Monroe County News

A group of state House lawmakers has introduced a series of bills aimed at reforming and streamlining Pennsylvania's Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. This initiative follows last year's legislation that expanded income eligibility limits and increased maximum rebates to aid senior citizens and people with disabilities.

The proposed legislation is sponsored by state Representatives Bud Cook, Rob Mercuri, and Jack Rader. Cook's bill seeks to simplify the application process by allowing applicants to file for rebates alongside their annual state Personal Income Tax returns. The Department of Revenue would also be required to send pre-filled applications to previous rebate recipients.

"This program provides a great benefit, but the current process is unnecessarily burdensome for both the applicants and Department of Revenue staff who process the rebate applications," Cook stated. "While my office readily helps people file for their rebates each year, we can make their lives even easier by making use of the information the department already has on hand."

Mercuri's proposal mandates a 10-day processing timeline for rebate applications. If this deadline is not met, applications would automatically be approved, with payments drawn from the department’s operating budget.

"Efficient government service is the most effective government service," Mercuri remarked. "Establishing a mandatory timeline for property taxes and rent rebates to be processed within a 10-business-day window will allow residents to rely on the rebate timeline for budgeting and personal finance."

Rader's bill proposes setting December 31 as a permanent deadline for yearly applications, replacing the current June 30 deadline which can be extended if additional funds are available.

"Those who rely on this program should not have to play a guessing game to see if they have until Dec. 31 to apply each year," Rader commented. "My proposal would remove this meaningless deadline and provide consistency for applicants."

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program assists eligible residents aged 65 or older, widows and widowers aged 50 or older, and individuals with disabilities aged 18 or older. It offers income eligibility limits of $45,000 for homeowners and renters, excluding half of Social Security when calculating income. The maximum rebate available is $1,000.

Since its inception in 2006, the program has benefited 8.7 million applicants with $4.1 billion returned to low-income individuals through funding from Pennsylvania Lottery proceeds and gaming revenue.