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Published on June 23, 2026

Approximately 120 people packed the historic Lehigh County Courthouse last Wednesday as county officials held a public meeting to explore reviving a tax on intangible personal property.

The Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® presented concerns about the proposal and the potential harm it could cause to the real estate industry, homeownership, and our members. We thank Lehigh County Finance Committee Chair, Commissioner Sarah Fevig, for inviting GLVR to present and be part of this important conversation. GLVR’s position was shaped by the feedback, analysis, and insight of members of our Government Affairs Committee.

The proposed tax could affect rental properties, housing inventory, rental prices, second homes, and common investment and retirement vehicles, including stocks, bonds, brokerage accounts, and limited liability companies.

GLVR’s presentation focused on five key concerns:

  • This tax will make housing less affordable.
  • This tax could drive out local rental property owners and usher in Wall Street investors.
  • LLCs and rental properties are commonly used as retirement investment vehicles.
  • This tax will discourage investment and further limit housing inventory.
  • To look forward, Lehigh County must first examine why the tax was repealed in 1992.

As reported by LehighValleyNews.com:

Those assurances did little to curb the criticism. The loudest applause of the night may have gone to Asher Schiavone of the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtor’s Association, who was invited to testify as an expert witness.

Schiavone argued that bringing back the tax would raise housing costs. The tax would apply to rental properties, and the cost of the tax would likely be passed to renters, he said. It’s possible the complexities of the tax may be onerous enough for smaller landlords to sell their properties, which would increase the likelihood of corporations acquiring more properties.

He appreciated the county needed to address its structural deficit but said the commissioners’ thinking was misaligned.

“I would hope that overspending by $3 million sounds like an expense problem, not a revenue problem,” Schiavone said to cheers.

Throughout the night, members of the public echoed those remarks. They said the government needed to act responsibly or be held accountable, and the tax would encourage people to move over the county line into Berks County and push wealth out of the area.

Members are encouraged to review additional media coverage from the meeting: