Property Tax Rebate Program Adopted for Fourth Year by PR School Board

For the fourth year, the Pine-Richland School Board adopted a property tax rebate program for qualifying senior citizens, widows and widowers.

The board voted 6-2 on Monday to adopt the program, with directors Peter Lyons and Richard Herko voting against the measure.

Lyons said he did not think it was appropriate for the board to pick "winners and losers" for tax rebates. He also said he saw no mandate from taxpayers for the rebate program.

Directors Stephen Hawbaker, Dr. Jeffrey Banyas, Laura Ohlund, Ginny Goebel, Dennis Sundo and Therese Dawson voted in favor of the program.  Director Kevin Nigh was absent.

Rebates range from $250 to $650.

In the three years that the program has been in effect, 442 rebate checks have been processed, totaling $156,800, for an average of $354.75.

To qualify, a filer must be a resident of Pine or Richland Township for all of 2011, owned a home in one of the townships, and used it as a primary residence.

A senior citizen is defined as someone who is age 65 or older on Dec. 31, 2011. For married taxpayers, only one spouse has to be age 65 or older to qualify as a senior citizen.

A widow or widower is defined as someone whose spouse has passed away prior to 2011, has not remarried in 2011, and is 50 or older on Dec. 31, 2011.

Eligibility income requirements also apply.

For more information, check the school district's website by clicking here.