Just not from the state. State Lt. Gov./Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati, a Republican, has said he doesn’t think the state’s projected billion dollar shortfall will require a tax increase (hint: spending cuts!) and Gov. Ed Rendell said he wants to try and not raise taxes but hasn’t ruled them out.
But as Politickerpa.com rightly points out, property taxes may have to rise because state funding for human services, overseen by county governments, may be on the state’s chopping block. And since counties are often mandated to provide such services, they have to find revenue to pay for it. And the only tax county’s can raise are the levies against properties:
The (county) commissioners said they are tired of lawmakers who tout records that are free of tax increases while making decisions that forced counties and municipalities to do so.
Making cuts to the state budget that force increase in local governments budget isn’t responsible, said Tom Ceraso, a Democratic commissioner from Westmoreland County.
“You’re not really cutting,” he said.
And speaking of property taxes, can anyone imagine what school district budgets are going to look like in 2009? Ouch!
