North Penn School Board Directors voted unanimously for a resolution Thursday night for a one-time 70 percent boost to the district property tax and rent rebate program for eligible homeowners and renters, with a financial impact to the district of about $250,000, aligning itself with this year’s state bonus rebate program.
To be eligible, one cannot make more than $35,000 a year as a homeowner and $15,000 a year as a renter, and it considers half of Social Security income. Applicants must be granted the state rebate program before applying for the school district rebate program.
Directors had no questions or discussion on the vote Thursday night. The district finance committee had previously unanimously recommended the rebate boost for approval at its Sept. 6 meeting.
In place in Pennsylvania for more than 40 years, the Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program provides rebates to renters and homeowners based on age and income requirements. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue:
“The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.”
The maximum standard rebate for homeowners and renters is $650, but the supplemental rebates can boost that number to $975.
If you are eligible, start filling out an application here. The state has extended its application deadline to Dec. 31. The application deadline to file for the North Penn rebate is June 30, 2023, for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
At last week’s finance committee meeting, Skrocki said that compared to this time last year, there are 192 applications for the 2022-23 fiscal year, with $64,658 in rebates distributed, or an average rebate of $340. In the 2021-22 fiscal year at this time, there were 172 applications processed and $45,957 in rebates distributed, or an average rebate of $267.
According to district documents, the one-time expansion will align with the state’s 70 percent enhancement. If a 50 percent participation level is reached, then the district’s financial impact is $250,000.
Under the new state law, according to Governor Tom Wolf, Pennsylvanians approved for a rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2021 will get the additional bonus equal to 70 percent of their original rebate amount. It is possible for a claimant to get as much as $1,657.50 this year.
“The state did implement a boost to the Pennsylvania State Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program this past year. About $140 million boost came from federal stimulus money,” Skrocki said at the Sept. 6 meeting. “We have a 75 percent match at North Penn with our award-winning tax rebate program. Our program is capped though at 75 percent. This allows someone to received up to $731.25 if they are a property owner and $487.50 if they are a renter.”
Skrocki said last week the 70 percent boost individuals are receiving at the state level means they would not be able to receive any additional rebate through North Penn at present, because there is a maximum. Thus, the district could have its 75 percent match increased to allow individuals receiving the boost from the state to get a boost from North Penn.
“In terms of monetary implications, our goal each year is to get 50 percent of those eligible at the state level to apply for the North Penn program,” Skrocki said. “If we reached that level this year, the total cost implication for the additional rebate would be about $250,000. In all likelihood, we won’t reach that number, even though we strive for that. So, it will probably be somewhere less than $250,000.”
Skrocki said last week individual taxpayers or renters do not need to make any additional applications; they will automatically receive the 70 percent boost.
Board Director and Finance Committee member Al Roesch last week asked Skrocki if he knew how close the district was with people reaching the maximum level.
“We have a number of individuals that applied to our program that already received 100 percent of their property taxes rebated from the state already,” Skrocki said. “Our program was never designed to be a windfall.”
Between the state program and the district program, if a taxpayer receives 100 percent of property taxes back, “that’s it, they’re done, they can’t receive any more,” Skrocki said.
“This is not an additional windfall,” Skrocki warned the committee last week. “This is for property taxes and rent. This isn’t just walking around spending money that we would be giving out … Between the state program and our program, we have between five and 10 percent of our applicants that get 100 percent of their property taxes refunded.”
Skrocki said rebate applications are “ahead of the pace.”
“Last year, for the full fiscal year, we ended up with 32 percent of those eligible at the state level to apply to the North Penn program,” he said. “We want one out of every two. We got one out of every three.”
At the finance committee meeting, Board Vice President Christian Fusco said he supported the one-time consideration.
“Every opportunity we’ve had to expand this program to increase the benefit we have acted to do so,” he said Sept. 6.
Board President Tina Stoll told the finance committee that it is important to get the message out to eligible taxpayers and renters.
“We were trying to get the message out in person and I know a lot of fall festivals are coming up. That’s another way to get the message out,” Stoll said. “I think we’ve had a lot more opportunities to be in person, so we need to up the game there again now that we’re meeting in person again.”
