LVT Jurisdictions and Rates
In Harrisburg, the tax on improvements is only one sixth the tax on land -- many economists credit the "Renaissance" of Pittsburgh over the last two decades to Pittsburgh's shift to Land Value Taxation in 1978. Towns as small as Steelton (pop.2,500) to as large as Allentown (pop. 105,000) have used LVT successfully in Pennsylvania.
LVT has worked where tried. Many issues that seem unrelated can be ameliorated or solved by LVT. Traditional taxes such as property taxes, sales taxes, and income taxes, can be shifted with little downside and much to be gained from a revitalized local to global economy.
Jurisdiction Land Tax Rate(mills) Bldg. Tax Rate(mills) Tax Ratio Property Tax Rate(mills) Year Established Current as of Source Aliquippa School District 188.000 29.500 6.3729 60.530 1993 2009 Aliquippa school district admin. office Aliquippa, City of 81.000 11.400 7.1053 24.900 1988 2009 DCED[1]data (corrected) Allentown, City of 50.380 10.720 4.6996 17.520 1997 2009 DCED data Altoona, City of 185.860 6.890 26.9753 30.000 2002 2009 DCED data Clairton, City of 28.000 2.220 12.6126 7.500 1989 2009 DCED data Clairton School District 75.000 3.100 24.1935 22.000 2006 2008 DCED data DuBois, City of 89.000 3.000 29.6667 18.370 1991 2009 DCED data Duquesne, City of 19.000 13.470 1.4105 8.050 1985 2009 DCED data Ebensburg, Borough of 27.500 7.500 3.6667 10.500 2000 2009 DCED data Harrisburg, City of 28.670 4.780 5.9979 9.630 1975 2009 DCED for two-rate; flat rate in-house Lock Haven, City of 16.260 2.950 5.5119 6.289 1991 2009 Generated in-house McKeesport, City of 16.500 4.260 3.8732 7.000 1980 2009 City Controller New Castle, City of 27.791 7.856 3.5376 11.726 1982 2009 DCED data Pittsburgh Improvement District 4.374 N/A N/A N/A 1997 2009 Phone call to office Scranton, City of 103.145 22.432 4.5981 28.500 1913 2009 DCED data Titusville, City of 53.510 13.35 4.0082 18.333 1990 2008 DCED incorrect; PT & BT sample Washington, City of 100.630 3.500 28.7514 21.620 1985 2009 DCED incorrect; 2009 numbers reported from city
[1] PA Department of Community Economic Development (DCED) Municipal Statistics Tax Reports(http://munstatspa.dced.state.pa.us/Registers.aspx)
Updated rates current as of November 2009
