WHAT: State Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) will host a town hall meeting to provide information on efforts to reduce and/or eliminate school property taxes. He has often referred to Berks County as "ground zero" in the property tax debate, and is holding this meeting to update constituents on the challenges facing the state Legislature in dealing with this issue.

WHO: Maloney will be joined by other members of the General Assembly, including the co-chairmen of the School Property Tax Relief Caucus, Reps. Jim Cox (R-Berks) and Seth Grove (R-York), as well as Reps. Mark Gillen (R-Berks), Tom Quigley (R-Montgomery), Marcie Toepel (R-Montgomery) and Doug Reichley (R-Berks/Lehigh).

WHEN: Monday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m.

WHERE: Daniel Boone Middle School auditorium, 1845 Weavertown Road, Douglassville.

LIVE WEBSTREAMING: The meeting may be viewed through Maloney's website, www.RepMaloney.com

State Rep. David M. Maloney (R-130th Dist.) will host a school property tax forum on Monday, Aug. 29, at the Daniel Boone Middle School Auditorium in Amity Township.

The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and is open to the public.

"I have long said that Berks County is "Ground Zero" for the debate over school property taxes. It is the issue I hear about most frequently from constituents," Maloney said in a press release announcing the forum.

From the release:

"Our agenda for Aug. 29th is to lay out to the public where we are at this point in time in the fight to reduce and eliminate school property taxes in Pennsylvania. Several of my State House colleagues and I will present the most current data we have and discuss the challenges we face in our 130th District and statewide."

State Reps. Seth Grove, R-York, and Jim Cox, R-Berks, who are both co-team leaders for the House Majority Policy Committee will be on hand as well as Reps. Doug Reichley R- Berks/Lehigh, Marcy Toepel, R-Montgomery, and Mark Gillen, R-Berks, who will all participate in the forum.

"We have a lot of information to put forward and we will talk about previous tax relief efforts like legalized gaming and Act 1," Maloney said. "We will talk about school district growth versus state funding over the last 10 years. At the end of the presentation we will take questions."

State lawmakers from Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties have been pushing for the elimination of school property taxes for years, Maloney noted.

"No two counties in Pennsylvania are alike as we all struggle with higher school property taxes," Maloney said. "In some parts of Pennsylvania, school property taxes are not an issue, but they are a problem here. We have information and numbers that most people have not seen and it looks at school property taxes on a statewide view. I felt it was necessary to share this data. There are hot spots in Pennsylvania where this is a serious concern. We in the southeast live in a hot spot."

"Part of my purpose for this event is to also tell people that we will continue to work to correct the problems with the school property tax system," Maloney said.

Here's one way to save taxpayers a few bucks: Do-it-yourself.

Newly-elected state Rep. David Maloney, a contractor by profession, will pitch in to re-do his two district offices in an effort to save his constituents some money.

In addition to relocating his two offices in the 130th House District, Maloney will pick up a hammer and nails and help with the interior refurbishing of the facilities.

Maloney, a Republican, ousted two-term Democratic incumbent David Kessler to represent the Eastern Berks County seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

From a press release issued by Maloney:

State Rep.-elect David Maloney says he will offer constituent services for residents of the 130th House District at two new offices.

The southern part of the district will be serviced at a new office at 515 Old Swede Road (Rt. 662) Douglassville in the Old Swede Office Complex.

"This office will allow easier access to the residents of Amity, Douglassville, Birdsboro, Exeter and Union townships," Maloney said.

The Boyertown office will move from South Warwick Street to 46 E. Philadelphia Ave., next to the landmark Bause’s Drug store.

"Rent and utilities for the two new locations will be less expensive than what was offered to us to stay at the old locations," Maloney said. "Neither of the old offices were wheelchair accessible. Now both offices will be."

Maloney, who has a background in construction, said he will help re-fit the Boyertown office space himself to save taxpayers some money.

Move-in dates for the Douglassville office will be Dec. 6 but phone and computer lines may not be in place by then.

"The Boyertown office phone number will remain the same as before, 610-369-3010 and we will do our best to retrieve messages and return calls until we are fully functioning at 46 E. Philadelphia Ave. We hope to have our Boyertown re-fit done by the end of December for sure. We will have a new phone number for Douglassville and new email addresses. Our offices will also have a new 130th District website that we will make public as soon a possible," Maloney explained.

Maloney does not take office until Jan. 4 when he takes his oath in a ceremony at the Capitol in Harrisburg.

Open House dates for both offices will be announced when they are both fully operational.