House passes historic property tax reform legislation

To the Editor:
This week, the House approved a measure, which I supported, to significantly reduce school property taxes across the Commonwealth through a dollar-for-dollar tax shift.

House Bill 504 would change the Personal Income Tax rate to 3.7 percent and the Sales and Use Tax rate to 7 percent, without expanding it to include currently exempt items. The plan would generate nearly $5 billion in total relief and would include a $125 million expansion of the Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program, which benefits low- to middle-income senior citizens and residents with disabilities across the state. House Bill 504 passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 105-86.

Since every new dollar generated as part of this plan would go toward property tax relief, it would increase the Commonwealth’s commitment to its schools while reducing the property tax burden to taxpayers. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. I encourage you to contact senators across the state to communicate the importance of this issue.

PA State Rep. Rosemary Brown
East Stroudsburg