Bob Logue

WHAT HB 39 (AND ALL OTHER SIMILAR FRAUDULENT PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION PLANS) WOULD NOT HAVE DONE

HB 39, that was approved by the Pennsylvania Senate 40 to 9, and then, thankfully, killed in the House without a vote, demonstrates how inept the state’s leadership is. And how willing so many legislators are to go along with any idiotic plan... just to curry favor with their caucus leadership; trying to fool the public just to get re-elected. Note that the final ‘compromise’ version of the HB 39 was approved by the House-Senate conference committee Monday evening, May 1st, and rammed through the Senate May 2.nd The plan was to ram it through the House before the public could have a chance to understand the bill and react to it. It is just another example of our state government’s total disregard for the views of the citizens.

HB 39 and ALL other TEMPORARY property tax REDUCTION plans:
• Would NOT abolish property taxes on primary residences (homesteads\farmsteads).
• Would NOT stop the corrupt and inaccurate assessment\reassessment process.
• Would NOT permanently reduce school taxes. There is nothing in the legislation to prevent the school board, and county and municipal governments from raising your millage…and therefore, your property taxes beyond any so called reductions.
• Would NOT reduce county and municipal property taxes at all.
• Would NOT stop sheriff sales of people’s property often based on faulty assessments and taxes the evicted citizens may not owe.
• Would NOT stop governmental aided theft of thousands of dollars in homeowner equity beyond the evicted homeowner’s alleged ‘debt to society’ (delinquent tax, penalty and interest supposedly owed.)
• Would NOT protect family farms.
• Would NOT stop traumatic evictions of homeowners and their families for back taxes.
• Would NOT slow down the proliferation of properties being abandoned which are very costly to the municipalities, and devalue everyone’s property nearby.
• Would NOT cut the size of government.
• Would NOT cut the cost of government one dime.
• Would NOT save the taxpayers across the state millions of tax dollars and millions of personal expenses in fighting unfair assessments.
• Would NOT stop the out-migration of people—especially younger individuals and families, who are moving to lower tax counties, and lower tax states.
• Would NOT encourage citizens to improve their homes-- thereby creating private sector economic development and job growth.
• Would NOT revitalize our communities.

What it was intended to do is allow Governor Rendell and the legislators to buy the votes of seniors by tossing them a few crumbs and a lot of rhetoric to win re-election in the primary election this month... and the general election in November. Passing HB 39 or any similar tax REDUCTION plan would have driven a nail in the coffin of true property tax reform. Since this is the best the current governor and legislators can accomplish, it is obvious we need a new governor and many new legislators. STOP urges all citizens not to be fooled by these fraudulent, temporary, property tax reduction bills. DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY SENATOR WHO VOTED YES ON HB 39; OR ANY SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE WHO EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR IT. WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE SENATORS WHO VOTED NO, AND THOSE LEGISLATORS AND CHALLENGERS WHO BLASTED THIS RIDICULOUS PLAN. SUPPORT ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO FIGHT FOR REAL AND PERMANENT PROPERTY TAX REFORM THAT WILL TRULY HELP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. Bob Logue, STOP Primary Residence Protection Plan.
www.granoldusa.com - ucblogue@verizon.net

Visitor Comments:

Joe Lehigh County says :

I attended the Northwestern Lehigh School Board meeting on May 10th. The preliminary budget was being voted on. Our school taxes have been increased 7.1 and 10.7% during the past two years.
On average, a 2.1% increase had occurred during the prior seven years. The Board voted, six to three to increase our school tax by 7.2% for this coming year.
I learned that State Law, allows the school districts to include a saving fund up to 8%. In other words, our money is in a piggy bank. Instead of cutting expenses, the piggy bank is raided. This practice is unacceptable.
I was the only parent in attendance, and at 11:30 P.M., I stated during the Public Comment Session, that the tax increase was unacceptable.
Can anyone tell me why, I feel so bitter toward my School District?

Joe Lehigh County says :

It felt so good to cast my vote for Carl Mantz on Tuesday. It felt even better when it was reported
that Representative Paul Semmel had been defeated by Carl Mantz. Voters within my community will no longer allow politicians to freely steal our money, by increasing our property taxes. Abolish all Property Taxes! Take the tax authority away from School Boards.

Joe Lehigh County says :

I attended the Northwestern Lehigh School Board meeting on May 17th. Once again,the Board Members haggled over the saving fund. The majority wanted to keep it at 8%. Two meeting have passed and not once have they discussed cost reductions. In the Corporate World, a manager is judged on the cost savings that he or she can produce for that company. Successful companies employ managers that provide cost savings, year after year; that far exceed their annual salary. Most Superintendents and their staff are not held accountable to this type of standard. They have the luxury to continue to increase our taxes.
At 11:00PM, I commented for my 3 minute time allotment. The School Board and the administrative team was made aware of the cost reduction concept. I concluded my statement with the Quakertown School District. They have a Superintendent that gets it! Their goal is to decrease their budget by 3 million dollars. The reason: Their goal is to provide the highest quality education at the lowest cost! Thank you Quakertown.

Anonymous says :

Joe, stop wasting your time. Governor Rendell will be re-elected. The Teacher's Union and School Boards are here to stay. S.T.O.P. supporters are a
non-factor. They are a do nothing group of people.

Anonymous says :

Looks like anonymous must be a school teacher or has someone in school. Mayb an orgaanizer. Wrong Anon. we are moving ahead and getting rid of the debacles like you.

