REALTORS® Appointed to 23 Local Tax-Study Commissions in PA

Twenty-three REALTORS® have been appointed to local tax-study commissions across the state.

The PA Taxpayer Relief Act, signed in June, requires each school district in the state to appoint a tax-study commission to help shape local tax structure. The citizen-composed commissions will review how school property-tax rates can be offset by a greater proportion of income-based taxes such as earned income or personal income taxes. School boards appointed five, seven or nine residents as commission members, who will study district finances, hold at least one public meeting and make recommendations on taxes and tax rates for the 2007-08 budgets.

The commissions must deliver their nonbinding recommendations to the boards by December 13. School directors will make final budget decisions with voters intervening directly through ballot questions in some cases.

Ellen B. Renish, chair of PAR’s Legislative Committee, says, “The PA Taxpayer Relief Act is a great an opportunity for REALTORS® to have an impact on their local tax structure. REALTORS® being appointed to these commissions is a perfect example of grass roots involvement and another way to be the ‘voice of our membership’. I commend these REALTORS® for being a part of the process.”

PAR members serving on property-tax commissions include: Dave Sites, Gettysburg; Wayne Ogburn, York Springs; Bob Freeman, Pittsburgh; John Tanney, Pittsburgh; Ryan Conrad, Bethlehem; Sharon Spohn, Reading; Dennis Lawrence, Quakertown; William Brenner, Holland; Russ Greer, Butler; Pamela Hawk, Lehighton; Sally Felgar, Mahaffey; Sherri Heasley, Erie; Jeffrey Johnson, Erie; Marianne McDaniel, Erie; Odilia “D” John, Uniontown; Denise Johnson, New Castle; Kim Skumanick, Clarks Summit; Henry Jacquelin, Willow Grove; Natalie Sitsis, Audubon; Joan Newhouse, Camp Hill; Anne Rubin, Elkins Park; Ron Thieme, Hawley; and Joe Volpe, Greensburg.