Harrisburg – Applications for the state’s Property Tax Rent Rebate program
are now available, state Sen. John Pippy (R-37) said today.
The Property Tax Rent Rebate program provides rebates on property taxes or
rent paid in 2009. To be eligible, applicants must meet income requirements and
be a Pennsylvania resident age 65 and older; a widow or widower age 50 and
older; or a permanently disabled individual age 18 or older.
The program is available to homeowners with a household income of $35,000 or
less and renters with a household income of $15,000 or less, excluding one-half
of Social Security Income and Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits.
Information and applications are available online through the state
Department of Revenue’s website,
www.revenue.state.pa.us, or by calling toll-free 1-888-222-9190. Claimants
are reminded to provide all the necessary income and property tax or rental
information for their claims to be processed accurately and quickly.
Forms and assistance are also available at one of Senator Pippy’s district
offices: Moon Township, 1009 Beaver Grade Road, Suite 210 (412-262-2260); and
Mt. Lebanon, 650 Washington Road, Suite 102 (412-571-3822).
VITA Offering Free Income Tax Assistance
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) will be offering free income tax
assistance from February 1, 2010 through April 15, 2010. VITA volunteers
will be available to assist taxpayers in the preparation of federal and
state income tax returns, Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate
applications, PACE/PACEnet forms, and local wage tax forms.
Those interested in assistance through the VITA program should bring any
pertinent tax documents with them. This can include (but is not limited to)
documents such as: W-2 forms, interest and dividend statements, pension
information, Social Security and/or Railroad Retirement statements, the
total amount of itemized deductions (medical payments, interest, taxes,
charitable donations, and other miscellaneous deductions. VITA also
requests that individuals bring copies of their federal/state tax returns
for the 2008 tax year and copies of any 2009 real estate tax receipts and
sales receipts from large purchases made in 2009.
Currently, VITA site #141 is operating at the South Hills Bible Chapel.
Free tax assistance will be offered Monday through Friday from 8:30 am until
2:00 pm. There will be no Saturday hours and VITA will be closed on Good
Friday (April 2, 2010). No appointments are necessary and none will be
taken. The service on a first come/first served basis. Please do not call
the South Hills Bible Chapel as VITA volunteers do not have access to the
church office phone.
Site #141/South Hills Bible Chapel is located at 300 Gallery Drive,
McMurray, PA 15317 (see link below for map). Gallery Drive is
approximately six miles south of South Hills Village, on the west side of
Route 19 (across from the Sears Service Center and beyond the strip mall,
please follow signs carefully). As more sites are identified, Senator Pippy
will pass the information along through his website and e-newsletters.
CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE MAP OF VITA SITE #141/SOUTH HILLS BIBLE CHAPEL
Senate News in Review
Senate Kicks Off Three Weeks of Budget Hearings This Week
The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Jake Corman
(Centre), began three weeks of public hearings this week on the Governor's
proposed $29 billion 2010-11 state budget. The state's current fiscal year
ends on June 30.
For a schedule of budget hearings, please see Fast Facts, below.
Senate Cost-Cutting Commission Meets Today
A special bipartisan commission created to identify
additional cost-saving measures in state government will hold its first
meeting today, Friday, February 19, 2010.
Established by unanimous passage of
Senate Resolution 161, sponsored by Sen. David Argall (Schuylkill), the
commission is made up of 10 appointees from the private and public sectors
to target and eliminate unnecessary government spending. The commission
will utilize existing Senate staff with no additional cost to the taxpayers.
Governor proposes new taxes, elimination of sales tax
exemptions
Senators and their staff will begin to carefully study Governor Rendell's
$29 billion General Fund budget request for Fiscal Year 2010-11. Senator
Pippy, in particular, remains committed to enacting a fiscally responsible
spending plan in a timely manner while protecting the interests of
Pennsylvania's taxpayers.
The Governor's budget proposal includes a $1.15 billion (4.1 percent)
increase in spending and projected 3.2 percent increase in revenues in the
upcoming fiscal year.
The plan calls for expanding the number of goods and services subject to
the state sales tax – eliminating 74 exemptions – while setting the new rate
at 4 percent. He also proposes eliminating the 1 percent discount employers
receive for collecting the sales tax. His budget would also impose new taxes
on Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction and on cigars and smokeless
tobacco.
One major concern is that the proposed budget assumes that recent hikes
in federal spending will be extended for state programs. There is no
guarantee that this $848 million in funding will be approved by Congress,
putting the Commonwealth and taxpayers in a precarious position.
Senators will continue to carefully monitor revenue collections over the
coming months. As of the end of January, state revenue collections are
$374.4 million below projections for the year-to-date. The Governor is now
projecting a total $525 million shortfall for the current fiscal year, which
ends on June 30.
