Legislation to expand senior rebate program clears Pa. House panel

HARRISBURG — Legislation to expand the state property tax/rent rebate program cleared a House committee by a unanimous vote Tuesday, but a partisan split surfaced over one key provision.

The Finance Committee voted unanimously in favor of House Bill 1100 with members of both parties saying it’s time to expand the program after 16 years.

The bill sponsor, committee Majority Chairman Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton, said the proposed expansion would cover both income eligibility limits and the amount of rebates tied to several income categories for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.

The committee’s action signaled an advance for one of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s top budget priorities.

The panel voted 12-8 to defeat an amendment offered by committee Minority Chairman Keith Greiner, R-Lancaster, to remove a provision providing for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to the property tax and rent rebate program.

Mr. Greiner said he supports expanding the program as a way to help seniors in the absence of school property tax elimination but voiced concern the COLA provision would add an estimated $650 million to the cost of the expansion over four years.

Mr. Greiner said that amount would require a transfer to the state Lottery Fund to cover the cost.

Mr. Samuelson said the COLA is needed to keep pace with modest increases in Social Security payments and pensions for eligible senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.

With the current income limits set in 2007, the number of recipients has dropped from about 600,000 individuals that year to an estimated 398,000 this year because many were declared ineligible for rebates after their incomes rose, said Mr. Samuelson.

The new income limits in HB1100 would mean an additional 173,000 individuals qualifying for the rebates, he added.