PRINTER'S NO. 550
No. 523 Session of 1981
INTRODUCED BY McVERRY, LEVIN AND TADDONIO, FEBRUARY 10, 1981
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 10, 1981
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of December 31, 1965 (P.L.1257, No.511), 2 entitled "An act empowering cities of the second class, 3 cities of the second class A, cities of the third class, 4 boroughs, towns, townships of the first class, townships of 5 the second class, school districts of the second class, 6 school districts of the third class and school districts of 7 the fourth class including independent school districts, to 8 levy, assess, collect or to provide for the levying, 9 assessment and collection of certain taxes subject to maximum 10 limitations for general revenue purposes; authorizing the 11 establishment of bureaus and the appointment and compensation 12 of officers, agencies and employes to assess and collect such 13 taxes; providing for joint collection of certain taxes, 14 prescribing certain definitions and other provisions for 15 taxes levied and assessed upon earned income, providing for 16 annual audits and for collection of delinquent taxes, and 17 permitting and requiring penalties to be imposed and 18 enforced, including penalties for disclosure of confidential 19 information, providing an appeal from the ordinance or 20 resolution levying such taxes to the court of quarter 21 sessions and to the Supreme Court and Superior Court," 22 further restricting the power to levy real estate transfer 23 taxes on certain transfers between former husbands and wives. 24 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 25 hereby enacts as follows: 26 Section 1. Clause (1) of section 2, act of December 31, 1965 27 (P.L.1257, No.511), known as "The Local Tax Enabling Act," 28 amended October 25, 1979 (P.L.233, No.74), is amended to read:
1 Section 2. Delegation of Taxing Powers and Restrictions 2 Thereon.--The duly constituted authorities of the following 3 political subdivisions, cities of the second class, cities of 4 the second class A, cities of the third class, boroughs, towns, 5 townships of the first class, townships of the second class, 6 school districts of the second class, school districts of the 7 third class, and school districts of the fourth class, in all 8 cases including independent school districts, may, in their 9 discretion, by ordinance or resolution, for general revenue 10 purposes, levy, assess and collect or provide for the levying, 11 assessment and collection of such taxes as they shall determine 12 on persons, transactions, occupations, privileges, subjects and 13 personal property within the limits of such political 14 subdivisions, and upon the transfer of real property, or of any 15 interest in real property, situate within the political 16 subdivision levying and assessing the tax, regardless of where 17 the instruments making the transfers are made, executed or 18 delivered or where the actual settlements on such transfer take 19 place. The taxing authority may provide that the transferee 20 shall remain liable for any unpaid realty transfer taxes imposed 21 by virtue of this act. Each local taxing authority may, by 22 ordinance or resolution, exempt any person whose total income 23 from all sources is less than three thousand two hundred dollars 24 ($3,200) per annum from the per capita or similar head tax, 25 occupation tax and occupational privilege tax, or earned income 26 tax, or any portion thereof, and may adopt regulations for the 27 processing of claims for exemptions. Such local authorities 28 shall not have authority by virtue of this act: 29 (1) To levy, assess and collect or provide for the levying, 30 assessment and collection of any tax on the transfer of real 19810H0523B0550 - 2 -
1 property when the transfer is by will or mortgage or the 2 intestate laws of this Commonwealth or on a transfer by the 3 owner of previously occupied residential premises to a builder 4 of new residential premises when such previously occupied 5 residential premises is taken in trade by such builder as part 6 of the consideration from the purchaser of a new previously 7 unoccupied single family residential premises or on a transfer 8 between corporations operating housing projects pursuant to the 9 housing and redevelopment assistance law and the shareholders 10 thereof, or on a transfer between nonprofit industrial 11 development agencies and industrial corporations purchasing from 12 them, or on transfer to nonprofit industrial development 13 agencies, or on a transfer between husband and wife, or on a 14 transfer between persons who were previously husband and wife 15 but who have since been divorced; provided such transfer is made 16 within three months of the date of the granting of the final 17 decree in divorce, or the decree of equitable distribution of 18 marital property, whichever is later, and the property or 19 interest therein, subject to such transfer, was acquired by the 20 husband and wife, or husband or wife, prior to the granting of 21 the final decree in divorce, or on a transfer between parent and 22 child or the spouse of such a child, or between parent and 23 trustee for the benefit of a child or the spouse of such child, 24 by and between a principal and straw party for the purpose of 25 placing a mortgage or ground rent upon the premises, or on a 26 correctional deed without consideration, or on a transfer to the 27 United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or to any of 28 their instrumentalities, agencies or political subdivisions, by 29 gift, dedication or deed in lieu of condemnation, or deed of 30 confirmation in connection with condemnation proceedings, or 19810H0523B0550 - 3 -
1 reconveyance by the condemning body of the property condemned to 2 the owner of record at the time of condemnation which 3 reconveyance may include property line adjustments provided said 4 reconveyance is made within one year from the date of 5 condemnation, leases, or on a conveyance to a trustee under a 6 recorded trust agreement for the express purpose of holding 7 title in trust as security for a debt contracted at the time of 8 the conveyance under which the trustee is not the lender and 9 requiring the trustee to make reconveyance to the grantor- 10 borrower upon the repayment of the debt, or in any sheriff sale 11 instituted by a mortgagee in which the purchaser of said sheriff 12 sale is the mortgagee who instituted said sale, or on a 13 privilege, transaction, subject, occupation or personal property 14 which is now or does hereafter become subject to a State tax or 15 license fee; 16 * * * 17 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 30 days. L19L72CVV/19810H0523B0550 - 4 -