Property Tax Elimination: The Battle Continues
The House Finance Committee on Monday, June 11, voted to table the Property Tax Independence Act (House Bill 1776). Tabling is a procedural move that sets legislation aside. The legislation still can be revisited at another time. While this development was a setback, it was not a completely unexpected one. Monday’s developments do not spell the end of property tax elimination efforts.
I do not serve on the House Finance Committee. However, I have been an active participant in the legislative process surrounding this bill and continue to work closely with the bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Jim Cox (R-Berks), on this important issue. During the hearings, some members expressed hesitations about sending the bill to the floor of the House. Those sentiments were manifest Monday in the vote to table the bill.
The fight for property tax elimination has been going on for years. What began as a small group of dedicated homeowners has grown into a large coalition that spans the four corners of Pennsylvania.
Our aspiration for real home ownership has been evident, and our persistence will continue to characterize this fight. While this approach did not succeed in this instance, we will regroup and move forward with property tax elimination once more.
I will continue to work with members of the House, Senate and the governor’s office toward the overall goal of true homeownership for Pennsylvanians. Those of us who have advocated for property tax elimination understand that our hopes do not rest on any one piece of legislation, but rather on the fundamentals of freedom, private property, and the ability for Pennsylvanians to stay in their homes.
Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come. While the time for property tax elimination may not have been Monday, it will have its day. The status quo of the establishment cannot forever deflect the current of progress that has swept across Pennsylvania on this issue. I wish to express my gratitude to those who continue their valiant role in the long march toward freedom of home ownership.
State Representative Mark Gillen
128th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Contact: Dan Massing
dmassing@pahousegop.com
717.772.9845