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Kiplinger Report Finds Pennsylvania First Worst In Taxes Among 50 States

Kiplinger Publications in their Spring 2002 edition, has examined the tax load people bear in each of our 50 state capitals and Washington D.C. They studied state Income Tax; Sales Tax, and Property Taxes.

The chart is interesting from several angles. First, it again shows that Pennsylvania is FIRST WORST when combining those three taxes; and secondly, the chart shows most states do NOT rely as heaily on property taxes as we do in Pennsylvania. It is the high property tax that pushes our state to the first worst position.

Harrisburg, our PA state capital was low in State Income Tax, moderate on Sales Tax, but very high in property taxes. But, add all three together, and once again we top the chart as the worst tax state. Trenton, New Jersey is second, followed by Concord, New Hampshire; Montpelier, Vermont; and Madison Wisconsin.

One could own a #329,610 home in Santa Fe, New Mexico and pay just $1,288 in property taxes. While in Harrisburg, a $112,330 home costs the taxpayer $6,551 in property taxes. One could own a $275,560 home in Annapolis, Maryland and pay just $3,483, while a home in Harrisburg worth less than half as much, would cost the taxpayer $3,088 more per year than the Marylander would pay in property tax.

One could move to Honolulu, Hawaii and own a $357,310 home, and pay just $939 property tax, versus the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania who would pay $6,551 on a home valued at just $112,000.

Is it any wonder people are leaving Pennsylvania, or are not coming here. Retirees who can save $5 or $6,000 per year just on property taxes find other areas more attractive. Young people who have left Pennsylvania to find better job opportunities will be hard pressed to reutrn if where they live has much lower taxes on their property. And, their senior parents are likely to follow them to be closer to their grandchildren, and for the much lower property taxes as well.

Visitor Comments:

Dave in PGH says :
The largest and highest paid legislature has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Not only that but due to special interests and the fact that there is no difference between republican and democrat in this commonwealth, things will not change anytime soon.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/opinion/columnists/mcnickle/s_370265.html
Anonymous says :
WE have too many political "jobs" yes including workers who don't know what a full days work is.Their qualifications are vote getters for some politician.
Anonymous says :
Pennsylvania also has a large amount of state employees making over six figures with great benefits. Count me among those that have recently left...God bless Texas.
Anonymous says :
I fussed about my aging parents paying property taxes especially school taxes (being the highest tax); this was fussing for over 30 years for them!! NOW 30 years later I'm still fussing; since I'm now retired,soon to be on medicare; own my own home (no children) and still fussing!!
Anonymous says :
This summary of the Kiplinger report compares PA property taxes to those in New Mexico and Hawaii. What it doesn't do is compare the educational programs in public schools in those states to ours. We are near the top, but they are in the bottom few! Is that what you want, to destroy our public schools? I don't want that for my child! I moved to one of the best school districts in suburban Philadelphia and did so with the FULL KNOWLEDGE of my "high" property taxes (greater than 6K per year for a 3 BR, 1.5 BA house on a small property), but I did so for a reason! I want my daughter to go to a great school. This is still far cheaper than sending her to some elite private school and far superior to any of the Catholic schools around here where kids are packed into rooms like sardines, and teachers teach using outdated, irrelevant methods. Thanks, but I'll take things the way they are. If you aren't happy with the taxes in your community, move! Try Santa Fe or Hawaii and see if you think they're really so much cheaper than where you are now.
Anonymous says :
If you think more tax will give your children better education then why this country is in 20th place among industrialized countrys that spend far less when we per student. Why most reseach facilitys look like United Nations.
It just may be that educational system is broken
and throwing more money to this rat hole won't fix the problem.


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