Wonder if this will push more folks out of the county? (Republic: layoffs, contractors)

[tclifton]

Yeah, I'm not saing that it will force someone to move....I just wonder if it will impact where folks move to. It's hard to say that it will if it goes up by small 1% increments at a time, but at some point those add up to real money. I just think that it's another mark in the "CON" side of the ledger when someone is evaluating where to live.

[guy2073]

I don't like the fact they are shifting the gambling revenue away from property tax relief, it looks like we will pay more in sales tax and our property taxes will remain at the same level.

[Geeo]

It didn't make a difference years ago when Allegheny County increased its sales tax for RAD. Retail still boomed in parts of the city and suburbs. Plus the additional tax comes back to us to fund the libraries, museums, parks, zoo, and countless other cultural amenities all over the county.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by guy2073

I don't like the fact they are shifting the gambling revenue away from property tax relief, it looks like we will pay more in sales tax and our property taxes will remain at the same level.

Which is crap.

This is a bad deal for renters. Yeah, I'm so sure the landlords are going to pass the savings on to the customer.

[bigbywolf44]

I don't believe it will drive out people altogether. If its going up everywhere its a state issue and not so much a Pittsburgh only thing. However it does mean some people might not look at the keystone state to relocate.

The budget talks are still happening so maybe this wont go through...who knows.

[Faerunner]

Originally Posted by BigPizzaHutFan

The best part about a tax on property is that the taxed always have the means to pay it.

How do you figure? I have a homeless man who was gifted a house a few doors up from me. If it wasn't already falling apart and the Homestead Act exclusion brought it down to non-taxable levels, he wouldn't be able to afford a penny of taxes (And already lives without power, water, gas, or any other utilities in it as it is)

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by SammyKhalifa

Which is crap.

This is a bad deal for renters. Yeah, I'm so sure the landlords are going to pass the savings on to the customer.

I didn't think that landlords got a savings from the relief, isn't the property tax relief in the form of the "homestead exemption" which only applies to homeowners residing in the property?

[Sciulli]

Originally Posted by Faerunner

How do you figure? I have a homeless man who was gifted a house a few doors up from me. If it wasn't already falling apart and the Homestead Act exclusion brought it down to non-taxable levels, he wouldn't be able to afford a penny of taxes (And already lives without power, water, gas, or any other utilities in it as it is)

how is that even legal? to live in a falling apart house w/o power, gas or water?

[tclifton]

Originally Posted by bigbywolf44

I don't believe it will drive out people altogether. If its going up everywhere its a state issue and not so much a Pittsburgh only thing. However it does mean some people might not look at the keystone state to relocate.

The budget talks are still happening so maybe this wont go through...who knows.

I don't know....there are lots of folks that have a job and are considering moving. Out of state would require quitting, while out of county wouldn't.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by Sciulli

how is that even legal? to live in a falling apart house w/o power, gas or water?

How is it illegal? Unless the property is so derelict that it poses a threat to neighboring properties or people walking by there's nothing the authorities can do about it.