title
A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to amend Article XXXI-B of the Second Class County Code, pertaining to the Allegheny Regional Asset District, to render the Allegheny County senior citizen property tax relief program consistent with the Commonwealth's program.
body
WHEREAS, the Tax Reform Act of 2006 altered the participation guidelines for the Commonwealth's senior citizen property tax relief program, specifically changing the maximum allowable household income for participants from $30,000 to $35,000; and
WHEREAS, it is believed that this change was made in order to allow for increased participation in the Commonwealth's program by senior citizens living on fixed incomes, because these individuals are particularly likely to have difficulties in absorbing an increasing tax burden; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny County has a similar property tax relief program for senior citizens; and
WHEREAS, the County program is authorized within Title XXXI-B of the Second Class County Code, which also established the Allegheny Regional Asset District and explicitly requires that the County's program be modeled after the Commonwealth's; and
WHEREAS, the authorization contained within Title XXXI-B specifically requires a maximum household income for participants of $30,000; and
WHEREAS, this participation guideline was not altered by the Tax Reform Act to maintain its consistency with the Commonwealth's senior citizen property tax relief program;
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby resolves as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Council of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, supports the continued consistency of the eligibility guidelines between the County and Commonwealth senior citizen property tax relief programs, and accordingly urges the General Assembly to amend the applicable section of the Second Class County Code, 16 P.S. §6171-B(a)(4)(iii), to permit individuals with household incomes below $35,000 to participate in the County's program.
SECTION 2.
The Council of Allegheny County further resolves that copes of this Resolution be provided to the Allegheny County representatives in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
SECTION 3.
If any provision of this Resolution shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Resolution which shall be in full force and effect.
SECTION 4.
Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Resolution is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Resolution.