Gov. Wolf Visited Montco Wednesday To Call For Relief For Seniors And Disabled Residents

LANSDALE, PA — Gov. Tom Wolf made a visit to this central Montgomery County community Wednesday morning to call on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to take action to help older adults and those with disabilities.

Wolf, a Democrat who is in his last term in office, joined legislative leaders at the Lansdale Area Family YMCA to call for diverting unspent American Rescue Plan Act dollars to seniors and those with disabilities in the form of property tax and rent rebates.

The goal is to help vulnerable populations as the state continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our commonwealth is sitting on billions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief money that is meant to help our citizens and it is past time to use that money for its intended purpose — to improve the lives of Pennsylvanians," Wolf said in prepared remarks, which were included in a news release announcing the governor's visit. "For Pennsylvanians on a budget or a fixed income, inflation causing costs to go up on everything, can lead to painful decisions."

Wolf called on Republican members of the legislature to move on proposals that are currently circulating around the Capitol and get him a bill or bills he can sign.

State Rep. Steve Malagari, a Montgomery County Democrat, joined Wolf during his appearance in Lansdale on Wednesday.

"For seniors and many others across the state, they have been affected by rising healthcare and prescription drug costs, and the rising cost of food and utilities and other necessities in life," Malagari said in a statement. "The proposal to use these funds to mitigate the damages inflicted by the pandemic on financially vulnerable residents is exactly what the federal funds are meant to do."

Wolf earlier this year proposed a $1.7 billion action plan, which would include a proposal to direct $204 million toward property tax relief to Pennsylvania residents by investing in the current Property Tax/Rent Rebate program.

The Wolf administration says that the investment would be a one-time bonus rebate to current program users and would double existing rebates with an estimated 466,000 residents receiving an additional average rebate of $475.

Wolf says that the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program has given more than $7.1 billion to seniors and those with disabilities since it was first formed back in 1971.

State Sen. Maria Collett, a Montgomery County Democrat who also joined Wolf during his appearance, said her recently introduced measure, Senate Bill 1187, which supports Wolf's proposal to provide the one-time bonus rebate, has sat stagnant with no action taken.

"My legislation ... would double this year's payments under the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, ensuring our most vulnerable neighbors are able to keep roofs over their heads," Collett said in a statement. "With billions of federal ARPA dollars left to spend, there is no excuse not to make this investment."

Wolf's proposal has reportedly also earned the support of the Pennsylvania chapter of the AARP.