Allegheny's base-year property tax system unconstitutional

Pittsburgh Tribune Review ^ | Wednesday, June 6, 2007 | Mike Wereschagin

[Hacksaw]

Now it's everyone's problem. The legal battle over Allegheny County's base-year property assessment system likely will spread to the rest of the state now that Common Pleas Court Judge R. Stanton Wettick has declared it violates the state constitution.

Wettick also ordered the county to conduct a reassessment for use in 2009, or, at the latest, 2010 if the case is still under appeal.

County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, striking a defiant tone, said the judge doesn't have the authority to dictate a reassessment timeline. Allegheny County won't go through another reassessment unless every other county has to, Onorato said.

[Hacksaw]

Wettick has been a judicial legislator for a long time. Maybe this move will finally get him a majority "NO" when his retention comes up.

[learner]

Wettick is the cause of this problem; not the solution. The state Supreme court is even a greater mess as they reconstructed law to pass their own pay raise, which it is known that they lobbied for and had to admit.THE LEGISLATURE IS A DISASTER and grossly overpaid and incompetent. Pa is screwed, we have Rendell and democratic (union) control. It is sad for this beautiful state.

[thebaron512]

Somedays moving looks better and better! Can someone save our state and throw the bums into jail!?

[Maelstorm]

I wasn’t sure what base year was but now that I read about it I like it. I’ve thought for sometime that it is ridiculous to charge someone taxes based on fluctuations in property values while they own the home. I personally believe in a transactional tax only system limiting taxation only when a transaction occurs. You pay taxes once when you buy and once when you sell but most politicians would never go for that. I see a trend among judges trying to dictate tax policy. I think it is long over due to have taxes reigned in at the constitution level.

[HamiltonJay]

It won’t come up... he’s decided to go senior or something and not put himself on the ballot

He is without question the single biggest crippling individual in southweat PA.

[brityank]

Six laws, each tailored to different-sized counties, govern county assessments. Some counties, such as Allegheny, have their own state laws.

    ... ...

Even if Allegheny County reassesses, homeowners might not see tax increases. A 2006 state law requires school districts and municipalities to adjust their tax rates after a reassessment, so they bring in the same amount of money after a reassessment as before. If the taxing authorities want more money, they then have to vote on a tax increase.

PA has to have the most screwed-up governmental structure of any in the union. God help us all!

[Lancey Howard]

Yep, Pennsylvania is definitely in decline. I look for the place to be a parasite-infested, Democrat-controlled toilet within 10 years. Hopefully, I will be in Florida or Texas by then.

[Tribune7]

PA has to have the most screwed-up governmental structure of any in the union. God help us all!

Yup. Check this out. "Lawyers,Judges and Journalists: The Corrupt and The Corruptors" by Bob Surrick.

[NittanyLion]

When I lived in Virginia the assessment was adjusted every year, and usually ended up at around 75-80% of the actual market price. When I moved back to PA my choice was to either buy a 30 year old house with $3000/yr taxes or buy a new house with $8500/yr taxes. Same size, same school district, same lot size, etc.

Having lived under both systems, I far prefer Virginia's. In my view refusing to reassess property values provides a real disincentive toward modernization. It's just another reason why young people are fleeing PA and moving south, so that they can buy new(er) homes and pay reasonable taxes. The current PA system is little different than rent controls.