1Reestablishing a select committee to continue investigating and
2reviewing the interrelationship between all current sources
3of school district and local government tax revenue, with a
4focus on property taxes, the current system of Federal and
5State funding of school districts and other local government
6functions.

7WHEREAS, Property taxes continue to burden Commonwealth
8homeowners and businesses and an overreliance on them, or any
9other single source of tax revenue, undermines the long-term
10sustainability of our school districts, our local governments,
11our communities and our State; and

12WHEREAS, The level of property taxes and other local taxes
13appears to be directly related to the level of State support for
14public education and other local government functions; and

15WHEREAS, The act of June 27, 2006 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.1873,
16No.1), known as the Taxpayer Relief Act, placed limits on
17property tax increases and provided reductions for older

1homeowners and others which addressed some aspects of the
2current property tax problems facing individuals and
3communities; and

4WHEREAS, Many Pennsylvanians do not understand or agree on
5the basic facts, data and research related to this issue,
6without which policymakers cannot properly identify and
7implement effective long-term solutions to this problem; and

8WHEREAS, School districts and local governments across this
9Commonwealth are under pressure from residents to lower property
10and other taxes, while also facing significant budget, revenue,
11infrastructure and pension challenges of their own; and

12WHEREAS, House Resolution 774 of the 2011-2012 Legislative
13Session established a committee to study the issue of property
14taxes throughout this Commonwealth and make recommendations to
15the General Assembly on this issue; and

16WHEREAS, The first recommendation issued by the committee was
17that the work of the committee was valuable and unfinished and
18that the committee should be reestablished in 2013; therefore be
19it

20RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives reestablish a
21select committee to continue investigating, reviewing and making
22recommendations regarding:

23(1) the relative level of all current sources of school
24district and local government tax revenue across this
25Commonwealth, with a focus on property taxes;

26(2) the relationship between the level of tax revenue
27under paragraph (1) and the Federal and State funding of
28school districts and local governments, including the effect
29of State program funding cuts;

30(3) the historical changes in the levels of tax revenue

1and Federal and State funding of school districts and local
2governments, with a focus on the effects of these changes on
3public education and other local government functions and the
4impact of the Taxpayer Relief Act;

5(4) any possible connections between these issues, other
6property tax issues, such as assessment and collection
7systems and other imminent State budget issues, including
8revenue shortfalls, unfunded mandates, State program funding
9cuts, infrastructure and pension issues, and tax reforms; and

10(5) any potential budgetary, revenue and governance
11reforms necessary to address these matters;

12and be it further

13RESOLVED, That the select committee monitor the progress of
14recommendations and legislation that comes from the effort of
15the select committee created under House Resolution 774 of
162011-2012 and conduct further hearings and issue additional
17research-based recommendations; and be it further

18RESOLVED, That the Majority Leader of the House of
19Representatives appoint, within 15 days of passage of this
20resolution, the following members of the House of
21Representatives to the select committee:

22(1) one member of the Education Committee;

23(2) one member of the Finance Committee;

24(3) one member of the Urban Affairs Committee;

25(4) one member of the Local Government Committee;

26(5) one member of the Environmental Resources and Energy
27Committee;

28(6) one member of the Transportation Committee; and

29(7) one additional member;

30and be it further

1RESOLVED, That the Minority Leader of the House of
2Representatives appoint, within 15 days of passage of this
3resolution, the following members of the House of
4Representatives to the select committee:

5(1) one member of the Education Committee;

6(2) one member of the Finance Committee;

7(3) one member of the Urban Affairs Committee;

8(4) one member of the Local Government Committee;

9(5) one member of the Environmental Resources and Energy
10Committee; and

11(6) one member of the Transportation Committee;

12and be it further

13RESOLVED, That the select committee select a chairman, hold
14hearings, take testimony and make its investigation at the
15places it deems necessary in this Commonwealth; and be it
16further

17RESOLVED, That the select committee be empowered to call
18witnesses under the hand and seal of the chairman and
19instructing any person to appear before it to answer questions
20touching matters properly being inquired into by the committee
21and to produce books, papers, records, accounts, reports and
22documents as the committee deems necessary; and be it further

23RESOLVED, That the Majority Leader and Minority Leader
24provide staffing and assistance to the select committee,
25including obtaining relevant data and other research; and be it
26further

27RESOLVED, That the ordinary and reasonable expenses incurred
28by the select committee be paid from accounts under the control
29of the Chief Clerk; and be it further

30RESOLVED, That the select committee submit periodic

1recommendations and findings as it sees fit and a report of its
2findings together with its recommendations for any appropriate
3legislation or other action to the House of Representatives not
4later than November 30, 2014.