Opinions: -- An Open Letter To Pennsylvania Property Owners

We honestly don’t know what else to do. We need to reach each and every Pennsylvania Citizen Property Owner [don’t forget, we are the vast majority of Pennsylvania citizens!] and have you understand that school property tax (and possibly all property tax) elimination in Pennsylvania is possible now! We need to do this quickly, because our illustrious elected officials are soon going to let all of us down on a scale that has probably never happened before – even by voting themselves huge pay hikes in the middle of the night! How? By failing to pass the kind of tax and educational reform legislation that will accomplish a fairer tax base, eliminate property tax as the base for funding schools, and provide a more equitable system of overseeing and funding the education of our children. Instead, they (including and especially our governor, Mr. Ed Rendell) seem to feel that property owners will accept token tax relief that turns out to be a mere pittance which is anything but far reaching or permanent. This is clearly not acceptable!

We’ve decided to try cutting to the chase with an open letter to all Pennsylvanians which will be followed up continuously with information on our “blog”-site, http://papropertytaxreform.blogspot.com . We challenge every newspaper and media outlet in the Commonwealth to publish this letter. If you don’t, shame on you. It will mean that you aren’t interested in covering the single most important issue facing all Pennsylvanians right now – even more important than the issue of illegal elected official pay raises! And it will mean you aren’t really interested in helping all Pennsylvania Citizens to understand that tax elimination plans exist and are feasible!

First and foremost, we need our elected officials in Harrisburg to pass meaningful TAX REFORM, not just “tax relief” legislation. They have had the opportunity at special sessions of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Senate during the fall of 2005 – and failed! From our point of view, they are completely bent on serving their own interests (or are clueless) and not interested in actually doing anything meaningful and lasting for Pennsylvania property owners [remember; the majority of us!]. Part of that lack of interest stems from the facts that most Pennsylvanian’s either;

1. have not heard about proposals to accomplish property tax elimination – or;

2. have been confused and frightened of them by the very elected officials they sent to Harrisburg to protect their interests - or;

3. are not aware that our current system of funding education is falling apart and needs to be revised……we are all paying heavily for the mistakes and fiscal irresponsibility of local school boards!

If, after reading this, you find yourself among the millions of Pennsylvanians who are demanding some form of property tax elimination, it is imperative that you notify your elected officials and let them know that you will accept nothing less from them. Because only your overwhelming voice will steer them to pass such legislation and not allow them to pursue the disastrous course of token relief they seem to be heading toward! Your vote and your voice count in a free and democratic society – and it has never been more important for you to use both!

Elimination of school property taxes is a strong beginning…. let’s all work together to get this accomplished!

For more information -- daily updates and “de-bunking” – on issues surrounding this matter of such critical importance to all of us, visit our “blog” at http://papropertytaxreform.blogspot.com or e-mail us with questions or comments at nopropertytaxes@yahoo.com! If you don’t have a computer, get to a friend or relative who has one and keep informed and involved!

Helen and David Pool

443 Hill Road

Douglassville, PA 19518

610-385-7597