Fast Facts
Schedule of Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings
Tuesday, February 16
Department of Revenue/Budget Office
Department of General Services
Department of Labor and Industry
Wednesday, February 17
Department of Agriculture
Attorney General
Department of Insurance
Thursday, February 18
SERS/PSERS
Department of State
Judiciary
Monday, February 22
DCED/PA Housing Finance Agency
Executive Offices/Office of the Governor
Department of Health
Tuesday, February 23
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Public Utility Commission
Auditor General
Wednesday, February 24
State Police
PEMA/Homeland Security
State System of Higher Education
Thursday, February 25
Department of Aging
Department of Transportation
Treasury Department
Monday, March 1
Department of Environmental Protection
Gaming Control Board
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Tuesday, March 2
Department of Corrections/Probation and Parole
Department of Education
Wednesday, March 3
State-Related Universities
Department of Public Welfare
PENNDOT ALERT
Northbound I-79 Lane Closures Tuesday-Thursday Nights at Carnegie
Interchange
Pittsburgh – PennDOT District 11 is announcing lane
closures on Northbound I-79 in the area of the Carnegie interchange
(Exit 57) in Heidelberg Borough, Allegheny County, will occur
Tuesday-Thursday nights, Feb. 23-25 (weather permitting).
Single and double lane closures will occur as
needed between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night through Friday morning, Feb.
26. Crews will be installing a new sign structure just north of the
interchange. Note: This work was postponed from this week due to
inclement weather.
Motorists should use caution and expect possible
delays and changing traffic patterns.
The sign work is included in $24.7 million project
currently underway on the Parkway East (I-376). The prime contractors
for the project are the Trumbull Corporation of West Mifflin in a joint
venture with Lindy Paving Inc. of New Castle.
PennDOT advises motorists to use caution, slow
down, and expect changing traffic patterns when traveling through the
area. Motorists are also reminded they can log on to
511pa.com or call 511 from any phone
to check traffic conditions on major roadways before heading out.
I-376
Sign Inspections Occur this Weekend in Allegheny County
Pittsburgh, PA - PennDOT District 11 is advising
motorists intermittent, short-term lane closures will occur on I-376
(Parkways East and West) in Allegheny County this weekend, Feb. 20-21,
weather permitting.
Various single lane closures will occur from 6 a.m.
to noon Saturday and Sunday. Mackin Engineering, T.W. Engineering, and
the Sofis Rigging Company will be conducting overhead sign inspections
at the following locations:
Parkway East
Parkway West
Sign inspections will continue on roadways in
various areas through February. Additional schedules will be released in
advance each week. Motorists should use caution, allow extra time and
expect changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area.
PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to
511pa.com or call
511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before
traveling.
Click here for Google Map of General Area -
Greentree |
Edgewood/Swissvale
PennDOT
Allegheny County Maintenance Schedule February 22-26
Pittsburgh, PA – In an effort to provide the public
with additional information on highway maintenance activities and to
improve work zone safety for both motorists and highway workers, PennDOT
District 11 is announcing weekly maintenance schedules for Allegheny
County for the week of Feb. 22-26. Include below is maintenance
scheduled for the 37th Senatorial District and other major roadways in
the region.
All activities are weather permitting. Motorists
are urged to call 1-800 FIX ROAD to report roadway concerns on state
routes and interstates. Litter and debris removal, winter maintenance,
and pothole patching will occur in various areas as needed.
Allegheny County
Schedule
| Work Activity |
State Route |
Local Name |
Municipality |
From |
To |
| Patching |
22 |
Route 22 |
Findlay |
Washington County Line |
Route 60 |
| |
376 |
Airport Expressway |
Findlay |
Business 376 |
Beaver Line |
| |
51 |
Clairton Boulevard |
Pleasant Hills |
Lebanon Church Road |
Coal Valley Road |
| |
3160 |
Business 60 |
Moon |
I-376 |
University Boulevard |
| |
28 |
Route 28 |
Pittsburgh |
East Ohio Street |
40th Street Bridge |
| |
376 |
I-376 |
Pittsburgh |
Fort Duquesne Bridge |
Squirrel Hill Tunnels |
| Slide Repair
|
28 |
Route 28 |
Harmar |
Harmar Exit |
RIDC Park |
| Litter Removal
(as needed) |
279 |
Parkway North |
Pittsburgh |
Fort Duquesne Bridge |
I-79 |
| |
376 |
Parkway East |
Pittsburgh |
Fort Duquesne Bridge |
Squirrel Hill Tunnels |
| |
376 |
Parkway West |
Collier, Carnegie, Robinson |
22/30/60 Interchange |
I-79 |
| |
I-79 |
I-79 |
South Fayette, Collier |
Washington County Line |
Parkway West |
PennDOT advises motorists to use caution, slow down
and anticipate changing traffic patterns, lane closures and possible
delays when traveling through the area. Work zone safety is everyone’s
responsibility. PennDOT also reminds motorists they can log on to
511pa.com or call
511 from any phone to check traffic conditions and cameras on major
roadways before traveling.
