WILKES-BARRE — The deadline for older adults and Pennsylvanians with disabilities to apply for rebates on rent and property taxes paid in 2022 has been extended from June 30 to Dec. 31, Acting Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne announced this week.
Claimants of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program are encouraged to file their rebate applications online by visiting mypath.pa.gov. This online filing option makes it easy for the Pennsylvanians who annually benefit from the program to submit their applications.
“So far this year, we’ve already seen more than 50,000 of our rebate applicants use myPATH to file their applications online,” Browne said. “This shows us that many of our customers are finding this online tool to be an easy way to make sure their applications are filed seamlessly and processed as quickly as possible. Other eligible applicants can take advantage of myPATH in the coming months now that the program deadline has been extended through the remainder of the year.”
This extension comes as Gov. Josh Shapiro is calling for a major expansion of the PTRR program in his 2023-2024 proposed budget. Under the Governor’s proposal, the maximum standard rebate would increase from $650 to $1,000. Meanwhile, the income limits for renters and homeowners would be made equal and both increase to $45,000. Those income limits would also be tied to the cost of living moving forward, which means the people who receive a rebate won’t have to worry about losing their eligibility through no fault of their own in the years to come.
Ultimately, the Governor’s proposal would result in nearly 175,000 additional Pennsylvanians qualifying for a property tax or rent rebate. At the same time, the Department of Revenue estimates that 86% of the 430,000 claimants who already qualify will see their rebates increase.
Under current Pennsylvania law, the annual deadline for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is set at June 30. The law requires the Department of Revenue to evaluate the program prior to the statutory June 30 deadline to determine if funds are available to extend the deadline.
To date, funding has been available to allow all who qualify to benefit from the program, meaning the deadline can be extended to Dec. 31, for the current year. Applications postmarked by that date will be accepted for processing.
The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. Currently, the income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.
Since the program’s inception in 1971, it has delivered more than $8 billion to older and disabled adults across the Commonwealth. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery and revenue from slots gaming.
The current maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for certain qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975. The Department of Revenue automatically calculates supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners.
Applicants must reapply for rebates every year because rebates are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid in each year. Spouses, personal representatives, or estates may file rebate claims on behalf of claimants who lived at least one day in 2022 and meet all other eligibility criteria.
Casey holds hearing on emergency preparedness
for older adults and people with disabilities
U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey this week held a hearing entitled — “Before Disaster Strikes: Planning to Support Older Americans and People with Disabilities in All Phases of Emergencies” — examining the effects of natural and human-made disasters, as well as infectious disease outbreaks, on older adults and people with disabilities in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
During the hearing, Chairman Casey, D-Scranton, highlighted his Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion for Disasters Act (REAADI for Disasters Act), which would ensure that people with disabilities and older adults are included in disaster preparation and that their needs are considered during the response and recovery efforts.
It would also ensure that the civil rights of older adults and people with disabilities are not violated through discriminatory distribution of resources during disasters and emergencies.
“While all Americans are affected by disasters and emergencies, older adults and people with disabilities face a disproportionate impact,” Casey said. “These groups of people need accurate, accessible, and comprehensive information to plan for and respond to all types of emergency situations, from infectious disease outbreaks to natural and human-made disasters. My bill, the REAADI for Disasters Act, will ensure the voices of seniors and people with disabilities are included throughout every phase of emergency preparation and that they aren’t discriminated against in the emergency resource distribution process.”
As disasters increase in both intensity and frequency due to climate change, the 54 million older adults and 61 million people with disabilities living in the U.S. are particularly likely to experience challenges with mobility, health care, support networks, and accessing food and water during all phases of disaster management. These groups typically have fewer resources to draw upon, more limited options for housing and health care, and more difficulty recovering once the immediate emergency has passed.
During the hearing, Chairman Casey highlighted a Majority staff report released earlier this year by the Senate Finance and Aging Committees detailing the specific consequences of extreme weather events on older adults and people with disabilities living in long-term care facilities.
Rep. Meuser introduces bill
to support mushroom farmers
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser this week introduced the Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act.
The legislation would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a study on providing crop insurance for mushroom farmers.
This study would analyze the effects of various threats to production, such as inclement weather and pests uniquely harmful to mushrooms, among other things, on farmers’ ability to grow mushrooms and maintain profitability.
The study represents a first step toward providing federally backed crop insurance to these farmers.
U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) is co-leading the bill with Meuser, and Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman introduced a companion bill in the United States Senate.
Pennsylvania mushroom farms support more than 9,300 jobs and contribute $1.2 billion annually to local economies. The Commonwealth is often considered the “Mushroom Capital of the World” with roughly half of the United State’s mushroom crop being grown in Pennsylvania.
“Pennsylvania is the number one producer of mushrooms in the country, and family mushroom farms support more than 9,000 jobs in the Commonwealth and have an economic impact upwards of $1.2 billion,” said Meuser, R-Dallas. “We must ensure our family farms have the necessary protections available for various threats to their crops and make certain they have the ability to be insured should they face unforeseen circumstances. This legislation is a responsible first step in examining how extending crop insurance to mushroom farmers could aid their long-term success, and I’m happy to support the study laid out in the Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act.”
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Rep. Cartwright co-leads bipartisan
resolution honoring 50 years of DEA
Bipartisan resolutions in recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were introduced this week in the U.S House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to highlight the remarkable impact that the federal agency has made on the nation’s pervasive drug epidemic.
The congressional resolution was led in the House by Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Subcommittee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and Ranking Member Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic.
Congress established the DEA 50 years ago to coordinate and enforce the Controlled Substances Act and bring justice to transnational drug trafficking organizations and dangerous criminals.
The DEA employs more than 10,000 people, including 3,000 task force officers that partner with state and local law enforcement agencies across the country.
“For five decades, the DEA has served our nation with courage, vision and determination, protecting Americans from the scourge of drug trafficking, drug abuse and related violence,” Cartwright said.
The DEA has the largest international presence of any federal law enforcement agency with 93 foreign offices located in 69 countries, leading to the disruption or dismantling of hundreds of transnational criminal organizations around the world.
In 2021, more than 107,000 Americans lost their lives to opioid overdoses, making the drug abuse epidemic the most significant threat to public health, public safety and national security.