Board discusses ending per-capita tax and a property-tax rebate to help seniors and low-income residents

The finance committee discussed two interlinked proposals at its Sept. 10 meeting: sunsetting the district’s $10 per-capita tax and creating a district-level property-tax rebate to supplement the state program for eligible seniors, widows/widowers and permanently disabled residents.

What was proposed: The administration outlined three main points: (1) eliminating the district $10 per-capita tax would reduce recurring revenue by roughly $283,000; (2) replacing that revenue with a millage-rate increase would spread the burden across nonresidential taxpayers as well as residential property owners — an illustrative tax-rate increase of 0.0943 mills (about 0.25%) would raise an equivalent amount; and (3) as a separate but related measure, the district could adopt a rebate program matching a percentage of the Pennsylvania state property-tax/rent rebate for eligible residents.

Eligibility and mechanics discussed: - State rebate baseline: Pennsylvania’s program requires applicants to first qualify for the state rebate (the state’s income threshold for 2025 was cited as $46,520). Eligible applicants are homeowners and renters who are 65 or older, widows/widowers aged 50+, or permanently disabled adults 18+. - District supplement: The district presented an example matching 20% of the state rebate; other districts’ supplements vary and many ramp programs over time. - Administration proposed that district rebates would require applicants to submit their state PA‑1000 form and the state rebate check; the district would issue a supplemental check after verifying the state rebate.

Budget impact examples presented: - Eliminating the per-capita tax would remove about $283,000 from revenues; offsetting that entirely via millage would require a 0.0943 mill increase (illustrative) and would spread some cost to commercial/industrial taxpayers rather than only residential taxpayers. - A district rebate equal to 20% of the state program, based on recent state rebate totals, would cost roughly $100,000 annually at current participation levels; administration said participation typically ramps over several years.

Board members expressed support for further study. Several said the per-capita tax is a nuisance and favored replacing it with a modest millage adjustment combined with a targeted rebate for low-income seniors. There was no formal vote; the committee asked administration to return in October with additional information and potential implementation steps (public outreach, application process, and budget options).

Next steps: Administration will develop formal proposals and public-notice plans for the board to consider in coming months. The rebate would be administered yearly and would require annual budget approval, administration said.