In politics, there are a lot of things that happen behind the scenes that the public never hears about. A LOT of things. The following would have remained one of them, but for the tendency of Democrats – in this case the Lebanon County Democratic Committee – not only to paper over deception and fraud, but to reward it.

The Deception

On February 12, 2024, Democrat Susan Laura Quick filed petitions with the Department of State to run against me for the 102^nd District seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Her petitions contained 336 signatures, surpassing the 300 minimum to qualify her to appear on the ballot.

Upon inspection however, it became apparent that dozens of the signatures on those petitions were likely forgeries, all in handwriting curiously similar to that of Ms. Quick.

Matthew Duvall, who was Chairman of the Lebanon County Democratic Committee at the time, signed as the circulator of Page 4 of those petitions, which contained 26 apparent forgeries (of the 30 total signatures on that petition page).

You can download the paperwork surrounding Ms. Quick’s candidacy by clicking here. These are public documents she filed with the Department of State. Images of the questionable pages are posted at the end of this article.

Confronting Fraud

Although I have a long history of very publicly exposing and successfully challenging flaws in petition filings by my political opponents, in 2024 I had no desire to cause public embarrassment or potential criminal charges for anyone.

Through an intermediary, I privately made Ms. Quick and Mr. Duvall aware of my suspicions, the prospect of a costly legal challenge to the petition filing, and the potential of criminal prosecution for those responsible for any forgeries. The intermediary was well aware of my successful history in these matters.

Ms. Quick quickly withdrew her candidacy on February 14, 2024. There was no reporting of the apparent forgeries nor did any media outlet cover her withdrawal, and I was content to just let it go at that. A kinder, gentler Russ Diamond, if you will. Still willing to fight the good fight but mellowing with age.

Rewarding Deception

Now I am not privy to the inner workings of the Lebanon County Democratic Committee, but this year I was a bit taken aback to see them promote Ms. Quick for election as a member of the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee, as well as have her serve as co-organizer of their “Mondays with Meuser” protest group.

Additionally, while Mr. Duvall remained as Chairman of the Lebanon County Democratic Committee during Ms. Quick’s elevation to those two positions, he has since stepped away from that role and will appear as the Democrat on the ballot for the 102^nd District on November 3rd, by virtue of a write-in campaign at the primary election, also blessed by their county committee.

Had something like Ms. Quick’s petition fiasco happened within the ranks of the Lebanon County Republican Committee, I assure you heads would have rolled and the individuals involved would no longer serve in any important capacity representing our party.

Sleeping Dogs? Not So Quick

After Ms. Quick’s withdrawal in 2024, I was willing to let sleeping dogs lie. But in 2026, Lebanon County Democrats appear to have rewarded the deception and fraud surrounding her petition submission two years ago. The proverbial dogs no longer sleep and are out barking in public.

Lebanon County Democrats owe voters – especially the voters whose signatures were apparently forged in 2024 – an explanation not just for the circumstances surrounding Ms. Quick’s troublesome petition filing, but also for why she was subsequently promoted to two leadership positions, and for Mr. Duvall’s role in both of these matters while serving as Chairman of their county committee.

Integrity First

When I watch the news, it sure seems like Democrats are willing to do anything – and I mean anything – to win elections and seize the levers of power at the national level. I have personally witnessed the same tendency among some Democrats in Harrisburg. And sadly, it looks like Democrats right here in Lebanon County are no different.

I understand there are people who disagree with my positions on public policy, but I do not believe there are many Lebanon County voters who condone apparent deception, fraud, or forgery. Nor would many approve of rewarding those responsible for such acts.

Public and party offices are positions of trust. That trust can only be offered to individuals who put integrity first.

You can learn more about my re-election campaign online at www.russdiamond.vote and by following my campaign page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/friendsofrussdiamond.

Questionable Pages Mentioned Above

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Joining me will be Demetrius Minor, Executive Director at Conservatives Concerned, a national organization opposed to the death penalty.

We'll talk about the realities of the death penalty in PA and my HB888 which would abolish it, leaving life without the possibility of parole as the mandatory sentence for a first degree murder conviction. We'll also take questions from those who tune in.

RSVP here: https://bit.ly/4wIowZQ

You can learn more about my position on the death penalty by reading this substack column from March, 2025:

I hope you can join us for this conversation!

Agree? Disagree? I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! If you’re not following already, you can follow my official legislative Facebook page by clicking here. Come for the content, stay for the comments. Sometimes it gets a little heated over there!

As we gather to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of American independence and liberty, let us not lose sight of the fact that liberty shall only endure as long as its principles are upheld by a citizenry that understands its value and is industrious in the effort to preserve it.

While I am proud to be an American, I’m even prouder to be a Lebanon Countian on this historic occasion, because the Spirit of Liberty is vibrant and strong here. We stand ready to fight the incessant creep of tyranny whenever the need arises.

Lebanon County led the charge against a corrupt state legislature after the unconstitutional midnight pay raise in 2005.

We ignited a national movement at an Arlen Specter town hall meeting in downtown Lebanon in 2009.

And when tyranny reared its ugly head in 2020 fueled by irrational fear, Lebanon County once again led the charge that eventually led to Pennsylvania becoming the only state in the nation to constitutionally reduce a governor’s emergency powers.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are not three random concepts tossed together by a bunch of starry-eyed dreamers 250 years ago. They are inextricably intertwined, and no two of them can exist without the other.

Lebanon Countians overwhelmingly value life. We fight for liberty when called upon. And day in and day out, we work hard to pursue our happiness.

As we enter into America’s second 250 years, my wish for Lebanon County is that we continue our tradition of leading this Commonwealth, and this nation, in ensuring the Spirit of Liberty is the lifeblood that courses though our veins.

May God bless you, may God bless Lebanon County, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

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The 2026 primary election is just around the corner, and you may have heard that I’ll be seeking re-election.

To have my name appear on the ballot, I need to have 300 registered Republican voters in the 102nd District in Lebanon County physically sign a petition between February 17th and March 9th.

I want to thank everyone who has already registered to receive and sign my petition by mail! Look for my petition in your mailbox in the next few weeks.

If you haven’t registered yet and you live in the 102nd District, you can do so right now at https://forms.gle/nx1NjvGFieuedDz38 and I will drop a petition in the mail for you to sign as well.

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST & SIGN A PETITION BY MAIL

The 102nd District includes Annville, Bethel, Cold Spring, East Hanover, Heidelberg, Jackson, Millcreek, North Annville, North Londonderry, Swatara, and Union townships as well as the boroughs of Cleona, Jonestown, Myerstown, Palmyra and Richland.

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST & SIGN A PETITION BY MAIL

Thanks so much for your support – it’s an honor and privilege to represent my friends and neighbors in Harrisburg!

