Homeowners in several Pennsylvania counties, including Dauphin, York and Lancaster, may soon face property tax increases as counties deal with inflation, rising health insurance costs, and the effects of a state budget impasse.Kyle Kopko, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said, “Just because of all these different factors coming together at just the right time, I think many counties really see no other alternative.”In Dauphin County, commissioners are considering a 15% tax hike after a 22% increase last year, while York County is looking at a 14% increase, and Lancaster County is preliminarily considering a 10% hike.Lebanon County is also facing a property tax increase. These increases are seen as necessary to avoid layoffs or significant cuts to services.Kopko explained that an aging workforce is contributing to increased health care premiums, particularly due to the rising costs of prescription drugs. “We’re also having an older workforce, just generally speaking, not only within government but across the entire Commonwealth. So as that workforce ages, they’re going to have distinctive medical needs. Prescription drugs are really what we’re hearing is one of the largest drivers of that increase in health care premiums,” he said.Kopko acknowledged that homeowners might not welcome the additional financial burden but emphasized the need for counties to bridge funding gaps. “How do you balance that? Well, it’s either through cuts, which a lot of people don’t want to do because they still want to have high-quality services from their governments, or it leaves tax increases as the next line of defense,” he said.

HARRISBURG, Pa. —

Homeowners in several Pennsylvania counties, including Dauphin, York and Lancaster, may soon face property tax increases as counties deal with inflation, rising health insurance costs, and the effects of a state budget impasse.

Kyle Kopko, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said, “Just because of all these different factors coming together at just the right time, I think many counties really see no other alternative.”

In Dauphin County, commissioners are considering a 15% tax hike after a 22% increase last year, while York County is looking at a 14% increase, and Lancaster County is preliminarily considering a 10% hike.

Lebanon County is also facing a property tax increase. These increases are seen as necessary to avoid layoffs or significant cuts to services.

Kopko explained that an aging workforce is contributing to increased health care premiums, particularly due to the rising costs of prescription drugs.

“We’re also having an older workforce, just generally speaking, not only within government but across the entire Commonwealth. So as that workforce ages, they’re going to have distinctive medical needs. Prescription drugs are really what we’re hearing is one of the largest drivers of that increase in health care premiums,” he said.

Kopko acknowledged that homeowners might not welcome the additional financial burden but emphasized the need for counties to bridge funding gaps.

“How do you balance that? Well, it’s either through cuts, which a lot of people don’t want to do because they still want to have high-quality services from their governments, or it leaves tax increases as the next line of defense,” he said.