The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Tuesday defeated an amendment that called for the phased elimination of school property taxes with higher state income and sales taxes.
It was defeated 138 to 59.
Midstate lawmakers were split on the issue. For a look at how your representative vote, click here.
The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Jim Cox, R-Berks County, was attached to a separate bill that would allow school boards more latitude to move away from property taxes at the local level.
Cox’s plan would have eliminated school property taxes and replace the roughly $13 billion they raise for basic education by raising the personal income tax from 3.07 percent to 4.34 percent, and taking the state’s sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent.
It would also have extended the sales to some foods and other services that are currently exempted from it.
Cox said his plan is for those who want to get serious about property tax elimination after a series of false starts.
“Enough with the local (taxing) options. Enough with the partial relief that’s going to disappear within a very few years,” Cox told his colleagues from the floor. “You have the opportunity today to make history.”
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