Presenter
Presented by Mr. Udin
Title
Resolution urging the Allegheny County Council and Chief Executive to convene a property Tax Summit to review the possible elimination of the property tax in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
Body
Whereas, upwards of $30 million was paid by Allegheny County to Sabre System, Inc. over three years to conduct what many property owners and experts have determined to be a faulty and disruptive court ordered reassessment of all Allegheny County property owners;
Whereas, administrative expenses to taxing authorities responsible for calculating and collecting property taxes are costly to the tax payers and represent millions of dollars to governmental budgets.
Whereas, the methodology of determining property values is oftentimes confusing, inequitable, subjective, inaccurate and frustrating to both residents and the governing authority.
Whereas, state law and County Home Rule provide a vehicle for a fundamental tax reform change through the elimination of the property tax with other taxes increased to supply replacement revenue for County government, local municipalities and school districts.
Whereas, low income and elderly property owners in Pittsburgh and throughout Allegheny County are most adversely affected by the county, school and city property tax.
Be it Resolved that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. That the Council of the City of Pittsburgh requests and urges the Council of Allegheny County, County Council President Reverend James Simms, and County Chief Executive Jim Roddey to convene a "Property Tax Summit" so as to receive both expert testimony and public opinion on the viability, appropriateness, methodology and possibility of eliminating property taxes collected by the County, School and Municipal taxing bodies and replacing lost revenues with increased collection in whole, in part or in combination of earned income, county sales tax, deed transfer , among other possible sources of replacement revenue.
Section 2. Be it further Resolved that we urge the County leadership to conduct and publish the results of a preference poll or survey utilizing the Allegheny County government web site so as to solicit the views and opinions of taxpayers throughout Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.