Proposed Property Tax Bill Harms Poorest Schools
Only two weeks ago U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan pointed to Pennsylvania as the state with the largest resource gap in the nation between well-off and poor school districts. A new property tax relief bill introduced by York County Rep. Stan Saylor would make closing that school funding gap even harder.
Saylor’s House Bill 860 hikes personal income taxes to 3.7% and raises the state sales tax to seven percent to create $4.9 billion in property tax relief for businesses and homeowners. Saylor’s proposal would reduce millage rates and distribute tax dollars to school districts based on their size (Average Daily Membership), but it does not take into account the relative wealth and needs of school districts. Moreover, every dollar of revenue raised by the statewide tax increases is directed solely to reduce property taxes. That means not one dime for school funding.
Another proposal to lower property taxes released by Governor Wolf calls for the same increase in the personal income tax and proposes raising the state sales tax to 6.6%, but the Governor’s proposal takes a graduated approach to reducing property taxes to provide relief to homeowners that need it the most, most notably, poor and rural areas across the state. The Governor proposes to use $3.8 billion in new revenues from statewide tax increases to cut property taxes by $3.8 billion statewide and provide up to $1 billion to school districts.
This Wednesday, April 22nd, PCCY and a group of 50 young voters from across the region will board a bus to Harrisburg to meet with state lawmakers to urge them to find the revenues to pass a fair property relief plan and meet the needs of our schools. Click here to join us.
The Business Case for Pre-K
Business leaders know a smart investment when they see one and they say the wisest place to invest is in high-quality early learning programs. A new report issued by Ready Nation points out that the greatest returns on investment in education programs happens between the ages of 0-4.
Source: Ready Nation/James Heckman
When services are targeted to children in their earliest years, as much as $17,000 can be avoided in health, education and other social costs in the long term, according to Ready Nation. PCCY and the Pre-K for PA Campaign will lead “Capitol Caravans” of parents and other advocates from Bucks and Montgomery counties to visit legislators in Harrisburg and make this sound argument for expanding access to early learning in this year’s budget.
Click here to sign up for the Montgomery County Capitol Caravan on Tuesday, April 21st.
Click here to sign up for the Bucks County Capitol Caravan on Wednesday, April 22nd.
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‘School Play’ is Online!
Everything you need to create your own production of School Play is now online. Click here to access “School Play To Go” and download the full script and production materials to help you put on your own production of the play in your community. Sample promotional materials will be available shortly.
Public Citizen of the Year Celebration Goes Global
Can you see yourself peering out onto the plains of Africa? How about relaxing by a pool at a Spanish Villa? Or just taking it easy at a mansion in St. Maarten?
You can end up in any of these places just by attending the 2015 celebration of the Public Citizen of the Year on April 29th at Vie. We will auction off several vacation homes from around the world, along with entertainment packages right in our backyard.
Click here to buy your tickets today.
You do not want to miss this great night benefitting PCCY’s work to improve the lives of our region’s children.