I support efforts by both parties to raise revenue for property tax relief from slots revenue.

The spring 2007 referenda held in Bensalem and nearly every school district in the state showed that no matter how onerous property taxes are today, when given a choice to vote on it, taxpayers do not want to replace part of the school property tax with a local earned income tax (EIT) or local personal income tax (PIT). Voters of both political parties voted overwhelmingly in Bensalem and state-wide to keep the school property tax as is. This is the will of the people. Thus I will be hesitant to support any tax swap legislation.

I oppose efforts by Republicans in the legislature to impose a “back end referendum” on all school districts.

I support REAL property tax relief where the state pays its fair share for legitimate educational costs. Efforts by state legislators to control and penalize local districts for the expenses mandated by the federal and state government weakens our communities and hurts our future. Muddled laws like Act 72 and Act 1 use artificially selected statistics and force schools to pay the expenses of referendums. Instead of providing more money to districts, Act 72 and Act 1 will actually be another expense that districts will then have to raise taxes to pay for. Although the restrictions and expenses of Act 72 and Act 1 started immediately, property owners do not get relief until the slots revenues reach the amount the legislature has deemed appropriate, which could be in several years...or never.