Last Few Weeks for 2011-12 Budget

Today, I joined with my colleagues in a morning press conference where we outlined our priorities for this budget. Now that the Senate has received the House’s version of the budget, negotiations and conversations will begin in earnest. I have real concerns with the House budget because it would harm victims of rape and domestic abuse, people with disabilities, children, elderly and the poor. We should be doing everything that we can to protect and support our most vulnerable citizens.

Of course, that is not the only piece of the budget that remains at issue. Although the House budget restores some funding for basic education and higher education, it is not to the level that it was in the prior fiscal year. For our local school districts, that could mean increases in local property taxes or the elimination of tutoring, after-school and pre-school programs. For the City of Pittsburgh, it has already meant the loss of a program aimed at bringing young, energetic teachers to the city schools.

I still have grave concerns about the steps that the Department of Community & Economic Development plans to take to consolidate services. I will continue to advocate for the separation of the line items for Small Business Development Centers, the Industrial Resource Centers, the Local Development Districts, and Industrial Development Corporations, rather than seeing the programs collapsed into the proposed Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance, or PREP Program. Earlier today, I also called on DCED Secretary Walker to provide information on their proposal for the Liberty Loan Fund and to engage in an open dialogue about the changes that they would like to make and what the proposal will encompass.

Please be assured that I have received the many communications from my constituents about their specific interests and concerns related to the budget, and have noted all of them. I appreciate your advocacy and interest in the budget issue and am glad for the communications. I rely upon that information to determine what the budget priorities are for my district. As we move into the final weeks of the budget, I pledge to be your voice here. It is not going to be an easy process—I don’t know what all of the answers are, but I am going to continue to look for them and fight to protect my constituents.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Deadline Extended

Have you filed for the Property Tax & Rent Rebate Program yet? The deadline has been extended until Dec. 31, 2011. If you are a Pennsylvanian age 65 and older, a person with a disability 18 and older, or a widow or widower age 50 and older, you may be eligible. Income limits are $35,000 for homeowners and $15,000 for renters. The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can increase rebates to $975. You can stop by any one of my district offices to get a claim form (PA-1000), receive help in completing your application, and check the status of your claim.

More than 600,000 people are expected to receive a benefit under the program, with 120,000 seniors having their school district property tax bill eliminated. Rebates will be sent out beginning July 1.  Eligible residents who submit their application after June 30 will receive their claim after it is processed. You may also check the status of claims online by visiting the PA Department of Revenue website or call 1-888-PATAXES.  The program is supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery and revenue from slots gaming.