08/23/2026
I received a message from an individual I know, love, and respect regarding a post I had previously shared on this page. (See ⬇️). This individual read the entire bill related to this provision, and offered the following information in response:
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I have tried to make the information short and simple.
This is not a tax reduction- it is shifting who may be paying the tax and who controls where the funding goes.
1. How will this impact commercial business property? Mentions landlords and they are commercial. Addresses them and requires them to lower rent by the amount of property tax reduction in the first year.
If businesses are included in the property tax elimination- this is a substantial tax shifting to citizens. For example, warehouses and data centers are huge property tax payers but their income tax payable and sales tax may not be in the same school district, county, and/or state.
2. How will this impact retirees and the poor?
Sales tax is a regressive tax. The poor will pay sales tax where they may not be paying rent and/or property tax.
Income tax- also shifts tax burden
New tax on retiree income and potential loss of property tax rebate.
3. Additional Issues-
Collections could become a bureaucratic nightmare. Tax revenue that is not directly collected by state will be sent to county to send to state. Then state sends to school districts. Will businesses need to add added levels of collection data.
How will they determine how the funding is distributed? Does the state control funding? That will also change funding levels for districts and there will be winners and losers.
Overall this is not tax elimination- it is a major shift in who will be paying the tax and will impact the most vulnerable negatively.
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I think it’s important to consider different perspectives - and equally important to do your own research - “trust, but verify”. The individual who shared this information with me did exactly that - and what she shared is concerning.
Voters have the ability to elect leaders to act in the best interests of the people and communities they will represent - and their actions (and/or inactions) as elected officials have very real (and sometimes long lasting and far reaching) impacts. Careful contemplation and consideration of differing views and perspectives is important.
Big thanks to the individual who reached out and provided me with this one! (You know who you are! If you are interested in providing your name/contact info for further discussion, please feel free to do so in a comment on this post!)
Bill would strip Pennsylvania school boards of property tax authority By Beth Ann Rosica
