The national Republican party has mislead us for years but it has grown especially intense recently (see my previous posts on Donald Trump). In general, my local Republican Party in Chester County, Pennsylvania seemed to me to be a fairly responsible bunch.

However, the recent “Chester County Republican Gazzette” seemed very misleading. Pennsylvania has a contitutional amendment on the ballot tomorow and I have not been able to make up my mind on it. But the recent “Gazette” seems highly misleading on this in my opinion. This makes me doubt the rest of what they say.

Here is the referendum on the ballot as quoted by the PA League of Women Voters

Referendum on the November 7th Ballot:
Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to permit the General Assembly to enact legislation authorizing local taxing authorities to exclude from taxation up to 100 percent of the assessed value of each homestead property within a local taxing jurisdiction, rather than limit the exclusion to one-half of the median assessed value of all homestead property, which is the existing law?

For those who are unfamiliar with Pennsylvania: The General Assembly refers to our state legislature.

On the front page the amendment is accurately presented. But on the second page the amendment is transformed in a misleading way. By the way, teh seond page apears to be a local edition just for out voting district so i’m not sure if this will be the same in all versions of the “Gazzette”.

With just a few rearranged words, Chester County Republicans manage to transform this amendment giving local jurisdictions the power to increase homestead exemptions to elimate property tax for most homeowners to one that is a power grab by the state government taking the power from local school boards and other local officials.

The “Chester County Republican Gazzette” says:

Voters are asked to vote to amend our Pennsylvania Constitution to permit the General Assembly to exclude up to 100% of property taxes in local jurisdictions…

My reading of the amendment as proposed would indicate that the General Assembly is permitted (but not required) to pass legislation enabling local justisdictions to increase the homestead exemption to 100%. I’m not sure why they would do this unless other sources of tax money were made available to them but this allows the state to give them the option.

As the Republicans restate it, the amendment allows the General Assembly to take taxing power away from local jurisdictions and the resulting loss of local control will give our state government control overschool boards and other local functions.

There seems to be a big difference between Republican spin and anything approaching the truth.