Wednesday, September 26, 2007
One Level of Taxpayer Protection Achieved
An entry last week detailed three separate measures aimed to give County taxpayers added protection against the proposed vehicle rental and alcohol taxes intended to fund PAT operations. There is a petition drive to ask for a countywide referendum; an ordinance introduced by a Council member to have a referendum; and an ordinance extending the current super-majority provision of a 2/3 vote on property tax rates to cover any new tax the County may have the authority to levy.
That latter bill passed by a 15-0 count and was signed by the Executive at the end of last week. Under the terms of the legislation, it would now require 10 Council members to vote to authorize new taxes for mass transit.
It is unclear what effect, if any, the passage of this bill will have on the petition drive or the referendum bill, which is in committee. We have advocated putting these taxes up for a Countywide vote to serve as a binding declaration on what taxpayers think of the situation at PAT. Of course, if the Act 44 legislation crumbles because of the I-80 situation, the local option taxes will likewise be up in the air.
That latter bill passed by a 15-0 count and was signed by the Executive at the end of last week. Under the terms of the legislation, it would now require 10 Council members to vote to authorize new taxes for mass transit.
It is unclear what effect, if any, the passage of this bill will have on the petition drive or the referendum bill, which is in committee. We have advocated putting these taxes up for a Countywide vote to serve as a binding declaration on what taxpayers think of the situation at PAT. Of course, if the Act 44 legislation crumbles because of the I-80 situation, the local option taxes will likewise be up in the air.
