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Toll Free: 1-877-327-4255 Harrisburg Office
Senate Box 203029
171 Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3029
717-787-2637
717-783-8657 FAX Email:
dargall@pasen.gov
District Offices
One West Centre Street
P.O. Box 150
Mahanoy City, PA 17948
570-773-0891
570-773-1675 FAX
100 North Centre Street
Pottsville, PA 17901
570-621-3400
570-622-6629 FAX
(Shared with Representative Mike Tobash)
61 North Third Street
Hamburg, PA 19526-1501
610-562-3411
610-562-6895 FAX
(Shared with Representative
Jerry Knowles)
237 West Broad Street
Tamaqua, PA 18252
570-668-1240
570-952-3374 FAX
(Shared with Representative
Jerry Knowles)
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Follow Sen. Argall on Twitter for Senate happenings –
@SenatorArgall
What’s happening? The Senate started their first of three weeks of
state budget hearings. You can watch the hearings and view the schedule on my
website.
RESULTS: What is Pennsylvania’s biggest economic challenge?
On
February 21, the National Governors Association held their 2015 Winter Meeting in
Washington D.C. At that meeting, Governor Wolf was asked what the biggest
economic challenge for Pennsylvania is.
Governor Wolf stated, “I think the biggest problem in Pennsylvania is low
self-esteem.”
I asked what you thought was the state’s biggest economic challenge – the
results are pretty obvious. Taxpayers view the property tax as the
biggest economic challenge.
Elimination vs. Reduction – Setting
the record straight on school property taxes
The governor’s current property tax ‘relief’ proposal would
temporarily reduce school property taxes in exchange for permanent increases in
income and sales taxes. Since the governor
unveiled his plan, I’ve noted that Elimination is the key – not some
‘bait and switch’ scheme.
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee held their
first week of budget hearings. During the budget hearing with the Department of
Revenue, Acting Secretary McNulty
stated, “I think we’d love to eliminate property taxes if that were
possible, but you can’t make the perfect the enemy of the good.”
Several Representatives commented that the governor’s plan
is “a gigantic tax increase.” In light of Acting Secretary McNulty’s statement
that the administration would “love to eliminate property tax” I think we agree
on the goal – now we need to agree on the details.
Touring Joe Jurgielewicz & Son Ltd.
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On Friday, I had the opportunity to tour and learn more about the
operations of Joe Jurgielewicz & Son Ltd., a duck farm in northern Berks
County, with Supervisor Fred Herman and Representative Jerry Knowles.
Joe Jurgielewicz & Son Ltd. is one of the largest duck farms in the
nation. To view my full photo gallery, please visit my
website. |
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Newspapers throughout the state
understand: Eliminate – not reduce – school property taxes!
March 3, 2015
Lebanon Daily News: Unless forced, government won't give back
“We have supported the Property Tax Elimination Act because of the word
"elimination." This was not legislation discussing an average decrease.”
March 5, 2015
Pocono Record: Unless forced, government won’t give back
“Let's get back to H.B. [S.B] 76, and then we can talk.”
March 6, 2015
Butler Eagle: If property tax is so unfair, Gov. Wolf should abolish it
“Argall and other critics of Wolf’s proposal predict more of the same. But
there’s a simple solution: abolish the property tax altogether.”
March 9, 2015
Pottstown Mercury: EDITORIAL: Property tax ‘reduction’ and ‘elimination’ are two
different things
“Without a specific mandate eliminating these taxes, we do not expect it to
happen on a large scale. What we fear is that smaller governments will keep all
of their taxing mechanisms in place. They will collect the new revenue streams
from the state and bank on existing streams to provide rainy-day protection
should the political winds change again. At best, perhaps they wouldn’t
routinely raise property taxes year after year.”
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