According to investigative reporting by SpotlightPA on the Tax Rebate Program, in the past decade Pa. state lawmakers introduced 24 Bills, six during this current legislative session.
None of these were enacted.
These bills were specific to updating the income requirement for Pennsylvanians to qualify for The Property Tax/Rent program which gives certain homeowners and renters a partial refund on rent or property taxes. The program serves those who are aged 65 or older or disabled.
By not updating the income requirement at the state level to match the automatic cost of living increases in Social Security payments at the federal level, over the past decade, 25% fewer households (160,000) are not getting the help they need to stay in their homes because their income is deemed too high.
Additionally, any increase in Social Security income is offset by the rising cost of Medicare premiums further impacting available income for necessities like food and gas.
Because of state lawmakers’ incompetence to enact quality-of-life legislation, seniors and the disabled are losing their ability to pay rent, buy groceries, and remain in their own home. This is not the way Harrisburg should work and is certainly not representative of needs.
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