Slots revenues are foisted to Pennsylvanian School Board Association
The Pennsylvanian law forces School Board Association to make a final decision by the end of this month on the matter of lowering school property taxes by accepting slot machine revenues. School boards delay the response and some of the members express concerns regarding the future property tax increases that would need to have the voter’s approval, if slots money is accepted.
The Board Association ratified that information it received was not nearly satisfying and that more factual background on the impacts of property tax reduction law is needed. School officials are also mulling over the essence of slot machine revenues and its sustainability. Many school board members are worried that in order to qualify for the slots money, they must first raise their income tax rates by 0.1 percent and the money yielded from slots must be funneled entirely to the property tax reduction and not to the enhancement of educational programs.
Up till now, only a handful of districts have voted to opt in and the Philadelphia School District was obliged to opt in as part of the law’s passage.
