The Pennsylvania state Senate is nearing a vote on legislation to completely eliminate $14 billion in school property taxes by replacing the revenue with higher state taxes on sales and income.
Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati said a vote is possible as early as Tuesday.
He says, if it passes, it would replace a week-old agreement between Senate Republican leaders and Gov. Tom Wolf to pursue legislation to reduce property taxes by $2 billion as part of a wider deal to end a 5-month-old budget stalemate.
A similar bill failed in the House two years ago, 138 to 59.
Under the bill, school districts would get a regular inflationary increase.
Districts wanting to spend above that allotment would have to win voter approval to increase local income taxes.
