Officials looking for tax panel volunteers

Sunday, August 27, 2006 Voters can decide how far tax reform should go in the May 2007 primary. NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — The Wilmington Area School District is looking for volunteers to serve on a Tax Study Commission that will come up with some recommendations for tax reform. Act 1 of 2006, the Taxpayer Relief Act, was signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell in June and requires communities to make certain decisions about local tax structure. The law requires that a referendum question be placed on the May 2007 primary ballot — asking voters if they want to shift the tax burden by increasing income taxes and decreasing property taxes. The law requires school boards to seek recommendations from an independent study commission made up of members representative of the demographic composition of their community. What will be included The commission's recommendation will include whether the referendum question should relate to an earned income tax, or alternatively to a personal income tax, and the tax rate to be included in the referendum question. The boards will consider these recommendations when preparing a referendum question to submit to the voters in May. The Wilmington Area School Board is accepting applications for commission appointment through Sept. 8. Tax Study Commission members will be selected at the Sept. 11 school board meeting. Interested candidates should contact the school district at the Administration Office, 300 Wood St., New Wilmington, Pa. 16142 or call (724) 656-8866, Ext. 6000, to obtain an application. Relatives of school board members and school district employees are excluded from participation. Commission members will be expected to attend meetings regularly as set by the commission in consultation with the district, complete the study process no later than Dec. 13, participate in at least one public hearing and carefully review historic and projected income tax, real estate tax and community demographic data provided by the district.