PA election results: Democrats make gains, but lose Pa. high court seat to Mundy
The property tax referendum passed, allowing local authorities to waive taxes on up to 100% of the value on people's homes under the Homestead provision.
Pennsylvania took a first step toward a potential property tax overhaul Tuesday, as voters approved a constitutional amendment that could lead to change.
The ballot question, which asked whether taxing authorities should be able to exempt residents from paying property taxes on their primary residences, was poised to pass with preliminary results showing the amendment passing by a nearly 140,000-vote margin, with 93 percent of districts reporting results.
"I’m excited that the people of Pennsylvania got to speak, and I think they made it pretty clear," said Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks, who sponsored the bill that created the ballot question.
"I think it’s a significant step forward and I think, in some respects, the legislature probably needed to see this."
The vote marked a concrete move toward changing or eliminating a levy that has been a long-standing source of complaint.
Lawmakers and advocates say that the current reliance on property taxes — which account for about 30 percent of local and state revenue in Pennsylvania and are a primary source of school funding — is especially harmful to homeowners who live on fixed incomes.
The issue has gained greater traction in recent years; Gov. Tom Wolf has said he supports the elimination of property taxes.
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