Tonight I attended a artist’s reception for my friend Patty at Parkland High School. Patty is an excellent artist who does paintings, ceramics, wonderful paper mache birds, and much more.
The reception was held in Parkland High School. It isn’t just one building, however, it is a collection of various buildings, including one evidently devoted to the arts. This was a real campus, not just a high school.
Two weeks ago I attended a drug forum at the Panther Valley High School. Panther Valley does not begin to compare with Parkland.
The problem is the property tax. Parkland is a district in which property values are high. Panther Valley includes Summit Hill, Lansford, Coaldale, and Nesquehoning, none of which are particularly prosperous.
As long as Pennsylvania schools depend on local property taxes for their main source of revenue, we will see tremendous disparities in our schools.
My solution: keep the property tax, dump the local property tax collectors, make the tax uniform across the state (how about 1% of assessed value?), allow it to be paid in four installments, and send it to the Department of Revenue, where it is put into the general fund.
Then fund the schools from the state level according to the number of students in each district, with a formula allocating extra funds for schools with a high number of ESL students or families living in poverty. Allow rich districts to spend parent-generated funds on sports or enrichment programs, but ensure the floor for all students is equal.
This is perhaps one of the best ideas I have heard to solve the property tax issue. You should start a movement to address this to our state legislators.
ReplyDeleteI'll start with Rep. Heffley.
ReplyDelete