PENNSYLVANIA TAXPAYERS CYBER COALITION

Dedicated To Equitable Tax Funding Of Pennsylvania Schools

The School Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA)

The SPTEA Explained The SPTEA personal calculator sptea faqs why the sptea? how can I help?

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The Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations

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Other Links

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Latest News

NEW! February 3, 2010 Update. Your help is needed NOW! Click here.

November 27, 2009 Update. New hope for the SPTEA; the PTCC makes an important endorsement. Click here.

November 7, 2009 Update. The SPTEA is introduced; the PCTA grows again. Click here.

What's your potential school property tax increase for 2010? The 2010 Act 1 index is here.

March 27, 2009 Update. A deputy sheriff speaks out. Click here.











What was your 2009 property tax relief from gambling money? Click here.

What needs to happen? A statement from Rep. Sam Rohrer. Click here.

June 2008 Rally Recap! Photos, video, media coverage. Click here.

* ACTION ITEM *
The Real Faces of the Issue. Click here.

STAY INFORMED! Please Subscribe to free PTCC e-mail updates. Click here. (pataxpayers@gmail.com)



Features

Personal SPTEA Calculator
Excel calculator to see your tax savings under House Bill 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act. Now includes calculations for Philadelphia property tax reduction!

SPTEA Petitions
Sign an individual petition to demonstrate your approval of the SPTEA or distribute a multi-signature petition to really gather support! Print extra copies for your friends, family, and neighbors so they can help, too! Download the petitions as PDF files here.

Why school property taxes need to be eliminated!
Two excellent essays on the fallacy of property taxes for education funding.

Voice your opinion!
Visit the new PTCC Blog to add your thoughts and suggestions to recent PTCC updates.



The PTCC and PCTA support the enactment of HB 1275,
The School Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA)



Who is working for you?
Which Pennsylvania Representatives care about the homeowners of Pennsylvania? The list of current School Property Tax Elimination Act co-sponsors is here.




How to ELIMINATE school property taxes!

The PTCC and PCTA support House Bill 1275, The School Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA), Pennsylvania House of Representatives legislation that will eliminate all school property and nuisance taxes across the Commonwealth and will fund all Pennsylvania schools from a single state source.

The School Property Tax Elimination Act introduces a modernized school funding plan based on 21st century economic realities.

- The SPTEA will ABOLISH the school property tax on all homestead/farmsteads as well as eliminate all local school nuisance taxes, local school EIT, and other ACT 511 taxes imposed by school districts.

- The SPTEA utilizes our current sales tax mechanism to fund schools, restoring the original intent of the tax. Unlike other so-called "relief" schemes, the School Property Tax Elimination Act does not increase the rate but maintains the current rate of six percent and broadens the base of taxable services.

- The sales tax provides a predictable and stable funding source that is tied to economic growth. This is in clear contrast to the school property tax which is not based on economic growth and is subject to much variation.

- Current school spending regularly exceeds tax revenue and the School Property Tax Elimination Act addresses this problem as well as funding equity for more than one hundred distressed Pennsylvania school districts.

Read all of the details of The School Property Tax Elimination Act here.

See how much you can save on your total taxes through the enactment of The School Property tax Elimination Act. Our exclusive SPTEA Excel calculator is here.



The real faces of the school property tax issue

Here, in their own words, are the real-life stories of Pennsylvania families of all ages and areas of the state who are finding it increasingly difficult to withstand the oppressive economic hardship imposed by relentlessly increasing school property taxes.

These true accounts were submitted by PTCC and PCTA subscribers who volunteered to tell their stories. Their hopes are twofold: that Pennsylvania lawmakers will read their words and finally understand the hardship imposed by this inequitable, archaic tax and that they will act quickly to eliminate this unnecessary burden that is diminishing the quality of life for Pennsylvania homeowners.

Click on the photo to read their stories.



PTCC Quick Facts


WHAT is the PTCC?

The PTCC is the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition, a free subscription-based nonpartisan statewide E-mail list and website that serves as a taxpayer advocacy group for those who have no local group available to them. This list represents a virtual community of thousands of taxpayers from throughout Pennsylvania who are concerned with school property tax and education finance reform.


WHY does the PTCC exist?

School property and nuisance taxes are out of control and are draining the lifeblood of Pennsylvania residents. Pennsylvania school boards cannot continue to annually raise taxes by greater than the rate of inflation before homeowners can no longer afford to pay. This situation is a train wreck waiting to happen, and if something is not done quickly to resolve the problem the entire system will crash in a very short time.


WHAT are the PTCC goals?

The PTCC and the grassroots statewide umbrella group, the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations (PCTA), are dedicated, through legislative reform, to eliminating school property taxes for all Pennsylvanians and to the equitable funding of all Pennsylvania schools from a broad-based, statewide funding source. Such a source would equalize disparities between wealthy and poorer school districts, ensuring a quality education for all Pennsylvania schoolchildren. The PTCC is a proponent for the immediate repeal of Act 1, the fraudulent school property tax “relief” bill that was signed into law in June 2006. The PTCC is a supporter of House Bill 1275, The School Property Tax Elimination Act, a Pennsylvania House bill that will eliminate all school property and nuisance taxes and provide equitable funding for all Pennsylvania schools.


WHAT can I do to help?

Please take time to explore this site to learn more about the issues, the PTCC’s objectives, and pending tax reform legislation. Join the free PTCC e-mail list to receive updates, spread the word to your friends and relatives about this movement and urge them to join this group, and help with occasional action items to keep the momentum alive. In a grassroots movement such as this, EVERY person counts! Please join in this vital mission to achieve true education finance reform for all Pennsylvania taxpayers and schoolchildren.


WHY should I join the free PTCC e-mail updates list?

If you're happy receiving your information from this web page, that's great! We hope that you'll check back often for updates. But by joining the list you'll receive updates and action items more quickly, and we'll be able to keep a more accurate count of supporters when demanding legislative action. We'd really like to have you as a subscriber. And, of course, your e-mail address will always remain strictly confidential.