More than a dozen local political, community and school district leaders gathered informally Friday at the Farrell City Building.

The reason for the brainstorming session, hosted by Farrell Mayor Bill Morocco, was to discuss Gov. Ed Rendell's plan to raise the state income tax and send property-tax rebates to homeowners.

Rendell's "Plan for a New Pennsylvania" has been a hot topic since it was proposed in March. Money for the plan, according to the Department of Education, would come from a 0.95-percent increase in the state's personal income tax and from the state's share of revenue generated by proposed slot machines at horse racing tracks.

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