A bill introduced into the General Assembly would amend the Public School Code by adding a section after the language on tax levies to require a two-thirds majority vote of members. Outside of Philadelphia, where there is a five member school reform commission, all school boards are comprised of nine members elected either by specific area (district or region) or at large. So instead of five members required to raise taxes (within the confines of Act 1 of 2006) it would take six to increase taxes.
The main advocate for school boards in the Commonwealth has some reservations with the proposal, and would like to see the two-thirds requirement extend to the General Assembly first, and then all local governments (counties and municipalities–Allegheny County does currently have a two-thirds requirement in its Home Rule Charter and we recommended something similar for a taxpayer bill of rights that could go into the City of Pittsburgh’s Home Rule Charter).
