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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | July 10, 2013 11:44 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative James Clay, Jr. |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | State Tax on Lottery Winnings |
| In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation that would amend the State Lottery Law to allow the Commonwealth to levy a tax on all lottery winnings that exceed $600. The revenues generated from these lottery winnings would be distributed across the Commonwealth to help defray the costs of educating our state’s children. As we all know, state budget cuts to education over the last several years have forced school districts across Pennsylvania to raise local taxes, cut significant school programs, and, in many cases, lay off thousands of teachers. This has directly resulted in larger class sizes in communities throughout the Commonwealth and a diminished education for our students. Research shows that quality educational programs directly result in better outcomes for children. As lawmakers, we must find solutions to our funding issues and look for alternative ways to fund our schools, if we hope to build a brighter and more effective future for our children. Pennsylvania is one of only a few states in the country to conduct a state lottery and not levy a state tax on lottery winnings. Most states that border Pennsylvania -- New Jersey, New York, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio, all levy taxes on lottery winnings – ranging from a low of 6 percent to a high of over 12 percent. Imposing a small, reasonable tax on lottery winnings over $600 could provide hundreds of millions of dollars a year for public education. Please join me in supporting this legislation to help educate our children and provide them with a bright and sustainable future. |
Memo Updated: July 10, 2013 11:45 AM