You can learn more about my re-election campaign online at www.russdiamond.vote and by following my campaign page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/friendsofrussdiamond.

The Republican primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 19^th.

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State Representative Russ Diamond (R-102, Lebanon County) today announced that he will be seeking re-election to the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2026. A life-long Lebanon County resident, Diamond believes his efforts have been successful in providing Lebanon County values a strong voice in Harrisburg.

Diamond’s early objections and legislative leadership in 2020 against former Governor Tom Wolf’s Covid-related business and school shutdowns eventually led to Pennsylvania becoming the only state in the nation to reduce its governor’s emergency powers through constitutional amendments approved by voters in 2021.

His outspoken advocacy for election integrity earned him a seat on the Joint State Government Commission’s Election Law Advisory Board in 2021, where he serves as the voice of the House Republican Caucus.

In 2017, Diamond successfully shepherded legislation into law providing Lebanon County’s municipalities, first responders, and non-profits with a direct revenue stream from gaming revenue, which has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for local projects. Diamond was named Republican Chair of the House Gaming Oversight Committee in 2023.

Diamond plans to actively continue to pursue legislation to eliminate property taxes, establish medical freedom as a constitutional right, and regulate “skill games” in the Commonwealth, as well as maintain his solid conservative record on issues such as life, firearms rights, and fiscal responsibility.

The 102nd District includes Annville, Bethel, Cold Spring, East Hanover, Heidelberg, Jackson, Millcreek, North Annville, North Londonderry, Swatara, and Union townships as well as the boroughs of Cleona, Jonestown, Myerstown, Palmyra and Richland.

“It’s truly an honor to represent my friends and neighbors in Harrisburg,” Diamond said. “They’ve placed their trust in me to serve their interests in the General Assembly, and I look forward to earning their vote for re-election so I can continue that work.”

Voters can learn more about Diamond’s re-election campaign online at www.russdiamond.vote and by following his campaign page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/friendsofrussdiamond.

The Republican primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 19^th.

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Given the hasty and questionable recent cancellation of the Charlie Kirk vigil at Lebanon Valley College, I will instead be walking in prayer and remembrance along an appropriate path on public sidewalks through Annville beginning at 6:00 pm on Monday, October 27th.

If you are unfamiliar with the story behind the cancellation of the Charlie Kirk vigil, see:

https://lebtown.com/2025/10/07/lebanon-county-young-republicans-to-hold-vigil-for-charlie-kirk-at-lvc-chapel/

I will begin by the fountain at the square in Annville and proceed east along Main St, north along College Ave, west along Sheridan Avenue, south along White Oak St, and back to the fountain area. I will be walking with a flashlight, and may walk the route more than once.

I invite you to join me on my peaceful walk through my beautiful little hometown. Dress for the weather. Bring your own flashlight.

I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! I love being able to post and archive longer columns like this here on Substack. For quicker hits, you can follow my campaign Facebook page or my personal Facebook page. I’m also on X/Twitter and Gab.

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I created both a letter-sized version and one for printing on 11x17 paper stock.

Of course, these are also useful if you just want to help promote the VOTE NO effort to oust the leftist statewide judges here in Pennsylvania on November 4th without mingling with the dead-enders who are rallying this weekend.

There’s also a smaller handout you can print out and cut apart to use to educate voters at your polling place on November 4th.

Anyone who spends less than $250 DOES NOT need to file a campaign finance report with the state.

You can download all these items at https://tinyurl.com/nkdesigns.

Just in case, you can find the local No Kings rally location near you at https://www.nokings.org/#map.

Meme of the Week

The kids probably won’t get this one:

That’s all for now!

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If you were anywhere near social media last week, you likely became an involuntary witness to two horrific public executions. No matter how fast you tried to scroll by, there they were – the brutal fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska and the gruesome single bullet murder of Charlie Kirk.

If you didn’t happen to stumble upon those videos, consider yourself blessed. I’m so grateful both (alleged) killers have been apprehended.

As angry and sickened as I am by both murders, and despite the apparent certitude of the identity of the cold-blooded killers of Iryna Zarutska and Charlie Kirk, I remain steadfast in my opposition to the death penalty and will continue to work to abolish it here in Pennsylvania.

While there are many good reasons to abolish the death penalty, which I presented when I first introduced House Bill 888, these most recent horrific murder cases present an opportunity to highlight three of them.

1. The Promise of the Cross

As a Christian, I believe the promise of the cross was offered for the redemption of every soul, regardless of the nature of sins in the past. None of us – individually nor collectively – are qualified to claim to know when redemption may occur, or that the opportunity for such redemption has expired.

Jesus readily offered forgiveness and redemption to all manner of sinners while He walked the Earth, and we as His followers should not presume to know how or when the demons and/or demonic ideologies possessing cold-blooded killers might be exorcised and convert those individuals into messengers of, and testaments to, God’s grace.

Forgiveness and redemption does not mean that cold-blooded killers should be turned loose on society, though, and I would never advocate for that.

2. The Pro-Life Position

As someone who considers himself 100% pro-life, I believe in the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. As such, I cannot support the intentional termination of any human life outside of the very rare and most extreme instances of self-defense.

I am also opposed to legalized elective abortion, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. Life is the most precious gift from God and we must strive to protect it at all times – especially when our flawed human emotions scream that a life for a life is justice.

From a pro-life perspective, I’m not sure how we can ever convince supporters of abortion that we’re serious about the sanctity of life while still supporting intentionally taking life by execution. Winning the war against abortion will require changing hearts and minds, and that task is made more difficult if abortion supporters perceive our own hearts and minds as inconsistent or hypocritical.

3. The Governmental Power Flowchart

Prior to the American Revolution, most of the world believed that kings were divinely appointed and their inherent divinity gave them sweeping power over life, death, and everything in between. The founding fathers disagreed, and Pennsylvania played a key role in eradicating that power flowchart and devising a more accurate one.

In 1776, two documents authored here defined that new flowchart. The Pennsylvania Constitution declared that all power is inherent in the people. The Declaration of Independence declared that government only derives its just powers from the consent of the governed.

The people became the rightful sovereigns in governance, and with Almighty God’s guidance, transferred some of their power to public servants for the purpose of protecting the blessings of civil and religious liberty.

Since as individuals we cannot take another’s life except in the most extreme instance of self-defense, we cannot consent to grant a greater power to government and consider it just. You can’t offer something that you do not possess.

Don’t get me wrong. If I’m walking down the street with my wife and some thug attacks us and in that moment I believe the only possibility for sparing both our lives is to kill our attacker, I would do so without hesitation.

But if you neutralize an assailant in a non-fatal manner instead of killing them in the midst of an act of self-defense, taking their life after the imminent danger has passed is murder. Likewise, there is no element of societal self-defense in executing someone already held in captivity by the state.

