Bob Logue

MAYOR FIGHTS UNFIT LANDLORDS WHO RENT TO DRUG DEALERS AND OTHER UNDESIRABLES

One of the best ways for most families to acquire wealth is through home ownership. Federal, state and local governments have programs to assist lower income home buyers to purchase homes. However, property taxes then force some of these home buyers to sell or worse yet, lose their homes to sheriff sale. Property tax reform plans that propose abolishing property taxes on commercial industrial and residential properties will encourage real estate speculators and investors to buy up more homes to use as rental properties. That will damage…not rebuild communities.

Absentee landlords are already the number one problem for many municipalities. They often contribute greatly to deterioration of neighborhoods and communities by failing to maintain their properties and some will rent to anyone.

On June 14th, 2006, Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O’Connor spoke to 100 angry and fearful residents of the Carrick neighborhood of the city. The mayor pledged to fight against landlords who rent to drug dealers and other undesirable persons who have hurt the quality of life in Carrick, one of the city’s most family oriented neighborhoods. Mayor O’Connor voiced his concern that some judges are lenient on absentee landlords who violate codes or rent to persons involved in criminal activity. This is precisely what we are referring to.

A District Magistrate, now retired, told this writer that drug dealers are buying homes at sheriff sale and other properties and putting their street pushers in the houses. She said the upper level dealers use the apartments to keep their street dealers working for them selling drugs on the streets.

A mayor of another city told this writer that his administration spends more time fighting absentee landlords than on anything else. Do we want to worsen this serious problem? Do we want to destroy more neighborhoods and communities by having even more absentee ownership of homes? If NOT, then do NOT support any property tax plan that removes property taxes from commercial and industrial properties—including rental units. Let’s not try to correct one problem, but then exacerbate another one.

Ownership changes attitude and that is why the STOP Primary Residence Protection Plan has focused on abolishing all property taxes---school, county and municipal just on primary residences (homesteads and farmsteads.) We solve the problems of: unfair and unjust assessments and reassessments; constantly rising property taxes; sheriff sales of peoples’ homes; and governmental theft of people’s equity. Additionally, our plan also helps many more families and individuals to build wealth through home ownership. And, our plan will rebuild our communities and neighborhoods.

Tell your legislators you want the right to vote on an amendment that would permit the abolishment of property taxes on primary residences, and replace them with broad based taxes like sales and state income taxes. Tell them you were not fooled by HB 39…and if no further action on this matter is taken before the November election, you will certainly NOT vote for their re-election. –Bob Logue, STOP Primary Residence Protection Plan. www.grandoldusa.com -- ucblogue@verizon.net

Visitor Comments:

Anonymous says :
I respectfully disagree.
You yourself say "ownership changes attitude", indicating that the only people who take pride in their properties are owners of sinlge family residences. And that owners of rental units dont care about what happens in or to their properties. As a landlord, this is completely false. Rental units are businesses, just like any other. And making your business more appealing to potential consumers is the name of the game. My units are more attractive than most neighbors single family properties, and have more manicured lanscaping to boot! I need to attract and keep good rent paying tenants, or I loose my properties to foreclosure.
I concede there are absentee landlords, who buy homes with cash at judicial/sheriff sales that fit your description. But the numbers are very, very small. You need to concentrate your energy on penalizing the violators, through targeted legislation, like what ther Mayor is doing. Dont paint us all with a broad brush, I deserve tax relief too...!
John says :
To Anonymous

Recently many television and radio advertisments are promoting how to get rich by buying homes at sheriff sales. One can get a listing for only $39.95 that tells you how to do it.

The evictions have caused death to an elderly man who could not pay his property taxes. He was found hanging from a rafter when the sheriff came to evict him. Another case a woman in her 80's taking care of an mentally disabled daughter was evicted in sub-zero weather. There are other sad cases. Make a huge profit at some person's misery.

Loss of spouce,loss of job, ill health, and those on a fixed income that can't keep pace with the high rising cost of property taxes are evicted. This is a shame and a sin for this to occur in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The governor and legislators ignore these folks and don't care. We do need a Clean Sweep in Pennsylvania. We must vote the right way in the fall election. If legislator and the governor can't do it with onli RELIEF or REDUCTION which is a Hoax and a FRAUD, WE MUST vote for those who can do it the right way and abolish this ungodly property tax on primary residences forever.
Tom says :
Even though you wish it, rental property is not going to go away. Many people are not as fortunate to have good credit, brought on by divorce, health problems/medical bills, bankruptcy, etc... These folks consequently dont qualify for conventional mortgages to buy houses like you and me.
Even though these folks rent, doesnt mean they dont pay property taxes. Rent is comprised of homeowners and flood insurance, municipal taxes, maintenance/repair costs, mortgage principal and interest, escrow, and PROPERTY TAX. If property tax on ALL residential properties were eliminated, rents would decrease making attractive quality housing more affordable, and slumlords would be out-of-business!
Anonymous says :
Any way you look at it, those buying homes at sheriff sales are out to make a huge profit. Many rentals are not taken care of properly. School districts are using firms now to collect their taxes for the school. Ending up with the owners being charged huge attorney, penalty, and a fee since they were given a payment plan to pay taxes on their home. This evil property tax needs to be abolished as it is unconstitional. Who are these collection firms and who is involved that are destroying the American dream of owning one's home? What legislators voted for this practice to get the schools off the hook. It will all come out sooner or later. Time will tell us.
Brian says :
I wrote some time ago on this issue but thought I'd throw it out there again. The 4th Amendment ststes that the people shall be free from unreasonable search and seizure of their property. The key word here being "unreasonable." It seems to me that seizing a home is unreasonable and seizing the equity of that home is more unreasonable. This entire system of seizing property sounds like something the King of England did when this Commonwealth was a Colony! Maybe there are attornies who are better versed in Constitutional Law than I who could look into this.


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