Politics & Government

Emrick Talks Taxes, Pensions in Stockertown

State Rep. Joe Emrick wraps up week of town meetings with constituents.

State Rep. Joe Emrick was talking to one of his colleagues from western Pennsylvania recently about property taxes.

This legislator told Emrick his property tax bill: $1,300 a year.

“I almost fell off my chair," Emrick said Friday morning in Stockertown, as he wrapped up a week of town meetings with constituents.

Speaking to about 15 people at the Widow's Tavern, Emrick talked about pensions, transportation, and property taxes.


“We have a huge property tax problem in this region," he said. "I've had people crying on their front porch, because they’re going to lose their homes."

Find out what's happening in Nazarethwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

While communities in eastern Pennsylvania are growing, school districts in the western half of the state are seeing their populations dwindling. Yet all these districts are funded the same way.

Another solution: give school districts the chance to put forth a referendum allowing voters to fund schools through earned income or sales taxes rather than property taxes.

Find out what's happening in Nazarethwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"That gives those represenatives in the other parts of the state the chance to say ‘We’re never gonna touch that,'" Emrick said.

He also discussed the state's $47 billion pension deficit, a problem Emrick says goes back 12 years, caused by the combination of a double dip recession and the decision not to contribute to the fund.

Emrick said lawmakers are pushing to move the state from a defined benefit plan to more of a "private sector style retirement system."

That change would only apply to new employees entering the pension system, not workers with existing pensions.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here