Over half a million Pennsylvania residents apply to get money back

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) -- More than half a million Pennsylvania residents have applied for a rebate, Governor Josh Shapiro announced.

Shapiro and his administration touts that a whopping 515,000 residents applied to the property tax/rent rebate program, saying 100,000 of them applied for the first time ever.

“After hearing from seniors across the Commonwealth that they were struggling with rising costs, we took action in my first year in office to expand the Property Tax Rent Rebate program to ensure that it continues to serve as a lifeline for older Pennsylvanians. We are now seeing the impact of that important work — more than 100,000 Pennsylvanians who missed out on this benefit in the past have submitted their rebate applications this year,” Governor Shapiro said.

According to the Department of Revenue, applications for the rebate program increased 22 percent from the same time last year. The department boasts that nearly 94 percent of rebates have already been approved for payment.

In Aug. 2023, Shapiro signed a bill to increase the program, something that hasn't been done in the state since 2006 under G...