As Tax Day approaches, conservative leaders in multiple states are intensifying efforts to eliminate property taxes, with one Pennsylvania lawmaker arguing that homeowners should not have to “pay rent” to the government.
State Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, is spearheading a new push to end property tax collection in the Keystone State. Speaking to Fox News Digital on Thursday, Diamond revealed that he will soon introduce a constitutional amendment—House Bill 900—which, if passed, would be placed directly before voters on Election Day, bypassing the governor’s approval process.
Pennsylvania Republicans have successfully used the constitutional amendment process before, notably to roll back COVID-19 lockdown measures imposed by then-Gov. Tom Wolf and former health secretary Rachel Levine. Now, they are using the same approach to address what they see as an unjust tax burden.
“For me, the ‘big deal’ is that I want people to own their homes and not have to rent from the government, all across Pennsylvania,” Diamond said.
In a recent Substack post, Diamond dismissed concerns over replacing lost tax revenue, arguing that the fundamental issue is homeownership and personal liberty. He referenced the late Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Michael Musmanno, who once said that the greatest joy is to be “master of one’s fate” and to be “let alone.” Diamond echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that true ownership is impossible if the government can seize a home over unpaid property taxes.
State Sen. Doug Mastriano, a longtime advocate for eliminating property taxes, likened them to a form of government rent. “It’s easy to see why this antiquated tax is so despised in all corners of the commonwealth,” Mastriano said. “More than 10,000 homes are seized annually in Pennsylvania and auctioned off for failure to pay the tax.”
The push to eliminate property taxes is gaining momentum among conservatives who argue that no one should live under the constant threat of losing their home to the government. With HB 900 set to be introduced, the debate over property taxes in Pennsylvania is far from over.
