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Gov.
Rendell visits Pittsburgh Senior Center to
announce School Property Taxes eliminated
for 113,000 Senior Homeowners
statewide...Seniors have until Dec. 31 to
apply for Property Tax/Rent rebates
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Governor Edward G. Rendell today
announced that an estimated 113,000 senior
homeowners have had school property taxes
completely eliminated as a result of
Pennsylvania's historic property tax relief
law.
"Seniors, many of whom live on fixed
incomes, struggle the most with rising
property taxes," Governor Rendell said
during an event at the Homewood Senior
Center in Pittsburgh.
"After more than 30 years of debate and
failed property tax relief efforts, we have
succeeded in bringing real property tax
relief to all Pennsylvania homeowners, and
now some 113,000 seniors can live without
the burden of paying school property taxes."
Pennsylvania is providing a total of $786
million in property tax relief this year,
including expanded rebates from the state's
senior citizen Property Tax/Rent Rebate
program and first-ever general property tax
relief for all homeowners that was
distributed through school districts this
past summer.
As a result, an estimated 113,000 seniors
had their entire school property tax bill
eliminated.
In Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler,
Fayette, Indiana, Greene, Washington and
Westmoreland counties, more than 27,000
seniors had their school property taxes
completely eliminated.
About 600,000 seniors are expected to
benefit from rebates this year, compared to
314,000 before the program's expansion in
2006.
Last year, 564,000 seniors received more
than $240 million in rebates.
So far this year, more than 580,000 people
have applied for a rebate and, as of Oct.
10, rebates totaling nearly $254 million
have been sent to more than 529,000
homeowners and renters.
"More than half a million seniors already
received rebates this year, but we know
there are about 140,000 more people who
qualify but haven't applied yet, including
nearly 8,000 seniors here in southwestern
Pennsylvania," the Governor said.
"I encourage everyone who thinks they may be
eligible for a rebate to get their
application in by the Dec. 31 deadline.
"I
don't want one senior to miss out on
receiving the help they need in paying their
school property taxes."
Act 1 of Special Session 2006 delivered the
largest property tax cut in Pennsylvania
history, using proceeds from slots gaming.
In addition to the expanded rebate program,
the law provides state-funded tax relief
through reductions in the tax bills that
school districts send out each summer.
The broad-based property tax relief started
this year at an average of nearly $200 per
household across the state.
The rebate program benefits eligible
Pennsylvanians who are 65 years old and
older; widows and widowers age 50 and older;
and people with disabilities age 18 and
older.
The program expansion increased the income
limit from $15,000 to $35,000 (which
excludes half of Social Security income) for
homeowners, and raises the maximum rebate
for both homeowners and renters from $500 to
$650.
The expanded household income limits and
base rebate amounts are:
$0 and $8,000
-- $650 rebate
$8,001 to $15,000
-- $500 rebate
$15,001 to $18,000
-- $300 rebate
$18,001 to $35,000
-- $250 rebate
Renters with incomes between $0 and $8,000
receive a $650 rebate and those with incomes
between $8,001 and $15,000 receive a $500
rebate.
"In the past two years we've delivered
historic property tax relief to those who
need it most, but we're not done yet," said
Governor Rendell.
"Once
all 14 slots facilities are up and running
in Pennsylvania, annual property tax relief
will reach more than $1 billion and an
estimated 200,000 senior homeowners will
have their school property taxes
eliminated."
The deadline to apply for Pennsylvania's
Property Tax/Rent Rebate program was
extended from June 30 to Dec. 31. Property
Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA-1000) are
available online at
www.papropertytaxrelief.com or by calling,
toll-free, 1-888-222-9190.
The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program,
created in 1971, is one of five programs
supported by proceeds from the Pennsylvania
Lottery.
The expanded portion of the rebate program
is paid for with revenue from slots gaming.
The Rendell administration is committed to
creating a first-rate public education
system, protecting our most vulnerable
citizens and continuing economic investment
to support our communities and businesses.
To find out more about Governor Rendell's
initiatives and to sign up for his weekly
newsletter, visit:
www.governor.state.pa.us.
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