Shapiro WILKES-BARRE — Gov. Josh Shapiro this week announced that his Administration has processed more than 500,000 tax rebates totaling over $304 million for older Pennsylvanians and people with disabilities who benefit from the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program.
This is nearly double the amount of relief that had been distributed through the PTRR program at the same point last year.
“I made a promise to deliver relief for seniors and people with disabilities across the Commonwealth who told me that they needed just a little more help to stay in their homes — and I’m proud that we’ve kept that promise,” Shapiro said. “In my first year, we brought Democrats and Republicans together to expand the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program — to ensure that it remains a lifeline that helps our older friends and neighbors stay in their homes.”
Shapiro said employees at the Department of Revenue have been working hard throughout the year to process PTRR applications as quickly as possible. He said 95% of the applications that have been received so far this year have already been approved for payment — and that includes applications from roughly 107,000 first-timer filers who are benefiting from the program for the very first time.
The Governor is also reminding the public that there are thousands of Pennsylvanians who qualify for a rebate but have not submitted an application to take advantage of this program. This includes many people who were previously approved for a rebate, but have not taken action this year to reapply by submitting a new application.
The Department of Revenue has been mailing letters to these prior applicants encouraging them to check their eligibility and submit a new application if they meet the program guidelines. The deadline to submit applications for rebates on property taxes and rent paid in 2023 has been extended to Dec. 31, 2024.
Submitting your application online through myPATH — in English or Spanish — is easy and does not require you to sign up for an account. Filing online gives you instant confirmation that your claim has been successfully filed. Applicants also will have access to automatic calculators and other helpful features that are not available through the paper application.
It’s free to apply for a rebate and assistance is available at hundreds of locations across the state: Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, and state legislators’ offices. You must reapply for a rebate every year as they are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid during the prior year.
Treasurer Garrity, PA Bankers Association unite to combat cyber fraud
Treasurer Stacy Garrity, PA Bankers Association President & CEO Duncan Campbell, and Richard Cimakasky, Penn Community Bank Fraud & Security Officer and former FBI Special Agent, this week kicked off Cybersecurity Awareness Month, warning Pennsylvanians about the dangers of cybersecurity fraud and offering advice on how to make sure their personal information is safe.
“As the primary financial institution of the Commonwealth, Treasury is a major target for cyber criminals — and we have a special obligation to secure the Commonwealth’s financial information against cyber threats,” Garrity said. “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and we work closely with other state agencies, outside business partners, and cybersecurity specialists to constantly strengthen our defenses. We also collaborate with local governments to share our experience and advice. I hope Pennsylvanians will take some time this month to make sure they’re secure from bad actors looking to steal their personal information.”
The Pennsylvania Treasury Department processes about 25 million payments each year, making cybersecurity a top priority of the department. Working with strategic cybersecurity partners, such as the National Guard and Carnegie Mellon University, Treasury stays ahead of threats and undergoes weekly cyber security scans, on both internal and external networks, to identify and remediate any potential vulnerabilities.
Treasurer Garrity has also directed her IT team to be available to support local agencies with cybersecurity issues. Treasury is an active member of the state’s Enterprise Technology Security Council, which assesses security policies, procedures, and solutions within the Commonwealth’s IT systems, and develops recommendations for increasing their effectiveness. Treasury is also an active member of the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC).
The PA Bankers Association offered ten tips for Pennsylvanians to safeguard their financial information online, including:
• “Snack on your balance” — check your account at least once a day so you notice suspicious activity faster.
• Report any suspicious purchases ASAP.
• Change your online banking password regularly.
• Use passwords that combine letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Never share your username and password.
• Avoid doing online banking or shopping over public WI-Fi.
• When shopping online, use reputable merchants and make sure the web page payment screen begins with “https” and has the tiny padlock symbol at the bottom of the page.
• Don’t open emails that appear suspicious – especially if the message contains links to websites.
• Always log out of your online banking website when you’re done.
