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                                                       PRINTER'S NO. 214

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 191 Session of 1997


        INTRODUCED BY LESCOVITZ, VAN HORNE, TIGUE, TRELLO, FLICK, COY,
           BELARDI, DALEY AND PRESTON, FEBRUARY 4, 1997

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 4, 1997

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of June 17, 1913 (P.L.507, No.335), entitled
     2     "An act to provide revenue for State and county purposes,
     3     and, in cities coextensive with counties, for city and county
     4     purposes; imposing taxes upon certain classes of personal
     5     property; providing for the assessment and collection of the
     6     same; providing for the duties and compensation of
     7     prothonotaries and recorders in connection therewith; and
     8     modifying existing legislation which provided for raising
     9     revenue for State purposes," authorizing an alternative tax
    10     based on the income earned from personal property; and making
    11     editorial changes.

    12     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    13  hereby enacts as follows:
    14     Section 1.  The title of the act of June 17, 1913 (P.L.507,
    15  No.335), referred to as the Intangible Personal Property Tax
    16  Law, is amended to read:
    17                               AN ACT
    18  To provide revenue for [State and] county purposes, and, in
    19     cities coextensive with counties, for city and county
    20     purposes; imposing taxes upon the values or income of certain
    21     classes of personal property; providing for the assessment
    22     and collection of the same; providing for the duties and

     1     compensation of prothonotaries and recorders in connection
     2     therewith; and modifying existing legislation which provided
     3     for raising revenue for State purposes.
     4     Section 2.  Section 1.1 of the act, added April 18, 1978
     5  (P.L.56, No.26), is amended to read:
     6     Section 1.1.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this law
     7  to the contrary, the county commissioners of each county of the
     8  second through eighth class, and the city council in cities and
     9  counties of the first class, shall have the power to determine
    10  whether or not to impose and collect the taxes permitted under
    11  the provisions of this law; fix the rate of tax for the tax
    12  imposed under section 1 or in lieu of the tax under section 1 to
    13  impose and collect the tax under section 1.2.
    14     Section 3.  The act is amended by adding a section to read:
    15     Section 1.2.  (a)  Each county and each city coextensive with
    16  a county shall have the power to levy, assess and collect a tax
    17  up to a maximum annual rate of two and one-half per cent on the
    18  income of any resident, as defined in section 1, derived as
    19  interest, dividends or income from the subjects of taxation set
    20  forth in section 1, excluding income derived from the sale of
    21  those subjects of taxation. A county or city coextensive with a
    22  county may impose either the tax authorized by this section or
    23  the tax authorized by section 1; but nothing in this act shall
    24  be construed to confer upon each county and each city
    25  coextensive with a county the power to levy, assess and collect
    26  both of the taxes set forth in this act simultaneously. The
    27  rights, duties and powers set forth in this act which relate to
    28  levying, assessing, and collecting the tax authorized by section
    29  1, including reporting and filing requirements, the imposition
    30  of and limits on penalties and interest and rights of appeal
    19970H0191B0214                  - 2 -

     1  shall be applicable to levying, assessing, and collecting the
     2  tax authorized by this section; and each county and each city
     3  coextensive with a county imposing the tax authorized by this
     4  section shall have the power to use and amend, where necessary,
     5  the forms and procedures authorized in preceding sections of
     6  this act. Any election under this section by a city coextensive
     7  with a county shall not affect the power of a city of the first
     8  class coterminous with a school district of the first class to
     9  authorize the imposition of a tax under the act of August 9,
    10  1963 (P.L.640, No.338), entitled "An act empowering cities of
    11  the first class, coterminous with school districts of the first
    12  class, to authorize the boards of public education of such
    13  school districts to impose certain additional taxes for school
    14  district purposes, and providing for the levy, assessment and
    15  collection of such taxes."
    16     (b)  No act of the General Assembly heretofore or hereinafter
    17  enacted shall vacate or preempt any ordinance passed or adopted
    18  under the authority of this section, providing authority for the
    19  imposition of a tax by a county, unless the act of the General
    20  Assembly expressly vacates or preempts the authority to pass or
    21  adopt these ordinances.
    22     Section 4.  Section 4.1(a) of the act, amended or added July
    23  3, 1947 (P.L.1249, No.513) and October 4, 1978 (P.L.994,
    24  No.206), is amended to read:
    25     Section 4.1.  (a)  For the purpose of ascertaining the amount
    26  of tax payable under this act, every resident liable to pay such
    27  tax shall, each year, on or before such date as shall be fixed
    28  by the board for the revision of taxes or the county
    29  commissioners transmit to the board for the revision of taxes,
    30  or the county commissioners, upon a form prescribed, prepared
    19970H0191B0214                  - 3 -

     1  and furnished by the board of revision of taxes, or the county
     2  commissioners, a return certified as provided in this act:
     3     (1)  The aggregate actual value and income of each part of
     4  the different classes of property made taxable by this act,
     5  held, owned or possessed by such resident as of the date fixed
     6  annually, in the manner provided herein, either in his own right
     7  or as trustee, agent, attorney-in-fact or in any other capacity
     8  for the use, benefit or advantage of any other person,
     9  copartnership, unincorporated association, company, limited
    10  partnership, joint-stock association or corporation.
    11     (2)  Such other relevant information as may be required by
    12  the board of revision of taxes, or county commissioners,
    13  concerning each of the different classes of property enumerated
    14  in this act owned, held or in any manner possessed by such
    15  resident.
    16     * * *
    17     Section 5.  Section 16.1 of the act is repealed.
    18     Section 6.  This act shall apply to the tax year beginning
    19  January 1, 1997, and each tax year thereafter.
    20     Section 7.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.







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