Property Tax Appeal Before PA Supreme Court

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato says the county is ready to make its case before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on the base year tax system. Common Pleas Judge R. Stanton Wettick has ruled the base year system is unconstitutional but Allegheny County appealed. Allegheny County uses 2002 property assessments as a base year for real estate taxes. About a dozen other counties use a base year assessment. Onorato criticized school districts for challenging the base year system. He says the districts want higher assessments which would mean more tax revenues without having to raise the tax rate. Onorato says even if the State Supreme Court rules against the county, he will go to Harrisburg to seek a new law to allow base year systems.