Anonymous says :

Stop relying on the state government to fix property taxes. It will never happen. Invest your ti,e in doing something fun rather than crying about every little thing.

New Jersey says welcome! says :

Ha Ha Ha Ha, welcome to the machine, you have joined the many states which have encumbered onerous property taxes and income taxes in an ever increasing effort to buy senior votes to get re-elected (just wait until they start giving property tax relief to renters, trust me), allow me to pose a solution to the problem and it starts with world hunger... what is that you say? world hunger? go to blockbuster and rent the classic charlton heston movie - soilent green

New Jersey says welcome! says :

Ha Ha Ha Ha, welcome to the machine, you have joined the many states which have encumbered onerous property taxes and income taxes in an ever increasing effort to buy senior votes to get re-elected (just wait until they start giving property tax relief to renters, trust me), allow me to pose a solution to the problem and it starts with world hunger... what is that you say? world hunger? go to blockbuster and rent the classic charlton heston movie - soilent green

Anonymous says :

I agree wholeheartedly that STOP is just another AARP-friendly, child-hating idea that chooses our past over our future. When will we get our priorities straight and spend more time and energy worrying about how to improve the future 80 years for our children than how to improve the futre 10 years for our seniors? I don't get you people.

Anonymous says :

If you're a senior, your children have been raised and are out of the house. You get social security, medicare, and probably a nice pension too (because in the past, pensions were the norm; now they're not). Now, you want even more. You don't want to pay property taxes to support our state's future, our children. Stop whining and move if you can't afford your property taxes. Move to a condo, a townhome, or a nice senior-living facility. Stop whining about your short future and start worrying about your grandkids long fuure!

David says :

The last two posters are morons! This not just about seniors and we're not trying to destroy our children's future - we're trying to ensure it. Homeowners cannot afford annual school property tax increases greater than the rate of inflation for a sustained time, which is exactly what is happening now. The school property tax system is in serious trouble and if it's not fixed soon the entire system will crash. Then, when the state takes over distressed school systems, you'll really have something to cry about. For our children's sake, we must find a more broad-based, equitable method of funding our schools - NOW!

Ron Smith says :

TAX PANEL A WASTE OF TIME

The Tax Panel’s mission should not be lowering property taxes but eliminating them. There is no Constitutional authority to tax people out of their property. Not only that but isn’t this the duty of the legislature that they are being paid to do? In the Constitution for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Article 3 Section 14 says: The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth. Act 1 is intended to lower property taxes by using gaming revenue, capping how much a school district can raise without a referendum, and requiring a tax commission to study a tax shift. Did you notice that no where in there did it say to look for and cut wasteful spending in the school districts? Again, this is the job of the legislature. Why are the only options to raise income tax or earned income tax? This still puts the burden on the working class. Are working people the only ones who have kids in school? I think not. Non-working people have kids in school also and should also have to do their part. The only equal way, the only Constitutional way to raise revenue would be consumption (sales tax). This way your property is not being stolen by the government and if you don’t earn a lot you don’t spend a lot, the more you earn the more you spend. Just ask the state to let you look at the figures for what the state takes in for sales tax. Also, by going to sales tax you eliminate tax collectors and their offices that go with them.

There is no Constitutional authority for property tax. Property taxes are a direct violation of the Constitution for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Property tax is nothing more than a ransom on your right to acquire, own and protect property which are enumerated in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution for the United States, 5th Amendment. Also, in the Constitution for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Article 1, Section 1 and the Declaration of Independence. Act 1 is just another way to deceive the people and make them believe that something is being done. The only real property tax relief we need is to abolish the unlawful and un-constitutional property tax completely and immediately, and to make school districts and schools accountable to the people. No longer should we allow our legislators to abandon their responsibilities and duties which they are being paid to do and to steal from the people that which they have the right to protect.

God Bless,
Ronald E. Smith

Laura says :

I firmly disagree with the process of basing school taxes on the "assessed value" of my home. If the school is an asset of the community, then let's all have an equal payment regardless of our property value or income levels.

While in the military, I owned a home in a different state. It was a new and growing community. New schools were being built and old schools remodeled. My property taxes were 1/5th of the taxes I pay here in PA and they included all community services, not just schools.

Over the past few years, there has been a housing boom in the Northwestern Lehigh school district. On the average, each new home has added $5000.00 per year to the school district through property taxes. Many of the people buying these new homes do not have children of school age and so have not increased the K-12 population at Northwestern Lehigh. I would be very interested to see the accounting procedures of the school district. I am very interested in the education of our children, I recognize that as an impotant element to the success of our country. I'd just like to know where the money is going.

gene karl says :

Drumming for the R3volution.....

What did Grand Illuminist Benjamin Franklin say was the major cause of the American Revolution?

Could there be a better... more free form of government
than a Republic?

Did such a better more free form of government exist
in early American history?

What is a Commonwealth really anyway?
Are they keeping the truth away from us on just exactly
what one is?

Aren't Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia and Massachusetts
supposed to be Commonwealths?

Are they really Commonwealths today even though they still claim that fame?

When the U.S.Constitution states that 'No State shall ... emil bills of credit..' and 'No State shall make anything other than gold or silver coin a tender in payment of debt..' does that apply to the Commonwealths? If it does.... should it?

Did the U.S.Constitution destroy the Commonwealths?
Or were they destroyed from within through deception over
the years and incremental lack of knowledge?

Are you seeing what I'm seeing?
Unlimited Taxation and Perpetual Debt.

gene karl
anti-federalist
Liberty Business News
http://www.no-debts.com/libertybusinessnews.html

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