A proposal to replace school property taxes in Pennsylvania with higher income and sales taxes was soundly rejected Tuesday in the House of Representatives.
The Republican-controlled House shot down the measure 138-59 after about three hours of debate in which conservative stalwarts sought to rally their allies.
This vote "may very well be our last chance to cast a vote anywhere near property tax elimination,'' argued the sponsor, Rep. Jim Cox, R-Berks. "If this issue is important to you ... I ask you to stick with me.''
"The time has come to put up or shut up,'' said Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Schuylkill. "We're gonna sort out the phonies.''
Opponents said the amendment was riddled with legal flaws and amounted to little more than "a concept.'' They called the measure ill-conceived and warned that the resulting increases in statewide taxes would unfairly penalize working Pennsylvanians.
"These taxes will fall most harshly on working Pennsylvanians,'' said Rep. Bryan Barbin, D-Cambria.
The proposal was in the form of an amendment to an underlying bill that would allow individual school districts to enact a proposed "elimination tax'' to generate revenue in place of rising property taxes many lawmakers say are driving Pennsylvanians out of their homes.
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Among other things, it would have increased the personal income tax by 41 percent and boosted the state sales tax to 7 percent, an increase of nearly 17 percent. It also would have eliminated many existing sales-tax exemptions.
The House is expected to consider additional property-tax legislation Wednesday.
