State Rep. Sam Rohrer, R-Berks, who has led the fight to eliminate property taxes in Pennsylvania, says Gov. Ed Rendell still doesn't get it.

Pennsylvanians are no closer to truly owning their homes than they were when Rendell took office in 2003, according to Rohrer.

While Rendell is touting his administration expects to deliver $200 in average property tax relief to Pennsylvania homeowners this year, Rohrer says Rendell misses the point about Pennsylvania's onerous system of property taxes to fund schools.

"At the end of the day, not one single Pennsylvanian is any closer to truly owning their home as a result of legalized gambling," Rohrer said in a statement. "The only way Pennsylvanians can truly own their homes is if the state completely eliminates the school property tax. Until that happens, homeowners are merely renting their homes in exchange for school property tax payments. After all, if a homeowner fails to pay, the government will evict them."

Rendell's budget secretary announced today that she has certified approximately $770 million in property tax relief for 2009, but Rohrer argues that that is simply proof that people continue to lose money at Pennsylvania casinos.

"In order for homeowners to win, the Pennsylvanians who put their money in slot machines must lose," Rohrer said. "The entire system is built around creating more dependence. It seems that the governor desires that homeowners, from senior citizens to working families, become dependent on this state tax 'relief' program in order to be able to pay their school property tax bill rather than fixing the problem so they can keep their home. Schools are increasingly dependent on people losing their hard-earned money as the way to fund our public schools. Compulsive gamblers are then encouraged to look to government services to help them quit the addiction government encouraged them to start. The whole thing is set up so that people look toward government for the answers to their problems when, in fact, the existing school property tax system is the real problem."

The Rendell property tax relief provided an average of $169 per household in relief in 2008, although some homeowners received as little as $50.

Rohrer said the "relief" that Rendell is promoting has already been eaten up by higher property taxes imposed by most of the state's school districts.

"For many homeowners, the $200 in so-called 'relief' they will receive is less than the amount their property tax bills were raised since 2006," Rohrer said. "Pennsylvania homeowners deserve more than the false hope the governor’s gambling scheme has to offer."

Read Rohrer's full release at the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus Web site.