Gov. Rendell Says School Property Taxes Eliminated for 113,000 Senior Homeowners...

Gov. Rendell Says School Property Taxes Eliminated for 113,000 Senior
Homeowners Statewide

Seniors Have Until Dec. 31 to Apply For Property Tax/Rent Rebates

TREVOSE, Pa., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell
today announced that an estimated 113,000 senior homeowners statewide have had
school property taxes completely eliminated as a result of Pennsylvania's
historic property tax relief law.

"Seniors, many of whom live on fixed incomes, struggle the most with rising
property taxes," said Governor Rendell during an event at the Neshaminy Senior
Activity Center. "After more than 30 years of debate and failed property tax
relief efforts, we have succeeded in bringing real property tax relief to all
Pennsylvania homeowners, and now some 113,000 seniors can live without the
burden of paying school property taxes."

Pennsylvania is providing a total of $786 million in property tax relief this
year, including expanded rebates from the state's senior citizen Property
Tax/Rent Rebate program and first-ever general property tax relief for all
homeowners that was distributed through school districts this past summer. As
a result, an estimated 113,000 seniors had their entire school property tax
bill eliminated.

In Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, more than
25,000 seniors had their school property taxes completely eliminated.

About 600,000 seniors are expected to benefit from rebates this year, compared
to 314,000 before the program's expansion in 2006. Last year, 564,000 seniors
received more than $240 million in rebates. So far this year, more than
580,000 people have applied for a rebate and, as of Oct. 10, rebates totaling
nearly $254 million have been sent to more than 529,000 homeowners and
renters.

"More than half a million seniors already received rebates this year, but we
know there are about 140,000 more people who qualify but haven't applied yet,
including more than 31,000 seniors here in southeastern Pennsylvania," the
Governor said. "I encourage everyone who thinks they may be eligible for a
rebate to get their application in by the Dec. 31 deadline. I don't want one
senior to miss out on receiving the help they need in paying their school
property taxes."

Act 1 of Special Session 2006 delivered the largest property tax cut in
Pennsylvania history, using proceeds from slots gaming. In addition to the
expanded rebate program, the law provides state-funded tax relief through
reductions in the tax bills that school districts send out each summer. The
broad-based property tax relief started this year at an average of nearly $200
per household across the state.

The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years old and
older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age
18 and older. The program expansion increased the income limit from $15,000
to $35,000 (which excludes half of Social Security income) for homeowners, and
raises the maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters from $500 to $650.

The expanded household income limits and base rebate amounts are:
-- $0 and $8,000 -- $650 rebate
-- $8,001 to $15,000 -- $500 rebate
-- $15,001 to $18,000 -- $300 rebate
-- $18,001 to $35,000 -- $250 rebate

Renters with incomes between $0 and $8,000 receive a $650 rebate and those
with incomes between $8,001 and $15,000 receive a $500 rebate.

"In the past two years we've delivered historic property tax relief to those
who need it most, but we're not done yet," said Governor Rendell. "Once all
14 slots facilities are up and running in Pennsylvania, annual property tax
relief will reach more than $1 billion and an estimated 200,000 senior
homeowners will have their school property taxes eliminated."

The deadline to apply for Pennsylvania's Property Tax/Rent Rebate program was
extended from June 30 to Dec. 31. Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms
(PA-1000) are available online at www.papropertytaxrelief.com or by calling,
toll-free, 1-888-222-9190.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program, created in 1971, is one of five programs
supported by proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery. The expanded portion of
the rebate program is paid for with revenue from slots gaming.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public
education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing
economic investment to support our communities and businesses.To find out more
about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter,
visit: www.governor.state.pa.us.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Attached is a county-by-county list of the estimated number of
people who have had their school property taxes eliminated and the number of
people who are eligible for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program, but have not
yet applied.

