Is there any movement/politician advocating measures to correct PA backwardness?

[BearTHIS]

Though I have been aware of certain PA brain damaged backwardness since I moved here in '06, I've never really asked longer/life time residents about these practices before. I find them to be infuriating and I'm curious if at least a decent sized portion of the thoughtful population feels the same and I find myself wondering whether there are any movements/organizations/politicians that are actively trying to rectify the matter.

Below are the matters at hand (in decreasing order of the level of personal offense that I feel):

1) State tax on Federally exempt income (like 401K contributions). While it may work out ok for those that fully intend to work & die in this state, it is a big incentive to not reside in PA during one's productive years (and by extension have an office/business in PA). PA is either the only state, or 1 of 2 states, that have this backwards.

2) Different rules for cities (eg. "First-class"). I know people here are familiar with the downsides as it relates to guns. Pretty absurd that there are different degrees of home rule, especially as it relates to Philadelphia, the State should smack that ass back into line.

3) similarly, laws enabling the Phila wage tax. Highest wage tax of any municipality in the nation, main source of revenue for the city (nearly everywhere else it is property tax, as it should be), and tax authority over both residents AND non-residents... Only explanation for the current state of affairs is some extra chromosomes floating around the gene pool.

4) scrapple. Come on, how can you eat pig buttholes and smile?

5) cheese steaks. Calling the meat "steak" is an insult to even the lowest grade USDA cow. Horrendous.



Aside from issues 4 & 5, who is trying to fix this joint and why haven't they been successful already?

[SgtRecon]

While not on my "A" list, I have some family that lives in Georgia, and every trip up here they leave with a carload of large coolers full of frozen scrapple (and Martins BBQ chips). They entertain their rebel friends with it often.

[Dave_n]

Actually if you do retire in PA, then you will find that PA to my knowledge, is the only NE state that does not tax pensions, so paying tax on 401K or equivalent actually works out well. Dave_n

[HKusp 45]

4) scrapple. Come on, how can you eat pig buttholes and smile? ... those are also called hot dogs

5) cheese steaks. Calling the meat "steak" is an insult to even the lowest grade USDA cow. Horrendous. .........depends on where you get your cheesesteak, several places do use prime rib as this is the way.

[alpacaheat]

You forgot having a school district for every town, and school taxes on our homes.

[jakebrake]

4) Because it tastes good.

5)Stop going to the tourist traps.

[archie19]

the op may just be the first person I ever heard say a property tax is better than an income tax for local .gov... my apologies in advance if op feels I twisted/misconstrued their statement.

[ImminentDanger]

Taxes are always a shell game. Like a balloon constricted in one area, it will always expand in another to compensate for the apparent reduction.

No average tax payer ever receives equivalent services. The state (and it's magisterial ministers) will always find a way to skim their undue portion off the inflow of extorted monies, to either be pocketed for their own personal use or spent by the state to enhance their personal goals.

Property taxes simply create Land Renters of every 'home owner' - There is truly no Private Property so long as the state has the ability to levy taxes that can justify taking 'your' property... Like the game laws, property tax simply reiterates that the state (like the King) owns everything and all the subjects of the realm must pay to utilize the King's property (land or game). School taxes are simply another form of tribute exacted from a select portion of the subjects.

"Land rent presupposes a separation of the use of the land from its ownership. Landed property is changed into a mere title, but it gives the landowner the right to receive income from the land (which is being used by others) and the right to extract tribute from those who directly work the land. “Whatever the specific form of rent may be, all types have this in common: the appropriation of rent is that economic form in which landed property is realized …” (K. Marx, in K. Marx and F. Engels, Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 25, part 2, p. 183)." - The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979)

...

[PAMedic=F|A=]

Taxes are always a shell game. Like a balloon constricted in one area, it will always expand in another to compensate for the apparent reduction.

No average tax payer ever receives equivalent services. The state (and it's magisterial ministers) will always find a way to skim their undue portion off the inflow of extorted monies, to either be pocketed for their own personal use or spent by the state to enhance their personal goals.

Property taxes simply create Land Renters of every 'home owner' - There is truly no Private Property so long as the state has the ability to levy taxes that can justify taking 'your' property... Like the game laws, property tax simply reiterates that the state (like the King) owns everything and all the subjects of the realm must pay to utilize the King's property (land or game). School taxes are simply another form of tribute exacted from a select portion of the subjects.

"Land rent presupposes a separation of the use of the land from its ownership. Landed property is changed into a mere title, but it gives the landowner the right to receive income from the land (which is being used by others) and the right to extract tribute from those who directly work the land. “Whatever the specific form of rent may be, all types have this in common: the appropriation of rent is that economic form in which landed property is realized …” (K. Marx, in K. Marx and F. Engels, Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 25, part 2, p. 183)." - The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979)

...

^

[ItchyTick]

4) scrapple. Come on, how can you eat pig buttholes and smile? .

5) cheese steaks. Calling the meat "steak" is an insult to even the lowest grade USDA cow..

Philly: low class city , low class meat.

City of the first class is a low rating based on 1 being the worst and 10 being the best.