My first run for office came in 2002 as a 23-year-old Allentown kid.

I ran because I was concerned about education funding and job creation, labor rights and veterans’ health care.

But when talking to voters, it was clear their biggest concern was - wait for it - property tax relief.

So here I was, someone who never owned a home, talking to voters about how I was going to address the rising costs of property taxes.

To no one’s surprise, I lost that race.

In the 17 years since, I purchased a home, successfully ran for office and have sent my kids to public schools funded largely through property taxes.

The legislature has attempted to reform property taxes since then with mixed results but the issue still hasn’t gone away.

Recently, I was appointed to a bipartisan commission designed to once again try to achieve property tax reform.

An equal number of Democrats and Republicans will get into a room and outline our goals, concerns and ideas.

We used this sort of commission before, most recently when we legalized medical marijuana (I also proudly served on that commission).

This is the right approach but let’s be honest: property tax reform is extremely difficult to achieve.

We are not cutting taxes, rather shifting how we pay for schools, meaning we will be raising other taxes.

Let’s take a look at options that have been considered in the past:

·Increasing sales tax increases disproportionally hurt senior citizens and poorer people;

·Increasing income taxes hurts small business owners (though not the Walmarts of the world); and

·A recent proposal by a Republican state representative suggested taxing pensions (um, no).

If done poorly, property tax “relief” will benefit people living in million-dollar homes on the backs of senior citizens, small business owners and other at-risk Pennsylvanians.

But if done right, we can reduce property taxes on seniors and those most at risk.

For years, we have let the idea of full property tax elimination prevent us from considering polices that will help our seniors stay in their homes for as long as they choose.

We should focus on achievable legislation that will help those most impacted by property taxes.

Editor’s note: State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-22nd, represents the 22nd Legislative District which includes: Allentown Ward 1, Ward 2, Ward 3, Ward 4, Ward 5, Ward 6 Division 1, Ward 7, Ward 8 Divisions 1 and 2, Ward 9, Ward 10 Division 1, Ward 11 Divisions 1 and 2, Ward 12, Ward 14 Division 2, Ward 16 and Ward 19.