Property Tax Rent Rebate statistics by county (as of Sept. 18)

County Total Rebate Estimated Number Amount of Estimated Number
Applications of Eligible Rebates of People w/
Received People Who Have Distributed School Property
Not Applied for Taxes Eliminated
Rebates

ADAMS 3,438 1,593 $1,419,673 562
ALLEGHENY 61,178 5,274 $27,405,016 9,710
ARMSTRONG 5,397 0 $2,331,102 1,297
BEAVER 11,453 40 $4,899,287 1,902
BEDFORD 3,190 1,413 $1,313,314 1,151
BERKS 17,582 2,831 $7,712,712 1,624
BLAIR 9,362 1,405 $3,905,424 2,965
BRADFORD 3,949 1,071 $1,749,463 947
BUCKS 15,157 3,498 $6,470,558 909
BUTLER 7,713 224 $3,118,680 1,358
CAMBRIA 12,022 984 $4,830,469 3,833
CAMERON 520 0 $215,103 144
CARBON 4,219 1,943 $1,856,757 766
CENTRE 3,843 978 $1,569,744 741
CHESTER 7,672 3,039 $3,192,868 449
CLARION 2,457 814 $927,594 819
CLEARFIELD 5,863 1,418 $2,416,038 2,185
CLINTON 2,841 995 $1,263,982 663
COLUMBIA 4,053 2,696 $1,778,367 935
CRAWFORD 6,007 528 $2,562,616 1,396
CUMBERLAND 7,062 2,011 $2,735,222 756
DAUPHIN 10,381 0 $4,436,040 1,041
DELAWARE 15,932 4,603 $7,084,210 911
ELK 2,454 664 $944,388 427
ERIE 15,168 793 $6,764,524 2,003
FAYETTE 11,390 70 $4,742,922 3,737
FOREST 450 109 $159,288 187
FRANKLIN 5,912 802 $2,260,692 1,275
FULTON 683 322 $275,467 162
GREENE 2,666 0 $1,182,256 818
HUNTINGDON 2,582 923 $1,013,934 989
INDIANA 5,099 0 $2,064,616 1,504
JEFFERSON 3,163 1,422 $1,294,482 1,155
JUNIATA 1,203 670 $508,750 306
LACKAWANNA 12,862 11,414 $6,328,838 2,509
LANCASTER 17,094 3,858 $7,268,292 1,446
LAWRENCE 6,392 2,080 $2,789,409 1,468
LEBANON 6,259 839 $2,486,440 886
LEHIGH 14,586 1,375 $6,518,209 984
LUZERNE 20,779 19,507 $9,242,501 5,699
LYCOMING 7,229 1,810 $3,229,116 1,138
MCKEAN 3,031 498 $1,243,038 969
MERCER 8,006 777 $3,228,274 1,404
MIFFLIN 3,731 1,490 $1,681,592 871
MONROE 4,826 1,711 $2,099,637 659
MONTGOMERY 16,984 7,709 $7,185,993 1,087
MONTOUR 988 158 $401,251 186
NORTHAMPTON 12,752 7,052 $5,745,429 661
NORTHUMBERLAND 6,880 5,059 $2,772,708 2,536
PERRY 1,823 606 $745,194 356
PHILADELPHIA 71,802 12,577 $34,238,632 21,703
PIKE 1,465 940 $562,472 257
POTTER 1,065 408 $438,208 334
SCHUYLKILL 11,176 8,520 $4,883,900 3,443
SNYDER 1,892 685 $759,452 467
SOMERSET 5,838 1,357 $2,389,771 2,050
SULLIVAN 630 68 $275,919 200
SUSQUEHANNA 2,204 1,084 $925,474 594
TIOGA 2,617 833 $1,122,647 554
UNION 1,935 221 $785,955 302
VENANGO 3,765 0 $1,545,740 1,107
WARREN 2,535 0 $934,645 646
WASHINGTON 11,891 309 $4,837,519 2,782
WAYNE 2,429 1,178 $1,056,779 475
WESTMORELAND 23,553 1,891 $9,803,291 4,088
WYOMING 1,295 927 $584,910 288
YORK 16,849 3,969 $7,340,690 1,223

TOTAL 579,224 144,045 $251,857,484 112,999

CONTACT:
Chuck Ardo
717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Chuck Ardo of the PA Governor's Office, +1-717-783-1116