PRINTER'S NO. 1363
No. 1175 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY FRYER, SWEET, STUBAN, A. C. FOSTER, JR. AND LEVI, JUNE 8, 1983
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, JUNE 8, 1983
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 excluding from the authority to levy realty transfer taxes 23 transfers between brothers and sisters or their spouses. 24 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 25 hereby enacts as follows: 26 Section 1. Section 2(1) of the act of December 31, 1965 27 (P.L.1257, No.511), known as The Local Tax Enabling Act, amended 28 July 1, 1981 (P.L.184, No.53) and June 23, 1982 (P.L.593,
1 No.168), is amended to read: 2 Section 2. Delegation of Taxing Powers and Restrictions 3 Thereon.--The duly constituted authorities of the following 4 political subdivisions, cities of the second class, cities of 5 the second class A, cities of the third class, boroughs, towns, 6 townships of the first class, townships of the second class, 7 school districts of the second class, school districts of the 8 third class, and school districts of the fourth class, in all 9 cases including independent school districts, may, in their 10 discretion, by ordinance or resolution, for general revenue 11 purposes, levy, assess and collect or provide for the levying, 12 assessment and collection of such taxes as they shall determine 13 on persons, transactions, occupations, privileges, subjects and 14 personal property within the limits of such political 15 subdivisions, and upon the transfer of real property, or of any 16 interest in real property, situate within the political 17 subdivision levying and assessing the tax, regardless of where 18 the instruments making the transfers are made, executed or 19 delivered or where the actual settlements on such transfer take 20 place. The taxing authority may provide that the transferee 21 shall remain liable for any unpaid realty transfer taxes imposed 22 by virtue of this act. Each local taxing authority may, by 23 ordinance or resolution, exempt any person whose total income 24 from all sources is less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) per 25 annum from the per capita or similar head tax, occupation tax 26 and occupational privilege tax, or earned income tax, or any 27 portion thereof, and may adopt regulations for the processing of 28 claims for exemptions. Such local authorities shall not have 29 authority by virtue of this act: 30 (1) To levy, assess and collect or provide for the levying, 19830H1175B1363 - 2 -
1 assessment and collection of any tax on the transfer of real 2 property when the transfer is by will or mortgage or the 3 intestate laws of this Commonwealth or on a transfer by the 4 owner of previously occupied residential premises to a builder 5 of new residential premises when such previously occupied 6 residential premises is taken in trade by such builder as part 7 of the consideration from the purchaser of a new previously 8 unoccupied single family residential premises or on a transfer 9 between corporations operating housing projects pursuant to the 10 housing and redevelopment assistance law and the shareholders 11 thereof, or on a transfer between nonprofit industrial 12 development agencies and industrial corporations purchasing from 13 them, or on transfer to or from nonprofit industrial development 14 agencies, or on a transfer between husband and wife, or on a 15 transfer between persons who were previously husband and wife 16 but who have since been divorced; provided such transfer is made 17 within three months of the date of the granting of the final 18 decree in divorce, or the decree of equitable distribution of 19 marital property, whichever is later, and the property or 20 interest therein, subject to such transfer, was acquired by the 21 husband and wife, or husband or wife, prior to the granting of 22 the final decree in divorce, or on a transfer between parent and 23 child or the spouse of such a child, or between parent and 24 trustee for the benefit of a child or the spouse of such child, 25 or on a transfer between a grandparent and grandchild or the 26 spouse of such grandchild, or on a transfer between brother and 27 sister or the spouse of such brother or sister, or on a transfer 28 to a conservancy which possesses a tax-exempt status pursuant to 29 section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and which has as 30 its primary purpose the preservation of land for historic, 19830H1175B1363 - 3 -
1 recreational, scenic, agricultural or open space opportunities, 2 by and between a principal and straw party for the purpose of 3 placing a mortgage or ground rent upon the premises, or on a 4 correctional deed without consideration, or on a transfer to the 5 United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or to any of 6 their instrumentalities, agencies or political subdivisions, by 7 gift, dedication or deed in lieu of condemnation, or deed of 8 confirmation in connection with condemnation proceedings, or 9 reconveyance by the condemning body of the property condemned to 10 the owner of record at the time of condemnation which 11 reconveyance may include property line adjustments provided said 12 reconveyance is made within one year from the date of 13 condemnation, leases, or on a conveyance to a trustee under a 14 recorded trust agreement for the express purpose of holding 15 title in trust as security for a debt contracted at the time of 16 the conveyance under which the trustee is not the lender and 17 requiring the trustee to make reconveyance to the grantor- 18 borrower upon the repayment of the debt, or in any sheriff sale 19 instituted by a mortgagee in which the purchaser of said sheriff 20 sale is the mortgagee who instituted said sale, or on a 21 privilege, transaction, subject, occupation or personal property 22 which is now or does hereafter become subject to a State tax or 23 license fee; 24 * * * 25 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. D19L53RW/19830H1175B1363 - 4 -