datches89 t1_j2wi2xo wrote on January 4, 2023 at 12:58 PM

Reply to comment by BeerExchange in Divided Pennsylvania House elects Democrat Rozzi as speaker by boundfortrees

He started out as a Democrat and is now an Independent. According to this article, he leans right on "cutting business payroll tax and eliminating school property taxes" while other, more headline-y politics- abortion rights, minimum wage- are more left.

BeerExchange t1_j2wi9f4 wrote on January 4, 2023 at 1:00 PM

Yes, but he totally boned the PA Dems by eliminating their slimmest of slim majority. So much for PA moving forward. One step forward, two steps back.

datches89 t1_j2wjar1 wrote on January 4, 2023 at 1:09 PM

Just read the AP Article

> Democrats said Rozzi will remain a Democrat and not switch his registration to independent. But Republicans insisted otherwise Tuesday night, saying that Rozzi will become an independent.

What a mess

BeerExchange t1_j2wk4ym wrote on January 4, 2023 at 1:17 PM

I recall reading yesterday that he will not caucus with the democrats or republicans, and will have staff members from both parties. It's bonkers.

cowboyjosh2010 t1_j2y5ly5 wrote on January 4, 2023 at 7:40 PM

I'm curious what he would do to make up for eliminating school property taxes. When I hear the phrase "school property taxes", what I envision is the portion of real estate property taxes that gets used as revenue for local public school districts to use. I have a general but not well refined critique of this practice, because I think it sucks that the funding of a child's school (and therefore likely the quality of the education available to that child) is so dependent on the perceived property values where that child had the good (or bad) luck of being born. But obviously schools need this portion of their revenue. I think I support (but am not 100% ironclad in this) pooling tax revenue statewide and distributing it to public schools more evenly.

So I think that's where I go next on this subject for Rozzi's position: is that what he would do in lieu of school property taxes? It's hardly like he can eliminate that tax and replace the revenue source with nothing, right? So what's the alternative in his mind?

selectinput t1_j2yu1b5 wrote on January 4, 2023 at 10:08 PM

There are also places in PA that have a separate school district tax that is not property tax, which you owe as a resident rather than a property owner. I’m not sure how common that is. I’d be curious if that’s something they would push to expand in lieu of a property tax.