Pittsburgh’s City Council is expected to hold its first preliminary vote on Wednesday on Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s proposal to impose a 1-percent tax on college tuition, and the measure is expected to pass, according to articles in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The New York Times. The final vote is set for next week. University and city officials met on Monday to discuss an alternative proposal, under which the institutions would voluntarily contribute more to the city, but the education leaders declined to commit to the $5-million a year the mayor has requested. The tax, if approved, could take effect as early as July, but is certain to face a court challenge and could be blocked by the state legislature.
RSS
Follow The Ticker through your favorite RSS reader.
2 Responses to Pittsburgh Council Is Expected to Approve Tuition Tax
mark_alexander - December 16, 2009 at 8:56 am
To mgozaydin, employers do not pay taxes; those costs are passed along to the consumer.As to the tax issue, it appears to be a threat to raise money (read the PG article): Give us $5M or we’ll tax tuition. It’s this kind of thinking (if it moves, tax it) that makes me reluctant to ever return and live in Pittsburgh. That saddens me.
jaysanderson - December 16, 2009 at 12:08 pm
The tax is little more than extortion. Whom does the mayor think is bearing the tax? Not the institutions themselves. Once again, students and their families get the shaft. I left the ‘burgh 9 years ago. The tax burden in the city (the whole state) is approaching unreasonable. I have no plans to go back, even though Pittsburgh is a great city with great people. What made the mayor think to do this? Perhaps he used to work for the turnpike commission…