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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 16, 2019 01:17 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Robert M. Tomlinson and Sen. Lisa M. Boscola, Sen. Thomas H. Killion, Sen. John T. Yudichak |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Property Tax Rebate Expansion and Relief Act |
| In the near future we plan to introduce legislation aimed at targeting meaningful property tax relief to our most vulnerable low income senior citizens. Although Pennsylvania provides rebates to those eligible through the property tax and rent rebate program and general property tax relief statewide from gaming, we continue to see low income senior citizens unable to afford their homes because of property tax increases. The 2006 Taxpayer Relief Act established the Property Tax Relief Fund as a way to use gaming revenue to reduce property taxes for homesteads and farmsteads. In Fiscal Year 2018-19 over $700 million was certified as available for property tax relief, including funding for the enhanced Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. Funds allocated from the Property Tax Relief Fund for general relief vary by school district and are used by school districts to reduce school property tax bills. In most cases the homeowners are not even aware of the relief. Furthermore, this relief is provided to all regardless of income, age or disability status. Estimates from the Independent Fiscal Office show that it is possible to redirect monies from general property tax relief to an expanded supplemental property tax rebate to drastically reduce or completely eliminate property taxes for low income seniors and the permanently disabled. We invite you to join us in cosponsoring this important legislation. Please contact Gail Fuoti in Senator Tomlinson's office with any questions. |
Introduced as SB826