PRINTER'S NO. 441
No. 399 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY PETRARCA, TRELLO, McCALL, TRAVAGLIO, BOSCOLA, ROONEY, COY, CURRY, RAMOS, DALEY, STABACK, WALKO, SAINATO, MARKOSEK, STURLA, ITKIN, TANGRETTI, LEDERER, PRESTON, GIGLIOTTI, TRICH, C. WILLIAMS, ROBERTS, BELARDI, OLASZ, VAN HORNE AND BUTKOVITZ, FEBRUARY 10, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, FEBRUARY 10, 1997
AN ACT 1 Providing for a limited exclusion from property taxes for all 2 homesteads and for an additional exclusion for homesteads of 3 certain senior citizens. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby enacts as follows: 6 Section 1. Short title. 7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Homestead 8 Property Tax Relief Act. 9 Section 2. Definitions. 10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 12 context clearly indicates otherwise: 13 "Eligible claimant." A person owning homestead property. 14 "Eligible senior citizen claimant." A person 65 years of age 15 or older owning homestead property and qualifying for assistance 16 under the act of March 11, 1971 (P.L.104, No.3), known as the 17 Senior Citizens Rebate and Assistance Act.
1 "Homestead property." Real property which qualifies as a 2 homestead under the act of March 11, 1971 (P.L.104, No.3), known 3 as the Senior Citizens Rebate and Assistance Act, except real 4 property which is rented or leased to a taxpayer. 5 Section 3. Property tax relief. 6 (a) Exclusion from assessed value.-- 7 (1) An eligible claimant shall be entitled to a 8 homestead exclusion under which $5,000 shall be excluded from 9 the fair market value to be determined by dividing the 10 assessed value of homestead property by the current common 11 level ratio. 12 (2) Eligible claimants who are married are considered to 13 have one common homestead. 14 (3) No more than one exclusion may be claimed under 15 paragraph (1) per homestead. 16 (4) Individual claimants are considered to have one 17 homestead. 18 (b) Additional exclusion from assessed value for eligible 19 senior citizen claimants.-- 20 (1) An eligible senior citizen claimant shall be 21 entitled to an additional homestead exclusion of $10,000 22 which shall be excluded from the fair market value to be 23 determined by dividing the assessed value of homestead 24 property by the current common level ratio. 25 (2) Eligible senior citizen claimants who are married 26 are considered to have one common homestead. 27 (3) No more than one exclusion may be claimed under 28 paragraph (1) per homestead. 29 (4) Individual senior citizen claimants are considered 30 to have one homestead. 19970H0399B0441 - 2 -
1 (c) Exclusions from assessed value are cumulative.--A 2 property subject to multiple homestead exclusions shall be 3 entitled to receive the benefit of each, as long as the sum of 4 the exclusions does not exceed the value of the homestead. 5 Section 4. Application procedure. 6 Any person eligible for tax relief under section 3 may apply 7 for the exclusion by filing with the taxing authorities the 8 following documents: 9 (1) A statement of request for an exclusion from 10 assessed value. 11 (2) A certification that the claimant or the claimant 12 and the claimant's spouse jointly are the owners in fee 13 simple of the homestead upon which the property taxes are 14 imposed. 15 (3) Receipt showing payment of the current year's 16 property tax liability. 17 (4) If applying for senior citizen exclusions, evidence 18 that the senior citizen claimant is a person qualifying for 19 assistance under the act of March 11, 1971 (P.L.104, No.3), 20 known as the Senior Citizens Rebate and Assistance Act. 21 Section 5. Commonwealth reimbursement. 22 The Department of Revenue shall reimburse taxing authorities 23 for revenue losses occasioned by the exclusions provided in 24 section 3 from funds appropriated for such purpose by the 25 General Assembly or from moneys in the General Fund which are 26 available and may lawfully be used for such purpose. The 27 Department of Revenue may adopt or establish regulations, 28 procedures and forms to carry out the provisions of this act. 29 Section 6. Effective date. 30 This act shall take effect in 60 days. A16L53JLW/19970H0399B0441 - 3 -