WESTFALL, PA — A new law being considered in Harrisburg might strip state courts of the authority to determine the qualifications for tax-exempt status and assign it to the state legislature. Opponents say Senate Bill 4, already approved by the Senate, could result in exemption decisions based on politics, rather than qualifications of the applicant.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale has urged careful consideration of the impact of the bill. His office released a special report in December on the potential impacts that properties with tax-exempt status might have on counties, municipalities and school districts. The report found that more than $1.5 billion in property tax revenue was potentially lost in the 10-county sample that was examined.

With the National Park on its east flank and thousands of acres of state-owned forest all around it, Delaware Valley School District officials are concerned about any further loss of ratable properties. Meeting on February 19, they expressed concerns about what parameters would be written into the legislation for exemptions and the districts’ efforts to make them palatable for taxing districts.

“It all depends on how the sausage gets made,” Superintendent John Bell said of the ongoing legislative detail work on the bill. If it’s done too broadly, different municipalities will interpret it differently for camps, hospitals and various institutions, Bell said. “We’re trying to educate everyone to avoid unintended outcomes,” he said.

Business Manager Bill Hessling said legislative criteria need to be included to administer the law, if it passed. When those criteria are to be decided is at issue. “Some legislators want to know what the

criteria are first; others say do it later,” he added.

Bell said, “We will be working closely with Sen. Baker, Rep. Peifer and Rep. Brown to ensure clear standards are established to protect our taxpayers from every Tom, Dick and Harry trying to turn their property into a non-taxable, religious property.

“Loose standards will only punish the law abiding taxpayers who already pay their fair share,” Bell said.

Sen. Mario Scavello of Monroe County has introduced a bill, which would establish a special legislative committee to study and make recommendations to address the definition and treatment of “purely public charities.”

Senate Bill 4 is a joint resolution which has to be approved by two separate sessions of the legislature. It was approved last year and if reaffirmed this year, would appear on the November ballot.

In other business, the board heard teacher Brian Blaum describe eight new course additions at the high school including diversified occupations with on-the-job training; freshman transition, middle school to high school; advanced placement studio art; a business elective in video game design; a math introduction to statistics; physical education electives including officiating, physical fitness and training, and leadership; a remedial digital-based bio-science course for those retaking the Keystone Bio Science exam; and social studies, a continuation of a half-year sociology course.

The board also heard the Shohola Elementary School cast of the musical “Twinderella” perform two songs from their recent show.

The district has used seven of 10 scheduled snow days so far this year.