"The Reading Eagle July 27 editorial, "Levy on sales will not take the onus off real estate tax" missed an opportunity to support progress.

The editorial criticized the proposal for not including spending controls. As originally proposed, the bill included a powerful tool to help municipalities operate more efficiently. Ten percent of the revenues would have gone into a municipal collaborative efforts fund, which local governments would have access through intergovernmental-service arrangements that would increase efficiency and hold down costs. This would have given municipalities the ability to control rising costs while meeting the needs of residents and move toward regional cooperation.

The collaborative services provision was removed from the bill. In spite of its shortcomings, the bill is a step toward helping municipalities control costs and achieve a collaborative approach to local government." For the rest of David Thun's letter to the editor, please click here.