Releases

IFO Releases
Release thumbnail - Pennsylvania Gaming Trends - 2015-02-28
Pennsylvania Gaming Trends
February 28, 2015 | Economics and Other

This research brief gives a historical overview of gaming trends and revenues in Pennsylvania. This includes the role of gaming in the state economy as well as comparisons to other states. 

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Release thumbnail - Impact Fee Update - February 2015 - 2015-02-27
Impact Fee Update - February 2015
February 27, 2015 | Energy

This research brief estimates the calendar year 2014 impact fee revenues (to be remitted in April 2015) using data from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Public Utility Commission (PUC). The research brief also translates the impact fee into an annual average effective tax rate (ETR) based on recent natural gas price and production data. The ETR is a metric that quantifies the implicit tax burden imposed by the impact fee in a given year.

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Release thumbnail - Updated School District Property Tax Forecast - 2014-12-12
Updated School District Property Tax Forecast
December 12, 2014 | Property Tax

Letter updating the IFO's forecast of school property tax collections for FY 2013-14 through FY 2019-20 (December 2014). 

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Release thumbnail - Fiscal Implications of a York County School District Consolidation - 2014-12-12
Fiscal Implications of a York County School District Consolidation
December 12, 2014 | Property Tax

The report provides potential consolidation savings and costs for 15 York County school districts and computes the real estate tax millage using various earned income tax rates and administrative savings scenarios.

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Release thumbnail - State Economic Comparison - 2014-09-30
State Economic Comparison
September 30, 2014 | Economics and Other

This research brief uses Real GDP, Personal Income and Payroll Employment to compare economic performance in Pennsylvania to four adjacent states and the U.S. over the past decade.

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Release thumbnail - Natural Gas Extraction: An Interstate Tax Comparison - 2014-03-17
Natural Gas Extraction: An Interstate Tax Comparison
March 17, 2014 | Energy

This report compares Pennsylvania's unique natural gas tax structure to other states. The report also considers other taxes that may be levied on natural gas producers such as real and personal property, corporate and personal income, sales and use and miscellaneous fees. Due to the complexity of the analysis, readers are encouraged to thoroughly review the methodology and assumptions contained in Section 1 of this report.

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Release thumbnail - Pennsylvania Lottery: Historical Data and Interstate Comparisons - 2014-01-30
Pennsylvania Lottery: Historical Data and Interstate Comparisons
January 30, 2014 | Economics and Other

Demographic projections suggest that demand for programs and services funded by lottery revenues will grow at a rate that exceeds the expansion of the Pennsylvania economy. Therefore, an important issue for policymakers is whether lottery revenues can maintain recent growth rates so they will be sufficient to meet those demands. This report provides data to assist policymakers in those deliberations.

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Release thumbnail - Analysis of House Bill 1693 (2013) - 2013-12-17
Analysis of House Bill 1693 (2013)
December 17, 2013 | Property Tax

Letter providing data on the share of residential and nonresidential property assessments by county (December 2013).
The letter was in response to a request regarding HB 1693, which was a proposed constitutional amendment permitting different millage rates for residential and nonresidential property.  

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Release thumbnail - Analysis of school property taxes paid by homeowners age 70 and older - 2013-10-29
Analysis of school property taxes paid by homeowners age 70 and older
October 29, 2013 | Property Tax

Letter providing an analysis of school property taxes paid by homeowners age 70 and older (October 2013).
The analysis presents a preliminary assessment of data on the cost of a school property tax freeze for those homeowners and a brief discussion of factors that affect the cost of a freeze over the long-term.

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Release thumbnail - Analysis of Proposal to Replace School Property Taxes: House Bill 76 and Senate Bill 76 - 2013-10-01
Analysis of Proposal to Replace School Property Taxes: House Bill 76 and Senate Bill 76
October 01, 2013 | Property Tax

This report presents the results from an analysis of House Bill 76 and Senate Bill 76 performed by the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO). The proposed legislation eliminates local school district property taxes and replaces those funds with sales and use and personal income taxes, as well as monies redirected from the Property Tax Relief Fund.

  • Presentation to the Senate Finance Committee on 10/15/2013.
  • Data for the graphs in section 4 of the report that display the annual and cumulative changes in personal income, sales and school property tax collections.
  • Introduction, which contains summary results from the report.
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