Pennsylvania House Debates Dozens of Tax Cuts

A state House debate on lowering property taxes turned into a multibillion-dollar tax-cutting party on Wednesday, as the chamber gave preliminary approval to breaks on everything from cell phones and business profits to inheritances and pet adoptions.

None of the measures passed out of the House, because the votes were for amendments to an underlying bill that could come up for final consideration today.

Unbridled from a pay-as-you-go rule that is part of the budget process, the House stampeded through one tax break after another, as members paid little heed to warnings about the enormous hole they were potentially blowing in the budget.

‘‘I see a lot of passion for what the state might lose in all these taxes that aren’t collected,’‘ said Rep. Scott Perry, R-York, during debate on eliminating the state inheritance tax at a cost of $420 million in the first two years. ‘‘It’s not our money to begin with, it’s the taxpayers’ money.’‘


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