AMERICANS could save thousands of dollars every year under a new plan to axe a despised annual fee.
The annual tax has been slammed as antiquated and proponents of the change insist it’s needed to help millions of homeowners.
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Homeowners already have a lot on their plate with expensive housing and high mortgage rates.
Then, they have to tack on property taxes among other expenses.
But property taxes could be eliminated under a new proposal by Republican state Representative Russ Diamond.
Diamond plans to introduce a draft constitutional amendment that would hopefully end up on Pennsylvanians’ ballots on Election Day in November, Fox News reported.
If the law got on the ballot and Pennsylvanians voted in favor of it, the state’s constitution would be amended to abolish property taxes, lessening the burden on homeowners.
The average property tax rate in Pennsylvania in 2024 was 1.49% with a median home value of $277,560, according to Business Insider.
The median property tax paid by Pennsylvanians in 2023 was $3,094.
Diamond told Fox News, “Property taxes are an issue that is not exactly partisan, because in some areas, it’s more of a big deal than in others.”
The legislator said Lebanon, a city about a 40-minute drive west of Newark that he serves, sees property taxes as a “middle-of-the-road” issue but these fees are a “big deal” in nearby areas such as Allentown and Mount Pocono.
“For me, the ‘big deal’ is that I want people to own their homes and not have to rent from the government, all across Pennsylvania,” he said.
However, if property taxes were abolished in Pennsylvania, local governments would lose out on that revenue and then have to figure out how to either make that money back or cut their budgets.
State Senator Doug Mastriano, a fellow Republican who also supports the abolishment of property taxes, raised similar concerns as Diamond.
He said in a statement that property taxes were “rent to the government for the land you own.”
Mastriano continued, “It’s easy to see why this antiquated tax is so despised in all corners of the commonwealth.
“More than 10,000 homes are seized annually in Pennsylvania and auctioned off for failure to pay the tax.”
STATES CALLING TO END PROPERTY TAXES
Pennsylvania isn’t the only state where politicians want to abolish property taxes.
On March 4, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis asked in his State of the State address, “You buy a home, pay off a mortgage — and yet you still have to write a check to the government every year just to live on your own property?”
DeSantis said increasing home values are a “gusher of revenue” for local governments.
What States Want To Axe Property Taxes?
Politicians from several states have called to end property taxes.
Pennsylvania state Representative Russ Diamond introduced a draft constitutional amendment to abolish property taxes.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis voiced his support for ending or at least lowering property taxes but said a constitutional amendment is needed.
U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey announced his plan for an almost 15% property tax reduction.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun also detailed plans to cap property taxes.
The property tax rate in Florida in 2024 was actually lower than Pennsylvania at 0.91% but the median home value for that year was higher at $413,820.
The median property taxes paid by Floridians in 2023 was $2,529.
DeSantis wrote on the social media platform X last month, “Property taxes are local, not state.”
He continued, “So we’d need to do a constitutional amendment (requires 60% of voters to approve) to eliminate them (which I would support) or even to reform/lower them.”
“We should put the boldest amendment on the ballot that has a chance of getting that 60%,” DeSantis said.
He added, “I agree that taxing land/property is the more oppressive and ineffective form of taxation.”
US Representative Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat running for governor, detailed his tax cut plan which includes an almost 15% property tax reduction in an opinion piece for northjersey.com.
New Jersey homeowners had the highest amount of median property taxes paid in 2023 at $8,897. Their property tax rate for 2024 was at 2.23% with a median home value of $502,120.
Republican Indiana Governor Mike Braun also shared plans to cap property taxes.
He told Fox News, “Bidenflation caused property tax bills in Indiana to go crazy, and too many Hoosier seniors are struggling with staying in their homes because of these bills.”
The average property tax rate in Indiana in 2024 was 0.84% with a median home value of $249,200.
The median property taxes paid by Indiana homeowners in 2023 was $1,467.
