Rhetorically asking what Pennsylvanians would be willing to give to completely replace the school district property tax, March 12, State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129) held up a penny at a Capitol news conference and described how the Property Tax Independence Act (House Bill 76) could accomplish this huge goal with something so small.
Cox and his colleagues were officially introducing the new Property Tax Independence Act that would replace school property taxes with several other state revenue sources.
The legislation calls for a 1 cent increase in the state sales tax (from 6 percent to 7 percent) and a 1.27-cent increase in the state income tax (from 3.07 percent to 4.34 percent). The plan also would use existing state revenues from gaming and would close special interest loopholes in the state sales tax.
More about the plan can be found on Cox’s website.
Sounds like a good plan, but don’t hold your breath. The teacher’s union will get its hand around its neck and strangle it to death.