County Will No Longer Levy Per-Capita Tax
December 26th, 2012
The
Potter County Board of Commissioners last week passed a resolution that
eliminates the controversial “per-capita tax” that has been levied on
all adults in the county at a rate of $5.00 annually for many years. The
action takes effect immediately and will be reflected on tax bills sent
next year. In passing the resolution, the commissioners cited the
relatively high cost of collecting the tax and maintaining records.Critics of the per-capita tax have long held that it violates the 14th Amendment of the Constitution (Equal Protection Clause) because, as a practical matter — although it is by law supposed to cover all adults over the age of 18, regardless of income — it has been applied unevenly. A complete record cannot be established. Nonpermanent residents, such as college students and adult children, move in and out of the area throughout the year. There is no proactive procedure in existence to ensure all those who are required to pay the tax can be billed.
To cover the revenue shortfall and cover other rising expenses, the commissioners’ resolution rounds the 14.55-mill real estate tax up to an even 15 mills, which will result in an increase of $9.00 for the average residential property owner in Potter County.
The county’s 2013 budget has been on display at the Gunzburger Building and is scheduled for an adoption vote at 11 am Thursday, Dec. 27, during the commissioners’ public meeting.
5 comments:
Good move. That tax is really dumb and outdated. I mean, five bucks a head? Knowing how much government buraeucracy there is I bet that half that five bucks goes into collecting and processing the stupid thing. I also bet that people who don't pay it probably do not get prosecuted. I commend the county for doing this overdue action.
What a joke cut a $5 tax and impose a $9 tax. Time to go for you people.
ALMOST, and I mean almost as dumb as parking meters in Coudersport.
09:42, they cut a $5.00 per head above 18 year old tax and instituted a $9.00 per property owner tax. So if I had a family of four all above 18 and owned property (not rented), I would have to pay $20.00. The new tax they implemented raised my property tax $9.00, that's an $11.00 decrease in taxes. The only people screwed would be single or widowed property owners.
Someone needs to pay for the Potter County police state and all of those welfare MAMAS and corp. give aways. Hows that new sewer plant you all Built for Adelphia?
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