Property Tax Reform-Plank-Piccola

==Background==
Sens. Jeffrey Piccola, R-Dauphin County, and Joe Conti, R-Bucks, introduced a two-part property tax plan that would broaden the state sales tax base to lower school property taxes for homeowners by about 20% starting next year.
===June, 2006===
* Proposes absolute voter control over school taxes
In an effort to force the Legislature to go further to reduce school districts' reliance on property taxes in the future, the lawmakers would also give voters approval power over any future property tax increase in their local districts. Piccola and Conti called their so-called super back-end referendum -- with no exceptions for inflation or other costs -- the kind of hammer needed for the 2007-08 General Assembly to more drastically reduce or eliminate reliance on property taxes to fund public education.
Leaders of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association called the senators' gun-to-the-head approach at a time of spiraling health care and retirement costs irresponsible. The association is expected to unveil its own property tax plan later this week. 
==Links==
* Property Tax Reform
category:Planks_from_elsewhere