Thursday, April 06, 2006
Property Tax Reform: The Never Ending Story
The Pennsylvania legislature is now entering its umpteenth year of saying it means to do something about property taxes. The wrangling continues. Plan after plan gets presented, dumped on, and slides into oblivion. The problem of course is that there are too many constituents on too many sides of the issue. Virtually every plan involves lowering property tax by shifting to some other tax and that means some groups are made worse off while others benefit. So, the debate becomes sterile and unending.
Here’s a better idea. Let’s go to the cause of high property taxes and do something about that. First, the legislature should require every budget, bond issue, and tax increase to be submitted to voters in a referendum. Then it will be up to the local taxpayers to decide how much they are willing to spend. That will, to a large extent, move the issue off the legislators’ plate. If district or municipality voters continually vote for tax increases, those who live there and don’t like the taxes will simply have to move elsewhere.
Second, eliminate the right of teachers and other school employees to strike. There is no better way to get control of spending than to create more balance in the labor negotiations process. At the very least, the legislature should adopt something like New York’s plan that takes away two days pay and benefits for each day teachers are out of the classroom due to a strike.
It’s time to get serious about spending and give the local officials and voters direct control of taxation. The reason taxpayers are outraged is that everyone passes the buck.
Here’s a better idea. Let’s go to the cause of high property taxes and do something about that. First, the legislature should require every budget, bond issue, and tax increase to be submitted to voters in a referendum. Then it will be up to the local taxpayers to decide how much they are willing to spend. That will, to a large extent, move the issue off the legislators’ plate. If district or municipality voters continually vote for tax increases, those who live there and don’t like the taxes will simply have to move elsewhere.
Second, eliminate the right of teachers and other school employees to strike. There is no better way to get control of spending than to create more balance in the labor negotiations process. At the very least, the legislature should adopt something like New York’s plan that takes away two days pay and benefits for each day teachers are out of the classroom due to a strike.
It’s time to get serious about spending and give the local officials and voters direct control of taxation. The reason taxpayers are outraged is that everyone passes the buck.
