Township Eliminates the Property Tax ($771.45 per family)

This past Monday the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to eliminate the property tax. Yes, you heard it right. Your property tax bill is $0. That is 0 mils. Nada property taxes. With the economy floundering this is good news for Wallace Township residents. As our previous post calculated this will save the average family in Wallace Township $771.45 per year. The budget also includes a $100,000 surplus and sets aside funds to restore the historic Indiantown Schoolhouse.

Wallace Township 2009 Budget

Eliminate the School Property Tax

Here is an interesting site that supports legislation to eliminate the school property tax. We agree with those that say this is a great burden on families, especially seniors in our community. It is not fair that those who have worked hard their whole life to pay off there home still have to essentialy pay rent to the government to remain in their home. Home ownership and property rights are the back bone of this country. Something does need to be done about property taxes accross the board in the state of PA.

==> PTCC (PENNSYLVANIA TAXPAYERS CYBER COALITION)

The Great Open Space Debate (It Was Civil)

The issue of an open space tax has been thoroughly debated in our township. It was a good, fair and civil debate. Both sides vigorously presented their view of the tax. Both sides acknowledged that each had the resident’s best interests at heart. They just disagreed fundamentally on how those interests should be addressed. That's ok. It seems now when people disagree with the BOS or their supporters it is because the BOS is bad and has bad intentions. They feel the need to attack them personally and even try to suppress any information that would support the BOS view. We feel here that the more information available on either side of an issue the better. And, we are ok if you disagree with us. We will not attribute some intellectual or ethical depravity to you; we will just acknowledge our disagreement and continue to argue our side of the issues.

There have been some rumblings as of late, that an open space tax could have helped to stave off the Valhalla project. The idea that the 2 million bond that may have been available due to the open space tax could somehow purchase enough land to stop this project is absurd. The various tracts are rumored to range anywhere from 30million to 50 million dollars. Even using the 2 million to buy development rights would not have gone very far. The project was originally on about half of the acreage anyways. The Heim and Comstock tracts were added later. On top of that it is doubtful that the open space proceeds would have ever been used to purchase the Industrial portion of the project which is where the main portion of the project resides. Besides, we are not convinced that most residents would be ok with handing their hard earned money to a wealthy land owner to keep on living on their property as they always have, just a lot richer. We don’t mean to impugn the land owner who may sell development rights. We believe they would have the best intentions as well. Wanting to preserve their land for generations to come. But, still the idea of taking from the poor to give to the rich still seems a little backwards. Meanwhile, even though residents are essentially paying a tax to this land owner they can’t step foot on the property. This all assumes that any of the money would have ever gotten spent on open space.

In East Brandywine on February 21st, 2007 the BOS voted to spend much of their open space money on their new building. “… $665,000 of the proceeds from the 2003 Bond will be changed to help pay for the new Township buildings. Mr. O’Neill stated that $65,000 would be used to reimburse the open space funds for interest costs and $600,000 would go towards completion of the construction“. They have yet to pay back the money. They do not ever have to repay the money.

Enough said for now, besides much has been said already. See the top ten reasons against the open space tax at our old site:
http://www.wallacevoters.com/top%2010.htm

BOS Saves each household a much needed $1,063 a year.

For the past year the Voice and their cronies have been bashing the BOS on what they promised to be a 50% or more "Tax Hike" for 2009. As with much they say, it wasn't true and never happened. At the same time they have remained critical of some on the board opposing the open space tax in 2005. What has really happened? Well, in these tough times, because of the boards 2009 budget and past opposition to the open space tax, each household in Wallace Township will keep $1,063 more of their hard earned money1. That is a $1,063 less taxes every year going forward as long as the property tax is not reinstated and the open space tax is never passed. We say it is pretty obvious they have kept their campaign promises to hold the line on taxes. Here are just a few of the examples of the rush to judgment:

When Bryan McDonaugh ran for supervisor there was a lot of talk about tax hikes. There was the "tax mistake" where taxes were tripled by moving a decimal the wrong way. The communication by the supervisors then was inadequate to say the least and it paved the political path for McDonaugh to become supervisor. Then there was the formation of the Wallacevoters.com by Rob Jones to combat the open space referendum. They were fighting a tax increase of "50%" to preserve open space. Well, the open space referendum was defeated, open space is pretty much gone now anyway, yet our taxes were doubled or raised 100% for 2008. Now 2009 sees a tax rise of at least "50%." Where are these voices against tax increases? Here is what Rob Jones said in his bid for supervisor: "I pledge to do what it takes to hold the line on property taxes at the local level. I am tired of seeing the residents stretched to the limit and even some forced to move out because they can no longer afford to live in Wallace Township." Well you know what, I am stretched to the limit with my local taxes, it would be much cheaper to move where the taxes are lower and there are plenty of municipalities that have lower taxes than Wallace. We need to get back to holding the line on tax increases!
Catherine Poole

It's ironic. I remember a former supervisor walking Bryan around, from home > to home, door to door, talking about the issues facing Wallace Twp. The one cardinal sin they both agreed on was raising taxes.
John Potts

1Household saving's calculations:

Wallace Township Households: 1065

Property Tax Savings:
Projected BRPD $ 921,800.00
Projected 2009 Surplus $100,205.00
Amount to be made up by property tax increase $821,595.00
Yearly Per Household Property Tax Savings $771.45

Open Space Tax Savings
Projected 2008 Income Tax Revenue $621,000.00
Total Open Space Tax = 50% of current income tax 50%

Open Space Tax Revenue $310,500.00
Yearly Per House Hold Savings $ 291.55
Total Savings Per Year Wallace Households $1,063.00

BOS Eliminates the Property Tax!! Chooses State Police.

Last nights meeting was one for the history books. The Board of Supervisors eliminated the property tax and projected a $100,250 surplus for 2009. How did they do it? They got us out of a terrible deal with the Brandywine Regional Police and have chosen State Police Coverage for 2009. Had the board remained with BRPD taxes would have been raised another 50% on top of the last boards doubling of taxes last year!! That would have tripled the taxes in the span of 2 years. Instead the real estate tax is no more. See the current budget ==> Wallace Township 2009 Proposed Budget.

Old Wallace Voters Site - Vote "NO" Open Space Tax

We may integrate some of these into the current blog to help find older articles and information, but for now you can link to the old site to the series of posts on the vote "No" campaign ==> Vote "NO" Open Space Tax