Monday, August 10, 2009

House Bill 1661

Court-ordered countywide property taxes could be postponed if State Senate approves of a bill that would study the state’s property tax reassessment system and address the current problems with the system through enactment of the legislation.

State Representative Frank Dermody, bill sponsor from Allegheny County, says having each county make their own rules creates unfair taxing structures and making some counties uncompetitive.

“What is happening in Allegheny County where there was a lawsuit filed are we’re required to do another reassessment,” Dermody says. “The Supreme Court said that the general assembly is the proper place to develop a comprehensive scheme of assessment that is both comprehensive and constitutional.”

He says the moratorium would not apply to voluntary reassessments, and counties in the middle of a court-ordered reassessment would have the option of continuing with their process. The moratorium would remain in effect until the study is completed or until the end of June 2011.

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