State Rep. Frank Burns (D-Cambria) recently introduced legislation to use the majority of Pennsylvania’s $800 million budget surplus for property tax relief.
“In Cambria County and across Pennsylvania, one of the big concerns of the people who pay the bills is high property taxes,” Burns said. “They have our collective ear on this issue – but the difference is, I’m listening and taking action.”
Burns’ bill, H.B. 1663, would put a significant portion of the budget surplus in the Property Tax Relief Fund.
“If in bad financial times, we ask our residents to pay more, then in good financial times, we should let them pay a little less,” Burns said. “My plan would deposit a chunk of any state budget surplus into the Property Tax Relief Fund so that residents’ property tax or rent rebate checks can be a little bigger.”
Gov. Tom Wolf favors putting the entire surplus in the Rainy Day Fund. Burns noted that 25 percent of this year’s budget surplus is already going to the Rainy Day Fund per legislative mandate.
“Just remember this: The legislature can raid that fund anytime it needs more money,” Burns said. “As a fiscal conservative, I want to remove that temptation and ability from the get-go.”
The Department of Revenue announced earlier this month that the state’s General Fund is $813.3 million ahead of projections for the fiscal year ending June 30.