For Immediate Release
January 10, 2007
Contact:  Lisa Landis
Legislative Assistant
717-787-6709
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A Conversation with Senator Brubaker

Services and assistance available to constituents

As your state Senator, one of my priorities is to help you get the government assistance you deserve, and I maintain a district office at 1248 W. Main Street in Ephrata to provide convenient access for you. My staff and I are always ready to help answer your questions and provide information and certain applications, such as those for PACE/PACENET, birth and death certificate copies, disability parking plates and placards, and others.

We can also follow up on unemployment compensation problems, welfare applications, income tax rebates and other issues for you, as well as provide assistance if you are having a problem involving a state government agency. In addition, my office has many different brochures and pamphlets available, including maps, public service information, and educational information about Pennsylvania's government.

Please feel free to stop by at any time or to call the office at 738-1600 if we can be of service.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms available in February

Under Act 1 of 2006, the income limits for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program will be expanding this year, allowing an additional 420,000 seniors to receive help paying their property taxes or rent.

Starting with this year's application, the maximum rebate will be increasing from $500 to $650, and income limits will now be $35,000 for homeowners and $15,000 for renters, excluding half of Social Security payments. The program is open to all individuals 65 years of age or older, widows or widowers 50 years of age or older, and the permanently disabled 18 years of age or older.

Applications for the 2006 Property Tax/Rent Rebate will be available at my offices in mid-February. You can also sign up online to receive an application in the mail at www.revenueptrr.state.pa.us or by calling 1-888-222-9190. If you qualified for the 2005 Program and received a rebate in 2006, you will automatically receive a book next month and do not need to sign up.

District office has state income tax forms

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has begun mailing state income tax forms to all Commonwealth citizens, and taxpayers will receive one of the three primary forms – the 2006 PA-40 Tax Booklet, the Fast File Booklet, or the Payment Voucher Letter – depending on how they submitted their 2005 tax returns.

However, if you do not receive the necessary forms or need additional copies, you can find the correct paperwork at my district office or call to request to have a form mailed to you. The Department of Revenue also expects to have 2006 income tax forms available to download this month at www.revenue.state.pa.us .

Pennsylvania offers taxpayers the option of filing returns electronically as well, which can result in quicker processing time, instant confirmation that a return has been received, and systems to help with calculations and eliminate errors. You can file an electronic return through pa.direct.file at www.revenue.state.pa.us  or via telephone with TeleFile.

Additional customer service is available by accessing the Revenue e-Services Center at the Department's Web site, by calling the FACT and Information Line toll-free at 1-888-PATAXES, or by calling the Taxpayer Service and Information Center at 717-787-8201.