Pa. House Passes Property Tax Relief Plan
By Tony Romeo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The state House has done something that has proven impossible in recent decades – sending the Senate a bill that would provide broad school property tax relief in a significant way.
Both House majority Republicans and Democratic Governor Tom Wolf favor raising state income and sales taxes while lowering property taxes. But House GOP leaders want the higher revenue used for property tax relief only.
While his proposal may be different, Governor Wolf is clearly pleased with passage of the House bill:
"I look at this as the beginning of a fruitful conversation and a bipartisan one."
In fact, many House members said they had reservations about the bill, but voted for it to "move the process forward." Still…
"I think it really elevates the issue from a concept to one of the core issues at the budget table," says House Majority Leader Dave Reed.
The bill now goes to the Senate, where a spokeswoman for the majority leader there says leaders continue to have concerns about raising sales and income taxes at this time.