Property Tax/Rent Rebates Proposed by Governor Josh Shapiro

ShapiroCredit: Commonwealth Media Services

PENNSYLVANIA — Governor Josh Shapiro visited the West Shore Senior Center in Cumberland County on Monday to promote his proposed expansion of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate for Pennsylvania seniors. His proposal prioritizes lowering costs for Pennsylvanian families and also helping seniors throughout the Commonwealth stay in their homes.

The Governor’s budget proposal raises the maximum rebate for seniors from $650 to $1,000, increases the income cap for renters and homeowners to $45,000 a year, and ties the cap to cost of living increases. The PTRR program will see nearly 175,000 more Pennsylvanians qualify, including approximately 5,000 Cumberland and Dauphin county residents. Additionally, many of the 400,000 current qualifiers will see their rebates nearly double.

“The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is a lifeline for many Pennsylvanians, especially seniors who live on fixed incomes. My budget puts money back in their pockets by updating this critically important rebate for the first time in 17 years,” said Governor Shapiro. “All across our Commonwealth, Pennsylvanians are deal with rising costs – my proposal would deliver real relief and put more money back in people’s pockets. I know lawmakers on both sides of the aisle support this step, and it is long past time to expand this key program and help more seniors stay in their homes by raising the maximum rebate and increasing the income cap for renters and homeowners.”

“I was shocked to learn that the cost-of-living increase for this program has not been made for seniors for nearly two decades. We’ve all seen how costs have gone up over those nearly two decades, and I was shocked to see that for renters it was 35 years,” said West Shore Senior Center member Diane Salerno. “We’re not invisible, we won’t be treated as such, and this man recognizes this, and he is going to make sure that we are not forgotten, overlooked, or pushed to the corner.”

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“As we all know, Pennsylvania is home to a rapidly aging population, and Governor Shapiro recognizes the importance of ensuring that older adults have the choice to stay in their homes,” said Alicia Titus, Senior Vice President of Messiah Lifeways. “His Administration is taking steps to address this issue by investing in programs and policies that promote affordable housing for older Pennsylvanians, including the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. We are thankful that the Governor is here with us today to discuss this important topic.”

In 2020, over 14,000 people in Cumberland and Dauphin Counties alone depended on these rebates to stay in their homes, put food on the table, and make ends meet. They are a crucial lifeline for struggling Pennsylvanians. Governor Shapiro’s budget recognizes that, and proposes critical investments to expand the program so that more people will be eligible for these essential rebates as they face rising costs and inflation.

Seniors who already rely on these rebates will be helped in every county of Pennsylvania, including over 14,000 in York, more than 8,000 in Dauphin, more than 6,000 in Cumberland, and more than 1,000 in Perry counties.

Governor Shapiro unveiled his first budget proposal in March. You can visit Governor Shapiro’s budget website to learn.

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