The Alternative to Death

In Pennsylvania, the current sentencing options for first degree murder are death and life imprisonment. Pennsylvania is one of only five states where life imprisonment actually means life without the possibility of parole.

My House Bill 888 would remove death as a sentencing option, leaving life without the possibility of parole as the only possible sentence for first degree murder.

Permanent incarceration serves the three objectives of punishment, the self-defense of society at large, and the preservation of human life. While such a sentence needs to be humane, it does not need to be comfortable or enjoyable.

Outraged

I am as outraged as anyone about the very public murders of Iryna Zarutska and Charlie Kirk. I also view their apparent murderers with as much loathing as anyone else. These acts of violence were an affront to all manner of human decency.

For the above reasons, I still cannot join the calls for execution of these apparent killers. Violence begets violence. At some point, the chain of violence and the culture of death must be interrupted.

I will not allow my temporary emotions to outrun my permanent principles.

PS: Here’s a video from 2020 of Charlie Kirk opposing the death penalty.

Political PS: Shortly after Josh Shapiro was elected Governor, he declared that he would not sign any death warrants and called upon the General Assembly to abolish the death penalty. When I first introduced House Bill 888 to do just that, I saw the Governor at an event at Ft. Indiantown Gap and gave him my cell phone number so we could discuss the topic. My Legislative staff in Harrisburg also attempted nearly every day for five or six weeks straight to schedule a meeting with him or his staff on this topic.

None of those efforts were fruitful, and as a result I do not believe Governor Shapiro was sincere about this topic. Rather, I believe he was just putting on another political show.

Agree? Disagree? I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! If you’re not following already, you can follow my official legislative Facebook page by clicking here. Come for the content, stay for the comments. Sometimes it gets a little heated over there!

The first is to accept that Treasurer Garrity will be the GOP nominee in 2026. I know there are others out there floating notions of running, but they're just kidding themselves. Stacy's star is rising on the best possible trajectory to become our flag bearer in 2026, and no one else even comes close. Period. End of story.

The second is to start thinking about who her running mate should be. (And no, it's definitely not me.)

Another Woman

I believe Stacy's running mate should be another strong woman.

I'm not just checking boxes here like Democrats would do to offer up the first two-woman ticket in Pennsylvania history. I'm offering this idea because it puts us in the best position to win, IMHO. A two-woman ticket is Shapiro's worst nighmare.

If you've ever seen how Shapiro bristles when responding to Senate President Pro Tem Kim Ward, you know this to be true.

If you've been following Shapiro's horrific handling of a sexual harassment case in his own administration, you know this to be true.

And if you know anything at all about the Ellen Greenberg case, you know this to be true.

Beyond Shapiro's inability to deal with strong women, there is the Tim Walz effect. Like it or not, some voters would prefer not to see a man playing second fiddle to a woman. I'm not one of them, but there are still folks like that out there.

The question then, is which strong woman should we pick to team up with Stacy Garrity?

Keep in mind that in Pennsylvania, candidates for Governor don't get to choose their own running mates. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor are chosen separately in the primary election, then run together in the general election.

It's like an arranged political marriage, arranged by the voters. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.

I've thought about this a lot, and below are some the the best possible choices I can come up with to help Stacy beat Josh Shapiro (in no particular order). They each bring something different to the ticket, but they have ALL already proven they can effectively go after Shapiro. And Austin Davis. (Austin Who?)

Representative Martina White

Currently the only Republican PA House member from Philadelphia, Rep. White would add a Southeast PA geographical flavor and her own fundraising capabilities to the GOP ticket. She is also very capable of going after Democrats like Shapiro and Philly DA Larry Krasner.

For those who aren't aware, SEPA (Philly and the four “collar" counties) represents 40 percent of Pennsylvania's voting population. It's a massive voting bloc that Republicans cannot afford to ignore in 2026. Or ever, when considering statewide races.

Representative Natalie Mihalek

Rep. Mihalek hails from Allegheny County, the hub of Pennsylvania's second-largest voting bloc.

She has done some great work exposing the failures of Democrat administrations during budget hearings, while also working in bipartisan fashion to advance the notion of removing poisons from our food supply. She's a smart attorney and a veteran of the US Navy.

Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill

Sen. Phillips-Hill and I were both first elected to the PA House together in 2014 before she moved on to become a Senator representing York County.

She doesn't suffer fools and can frame issues in a manner that forces those she questions to reveal their own weaknesses, all while killing them with kindness.

Charity Grimm Krupa

Although a relative newcomer to PA politics from Fayette County, Rep. Grimm Krupa is a force to be reckoned with.

Whip-smart on the issues, I've watched her take on Democrats and Shapiro on the House floor. I've also seen her in action within the confines of the House Republican Caucus room. She's an absolute bulldog. I’m no lawyer, but if I were I would never want to be on the opposite side of any courtroom she's in.

There May Be Others

One could probably add some other names to this list, but in my mind these four stand out. I've worked with all of them, and each has earned my utmost respect. They rise to the top when I think about a great running mate to help Stacy Garrity become our next Governor.

We'll probably also hear from other potential candidates for Leiuteneant Governor who may only be seeking the position to stroke their own ego.

Keep in mind that whoever becomes our eventual nominee, they would be one heartbeat away from becoming Governor. I would trust any one of the four women above in that position.

This is not a decision to be taken lightly, and the conversation needs to start now.

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I am publicly asking - no, BEGGING! - my good friend Stacy Garrity to run for Governor in 2026. I have been doing so privately for months. I started bugging her about it after she won re-election last year.

Stacy is a proven winner, a businesswoman, a veteran, and an excellent State Treasurer. She holds the record for most votes received by any statewide candidate in Pennsylvania.

She won re-election when Trump won in 2024. More impressively, she first won office when Trump lost in 2020, beating an INCUMBENT Democrat Treasurer. She CAN beat Josh Shapiro and he CAN be beat!!!

Please join me in publicly encouraging her to run for Governor!!!

Go over and like her page on Facebook.

Check in and follow her on Twitter/X.

Stop by her website to learn more about her.

Send her an email to ask her to run for Governor!

I have known Stacy Garrity for a number of years and I assure you she is a principled Republican and an excellent public servant. She is Josh Shaipro’s worst nightmare.

I will work my butt off to help make Stacy Garrity our next Governor. I respectfully ask that you do whatever you can right now to encourage her to run.

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Here I summarize some more bills I have on the docket in Harrisburg. As with my previous columns, these are listed in order of their assigned bill number, which is not indicative of my legislative priorities. It’s only indicative of how quickly our staff and the Legislative Reference Bureau have been able to prepare the actual bill language.

[Note: I have skipped over HB888 (Abolishing the Death Penalty) and HB900 (Abolishing Property Taxes) because those two topics are big enough to warrant their own separate columns.]

