Largest local tax cut in Pennsylvania history... Story Inside

Transcription

1 Independent, Effective, Working to Make a Difference. February 2005 Partners in property tax relief: Senator Lisa Boscola and Governor Ed Rendell. Largest local tax cut in Pennsylvania history... Story Inside

2 I want to personally thank you for being my partner for property tax relief for our residents. You have long been a champion on this issue and you can be proud of the accomplishments that your leadership and determination has brought to your constituents and all Pennsylvanians. Gov. Ed Rendell to Senator Lisa Boscola Tax relief is finally on the way! For the first time in decades, your local school property taxes will soon be going down (instead of going up), thanks to legislation signed into law by Governor Ed Rendell. In addition to providing $1 billion in property tax relief to Pennsylvania homeowners, this Tax relief new act will also limit spending by local school districts and increase the state share of overall funding for public schools. Senior citizens who are retired and living on a fixed income will receive the greatest benefits from this tax relief, since they have struggled the most to pay rising property tax bills over the years. I applaud Governor Rendell for his leadership in addressing this problem. As your State Senator, I supported taking this important step to really reduce the tax burden on our working families and our seniors. But, I will continue to fight to eliminate local school property taxes entirely. Once this new act is fully phased in, you will see: Property tax cuts School tax relief Fairness in school funding Caps on school district spending Control over local school costs Local school property taxes are cruel and unfair. They do not take into consideration what you can actually afford to pay only The ONLY One! Senator Lisa Boscola is the ONLY one of Pennsylvania s 50 State Senators who said NO to every state tax increase and legislative pay raise/pension grab in the last 10 years. Only Senator Boscola voted against ALL of the following: Legislative Pay Raise Gas Tax Increase Legislative Pension Grab State Tax Increase State Income Tax Increase Occupational Privilege Tax Increase = Taxpayer Hero Source: Official roll call votes on: SB 1074 of 1995 (House Journal), HB 1531 of 1997, HB 26 of 2001, HB 1848 of 2002, HB 200 of 2003, HB 197 of 2004 (Senate Journal). where you live and what kind of home you own.

3 We're Near to Serve You Toll-free: STROUDSBURG 600 Main Street Stroudsburg, PA (570) WHITEHALL 2123 North 1st Avenue Whitehall, PA (610) BETHLEHEM 559 Main Street Bethlehem, PA (610) Cut along the dotted line and mail to: Senator Lisa M. Boscola Senate Box Harrisburg, PA YES! I WANT TO JOIN THE FIGHT! Join with Senator Lisa Boscola in fighting to lower the high cost of prescription drugs and to eliminate local school property taxes. Name Address City/State/Zip Phone (optional) Please add my name to your mailing list for regular updates on the following issues and let me know what I can do to make a difference in Harrisburg: Lower cost of prescription drugs Increase state funding for public schools Eliminate local school property taxes Lower utility rates Create new, good-paying jobs Preserve and protect the environment Eliminate wasteful government spending Fix local roads, bridges and highways Other

4 Bringing Home Our Fair Share of State Funds As your State Senator, I fight every day to bring you a solid return on your tax dollars in the form of better roads, better schools, and better state services. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I m also in a position to steer millions of dollars in state funds back home to pay for worthwhile local projects. So far this year, these funds have helped many local efforts, including: LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS Coplay Borough Police Department renovations, Portland Police Department vehicle acquisition, Catasauqua Police Department s Catasauqua mountain bike data project; Our LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company roof siren, Lehigh Valley Airport Fire Department s AARF Cascade System, Southeastern Volunteer Fire State Company s radio communications improvements, Dewey Fire Company s building addition, Charotin Hose Company No. 1 s fire hose; funds LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES books and materials for the Bethlehem Public Library, Memorial Library of Nazareth, Eastern Monroe Public Library; LOCAL SENIOR CENTERS Senior Center of Bethlehem s communication upgrade, Saucon Valley Community Center s security system; Senator Boscola, surrounded by local children and members of the L.G. Steward Community Association, presents a $55,000 check to Mayor John Callahan of Bethlehem for playground equipment for the city's many community parks. LOCAL VETERANS VFW Post 7293 funds for F-14 Fighter Jet and Memorial, DeFranco Elementary School s 5th Grade Wreath Ceremony at Arlington National Ceremony, Slate Belt Veteran s Association s veterans outreach computers; and LOCAL SPORTSMEN Forks of the Delaware Shad Fishing Tournament and Festival costs, Northampton County Federation of Sportsmen s Clubs operating costs for Youth Field Day. Stimulus Plan to Create More New Jobs Senator Lisa Boscola listens to Governor Rendell as he presents a check to Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation President Ray Suhocki for the newly designated Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) at Lehigh University. The KIZ program will help foster the revitalization of Southside Bethlehem surrounding the Lehigh Campus. Afew months ago, the Legislature enacted Governor Rendell s comprehensive stimulus package. I strongly supported this innovative economic development strategy because it is designed to attract private investment and work with the private sector to find solutions to the Commonwealth's slow job and business growth. Since that time, the Governor has already made several visits to the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos to personally deliver millions of dollars in targeted funds to help accelerate business development and new economic opportunities for our working families. I sit on the board of Pennsylvania s Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority and I m excited about spurring economic development around our local colleges and universities and creating special incentives to attract high-growth firms and jobs for the future.

