𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀.

My first piece of legislation for 2026 will be distributed to my colleagues in the near future for co sponsorship. 1st read at our next meeting. It’s not flashy but addresses an issue that deserves attention.

The ordinance requires our Office of Assessment to provide an annual report to Commissioners with key data about the health of the county’s property assessment system including metrics, information on appeals and trends affecting the tax base.

As a preface, I’ve long reinforced on this page a belief that property taxes are one of the worst forms of taxation. They are fundamentally regressive taxes that hit folks with less income harder impacting housing affordability. Unfortunately, school property taxes have been rising year after year at unsustainable levels.

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁.

Over time assessments drift when markets change but values stay fixed. Some properties rise in value faster than others. When the system isn’t updated it produces winners and losers. Some artificially pay less while others carry more than they should. Regrettably, while the state requires us to use property taxes, they punt on the obligation to conduct reassessments to counties. This obligation is often ignored due to politics.

When reassessments become political and put off for years the system becomes more and more unfair. A third of PA’s 67 counties haven’t conducted one since 2000. 40% of the state relies on outdated data.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆. At this time, the data is not telling us we need to conduct reassessment.

Instead, my proposal requires a front and center presentation yearly based on underlying data. It makes sure commissioners and the public review the data yearly so future discussions are based on facts, not politics. The policy makes it harder for boards and executives to punt, ignore or kick the can down the road. It gives us warning when the time comes.

𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.