HB953 - WO1 John Stephen Chrin Memorial Bridge

This bill names the bridge carrying State Route 934 over Swatara Creek in East Hanover Township, Lebanon County as the WO1 John Stephen Chrin Memorial Bridge.

John Chrin was born on June 24, 1949 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, later attending Lebanon Catholic High School. After graduating high school John attended Mansfield State College until his junior year when he enlisted in the United States Army. In the Army, John became a Warrant Officer 1 and a combat medical evacuation (DUSTOFF) pilot, assigned to the 57 Medical Detachment, 68 Medical Group at Bing Thuy in the Mekong Delta.

During his service John flew more than 125 combat medevac missions through the Delta area of Vietnam. On October 13, 1971 John was killed in action when his DUSTOFF71 was on a mission and crashed during the night in monsoon rains in the Seven Sisters Mountain on the Cambodian border.

John’s name is forever memorialized on panel 2W line 38 of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C

This bill was combined with multiple other bridge and road naming bills under Senate Bill 78 and signed into law as Act 17 of 2025 on June 30. Placement of appropriate signage has not yet been scheduled.

HB1178 - Rural Library Grant Program

Rural libraries play a vital role in their communities by providing access to books, internet services, and educational resources that many residents would otherwise struggle to obtain. Unfortunately, many of these libraries face deteriorating infrastructure, outdated facilities, and very limited resources to make necessary upgrades.

This legislation will create a grant program for rural libraries and provide essential funding for maintenance projects, emergency repairs, accessibility improvements, and internet connectivity enhancements. Without this support, many rural libraries will continue to struggle with aging buildings and inadequate infrastructure, limiting their ability to serve their communities effectively.

By investing in rural libraries, this legislation will help ensure they continue providing essential resources and services for generations to come.

HB1264 - Supporting Military Members, Veterans, and Families at Fort Indiantown Gap

Fort Indiantown Gap is the home to the Pennsylvania National Guard and the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA). It is also among the busiest National Guard Training Centers in the country, seeing more than 100,000 personnel pass through each year for training. The Gap is a crown jewel of our Commonwealth—but we owe it to the members of our military, veterans, and their families to continuously improve the facilities and address any quality-of-life issues that may arise at a military base that is nearly 100 years old.

On this bill, I am teaming up with four other legislators on both sides of the aisle as co-prime sponsors. We are partnering with DMVA and our Senate colleagues to introduce a proposal that would allow the Adjutant General to lease property at the Gap to a business or non-profit that will generate income to benefit the quality of life of those who use the base. Revenue generated by any lease would specifically be targeted to support the physical fitness and well-being, personal growth and development, social interaction and camaraderie, and opportunities for leisure and recreation for military members, veterans, and their families.

Our military members and their families are asked to bear many hardships in their service. We have an opportunity to ease some of that burden by ensuring the facilities at Fort Indiantown Gap support their quality of life.

What’s good for the Gap is good for Lebanon County, good for the Commonwealth, good for the nation, and good for the world.

HB1465 – False Reports of Child Abuse

This bill would increase the penalties associated with the crime of making false reports of child abuse.

Recently, one of my constituents was the victim of numerous anonymous allegations of child abuse. While the reports have all been deemed “unfounded,” she has lived under the persistent strain of these false and malicious allegations. Other parents have told me they have had to alter their entire way of family life specifically to avoid repeated anonymous allegations.

Intentional harassment of a parent or guardian via false claims of child abuse can ruin the reputations, careers, and personal lives of the victims. Individuals who have been wrongfully accused often face extreme emotional distress and, in many cases, are compelled to hire an attorney to combat the allegations.

Such false reports also prove to be traumatizing for the children at the center of the allegations, who are frequently questioned by law enforcement officers and social workers and potentially separated from the targeted parent or guardian.

Significantly, law enforcement agencies and county child protective services have limited resources and when false reports are made, valuable time and attention is diverted from children who are actually in danger.

This bill will increase the grading of the offense from a misdemeanor of the second-degree to a misdemeanor of the first-degree. I believe this increased grading appropriately reflects the seriousness of the crime and its profound impact on victims and their children.

HB1555 – More Reasonable Notice of Inheritance Tax Due

Under current law, taxpayers are eligible for a 5% discount on inheritance taxes if the tax is paid within three months of the decedent’s date of death. While this rule was originally intended to encourage early payment and ease estate administration, it does not account for real-world delays in receiving official notice from the Department of Revenue. In many cases, by the time the notice of inheritance tax due is issued, much of the three-month window - if not all of it - has already elapsed through no fault of the taxpayer.

This legislation will revise the deadline for claiming the prepayment discount to three months from the date of official notice rather than the date of death. This change will make the process more equitable and reduce unintended financial penalties caused by administrative delays.

This bill does not change the discount rate or any other tax parameters. It simply ensures that taxpayers are given a fair and reasonable opportunity to benefit from the early payment incentive as originally intended.

[Note: I am also a cosponsor of HB1364, will would eliminate the inheritance tax for the vast majority of Pennsylvanians.]

Your Feedback Is Welcome

Again, these bills are NOT listed in order of my legislative priorities, but simply by bill number assigned. I’d love to hear your feedback on any or all of them! I’ll post more sometime soon.

If you’re not following already, you can follow my official legislative Facebook page by clicking here. Come for the content, stay for the comments. Sometimes it gets a little heated over there!

I have to tip my hat to Congressman Dan Meuser, who despite receiving a well-publicized signal of support from President Trump, has decided not to run for Governor.

I had a conversation on this topic with Congressman Meuser as he was pondering his decision, and I can tell you his consideration was heartfelt and serious, and he was definitely interested in putting the good of the nation and the good of Pennsylvania first.

That’s incredibly rare in politics, and my respect for Congressman Meuser has been elevated a few notches as a result.

I know most of my readers here are solid Republicans, so with Congressman Meuser out of the running I’m curious: Who do you think should be our candidate to take on Josh Shapiro in 2026?

Leave your answer in the comments below, or send me a reply by email!

I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! I love being able to post and archive longer columns like this here on Substack. For quicker hits, you can follow my campaign Facebook page or my personal Facebook page. I’m also on X/Twitter and Gab.

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I recently spent a little over an hour discussing the upcoming judicial retention elections, eliminating property taxes, the 2026 Governor's race and more on The Lion's Den podcast with Steven Carr of York County.

Click on the photo above or the link below to tune in.

https://rumble.com/v6ur5et-the-lions-den-with-steven-carr-and-guest-pa-state-rep-russ-diamond.html?start=70

Have a great weekend!

I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! I love being able to post and archive longer columns like this here on Substack. For quicker hits, you can follow my campaign Facebook page or my personal Facebook page. I’m also on X/Twitter and Gab.

In their latest expression of Trump Derangement Syndrome, Democrats and their handlers gathered in hundreds of locations across the country to protest and demonstrate under the obviously ginned-up and focus-grouped theme of “No Kings.”

