Brooks Offers Legislation to Create Moratorium on Property Tax/Rent Rebate Eligibility

February 5, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) – Rep. Michele Brooks (R-Crawford/Mercer/Lawrence) has again sponsored legislation that would allow senior citizens who have received a small Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) this year to remain eligible for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program.

“Without this legislation, it is possible for an individual receiving a $50 Social Security COLA to lose their eligibility for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program,” Brooks said.  “As the law stands now, this could cause the senior citizen to actually lose money.”

The legislation, House Bill 135, specifically addresses the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program and would ensure that individuals who were eligible for the rebate as of Dec. 31, 2008, can still qualify. The goal of this legislation is to ensure senior citizens whose Social Security adjustments would be less than the rebate for which they would be eligible would not lose money. This COLA moratorium would remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2012.

Last session, the General Assembly approved similar legislation affecting eligibility in the PACE and PACENET prescription drug assistance programs. Act 69 of 2008 ensures that those individuals will not lose their prescription drug benefit as a result of such COLA increases.

Brooks believes this same Social Security COLA moratorium should be applied to the Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program, which is funded by the state Lottery.

Rep. Michele Brooks
17th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(724) 588-8911

(800) 457-2040

(814) 337-8132
(717) 783-5008

Contact: Jennifer Algoe Keaton

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 (717) 705-2094

Member Site: RepMicheleBrooks.com

Caucus Site: PAHouseGOP.com