No to taxes

Governor Shapiro recently outlined his first budget proposal (“Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled a $44.4 billion budget ‘packed with commonsense solutions,’” Mar. 7). He mentioned raising the qualification income bracket for the homeowner/rent rebate program to 45 thousand from 35 thousand.

For homeowners, that’s like putting a band aid on something that requires financial surgery. Stop paying your property taxes and see who really ownes your house and property. They’ll boot you out quicker than a blink of your eye. Yes, even senior citizens, with no mercy at all.

Over two decades ago, the STOP campaign (Stop Taxing Our Properties}; proposed legislation that would eliminate ALL property taxes on primary residences in Pennsylvania. It would have raised the sales tax from 6% to 7%, which they’ve since done. It also would have raised the earned income tax by 1%, and also raise the reality transfer tax by 1%. All Pennsylvania senators (bi-partisan) voted to initiate a feasibility study on this proposal, and the results came back, 100% doable.

Of course, they didn’t do anything with that information, not caring for their constituents who elected them! Now, let’s look 10 years down the road when Social Security and Medicare is expected to go belly-up, becoming insolvent. Without having income to pay the cursed property taxes, seniors will b e fighting to obtain living quarters under one of Pennsylvania’s bridges. There’s been proposals to freeze property taxes for seniors, but that will not suffice the nightmare situation in 10 years.

Property taxes must be eliminated on primary residences! If your legislators refuse to keep you in your homes, then vote them out each and every election!

RICH SAPORITO

West Mifflin