Well no sh!t, Sherlock. Of course there are no kings here. This is America. We celebrate ‘no kings’ every year on the 4^th of July.

But it’s funny that these folks were not with us a mere five years ago when we were fighting a real ‘no kings’ battle against Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. Remember that guy?

Yeah, that guy. The one who unilaterally shut down every bar and restaurant in Pennsylvania. The one who unilaterally declared some jobs and businesses to be “essential” while declaring others to be “non-essential.”

The one who forced useless masks on kids, sentenced the elderly to die alone, and treated counties like infants with his goofy red-yellow-green Crayola logic – all without one shred of scientific reality to back it up.

Where were their “No Kings” protests then? Oh yeah, that’s right – they were busy supporting their pals who were burning down cities and looting businesses during 2020’s “Summer of Love.”

When they weren’t doing that, they were calling us superspreaders, murderers, and serial killers, all because we fought for common sense public policy and individual liberties.

And just last year, they were cheering and swooning as their party installed Cackles the Clown, who hadn’t garnered a single vote in the presidential primary, at the top of their ticket after their favorite clot-shot peddling king mumbled and fumbled his way to a miserable showing in a national debate.

That sure seemed more like a royal coronation than a democratic process.

No kings? Really???

Give us freakin’ break already. They don’t want no kings; they just want their kings.

I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! I love being able to post and archive longer columns like this here on Substack. For quicker hits, you can follow my campaign Facebook page or my personal Facebook page. I’m also on X/Twitter and Gab.

It seems that some folks missed the the link to the PDF that listed gaming-related tax relief figures for all 500 school districts in my last post, so I created a better table below so you can find the figures for your own school district.

Bottom line: If the tax relief amount for your school district is not at least $325, you’re getting the short end of the stick. If your school district’s tax relief amount is more than $325, you’re getting it at the expense of those who don’t.

Last year 1,805,177 homeowners got less than $325, while 1,059,963 got more than $325 due to a convoluted formula devised by Harrisburg politicians back in 2006. That ain’t right, and it’s why I’m working on a plan to make sure every qualified homeowner gets the same amount via a DIRECT ANNUAL GAMING DIVIDEND PAYMENT.

If you’re a homestead/farmstead owner, this property tax relief is listed somewhere on your school property tax bill. Those bills only come out once a year around July 1st, and if you have a mortgage you probably won’t even see it because your lender gets the bill.

I think the Commonwealth should just mail you a check or make a direct deposit to your bank account instead. That way you’ll be certain you’re getting what you deserve every year.

Agree? Disagree? I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! If you’re not following already, you can follow my official legislative Facebook page by clicking here. Come for the content, stay for the comments. Sometimes it gets a little heated over there!

Do you remember before legalized gambling came to Pennsylvania, how politicians made all sorts of promises about how it would drastically reduce property taxes for homeowners? We all now know that was pretty much a sham.

While those promises turned out to be mostly smoke and mirrors, homeowners do get some benefit from legalized gambling via the homestead/farmstead exclusion. Unfortunately, as evidenced by the comment sections on this Facebook post, as well as this one, many people don’t really understand if they get it, or even where to look to find out.

[Hint: It’s listed on your annual school property tax bill. Those bills are issued around July 1st every year, kind of like an annual ransom note. If you have a mortgage, chances are you don’t even see the bill because your lender receives it.]

I finally got my hands on some realistic numbers for the impact gaming revenue has had on school property tax bills across Pennsylvania. Last year, gaming activities produced $931,060,391.72 tagged for tax relief, and there were roughly 2,865,140 homestead/farmstead properties that qualified for relief across PA. If you average that out, it amounts to about $325 per homeowner.

BUT!!!

Due to an extremely convoluted distribution formula devised by politicians in 2006 (almost a decade before I was elected), not every homeowner gets the same amount. Under their scheme, $474,540,285.28 (51%) of the money went to about 1,059,963 (37%) homeowners, all of whom receive more than $325, while the other $456,520,106.44 (49%) was left for the other 1,805,177 (63%) homeowners, all of whom receive less than $325.

In the Allentown City School District homeowners got $954, while in Bryn Athyn School District homeowners got $0. To me, this seems like nothing more than a wealth redistribution scheme by politicians who were trying to paper over the horrific unfairness of the property tax.

Here in Lebanon County, here’s what that distribution scheme means for homeowners in each of our six school districts. I’m listing each school district, the dollar amount of the homestead/farmstead exclusion, and where that school district ranks among the 500 school districts of PA:

Annville-Cleona SD - $127 (479th)

Cornwall-Lebanon SD - $181 (427th)

Eastern Lebanon County SD - $126 (480th)

Lebanon SD - $718 (9th)

Northern Lebanon SD - $210 (372nd)

Palmyra Area SD - $87 (498th)

Here’s a complete listing of all 500 school districts in Pennsylvania with their rankings:

TAKING SIDES

I’m going to side with the 1,805,177 Pennsylvania homeowners who are getting the short end of the stick, which includes every single homeowner in the 102^nd District, the area I represent.

I will soon be introducing a bill to scrap this distribution plan. No more hard-to-find wealth distribution experiments with gaming revenue to paper over the horrific reality of property taxes. Instead, I believe the Commonwealth should send a DIRECT ANNUAL GAMING DIVIDEND PAYMENT to every qualified homestead/farmstead owner in PA, and every single one of them should be getting the exact same amount.

Such a check would have been worth around $325 last year. But we already know that the $931 million figure will grow to about $1.05 billion this year, and that gaming revenues keep setting records year after year. In addition, my bill will substantially increase the share of gaming revenue that gets tagged for direct relief for homestead and farmstead owners.

Wouldn’t you rather just receive a check or direct deposit every year than let Harrisburg politicians from 2006 dictate that a portion of your share should go to help pay somebody else’s property tax bill in another part of the state?

Agree? Disagree? I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! If you’re not following already, you can follow my official legislative Facebook page by clicking here. Come for the content, stay for the comments. Sometimes it gets a little heated over there!

The House of Representatives recently approved House Bill 1200 to legalize the sale and use of recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania. The bill was introduced on a hastily-convened non-voting Sunday session day and ramrodded through the legislative process to a final vote the following Wednesday.

For those unfamiliar with the legislative process, that’s the absolute quickest path to final passage any bill could enjoy under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Constitution.

The bill as written was not subject to public input or scrutiny due to the rushed process, and was passed on a 102-101 party line vote. All House Democrats voted for it while all Republicans, including myself, voted against it. Although over two dozen amendments were filed to the bill, only one was adopted and that was a “technical” amendment, which essentially only crossed a few t’s and dotted a few i’s in the original text.

