Compromise Means Help for Local Communities

This week, the House and Senate finally passed a bill that will bring financial support to local communities impacted by gas drilling.

Since the first Marcellus Shale well in Pennsylvania was drilled in my district in 2003, we have debated how to best respond to this industry’s booming development.

In Harrisburg, legislation has been introduced, negotiations have started and stopped innumerable times, opinions have been aired, and emotions have become charged.

Given such disagreement, the Legislature had yet to pass a comprehensive policy to levy a fair tax on drillers and strengthen oversight of the Marcellus industry.  

The commonwealth had remained the only major gas-producing state that did not impose a tax on natural gas extraction, despite Pennsylvania voters voicing support for such a measure by a 2-to-1 margin. 

For more information, click here.

Tax Help Available Today

This week, I partnered with Community Action Southwest to offer free, basic, online income tax filing assistance to qualified working taxpayers in Washington & Greene Counties. 

The help is open to anyone who earned less than $50,000 in 2011, regardless of the number of persons living in their household.

Tax preparers will be available from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at my Washington on March 12. At my Canonsburg district office, help will be available on Feb. 24 and March 20.

Appointments are necessary. Please call my district office at 724-746-3762.

Last year, through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, CAS assisted more than 500 households in Washington & Greene Counties in filing their income taxes, bringing back $580,000 in refunds.

CAS operates its VITA Program in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service and through funding from the United Way of Washington County and the Greene County United Way. Most of the of volunteers who assist taxpayers are students from Washington & Jefferson College and Waynesburg University.

Other VITA sites will be open Jan. 31, 2012 through April 5, 2012 in both counties.

Click here to find more locations for VITA tax help.

HS Seniors Should Apply Now for Help with Tuition

After the governor’s budget address, parents are more worried than ever about college expenses.  With steep cuts in state aid to colleges last year, and more proposed in this budget, tuition could be rising again.     

A good way to start planning is by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Applications for the 2012-2013 school near are now available now available at PHEAA.org/FAFSA or fafsa.gov.

The FAFSA determines eligibility for federal grants, the need-based Pennsylvania State Grant, many scholarships, reduced-cost federal student loans, work-study programs, and some school-based student aid programs. It is the first, most basic step for families looking for help paying for college tuition.

Along with the FAFSA, first-time applicants for a Pennsylvania State Grant are required to submit a State Grant Form which contains information not included on the FAFSA. Students can link directly to the SGF from the FAFSA on the Web.

Since schools have different financial aid deadlines, state education officials recommend that families complete and submit the FAFSA to the federal government as soon as possible to ensure that all deadlines are met.

The Pennsylvania State Grant deadline is May 1 for students attending colleges, universities and college-transferable programs (excluding community colleges) and for all renewal students.

Aug. 1 is the state grant deadline for first-time students attending community colleges, business, trade or technical schools, hospital schools of nursing, or two-year, non-transferable degree programs at community, junior or four-year colleges.

Update: Gasoline Bill Clears Senate Committee

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted unanimously this week to approve Senate Bill 1386, which I co-sponsored with state Sen. Elder Vogel.

The legislation would remove a costly and burdensome regulation requiring a special “boutique” blend of gasoline from being sold in the seven county Pittsburgh-area during the summer months. This “summer gas” is routinely more expensive than gasoline sold in the rest of Pennsylvania and also in neighboring Ohio and West Virginia.

The bill will now be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.