STATE COLLEGE — Whether you own property or not, a bill scheduled to come up during this year’s legislative session will affect you, according to the American Association of University Women.
A discussion about eliminating school property taxes is poised to take center stage in the Pennsylvania legislature. Senate Bill 76 proposes to eliminate property tax, increase sales and personal income taxes, and shift responsibility of school funding from local districts to the state.
The AAUW State College Branch is sponsoring an informational panel discussion on Saturday to help the public learn more about issues involved with the proposed legislation.
“AAUW is committed to sharing information about any issue that affects our education system and the youth in our local communities,” Mary Dupuis, co-chair of AAUW’s Public Policy Committee, said in a press release.
Moderated by State College Area School District board member David Hutchinson, the panel will discuss Senate Bill 76 and its possible effects on school districts, as well as state and local residents and businesses. Panelists will be Sue Spicka, Education Voters of Pennsylvania; Sean Crampsie, Pennsylvania School Boards Association; state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte; and state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township.
The event will be held at the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800 E. Park Ave., State College. The visitor center parking lot entrance is on Porter Road. Refreshments will be available at 9 a.m.; the panel discussion will start at 9:30 a.m. No reservations are required; the event is free and open to the public.
“We encourage community members to attend this panel and take part in public discourse about a shift not only in tax sources for education, but also in oversight of school district funding,” Dupuis said.
The American Association of University Women State College Branch is part of a nationwide network of about 1,000 branches that are dedicated to advancing equity for women and girls.
For more information, visit www.aauwstatecollege.org.