There were lots of reasons to vote against this massive 173-page bill, not the least of which was the rushed legislative process. It doesn’t matter if you support or oppose the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana, or if you support or oppose selling it at state stores the same way alcohol is sold and as HB1200 prescribes. Any bill to legalize recreational marijuana deserves a lot more discussion and public input than was afforded here.

The final point to make on this particular bill is that the Senate has no intention of moving the bill, according to everything I’m hearing.

My Role in Pennsylvania Cannabis History

During my very first term in the House, it was my bill that made it possible for farmers to start growing industrial hemp again in Pennsylvania. Signed into law as Act 92 of 2016, that bill created a research program that would allow for growth in the future as much as federal law would permit. There was a bit of resistance from some colleagues because I was merely a freshman legislator then, but we got the job done.

Also during my very first term, I worked diligently and enthusiastically to generate support among my fellow Republicans in the House to approve the medical marijuana bill. Signed into law as Act 16 of 2016, that bill included my amendment to make Pennsylvania the first state in the nation to specifically allow cannabis as a treatment for autism, and another to eliminate a nonsensical and unquantifiable THC limit from the original text of the bill.

Another more senior member of the legislature said at the time, “I hope Russ Diamond's constituents understand what an achievement this really is. For a freshman legislator to play such a key role in a major policy change is very, very, rare. If the people of the 102nd District want a proven effective and ethical legislator, Russ is your choice.”

The industrial hemp bill and the medical marijuana bill both had to overcome some serious resistance from other legislators who I politely refer to as Reefer Madness type personalities in 2016. There are still a few of those left in Harrisburg, but not everyone who voted against HB1200 deserves to be tossed into that bucket.

Nine Years Later

Almost a decade later, we now have folks who want to legalize recreational marijuana. The biggest motivator seems to be generating revenue for the state. My no vote on HB1200 is not from a Reefer Madness perspective, nor is it a blanket rejection of the idea in the abstract.

Personally, I do not care if you want to consume marijuana. You’re probably better off using it in edible or tincture form rather than smoking it, but as a cigarette smoker myself I don’t think I’m the right preacher to deliver that particular sermon.

I also don’t really care if you want to grow some plants of your own at home. I equate that to folks who’ve taken to brewing beer as a hobby in their garage a few times a year and bottling it in their basement.

But if you want to sell or distribute marijuana to others, that’s where my personal opinions end and my legislative duties kick in. If you want it to be widely available for purchase by the general public just like alcohol is now, there has to be some rules and regulations.

I don’t want kids to have access to it. I don’t want it polluted or laced with poison. I don’t want folks smoking it in the open out in public. And I don’t want anyone under the influence operating a vehicle at 70 miles per hour.

The Lobbying

Ever since the early days of my legislative career when I fought so hard to bring industrial hemp and medical marijuana to Pennsylvania, folks have been bugging me to help them do the same for full-blown recreational marijuana. Some of them mistakenly thought I supported the former two only as stepping stones to the latter, while others understood my serious commitment to helping our farmers and patients.

So now I’ll tell you the same things I’ve been telling them: I’m disappointed with what has transpired with both our industrial hemp program and our medical marijuana program, and until those disappointments are rectified, I’m not inclined to support legal over-the-counter marijuana for adult consumption. As a small government guy, I am definitely not swayed by the prospect of generating more tax dollars to fill budget holes or to help grow government any bigger.

The real value of industrial hemp is in fiber and seed. That got sidetracked by a sort of gold rush mentality surrounding CBD extracts, which distorted the hemp market in its infancy. I believe we’re moving beyond that now, but there is still a long way to go until we shape this crop into the billion-dollar market it could be. We need a lot more investment into its production as well as processing it into useful forms.

My greater frustration lies with the medical marijuana program, which has failed to fulfill the promises we made to patients nearly a decade ago. The program has gotten sidetracked by poor oversight by the Department of Health, as well as happenstance within the industry which has not aligned with the best interest of patients.

Since those same industry players are the ones who will greatly benefit from expansion into recreational marijuana, I want them to help fulfill those promises before we reward them with more profits.

De Facto Recreational Marijuana

The original intent of the medical marijuana program was to provide cannabis as medicine to specific patients who couldn’t obtain relief using traditional pharmacological products or treatment. Medical marijuana was only to be sold in pill, oil, gel, cream, tincture, liquid, or medically appropriate non-dry leaf vaporizable form to patients who were certified by a doctor familiar with a patient’s medical history.

The law’s crown jewel was a provision for clinical research which would have placed Pennsylvania at the forefront of world class university-level studies to develop the cannabis plant’s scores of cannabinoids into effective and predictable medications, targeted to certain serious medical conditions and even tailor-made for individual patients.

What happened all too quickly was that the research element got tied up in greed and court battles. The Medical Marijuana Advisory Board quickly approved the sale of whole, smokable dry leaf and added anxiety (a fairly nebulous diagnostic term) to the list of treatable conditions, which led to a THC arms race in the industry and reduced focus on the scores of other cannabinoids that could be more beneficial to patients.

In addition, instead of doctors who had long histories with patients we have certification mills where “patients” can get certified by a doctor with whom they’ve had no previous interaction in exchange for a hefty fee and a claim of anxiety. With an additional fee for an annual patient card, just about anyone can now buy all the smokable marijuana they want.

On top of all that, the dispensaries themselves lean a bit too much toward a stoner atmosphere for my taste (as opposed to a professional medical facility), labeling is utterly uninformative and non-uniform, and product continuity and availability seems to be completely profit-driven rather than patient-centric.

Finally, corporate buyouts have pretty much crowded Pennsylvania-based small businesses out of the market, further placing the emphasis on profits rather than patients.

All in all, what we have now is a de facto recreational program rather than a robust medical program. Those patients we fought for in 2016 have already been left in the dust. Going full legal recreational marijuana now will only cement their dreadful plight going forward.

Ideas vs. Policy

I’m not completely opposed to the idea of marijuana being considered similarly to alcohol as a legal product for sale for responsible consumption by adults in Pennsylvania. But we don’t vote on ideas in Harrisburg. We vote on policies. As policy, HB1200 is a loser, beginning with the antiquated post-Prohibition premise of selling it only in state stores.

I don’t think marijuana should be taxed any more than any other product is taxed, except to account for whatever it’s going to cost to regulate product quality and provide consumer protection, ensure robust competition and a free market, as well as to enforce the law and conduct inspections of producers. Perhaps a little more to help cover the cost of negative social impacts.

The Commonwealth should be serving as a referee in this market, not as a dealer.

We also need a reliable method for law enforcement to determine if someone is too high to drive, much like we have the blood alcohol test to determine if someone is too drunk to drive. There is some promising technology out there, but it isn’t quite ready for prime time yet. If the marijuana industry wants recreational marijuana, then the industry should work on that.

