By Rep. Powell
Hello neighbors! I hope you’re all enjoying the summer sunshine and staying cool. I’ve spent most of my summer in Harrisburg fighting for a productive and inclusive budget — one that adequately funds mass transit, advances our public education systems, and protects homeowners across the state. Feel free to contact my office in the coming weeks if you’re curious how the budget will impact our community. In the meantime, I’m excited to share what my team has been up to and how we can serve your state-related needs.
I’m pleased to share that my team and I successfully collaborated with State Senator Lindsay Williams’ office to offer a free shredding event on July 12. Countless neighbors lined up in the Shaler Area High School parking lot to safely and securely dispose of documents.
Plus, our team collected donations for my office’s Flavor Drive! Throughout this summer, we have been collaborating with 412 Food Rescue to secure spices, sugars, salts, flour, and any other ingredients that would make a meal taste good. These donations will be used to add some flavor to the free hot meals 412 Food Rescue provides to our food-insecure neighbors in the Northside.
Still have documents to shred? No worries, our team is already planning another event in the fall with a fellow local state representative. Stay tuned in the coming months to learn more details.
The 2024 Property Tax Rent Rebate application window has been extended through Dec. 31. This program supports homeowners and renters across Pennsylvania by providing a rebate ranging from $380 to $1,000 to eligible older adults and people with disabilities age 18 and older.
Pennsylvania homeowners and renters who meet the following criteria are eligible for a rebate:
- 65 and older
- Widows and widowers 50 and older
- People with disabilities 18 and older
- In addition to age requirements, to qualify for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate, your household income must be $46,520 or less annually
Eligible to apply for a rebate? Stop by my office with the following, no appointment needed.
If you’re a renter, bring a completed Rent Certificate and all proofs of income from 2024. If you’re a homeowner, bring all property taxes (i.e. city, school, and county taxes) and proof of income from 2024.
My office will host a Veteran Service Officer (VSO) from the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) during the second week of each month to ensure you receive the assistance you deserve! Our dates for the spring are as follows:
- Aug. 18-20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Sept. 15-17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Oct. 15-21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Nov. 17-19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Dec. 15-17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you are a veteran or know a veteran who would like help accessing their benefits, please call my office at (412) 781-2750 to schedule an appointment.
Are you a senior age 65 or older needing to use the bus in the coming weeks? Stop by my office to apply for a free Senior Citizen ConnectCard! The Senior Citizen ConnectCard allows seniors to ride our and other public transit vehicles for free across Pennsylvania. No appointment is necessary; you just need to bring a form of identification, and one of my staff members will capture a headshot of you for the card. The application typically takes 1-2 weeks to process, after which my office will give you a call to secure your card.
My district office is located at 5154 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201. We are open and ready to serve you, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment in the evenings on Wednesdays. We also have office hours at our Shaler office at the Shaler Municipal Building located at 300 Wetzel Rd., second floor, Glenshaw, PA 15116. We will be there every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or any weekday by appointment.
Any state related issue, or assistance that you may need, please give my office a call; even if we cannot directly help, we will do our best to put you in contact with someone who can. Here are some examples of ways we can help, but are not all encompassing of the support we offer:
- PennDOT services: car registrations and disability placard applications
- Free notary services
- Taking an acknowledgement
- Administering an oath or affirmation
- Taking a verification on an oath or affirmation (which includes an affidavit)
- Witnessing or attesting a signature
- Certifying or attesting a copy or deposition
- Taking a note protest of a negotiable instrument
- Complaints about road conditions or infrastructure
- Unemployment compensation problems
- Property tax/rent rebate applications
- Issues related to utility companies
- Birth certificate applications and finding copies of your vital records
- Senior ConnectCard applications through Port Authority of Allegheny County
Call: (412) 781-2750 or Email: RepPowell@pahouse. net or stop by our office during the hours listed above.