Board Director Jonathan Kassa said at last week’s finance committee meeting that the rebate boost reinforces one of the board’s tactics in its strategy of increasing the opportunity for more of a return to get more people to apply for the rebate.
“We are already seeing this type of trend and it’s not as if we’ve hit 50 percent of the mark yet with what’s been budgeted,” Kassa said. “There is some buffer as opposed to the full $250,000 begin expended. I think we could learn from this for future considerations.”
Dr. Wanda Lewis-Campbell told the finance committee last week that it would be proper to go ahead and increase the rebate.
Board member Juliane Ramic said last week that it was important to re-engage in outreach activities with the community.
“I will say I do miss delivering the checks because that personal connection and outreach is one of the most effective,” she said. “We have to rely on word-of-mouth and other activities.”
Skrocki said any data from the state is “de-identified”: The district knows the income brackets and breakdown between property owners and renters and the number of supplemental payments distributed. Nothing is broken down by municipality, but rather blanket data for the entire district.
Skrocki lauded local legislators and tax collectors for getting the word out about the rebate. The district required an insert in all school property tax bills explaining the rebate programs to taxpayers. Further promotion is done through the school district’s website and on its Facebook page.
Here are links to respective tax collectors’ website with more information on the rebate program and ways to contact them. They can also provide stamped receipts of 2021 real estate tax payments for the rebate applications:
“We need to continue to spread the word,” Skrocki said last week. “When the board is ready to start handing out checks personal, let me know … we have another 50 checks in the pipeline for (Thursday, Sept. 8) and if you’d like to divide and conquer, we’ll hold the 50 checks and then distribute them that way or just mail these out.”
Ramic recommended to the finance committee that district administration and board members take advantage of future Gold Card Attendance days offered through the district’s Community Education program. For example, information and applications can be handed out during a high school musical.
“I love that idea. That’s great,” Skrocki said.
Ramic even, jokingly, suggested promoting the rebate program on the napkins used during the refreshment intermission of the musical.
“Pre-pandemic, one of my favorite activities as a school board member was delivering (rebate) checks along with information about the Gold Card program,” Ramic said. “Nobody wants to talk to you about taxes, but free musicals, they’re all good.”
Superintendent Dr. Todd Bauer actually liked the promotional napkin idea. The next Gold Card musical is set for April 26, 2023.
“Usually, at intermission, the administration team passes out cookies and bottles of water. Now napkins that hold the cookies will talk about the tax rebate program,” Bauer said.
Under the Community Education Program, any district resident aged 60 and older is eligible to be a member of the Gold Card Club, which boasts free admission to musicals, dramatic events, and athletic events sponsored by North Penn, discounted classes and recreational activities, including aquatics, and one free or discounted club class each fall, winter and spring term.
Skrocki told the finance committee the district will reprocess applications for the rebate boost without having individuals jump through any hoops or bureaucracy.
“We’ll just reapply those individuals and put it through,” he said. “We know what they paid in property taxes and we’ll make sure that the rebate is not going to exceed prior taxes totally paid. We’re trying to make this as painless as possible for individuals.”
Skrocki told the finance committee taxpayers should not be alarmed or confused if they receive a second rebate check from North Penn.
“They may not know we dovetailed on an increased amount from the state. Hopefully they’ll figure it out and won’t send the check back,” Skrocki said.
Board Director Tim MacBain told the finance committee that clarity to taxpayers is important.
“I would hate neighbors to think it’s coming back year after year,” MacBain said. “We’re taking the opportunity as it becomes available, even if it is just one year, we’re all behind that.”
Skrocki told the finance committee last week that he and Stoll will spread the word about both rebate programs during their presentation at a Pennsylvania School Boards Association Conference Nov. 1. He has found that many other districts, like Upper Merion and Radnor, have imitated the district’s rebate program.
“There are close to 20 other districts throughout the state that have emulated our program,” Skrocki told the finance committee. “It’s always flattering that other districts learn about our program and realize it’s something awesome for the community and then implement it.”
See also:
North Penn High School Recertified as a National Banner Unified Champion School by Special Olympics
NPSD Educational Foundation Seeking Sponsors and Golfers for 21st Annual Golf Classic
North Penn School District Continuing Universal Free Breakfast Program
Submission: August Letter from North Penn School District Board of School Directors