5 Reinventing the Bethlehem Steel Dream Bethlehem Steel fueled our country s industrial revolution and literally created America s middle class. This is where men and women made the steel that built our country and made it great. Today, the legacy of Bethlehem Steel is all that remains of this industrial giant. While some just see the abandoned mills that are left behind, I see the opportunity to build upon that legacy and stand on the shoulders of the great industrialists who changed the world by the work they did right here in Bethlehem. That s why I am working hard to create new jobs and new opportunities by cleaning up and reusing this brownfield site. Redeveloping the Bethlehem Steel site is the biggest and most important economic development project in the Lehigh Valley in decades. As the daughter of a retired steelworker, I was proud to stand next to Governor Ed Rendell a few months ago as he dedicated $1.6 Senator Lisa Boscola joined Governor Rendell for the announcement of a state grant to promote the redevelopment of the Bethlehem Steel site. The grant will help turn the site back into an engine of economic growth for the entire Lehigh Valley. million towards redeveloping this abandoned steel site. This initial funding will be used for environmental remediation of the soil that has been contaminated with heavy metals from many years of making steel. The Governor truly shares my vision that we can rebuild the economic base of the entire Lehigh Valley and create new, highly skilled, good-paying jobs. With this funding, we re on our way to redeveloping much of this land and bringing it back to life again. The greatest tribute we can pay to the legacy of Bethlehem Steel is not to turn our back on the past, but to turn our focus to the future and the promise of good jobs and good wages. Boscola Provides Funds to Clean Up Wind Gap Tire Pile Senator Boscola and DEP Secretary Katie McGinty announce state funds for cleanup efforts. For decades the Wind Gap tire pile along Route 33 has not only been an eyesore, but an environmental hazard for many residents of the Slate Belt. The tire pile had become a cultivating ground for mosquitoes and the deadly West Nile Virus. And those tires have been contaminating the soil and our environment for years. In the last two years, I was able to help secure $800,000 in grants that kicked off the cleaning of the property. Prior to the removal of any tires, this pile was the 3rd largest in Pennsylvania. So far, 841,458 tires have been removed and we re still moving forward! After working closely with the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, Kathleen McGinty, we were able to obtain a $1.2 million state grant to finish the onsite clean up. The project is slated to be complete by the end of 2005.

6 HOMEOWNER ADVISORY: Only 1/3 of all homeowners in Pennsylvania have applied for the homestead exemption to quality for property tax relief! You could receive a reduction in your property taxes (between 14 percent to 50 percent every year) under the Homeowner Tax Relief Act but you must file your application by March If you have not received a homestead exclusion application from your local school district, please contact my district office immediately. America s Horse, of course! Senator Boscola visited Smarty Jones prior to voting on legislation that would allow slot machines to be placed at horse race tracks in Pennsylvania. Smarty nibbled on Senator Boscola s arm as well as the carrot she was trying to feed him. BETHLEHEM OFFICE Main Street Commons 559 Main Street Suite 270 Bethlehem, PA (610) Toll-free: Fax: (610) OFFICES TO SERVE YOU WHITEHALL OFFICE West Catasauqua Professional Office Bldg North 1st Avenue Suite A-4 Whitehall, PA (610) Fax: (610) POCONO OFFICE Dominick A. Lockwood Business Center 600 Main Street Suite 112 Stroudsburg, PA (570) Fax: (570) boscola@pasenate.com HARRISBURG OFFICE The State Capitol Senate Box Harrisburg, PA (717) Fax: (717) Senate of Pennsylvania: (TTY) STATE SENATOR LISA M. BOSCOLA Senate Box Harrisburg, PA PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID HARRISBURG, PA PERMIT NO. 603 Printed on recycled paper