HARRISBURG — A couple hundred people turned out for a rally at the Pennsylvania Capitol to support efforts to end school property taxes and replace the revenue with higher taxes on sales and income.

Supporters of the effort Tuesday said rising property taxes make it difficult for people on fixed incomes to remain in their homes, even if their mortgages are paid off. They also say the system of assessment is ham-handed and outdated.

Previous such efforts died in the Legislature. The tax is the primary source of local revenue for schools districts, more than $11 billion in 2011-12.

The rally organizer, the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition, supports bills that aren't scheduled for committee votes. However, the House Finance Committee voted Monday to approve a similar bill.

MUNHALL — A Pittsburgh-area homeowner was justified in fatally shooting a man who was serving as a lookout for a burglary suspect in the homeowner's detached garage, the district attorney said Tuesday.“This is classic self-defense, classic Castle Doctrine,” Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. told reporters.The alleged burglar, 24-year-old Shawn Conroy faces a preliminary hearing next month, and reportedly went to the garage with Andrew Stevens, 23, after a night of drinking, investigators said. Homeowner John Rozgonyi kept his classic 1977 Ford Mustang in the garage.A neighbor saw the suspects and called Rozgonyi about the break-in about 3:30 a.m. Sept. 17. Rozgonyi called 911 before going into the alley to confront Stevens while carrying a .380-caliber pistol, Zappala said.Stevens, who had a .45-caliber pistol, reportedly told Rozgonyi, “Don't do anything stupid” before a witness said Stevens fired a shot at the homeowner.Rozgonyi returned fire, with the men trading six shots each, Zappala said. Two bullets hit Stevens, and Rozgonyi wasn't wounded.

HARRISBURG — State Treasurer Rob McCord confirmed Tuesday he will join the already crowded Democratic field for governor and try to challenge an expected re-election bid by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett next year.“I’m running because I believe we need to start investing in Pennsylvania families again. Somewhere along the line, the current governor stopped doing that and it’s been a terrible mistake,” McCord said in an e-mail to supporters.The eighth Democrat to declare his candidacy, McCord held news conferences Tuesday at a community college in the Philadelphia suburb of Blue Bell and an electrical workers union facility in Pittsburgh. He has already hired a campaign staff and formed a fundraising committee.