By Rep. Powell

Hello neighbors, I can’t believe March is already here! I hope you all are taking care of yourselves during some of the coldest days of the year. Punxsutawney Phil recently predicted six more weeks of winter — I’m still grappling with this reality. One of these days I’m going to have to sit down and have a chat with him.

I’m thrilled to welcome more than $146,000 in state grants for our neighborhoods’ fire and EMS companies! These state dollars provide operational support and resources for our local first responders, allowing them to continue safely protecting our communities.

The 2024 Property Tax Rent Rebate applications are still open! 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.

Applications for 2024 Property Tax/ Rent Rebates are due by June 30. Under Pennsylvania law, the Department of Revenue evaluates the program before the June 30 deadline every year. If extra funds are available, the deadline is extended to Dec. 31. Applications postmarked by that date will be accepted for processing.

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:

• March 17, 18, and 19 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• April 21, 22, and 23 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• May 19, 20, and 21 from 10 a.m. – 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) 7812750 to schedule an appointment.

Additionally, my office will be at the Shaler North Hills Library for our “Powell to the People” mobile office hours on March 10 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. The library is located at 1822 Mt. Royal Blvd., Glenshaw, PA 15116. Can’t make that date? No worries, we’ll also be holding mobile office hours on April 15 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the De Fer Coffee & Tea. The shop is located at 1800 Rialto St., Pittsburgh PA 15212. We’d love to see you there so we can help with any state-related issues or questions you may have. These include — but are not limited to — voter registrations and voting in Pennsylvania, Property Tax/ Rent Rebate applications, unemployment compensation, SNAP benefits, birth and death certificates, or any PennDOT applications.

As a reminder, if you or someone you know is struggling to pay their heating bill, the LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program) application is now OPEN until April 5. Eligible applicants can receive $200 to $1,000 based on their household size, income, and fuel type. Interested in learning more? Reach out to my team today!

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 n 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: Rep-Powell@pahouse.net or stop by our office during the hours listed above.