on where we should be. In fact, I think the time for talking is done. If they're really going to strip HB 1189 and insert HB 76 is for the guts, let's get it done.

Fill A Bus, or a car, or just ride a motorcycle to Harrisburg

The Fill A Bus rally is tomorrow, and I'm hoping for a huge crowd to let our state legislators know that we think property tax reform is a really bid deal. I heard last Friday that a couple of bills were going to be run out of the finance committee today, but not HB76. Here are my thoughts, again, on what we should be demanding of our state legislators.

Pa House Finance Committee moving bills on Monday

So, you're not going to believe this. The House Finance Committee meets Monday and they're voting on a property tax relief package of bills, not one of them HB76. "On Monday, the House Finance Committee will discuss and vote on a four-bill property tax relief/reform package: House Bill 1189 (Rep. Seth Grove, R-York County) provides school districts with a menu of taxing options and affords those districts using these options the ability to tailor property tax relief specific to their district. Any tax shift occurring under this new authority is required to be used as a dollar-for-dollar reduction, or elimination, of property taxes." How is it a bill that's never been vetted (1189) get a vote and HB76 that's been vetted three ways to Sunday, doesn't?

Fool me twice...

Do you know the saying, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me? I think I first heard Gomer Pyle utter those words when I was a lot younger than I am today, but I got it.I had two state reps telling me House Bill 76 would never work because the numbers just don't add up, the trouble is, they were using old numbers. Shame on you. Another representative, the sponsor of HB 76 told me the new numbers show a surplus, so I did a little research on my own. We hold off on the shame on me until I learn otherwise. It's time we hold our elected officials accountable. We shouldn't be feed political rhetoric when people's homes are on the line here, folks. Call your state representative and ask them, point blank, if they'll vote in favor of HB 76.

Which do you like, apples or oranges?

Property tax relief, reform or just a shuffling of the deck chairs, which would you like to see Pennsylvania? I think it's becoming pretty clear that elimination is the only way to go with the funding mechanism currently used to fund public education in the Keystone State. I took a look at two options last week, House Bill 76 and House Bill 1189. It's like comparing apples and oranges. Personally, I like apples much better. How about you?

Do these guys deserve a chance on property tax reform?

So I had PA House finance chair Kerry Benninghoff and Rep. Seth Grove in my office for a little chat last week. I was waiting for the weekend to clear before posting it up here figuring everyone was going to be busy with their Labor Day activities. I hope you had a good break from reality, because here it is again, coming at you full steam. Grove says he has an alternative to House Bill 76, the Property Tax Independence Act. Here's the interview and a video. You tell me...does he?

Taking a break from property tax reform...sort of

While I had a little fun with the idea of taking a break from writing about property tax reform in this week's column, I did manage to slip in a very serious question. I'm trying to set up an interview with Rep. Kerry Benninghoff , he's the chair of the House finance committee where HB 76 resides, and where it will remain if Benninghoff has his way. I'm also trying to get Rep. Seth Grove, who has proposed an alternate to HB 76, to come in as well. Honestly, the only point I want to make to both of them is...the public doesn't really care which bill gets to the floor for a vote as long as it works, and as long as it gets there before the end of the year. So the serious question I slipped into my non-property tax reform column is, what would you ask these two gentlemen given the chance?

Keep pounding the property tax reform drum

It will be September before you know it, as time is always fleeting and our state legislators will be back in session. Let's keep pounding the issue until they return and after they return, or more importantly, until something gets done. Now I'm hearing about a bill authored by Rep. Grove that may fix the alleged funding shortfall found in HB 76. I'll do some research and get back to you. For now, take a moment to read my latest rant on the impossible situation.