PRINTER'S NO. 565
No. 502 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY GODSHALL, CORNELL, LAWLESS, HERSHEY, ARMSTRONG,
RAYMOND, FICHTER, STEIL, ROBERTS, TRELLO, REBER AND BUNT,
FEBRUARY 12, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 12, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of May 22, 1933 (P.L.853, No.155), entitled "An
2 act relating to taxation; designating the subjects, property
3 and persons subject to and exempt from taxation for all local
4 purposes; providing for and regulating the assessment and
5 valuation of persons, property and subjects of taxation for
6 county purposes, and for the use of those municipal and
7 quasi-municipal corporations which levy their taxes on county
8 assessments and valuations; amending, revising and
9 consolidating the law relating thereto; and repealing
10 existing laws," further providing for the valuation of
11 property.
12 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
13 hereby enacts as follows:
14 Section 1. Section 402(b) of the act of May 22, 1933
15 (P.L.853, No.155), known as The General County Assessment Law,
16 amended December 13, 1982 (P.L.1160, No.268), is amended to
17 read:
18 Section 402. Valuation of Property.--* * *
19 (b) (1) Except as to counties of the first and second class
20 and except as otherwise provided in clause (2), after any county
21 makes a county-wide revision of assessment of real property at
22 values based upon an established predetermined ratio as required
1 by law or after any county changes its established predetermined
2 ratio, each political subdivision, which hereafter for the first
3 time levies its real estate taxes on that revised assessment or
4 valuation, shall, for the first year, reduce its tax rate, if
5 necessary, for the purpose of having the total amount of taxes
6 levied for that year against the real properties contained in
7 the duplicate for the preceding year, equal, in the case of any
8 taxing district, not more than ten per centum greater than the
9 total amount it levied on such properties the preceding year,
10 notwithstanding the increased valuations of such properties
11 under the revised assessment.
12 (2) After a county of the second class A makes a county-wide
13 revision of assessment of real property at values based upon an
14 established predetermined ratio as required by law or after a
15 county of the second class A changes its established
16 predetermined ratio, each political subdivision, which hereafter
17 for the first time levies its real estate taxes on that revised
18 assessment or valuation, shall, for the first year, reduce its
19 tax rate, if necessary, for the purpose of having the total
20 amount of taxes levied for that year against the real properties
21 contained in the duplicate for the preceding year, equal, in the
22 case of any taxing district, not more than five per centum (5%)
23 greater than the total amount it levied on such properties the
24 preceding year, notwithstanding the increased valuations of such
25 properties under the revised assessment.
26 (3) For the purpose of determining the total amount of taxes
27 to be levied for [said] the first year under clause (1) or (2),
28 the amount to be levied on newly constructed buildings or
29 structures or on increased valuations based on new improvements
30 made to existing houses need not be considered. The tax rate
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1 shall be fixed for that year at a figure which will accomplish
2 this purpose.
3 (4) With the approval of the court of common pleas, upon
4 good cause shown, any such political subdivision may increase
5 the tax rate herein prescribed, notwithstanding the provisions
6 of this subsection.
7 Section 2. This act shall be retroactive to January 1, 1997.
8 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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