Brewster: Republicans Stop Effort to Halt Property Tax Reassessments

McKeesport – July 5, 2012 – When the state Senate returns to session later this year it may have a second chance to pass legislation to stop the unfair property tax reassessments that have plagued property owners in Allegheny County, state Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) said today.

Stopping the property tax reassessments would have already been achieved had a bill passed the Senate late Saturday night with the moratorium language included.  The measure likely would now be on the governor’s desk had the Senate Republicans not acted to remove the prohibition, Brewster said. 

“I was extremely disappointed that language which would have imposed a moratorium to halt property tax reassessments in Allegheny County was removed at the last minute by Senate Republicans,” Brewster said.  “The Republican claim was that the moratorium was unconstitutional.

“The Republicans control the process.  The governor is a Republican and there are large Republican majorities in both the House and Senate.  If they want to halt property tax reassessments that have hurt Allegheny County residents they could move quickly.”

The moratorium was removed by Senate Republicans in Appropriations Committee action.  The bill was then passed by the Senate.  The moratorium was then restored by the House later in the evening when it passed a previous version of the bill.

“Taxpayers in Allegheny County have faced court-ordered property reassessment while some other counties haven’t reassessed in generations,” Brewster said.  “The reassessment is arbitrary and inequitable and has caused pain for homeowners.”

Brewster is planning to introduce legislation to prohibit reassessments and eliminate property taxes using a variation of the STOP plan. 

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Brewster Announces July Outreach Office Hours

McKeesport – July 5, 2012 –Sen. Jim Brewster today announced that his staff will be holding July office hours at outreach offices in numerous Westmoreland County and Allegheny County locations.

“This schedule helps accommodate constituents and enables my staff to meet face to face with more people to get a better understanding of local issues and problems,” Brewster said. “Holding these outreach hours saves many people a trip and brings quality service to my constituents.”

The outreach offices will be open throughout July at the following locations:

Arnold City Hall on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Brackenridge Borough Building on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Dravosburg Borough Building on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Elizabeth Township Building on Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Lower Burrell City Hall on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Pitcairn Borough Building on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Plum Borough Building on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Rankin Borough Building on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Tarentum Borough Building on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Turtle Creek Borough Building on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Washington Township Building on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Wilmerding Borough Building on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon

Brewster has full-time district offices in Monroeville, One Monroeville Center, 3824 Northern Pike, Suite 350 (412) 380-2242; McKeesport, 201 Lysle Boulevard, Suite 100 (412) 664-5200; and New Kensington, New Kensington City Hall, 301 11th Street, Suite L (724) 334-1143.

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