Again, I have no desire to provide extra money for Harrisburg politicians - Democrat or Republican - to waste in the future, or to make up for wasteful spending of the past, so don’t come at me with pie-in-the-sky revenue guesstimates.

Calling Trump and Congress

While I do not believe marijuana should be criminalized, do you know who does? The United States government.

Cannabis is still disturbingly classified as a Schedule 1 substance at the federal level, and you can’t even own a firearm if you use cannabis – even legitimately under Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program – according to the US Department of Justice and the ATF.

With 39 of the 50 states having legalizing marijuana for one reason or another, it’s time for the feds to jump off the ridiculous Reefer Madness bandwagon. Yes, I’m looking at you, President Trump and Congress.

I’ve never been on that bandwagon myself, but any policy going forward needs to take into account the policies we fought so hard for before here in Pennsylvania.

And although I shouldn’t have to say it, any policy of this magnitude deserves robust public discussion and input, not a hastily introduced and approved piece of enabling legislation.

Agree? Disagree? I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! If you’re not following already, you can follow my official legislative Facebook page by clicking here. Come for the content, stay for the comments. Sometimes it gets a little heated over there!

In 2003, then-Governor Ed Rendell led the procession of our Memorial Day parade in my hometown of Annville. Much to the chagrin of a friend whose porch I watched from, I loudly chanted “No slots, no slots, no slots!” as he marched by.

Even after passage of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act in 2004, I joined like-minded folks at the corner of Spring Garden and Broad in Philadelphia to protest the placement of casinos in that city in 2006.

Nearly two decades later, my perspective on legalized gaming has changed. Having served on the House Gaming Oversight Committee since being appointed to it when I was first elected to the General Assembly in 2014, and now serving as its Republican Chairman, I've learned a lot about the industry.

I recognize that many Pennsylvanians enjoy responsible gaming as a form of entertainment, and that legalized and regulated gaming has brought thousands of jobs and other avenues of economic opportunity to our Commonwealth.

It has also provided some stability to horse racing – one of the original legislative purposes for legalizing slot machines – which in turn helps to support agriculture, Pennsylvania’s top economic driver.

Regulation and Taxation of Skill Games

The General Assembly is now contemplating regulating and taxing games of skill, such as “Pennsylvania Skill” machines, tens of thousands of which have appeared in countless venues across the state.

These machines have been deemed legal by the courts and have created enormous economic opportunities for small businesses and non-profit organizations operated by citizens of this Commonwealth, but do not fall under the purview of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act because they are not purely games of chance.

Purveyors of these games have actually asked us to regulate and tax them. That’s pretty rare.

Two main questions need to be answered about regulating these games:

1. which regulatory agency will oversee them, and

2. what is the appropriate tax rate?

Other things we should prioritize include all of the following:

1. preventing known criminals from participating in the industry,

2. preventing minor children from playing,

3. providing consumer protection,

4. eliminating “copycat” machines which are actually illegal mislabeled slot machines, and

5. providing sufficient revenue to fund robust oversight of the industry and enforcement of the law.

Promises, Promises

We should not be seeking to tax and regulate skill games merely as a means to fill state coffers.

Despite political promises of the early 2000’s that legalized gaming would provide massive savings to the taxpayer, revenue collections from the industry – while significant – have been obliterated by a bloated state budget which has outpaced the growth of population and inflation by a whopping 24 percent since 2004, as well as explosive property tax increases at the local level.

If we open the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act to include skill games (as opposed to regulating them under a separate act) we should also consider:

1. creating a fair playing field for all potential gaming industry participants,

2. making sure the Race Horse Development Trust Fund is funded at a more predictable level from year to year to provide more stability for that industry and its related impact on our agricultural sector,

3. properly funding and supporting efforts to combat and treat problem gaming,

4. potential reduction of exorbitant and/or excessive tax rates on our existing gaming sector,

5. re-balancing gaming revenue distribution to provide more property tax relief,

6. correcting for any technical or practical differences between parts of the Act approved as long as two decades ago and the reality of the industry today, and

7. anticipating future technological and/or gaming industry developments which may require regulation and oversight.

Not a Partisan Issue

While my opinion of legalized gaming has changed over the last two decades, my desire for good governance and doing what’s best for the citizens of Pennsylvania has not. Good governance often requires compromise and consensus.

Republicans are currently in the minority in the House of Representatives, so any bill to regulate and tax skill games will be originated by Senate Republicans or House Democrats.

However, opinions on gaming issues – including games of skill – do not fall along traditional partisan political lines, and any resolution of these issues will require support from both Democrats and Republicans.

As the Republican Chairman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee, I stand ready to work to with all my legislative colleagues and industry stakeholders who share a desire to reach that goal.

Agree? Disagree? I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! If you’re not following already, you can follow my official legislative Facebook page by clicking here. Come for the content, stay for the comments. Sometimes it gets a little heated over there!

On this Good Friday, I just wanted to drop you a quick note to wish you peace and harmony in the same spirit that William Penn had when he put religious freedom at the forefront of the founding of Pennsylvania.

I also wanted to say that while has God offered us all forgiveness and everlasting life through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we should make the effort to forgive ourselves as well. Do not let what has happened in the past bog you down; you are worthy of redemption.

To help you set a peaceful frame of mind for this, the Holiest weekend for Christians, I invite you to listen to this beautiful rendition of my song Pennsylvania! (The Keystone of My Heart) as arranged by Sam Barge and performed recently by members of the Berks Youth Chorus and Vox Philia.

To those readers of other faiths, I extend to you an offer of friendship, respect, and dignity in pursuit of William Penn’s vision of religious freedom and tolerance.

Be well.

I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email! I love being able to post and archive longer columns like this here on Substack. For quicker hits, you can also follow me on Facebook by clicking here, or over on X/Twitter by clicking here.

[Note: This is my third column on abolishing property taxes in Pennsylvania. You should also read the previous two by clicking here and here. Go ahead; I’ll wait.]

On May 25, 1961 in a speech before a joint session of Congress, President John F. Kennedy announced:

“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”

A year and a half later in a speech at Rice University he declared:

"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

When JFK first committed to the moonshot, American human beings had spent a whopping 15 minutes in space. There was no Apollo program. There was no lunar lander. No human had ever left Earth’s orbit. But he assessed the existing capabilities and potentials of the time, and set a deadline.

On July 20, 1969 that objective was partially realized when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, and four days later it was fully realized with the safe splashdown of Apollo 11 in the Pacific Ocean.

Deadlines Work

I am certainly no JFK, but I do know that deadlines work. When you set a deadline, it makes people start thinking along the lines of ‘how do we get there from here?’

JFK simply said an American is going to the moon and back before 1970. He didn’t say how much thrust it would take to escape Earth’s orbit. He didn’t calculate the angle the lunar module would need to take on its landing path to Tranquility Base. He didn’t display the suit Neil Armstrong would wear as he took one giant leap for mankind.

