OCT. 27, 2015 Pennsylvania State Grange has adopted two resolutions that reflect the mission of the Pennsylvania State Land Tax Fairness Coalition.
The state organization agreed to support an increase in the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes for state-owned land, and the sharing of timber sale and gas/oil lease revenue on state forest land with local governments.
AUG. 17, 2015 -- Pennsylvania State Land Tax Fairness Coalition returns to Harrisburg today for another round of meetings as the state budget/tax policy stalemate continues.
Today’s agenda includes a meeting with a Pa. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources official about DCNR’s dependence on state land oil/gas leasing and timber sale revenue to fund its operational expenses.
JULY 6, 2015 – Pennsylvania Game Commission officials have confirmed that another parcel of privately owned real estate in McKean County has been acquired by the agency and added to the state game lands system. The 290 acres now come off the tax rolls of Smethport Area School District, Hamlin Township and McKean County. This on top of the 184 adjacent acres acquired by the PGC in the same area two years ago.
JULY 6, 2015 – State Senator Joe Scarnati (R- Brockway) is urging his colleagues in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to approve a measure to increase the state’s payment-in-lieu-of taxes for state forest, game and park lands. Excerpts from his letter follow:
JUNE 20, 2015 -- Pennsylvania State Land Tax Fairness Coalition leaders sprung into action this week in response to news that another 20,800 acres have been added to the state’s holdings, stripping it from the tax base of the affected school districts, counties and municipalities.
JUNE 24, 2015 – Pennsylvania State Land Tax Fairness Coalition has had its case bolstered once again by the recent news that the state has added another 430 acres of forest land, stripping it from the tax base for the affected school district, county and municipality.
JUNE 9, 2015 – Some resistance has developed to House Bill 343, revolving around complexities with the state budget. Representatives from the Pa. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources maintain the bill would cripple DCNR operations.
JUNE 4, 2015 -- Leaders of the Pennsylvania State Land Tax Fairness Coalition were back in Harrisburg this week, continuing a series of face-to-face meetings with members of the Senate and House of Representatives. Cameron County Commissioner Phil Jones (shown) and Potter County Commissioner Paul Heimel report that the results of their conversations were encouraging.
MAY 26, 2015 -- Eight more members of the state legislature have come out in support of the Pennsylvania State Land Tax Fairness Coalition’s mission. House Bill 1224, introduced on May 18, calls for a doubling of the state’s current $1.20 per acre payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) for tax-exempt state forest, game and park lands.
May 12, 2015 – While leaders of the Pennsylvania State Land Tax Fairness Coalition were pleading their case in Harrisburg, the state was gobbling up another 17,000 acres of forest land and stripping it from the tax base.