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Senator Rhoades Presents Property Tax Reform ProposalHARRISBURG- On Tuesday, November 15th Senator James J. Rhoades (R-29) will present his property tax reform proposal, known as the Fairness in Education Funding Act, to the Senate Special Committee on Legislation. Rhoades, who serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, noted that this hearing marks the third in a series of public hearings on property tax reform. "Many residents of our senatorial district have indicated that the property taxes that fund approximately sixty percent of local school district expenses are very burdensome and still do not provide the support to meet our education needs," said Rhoades. "It is my objective that these hearings will address these problems and provide a fair, working document that will not only benefit Pennsylvania’s school children but will also provide property tax relief to rural property owners." The Fairness in Education Funding Act will shift the responsibility for funding public schools from the regressive property tax to a more progressive state income tax. The proposal attempts to provide a fairer distribution of state education dollars to school districts that need it the most. "The key problem this proposal would address is that many regions of the Commonwealth still depend on expensive property tax bills and are equally limited by personal income," said Rhoades. "My proposal will result in rural school districts reducing property taxes and recovering financial support based on state equity to education." "We must provide a quality education for all our children. This is a constitutional mandate that the General Assembly has and one that I intend to fulfill so that all of Pennsylvania’s students have the skills and knowledge to succeed in the 21st century."
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