Emrick Pushing Property Tax Relief for Lehigh Valley

State Rep. is backing a property tax bill that would address one of the biggest issues in the Lehigh Valley for his constituents: school taxes.

In his weekly legislative report, Emrick stated that he is co-sponsoring a bill that may provide some property tax relief.

The bill, which has already passed the House, must make it through two House and Senate votes before it would go to voters in a statewide referendum.

"I hear about this every week," Emrick said. "It's significant. This issue is one of the most important in my district."

Emrick said many residents are facing "a crushing tax burden" in the Lehigh Valley. The bill would provide a foundation for the Legislature to enact property tax homestead and farmstead relief.

"Everyone has to be taxed in a uniform manner, 100 percent property tax relief," he said.

Emrick hoped the bill might go before voters sometime in 2013, but probably in 2014.

The main problem is how schools are funded, said Emrick, who recently held in Forks Township and Nazareth.

"School funding in Pennsylvania is inequitable," Emrick said. "Many parts of state do not have the tax burden that we do."

For example, Emrick said that some school districts in the western part of the state have funding of between 50 percent and 70 percent. 

Meanwhile, the gets 24 percent of its funding from the state, meaning that taxpayers have to foot the rest of the bill.