No one should be one life event away from losing their home.

For too long, Pennsylvania’s reliance on school property taxes has burdened homeowners—especially our seniors and working families—with rising bills that threaten their stability. I am introducing legislation to eliminate school property taxes by replacing them with a fair and equitable tax shift, ensuring no single group bears the burden alone.

This legislation replaces property taxes with a 1.88% Personal Income Tax increase and a 2% Sales and Use Tax increase, directing revenue to local school districts to sustain robust education funding. This shift replaces a regressive system with a modern, fair formula, delivering $300 million to Philadelphia schools in the first year. It removes caps on school district reserves, empowering districts to manage budgets effectively and prepare for challenges without resorting to tax hikes. Homeowners will see lower mortgage escrow payments, enhancing affordability and making homeownership more accessible, while landlords must reduce rent by the tax savings amount for one year, directly benefiting tenants. This plan also reverses job and young worker loss by making Pennsylvania more attractive to families and businesses, incentivizes blight reduction to revitalize communities, and provides teachers with more funds than proposed Cost-of-Living Adjustments.

Developed through years of bipartisan collaboration and stakeholder input, this legislation is not just a quick fix but a well-thought-out, comprehensive plan to end the property tax debate with solutions that are both practical and forward-thinking. By shifting to a fairer tax structure, we can protect our homeowners, strengthen our schools, and build a stronger Commonwealth.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this critical legislation to meet the Commonwealth Court’s mandate for fair education funding and deliver meaningful relief to Pennsylvanians.