A bill that could change the way tax appeals are handled in Pennsylvania has been approved by a state Senate panel. The legislation, sponsored by Republican Senator Tim Hutchinson, aims to create an independent settlement process for disgruntled taxpayers. This could help avoid long court battles over tax bills.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity supports the bill, saying it would speed up the resolution of issues and allow the state to focus on more complex cases. However, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue opposes the legislation. Jeff Johnson, a spokesperson for the agency, confirmed their opposition but did not provide specific reasons.
The current tax appeal process starts with an administrative appeals board inside the Revenue Department. Last year, this board heard 35,665 appeals, according to Johnson.
The legislation, known as Senate Bill 1051, was approved on a vote of 7 to 4. A similar bill is currently pending in the state House, sponsored by Representative Tim Briggs, a Democrat from Montgomery County.
The proposed changes aim to make the tax appeal process less bureaucratic and cumbersome, providing relief for many hardworking Pennsylvanians, according to Garrity. The legislation is now set to be reviewed by the full Senate.
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