Pennsylvania’s senior citizens could potentially experience accelerated processing times for property tax and rent rebates in the upcoming year.
During a session with the House Appropriations Committee, Revenue Secretary Pat Browne indicated his willingness to endorse initiatives aimed at amending existing legislation prohibiting rebates from being disbursed before July 1, particularly in cases where seniors, widows, and individuals with disabilities submit their applications several months prior.
However, Browne also acknowledged the formidable challenge the department would face in implementing such a change within the current year.
This is primarily due to the department’s preparation for an influx of applications resulting from the expansion of the program, which was approved last year and is slated to take effect this year.
Pennsylvania Raise Income Limits & Rebates
The expansion, which was enacted into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro, raised the income eligibility thresholds to $45,000 for both homeowners and renters, while also elevating the maximum rebate amount from $650 to $1,000.
Browne foresees that this modification will potentially render an additional 175,000 individuals eligible to apply for a rebate, thereby increasing the overall applicant pool to 570,000.
In anticipation of the surge in applications, the department has taken proactive measures.
These include augmenting staff capacity, incorporating bilingual employees, updating its computer infrastructure to authenticate first-time filers, and dispatching personnel to senior centers and local agencies on aging to facilitate the application process for individuals.
Legislators expressed their reliance on the initiative, noting that they frequently receive inquiries from constituents regarding this program and also encounter grievances about the quality of service, a matter that Browne affirmed he is actively striving to rectify.
The former senator, now serving as revenue secretary, concurred with Rep. Steve Samuelson, representing Northampton County, acknowledging the rationale behind expediting the processing of rebates.