• Lock your computer or your smartphone when you’re not using it.
Senate Education Committee advances three bipartisan bills
The Senate Education Committee met this week and advanced three bills with bipartisan support.
• Senate Bill 1176, sponsored by Sen. Cris Dush (R-25), would require schools and the PIAA to accept cash for admission at school-sponsored activities. Dush cited stories of cash-carrying seniors being turned away from high school sporting events that required electronic payment.
• House Bill 1990, sponsored by Rep. Carol Kazeem (D-159), would require seizure recognition and related first aid training for school nurses and professional employees every two years.
• House Bill 2383, sponsored by Rep. Jared Solomon (D-202), would create a mentor volunteer program for schools. It would connect high school students with older adults looking to share their professional skills and knowledge. Schools would be required to vet all adults interested in becoming mentors.
As the 2023-24 legislative session draws to a close, Sen. Dave Argall, R-Pottsville, reflected on the accomplishments of the committee under his leadership.
“I’m proud of everything we have accomplished in a bipartisan fashion to better prepare our students for the future,” said Argall. “Our institutions of higher education will now be much better prepared for the challenges ahead. We invested in career and technical schools, like Thaddeus Stephens School of Technology and Penn College of Technology. We began addressing the impact of cell phones in schools. And we have taken steps to address the teacher shortages plaguing parts of Pennsylvania.”
Department of General Services responds to call to sell former White Haven Center
Eric Veronikis, Communications Director with the Department of General Services, issued a response to Sen. Dave Argall’s all to sell the former White Haven Center and other properties.
Calling it “a valuable property,” State Sen. Argall this week said that he has already met with several people who may be interested in purchasing the former White Haven Center that has been vacant since 2023.
Citing concerns about “decades of bureaucratic inactivity and the waste of millions of taxpayer dollars” at the White Haven Center and other closed, former state hospitals, the Senate State Government Committee, by a vote of 10-1, advanced legislation introduced by Sen. Argall to move the issue forward.
“This governor, the last governor, and their appointed cabinet officers in the Departments of Human Services and General Services should all be embarrassed by their continuing delays,” said Argall. “To call this a waste of taxpayer dollars is an understatement — this is a bureaucratic nightmare of epic proportions for 14 years. It needs to stop now.”
The White Haven Center was shut down in 2023 by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services without community or legislative input. Since then, Argall said it has sat unused and empty, leaving taxpayers on the hook for millions every year to maintain its empty buildings.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, Argall said carryover costs for the 2023-24 fiscal year were almost $9 million.
Argall introduced Senate Bill 1277 with Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-21) and Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48) to demand a detailed plan from the Pennsylvania Department of General Services on how it will re-purpose the White Haven Center, the Hamburg Center, which was shut down in 2018, and the Polk Center, which was closed in 2023.
Under the bill, the department must also provide the legislature with the yearly costs of each property since the institutions were closed, expected costs associated with each property if they are not sold, and costs relating to the demolition or refurbishment of the buildings at each property.
Senate Bill 1277 now advances to the full Senate for consideration.
Here is the response from DGS:
“For these properties to be sold, DGS must either transfer them directly to a redevelopment authority or the General Assembly must pass legislation authorizing a direct conveyance or competitive sale. The three properties are at different stages of the sale preparation process depending on when they were vacated and declared surplus – and the General Assembly has yet to pass enabling legislation to allow a sale to proceed.
The Department of General Services (DGS) is collaborating with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to prepare the White Haven Center, the Hamburg Center, and the Polk Center for sale. This process involves survey work, appraisals, and environmental studies, all of which take at least 18 months to complete. Once legislation authorizing a sale is enacted, properties are typically offered through a competitive bidding process, which includes a bid period of at least 90 days. This is followed by the execution of a sales agreement and closing. The timeline of this process is dictated by the statutes governing Commonwealth property sales. DGS has discussed updates and potential collaborations regarding these properties, specifically the Hamburg Center, with Sen. Argall.”
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