All of those things had to be figured out in the decade to come. And they were. Because they had a deadline.

HB900, my constitutional amendment to abolish all property taxes in Pennsylvania serves as a deadline. It also serves as a point of agreement on an objective for all Pennsylvanians and a homework assignment for your servants in the General Assembly. It’s Pennsylvania’s moonshot.

Why a Constitutional Amendment?

A constitutional amendment is the only way to abolish property taxes. You wouldn’t want the General Assembly to abolish them by statute (regular legislation), because what we do by statute today, we can just as easily undo with another bill tomorrow.

A constitutional amendment is a more permanent change which is far more difficult to undo. I certainly don’t want to go to all the effort only to have some future legislator reinstate property taxes on a whim after I’m gone. I want to abolish them permanently.

For those who don’t understand the process of amending the Pennsylvania Constitution, it is not accomplished the in the same manner as a regular bill creating statutory law.

Regular bills need to get approved by simple majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate and then are sent to the Governor for his signature or veto. If he signs it - voilà! - that bill becomes a law. That can all happen rather quickly, and sometimes it does.

Constitutional amendments, on the other hand, need to be approved by simple majorities of the House and Senate in two successive legislative sessions in the exact same form, and then are sent to the ballot for voters to approve or reject. The Governor plays no role in the process.

A constitutional amendment takes longer to get done than a regular bill because legislative sessions last two years in Pennsylvania. And it is much more difficult because the political makeup of the General Assembly can change drastically from session to session.

July 1, 2030?!?!?

The effective date for abolishing property taxes is probably the first thing people notice when they actually read HB900. July 1 of 2030??? WTH? That’s more than five years away!!!! Why do we have to wait so long? Why can’t we do it sooner? Why are you stalling?

Allow me to explain the reasoning behind that effective date.

First, as a constitutional amendment this bill will have be approved by both the House and Senate not just during the current 2025-26 legislative session, but also during the 2027-28 legislative session.

If approved now by both the House and Senate, we’d still have to wait until the beginning of 2027 to approve it a second time. Depending on the politics of the moment, that might not happen until the end of 2028. If so, then it wouldn’t be able to appear on the ballot for voters to approve or reject until May of 2029.

Second, I chose July 1 rather than January 1 (or any other date of the year) because the entities that currently collect property taxes – school districts, counties, and municipalities – have fiscal years that begin on July 1 every year. Swapping out revenue collection methodologies in the middle of their fiscal year would cause unnecessary headaches and havoc.

Finally, I chose 2030 as the year of the effective date because if HB900 doesn’t appear on the ballot until May of 2029, that’s a little too close to the beginning of a new fiscal year. Adding another year to the timeline gives all our school districts, counties, and municipalities ample time to get their ducks in a row to be funded in a different manner.

I have no interest in creating unnecessary headaches or havoc for anyone while making such a major change. When change is rushed, mistakes are made.

BuT hOw WiLl We FuNd GoVeRnMeNt?!?

The second most popular response to HB900 is a demand to know how exactly school districts, counties, and municipalities will be funded. Right here, right now, dadgummit!

First, it would not be proper to include a revenue replacement scheme for all of Pennsylvania’s 499 school districts, 67 counties, and 2650 municipalities in this singular constitutional amendment. That will need to be done by statute, and it will require several different statutes depending on the particular replacement scheme we settle on.

Second, while I certainly have my own opinion on how to best fund those school districts, counties, and municipalities without property taxes, it is not my desire to impose my will on everyone. I’d much rather have a public discussion about it so we can come to some reasonable consensus on the matter.

Further, during the course of that public discussion we can also delve into ways to fix our other broken tax systems in Pennsylvania (believe me, they’re ALL pretty screwed up), as well as address the recent court ruling that the way we fund schools is unconstitutional, examine ways to create cost savings by consolidation of services, and perhaps devise brand new ways of governance that don’t even exist now.

Wouldn’t you like to have a say in all those things rather than have a bunch of legislators just shove something down your throat?

And finally, it doesn’t all have to be set in stone today. It does all have to be in place before July 1, 2030, though. I certainly don’t want to bring public education to a screeching halt, shut down the 911 call centers and jails that our 67 counties operate, or cancel the local garbage collection and snow plowing provided by municipalities.

The Final Countdown

Here’s the one thing I am absolutely sure about: If we don’t get started by having the House and Senate approve the first passage of HB900 during the 2025-26 legislative session, we’ll have to reset the clock on Pennsylvania’s moonshot by changing the deadline to July 1, 2032 when I reintroduce the bill during the 2027-28 legislative session.

SIDEBAR: When I first introduced this constitutional amendment during the 2015-16 legislative session, the effective date was set for July 1, 2022. Had we started the process back then, you would be nearly three years into actually OWNING your property and not paying rent to the government already. Wouldn’t that be awesome?

The beauty of doing this as a constitutional amendment is that ultimately, voters can REJECT the whole mission at the ballot box. None of the statutes that will need to be approved to create new funding methods for school districts, counties, and municipalities would need to have an effective date before July 1, 2030 and would be contingent upon final approval of the constitutional amendment by the voters.

The Negatarians

I’ve seen a lot of people opine that abolishing property taxes will never happen. I can certainly understand their sentiment and distrust of Harrisburg, but I prefer to live by the words of Winston Churchill:

“For myself, I am an optimist – it does not seem to be much use being anything else.”

We are in a much better position for this moonshot than JFK was for his. We already know how much it costs to run our schools, counties, and municipalities. We already have other methods for funding them, even if they each need to be repaired. And we know exactly what our proverbial moon’s surface is made of: actual OWNERSHIP of our property as opposed to renting it from government forever.

That last bit is worth all the effort, imagination, and public discourse it will take to get there. It all starts with a deadline, and that’s exactly what HB900 is. If you want to set a deadline, we need to start now.

Take the Property Tax Poll!

Based on comments I’ve seen over on Facebook, people generally fall into four different categories in response to HB900:

• Many just want to OWN their property rather than renting, and support launching the moonshot now by having the General Assembly get to work the on the first passage of HB900.

• Others believe they’re part of a special class of citizens who deserve to pay less taxes than the rest of us, so their support of the HB900 moonshot depends on whether they’ll get a free ride.

• Others have no imagination and won’t agree to setting the HB900 moonshot deadline until they know Every. Single. Detail. about hOw WiLl We FuNd GoVeRnMeNt?!?!?

• And then there are a few who love renting their property from the government – no HB900 moonshot for them!

That’s all for now. My next property tax column will take a look at how screwed up ALL our systems of taxation in Pennsylvania really are. Stay tuned!

Agree? Disagree? I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send a reply email!

If you’re not following already, you can follow my official legislative Facebook page by clicking here. Come for the content, stay for the comments. Sometimes it gets a little heated over there!