Perzel’s still fighting
against property tax

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

State Rep. John Perzel has been in office since 1979 and is still waiting for the legislature to find a solution for high property taxes.
Perzel (R-172nd dist.) labels as a "fool’s errand" any proposal to eliminate property taxes, which generally fund school districts.
"There’s no way to pay for that. It’s impossible," he said.
The idea to implement a 5-percent, across-the-board sales tax to provide property tax relief wouldn’t work, he said, because powerful lobbyists would push through exemptions and some consumers would begin to buy products in neighboring states.
The present plan is to give all property owners a tax break with gambling revenues, but Perzel believes the savings would be relatively small.
So, to deliver the biggest impact and to keep a "long-overdue promise" by the legislature, Perzel is offering the Older Pennsylvanian Property Tax Elimination Act.
"It goes beyond delivering property tax relief. It delivers property tax elimination," he said at a news conference last week at his district office on Frankford Avenue.
Perzel, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, described his plan as "unprecedented." Homeowners age 65 and older with annual incomes of $40,000 or less would pay no property taxes.
The legislation would eliminate the tax for more than 600,000 senior citizens, including 92,000 in Philadelphia. Perzel said the program would benefit low-income and upper-middle class homeowners. Non-homeowners would still be able to apply for the state’s rent rebate program.
Under Perzel’s plan, eligible seniors would send their property tax bill to the state Department of Revenue within 45 days of receiving it. The revenue department would then write a check to the local school district.
For eligible seniors, the program will be like winning at bingo every night. Perzel will enlist them to help him push the plan through the legislature.
"No longer in Pennsylvania will senior citizens who make less than $40,000 a year have to fear losing their homes or be forced to choose between putting food on the table, buying much-needed prescription drugs or paying their school property taxes," he said.
Perzel expects the program to cost $1 billion a year. It would be paid for with revenue raised at slot machine parlors. He expects gambling revenues to ultimately be higher than that, enabling the state to expand the program.
The veteran legislator reminded elected officials and candidates from both major political parties that the original goal of property tax relief was to help senior citizens, not the general population.
"They are the ones who need it the most," he said. "Let’s take care of the people who need it most."
Perzel called the idea of substantial property tax reductions for all homeowners a "noble, but unfortunately, unrealistic goal."
The lawmaker said he has about 30 co-sponsors and expects to possibly offer his legislation as an amendment to an existing bill as early as next week. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com