Support sales tax expansion
I would like to congratulate two Greene County Men, Mr. Terry Burns, president of the Community Partners for Reform, and Gary Yoskovich, a Southeastern Greene school board member, for their courageous speeches at the Capitol Building on Oct. 24. Both men spoke before hundreds to express their avid support of the “Plan for PA’s Future,” which is a 5 percent sales tax that would eliminate school property taxes completely by 2009. Mr. Burns detailed the struggle that he has had in helping to save his in-law’s family farm over the years due to the increasing taxes which took over one-half of his mother-in-law’s retirement income to pay. He said that property tax couldn’t continue to be the tax base for the ever-increasing costs of education.
Mr. Yoskovich detailed how this initiative would benefit Greene County and how it would allow the growth of Morgantown to spread across our borders, as people need housing and land. He said that at one time state Rep. Bill DeWeese thought such an initiative would have been political suicide but now this initiative, one that would remove family homes from the auction block, has found its time.
Six other members of Community Partners for Reform also attended: Ed and Rachelle Kamenos, Sandy and Henry Theis, Beverly Yoskovich, and myself, Ginny Eberhart. We also held meetings with Rep. Sam Rohrer, chair of the Commonwealth Caucus, and Rep. DeWeese, discussing our interest in this tax relief.
It was a great day for all of us as we tried to affect the political process in behalf of Greene County. If you are in support of the elimination of property tax in favor of a wider 5 percent sales tax, which shares the burden of property tax across the board, contact Bill DeWeese and our governor’s office to express your support.
Ginny Eberhart
Dilliner