HARRISBURG – A group of PA House lawmakers announced a package of bills to reform and streamline the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. Greene County Rep. Bud Cook’s proposal would streamline the application process by allowing people to simultaneously apply for the rebates when filing annual returns for PA’s Personal Income Tax. It would also require the Revenue Dept. to provide previous rebate recipients with a copy of an application that is pre-filled with information already known to the department. Allegheny County Rep. Rob Mercuri’s bill would establish mandatory processing timelines for the rebate applications by requiring the department to decide on a completed application within 10 days of receipt. If the timeline is not met, the application would be approved and the payment covered by the department’s operating budget. Monroe County Rep. Jack Rader’s proposal would permanently establish a Dec. 31 deadline to apply for each year’s program. Current law sets the deadline for June 30, but allows the department to extend it if additional funds are available. The lawmakers are circulating co-sponsorship memos seeking support.
REP. JACK RADER
REP. ROB MERCURI
REP. BUD COOK