PA House votes to give slots money to seniors for tax relief

The PA state House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Tuesday torelieve lower income seniors of their school property tax burden,undercutting a proposal that would have slashed property taxes for allhomeowners but raised sales and income taxes.  The property tax debate was expected tocontinue Wednesday amid uncertainty about what if anything will finallyemerge from the chamber.

The plan that was approved Tuesday, sponsoredby veteran Republican floor strategist Rep. John M. Perzel ofPhiladelphia, would dedicate the billion dollars or more a year thatthe slots gambling industry is projected to generate to pay the taxesof older Pennsylvanians on 600,000 homes and other properties.
It passed 159-36 but requires another favorable vote to be sent to the Senate.

Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene, saidthe House would next take up a proposal to amend the constitution byending school districts’ authority to levy real estate property taxesin 2010. If passed, it could in turn affect or cancel out Perzel’slegislation.  Perzel’s amendment includes an age limit of 65and an income limit for a full tax cut of $40,000. It would notincrease any other taxes, unlike the Democratic plan, but it wouldleave empty-handed about 2.7 million families who would otherwise be ontrack to get tax relief next year. Perzel disputed predictions hislegislation would be vetoed.

Source:  AP/PhillyBurbs.com, http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/246-01302008-1479368.html