It must be an election year.

Politicians are dusting off the issues that regularly irk constituents yet never get the attention needed to solve them.

Earlier this month state Rep. Seth Grove unveiled tax-reform legislation, which would allow taxing bodies -- school districts, municipalities and counties -- to lower property taxes by collecting a mix of income and sales taxes.

The bill is complicated, and it's still not clear what the pros and cons are.

It's so complex it seems unlikely to gain much traction as the Legislature gears up for budget season.

Grove and the bill's supporters need a miracle to see it passed before the spending plan is approved in June, as they've said they'd like.

Speaking of miracles, some of our local lawmakers say they plan to join a lawsuit against the state in hopes of changing the education funding formula, inexorably linked to property taxes.

Republican state Reps. Keith Gillespie and Will Tallman say the current formula for distributing funds is based on the 1990 census and shortchanges districts that have grown since then -- like many in York County.

They argue lawmakers from urban areas, where growth has occurred more slowly, have no incentive to change a formula that benefits their constituents -- hence the need for a lawsuit.

A taxpayer from each interested county, including York, would serve as plaintiffs. Once the plaintiffs are lined up, the lawsuit will be filed.

That's one way to get the ball rolling, and we wish them well.

And while Grove's bill might not be the answer to skyrocketing property taxes, at least he's bringing attention to the issue.

But given the public outcry over property taxes and school funding -- for many years now -- we wonder why they aren't the top priorities for all lawmakers.

Stop wasting time trying to force women to ultrasounds and making it harder for people to vote.

We put these people in office to fix some very real problems affecting just about everyone of us -- not trot them out, almost as an afterthought, before an election.