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Seeking Harrisburg help, Onorato wants reassessment delay
Faced with the political challenge of convincing Harrisburg to reform property tax assessments, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato is asking the state Supreme Court to stay its recent ruling that mandated county-wide reassessments, Onorato’s office said Friday.
The court ruled in April that the county had to do the reassessment, which Onorato has been fighting in order to prevent property tax increases. Since then, Onorato, a likely Democratic candidate for Governor, has asked lawmakers in Harrisburg to institute statewide reform for what experts agree is a statewide problem.
Lawmakers have been somewhat receptive to the idea, but with a legislative fix nowhere on the immediate horizon, Onorato asked the Supreme Court for more time.
“Pennsylvania’s property assessment system is broken, and we need Harrisburg to pass uniform, fair legislation to protect homeowners in all 67 counties,” Onorato said in a statement. “During these difficult economic times, families across Pennsylvania are worried that unfair property tax increases will make it even harder to stay in their homes. Consensus is building in Harrisburg to address the property assessment issue through legislation, and we are asking the Court to give the General Assembly time to act on that legislation.”
Analysts widely agree that the property tax issue could prove a major political headache for Onorato and an obstacle to his ambitions for higher office.
•Earlier on pa2010.com: As a political obstacle looms, Onorato looks to put the onus on Harrisburg
May 23, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Tags: Dan Onorato
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gophawk
May 24th, 2009
Are statewide voters gonna want a guy who won’t face up to his job? He is coming with the weak sauce and continuing to try and throw the hot potato to somewhere else. I love he wants the state to raise taxes in Allegheny County and not him. What’s he gonna do as Gov? Ask Obama to raise Pennsylvania’s taxes for him?
OBAMAROX
May 24th, 2009
He will not be our nominee because the real impact of him avoiding the issue of property assessments is that the elderly and poor are paying more of their limited income than they should. And they have been paying more than they should for every year of his tenure. Under a fair system, his wealthy contractor friends would pay more and the elderly and poor pay less. He is another corporatist Democrat.
Anonymous
May 24th, 2009
This avoidance of tough decisions is why people hate politicians. This is the kind of politics that George Bush specialized in. That is why President Obama is having to take on so many huge challenges at once. You can’t afford a guy in charge who doesn’t have a pair. I think that voters know that now.
Anonymous
May 24th, 2009
He was able to sneak through a tax on beer for the working people.
Anonymous
May 24th, 2009
That beer tax will hurt him right across the state. Who was advising him on that?
Anonymous
May 24th, 2009
Tom Knox has enough money that when he is done with Onorato they’ll have Dan’s picture in the dictionary next to taxes.
joeparulz
May 24th, 2009
Won’t the court penalize Allegheny County for frivolous pleadings? They were clear as can be that he had to make a reassessment this year.
gophawk
May 25th, 2009
Lawsuits cost money. It is taxpayer money. Ed Rendell does this all the time with his own law firm and other connected firms. Ed Capone hands out no bid contracts at exorbitant prices to the favored few and he gets campaign money. If a reporter checks, they’ll probably find that this law firm is a big donor to Onorato. That is pay to play.
joeparulz
May 25th, 2009
How much are the taxpayers coughing up to the lawyers to keep this charade going? Money is fungible, so that means the lawyers’ fees are being taken away from fixing roads, feeding the elderly, or providing health care. Such a waste.