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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY QUIGLEY, BEAR, BOBACK, BOYD, BRADFORD, BRIGGS, CALTAGIRONE, COX, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DALEY, DAVIDSON, DeLUCA, DENLINGER, DONATUCCI, EVANKOVICH, FARRY, FREEMAN, GEIST, GIBBONS, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GROVE, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, KAUFFMAN, M. K. KELLER, KORTZ, KRIEGER, LAWRENCE, MAHONEY, MALONEY, MARSICO, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MILNE, MIRABITO, MOUL, MURT, O'NEILL, PASHINSKI, PERRY, PICKETT, PRESTON, RAPP, ROCK, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SONNEY, STEPHENS, SWANGER, TALLMAN, THOMAS, TOEPEL, TOOHIL, VEREB, VULAKOVICH AND WATSON, JUNE 13, 2012 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 13, 2012 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Establishing a select committee to investigate and review the |
2 | interrelationship between all current sources of school |
3 | district and local government tax revenue, with a focus on |
4 | property taxes, the current system of Federal and State |
5 | funding of school districts and other local government |
6 | functions. |
7 | WHEREAS, Property taxes continue to burden Commonwealth |
8 | homeowners and businesses and an overreliance on them, or any |
9 | other single source of tax revenue, undermines the long-term |
10 | sustainability of our school districts, our local governments, |
11 | our communities and our State; and |
12 | WHEREAS, The level of property taxes and other local taxes |
13 | appears to be directly related to the level of State support for |
14 | public education and other local government functions; and |
15 | WHEREAS, The act of June 27, 2006 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.1873, |
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1 | No.1), known as the Taxpayer Relief Act, placed limits on |
2 | property tax increases and provided reductions for older |
3 | homeowners and others which addressed some aspects of the |
4 | current property tax problems facing individuals and |
5 | communities; and |
6 | WHEREAS, Many Pennsylvanians do not understand or agree on |
7 | the basic facts, data and research related to this issue, |
8 | without which policymakers cannot properly identify and |
9 | implement effective long-term solutions to this problem; and |
10 | WHEREAS, School districts and local governments across this |
11 | Commonwealth are under pressure from residents to lower property |
12 | and other taxes, while also facing significant budget, revenue, |
13 | infrastructure and pension challenges of their own; therefore be |
14 | it |
15 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives establish a |
16 | select committee to investigate, review and make recommendations |
17 | regarding: |
18 | (1) the relative level of all current sources of school |
19 | district and local government tax revenue across this |
20 | Commonwealth, with a focus on property taxes; |
21 | (2) the relationship between the level of tax revenue |
22 | under paragraph (1) and the Federal and State funding of |
23 | school districts and local governments; |
24 | (3) the historical changes in the levels of tax revenue |
25 | and Federal and State funding of school districts and local |
26 | governments, with a focus on the effects of these changes on |
27 | public education and other local government functions and the |
28 | impact of the Taxpayer Relief Act; |
29 | (4) any possible connections between these issues, other |
30 | property tax issues, such as assessment and collection |
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1 | systems and other imminent State budget issues, including |
2 | revenue shortfalls, infrastructure and pension issues, and |
3 | tax reforms; and |
4 | (5) any potential budgetary, revenue and governance |
5 | reforms necessary to address these matters; |
6 | and be it further |
7 | RESOLVED, That the Majority Leader of the House of |
8 | Representatives appoint the following members of the House of |
9 | Representatives to the select committee: |
10 | (1) three members of the Education Committee; |
11 | (2) three members of the Finance Committee; |
12 | (3) three members of the Urban Affairs Committee; |
13 | (4) three members of the Local Government Committee; and |
14 | (5) three additional members; |
15 | and be it further |
16 | RESOLVED, That the Minority Leader of the House of |
17 | Representatives appoint the following members of the House of |
18 | Representatives to the select committee: |
19 | (1) three members of the Education Committee; |
20 | (2) three members of the Finance Committee; |
21 | (3) three members of the Urban Affairs Committee; and |
22 | (4) three members of the Local Government Committee; |
23 | and be it further |
24 | RESOLVED, That the select committee select a chairman, hold |
25 | hearings, take testimony and make its investigation at the |
26 | places it deems necessary in this Commonwealth; and be it |
27 | further |
28 | RESOLVED, That the select committee be empowered to call |
29 | witnesses under the hand and seal of the chairman and |
30 | instructing any person to appear before it to answer questions |
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1 | touching matters properly being inquired into by the committee |
2 | and to produce books, papers, records, accounts, reports and |
3 | documents as the committee deems necessary; and be it further |
4 | RESOLVED, That the Committees on Education, Finance, Urban |
5 | Affairs and Local Government assist the select committee to the |
6 | extent deemed necessary by the select committee, including |
7 | obtaining relevant data and other research; and be it further |
8 | RESOLVED, That the ordinary and reasonable expenses incurred |
9 | by the select committee be paid from accounts under the control |
10 | of the Chief Clerk; and be it further |
11 | RESOLVED, That the select committee submit a report of its |
12 | findings together with its recommendations for any appropriate |
13 | legislation or other action to the House of Representatives not |
14 | later than 180 days following the adoption of this resolution or |
15 | November 30, 2012, whichever is later, and its existence shall |
16 | continue until the submission of the report. |
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