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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Budget Hearings Conclude
Energy costs, planned prison closures and growth in the state’s human services spending were among the topics addressed during the final week of budget hearings at the state Capitol this week.
During a Monday afternoon hearing with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), members of the House Appropriations Committee pressed officials with questions about the impact of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed energy policies on consumers and the stability of the electric grid. PUC officials also responded to concerns about federal funding for expanding broadband internet service in unserved and underserved areas.
Earlier in the day, members questioned the Department of Corrections about the impact of plans to close four facilities, including SCI Rockview in Centre County and the Quehanna Boot Camp in Clearfield County, as well as community corrections centers in Berks and Greene counties.
During a day-long hearing Tuesday, members questioned the Department of Human Services about significant growth in expenses, preventing theft of SNAP benefits, dealing with maternity care deserts and more.
Other hearings this week included Treasury, the Office of the Budget and the Insurance Department. Take a look at my comments here.
The governor proposed a $51.47 billion budget last month, representing a $3.57 billion, or 7.5%, increase over the current fiscal year. The proposed spending increase is significantly more than the anticipated $1.3 billion revenue increase.
Video and highlights of each completed hearing are available here.
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Free Tax Filing Resources Available
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is reminding taxpayers of free online tools and resources it offers to help people seamlessly file their tax returns.
Roughly 2.1 million Pennsylvanians are eligible this tax season to use Direct File, , an online tool offering taxpayers the option to file their federal and state tax returns at no cost directly with the IRS and Department of Revenue. It is the first time the program is being offered in the Commonwealth.
Direct File is currently designed for Pennsylvanians with common tax situations. The IRS offers an eligibility checker that will walk you through the steps to see if you’re eligible.
Taxpayer service and assistance is also available through the department’s Online Customer Service Center, which contains answers to hundreds of common income tax questions and allows taxpayers to securely submit a question to the department. Taxpayers may also call 717-787-8201 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for state tax assistance. In-person assistance is available at Department of Revenue district offices.
Click here for additional information. The tax filing deadline is April 15.
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Be Aware of Tax Season Scams
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is again warning taxpayers about tax season scams. They’ve identified the “dirty dozen” most common scams for individuals, businesses and tax professionals.
They include phishing scams via email or text, bad social media tax advice, fake IRS individual online account help, fake charities, false fuel tax credit claims, credits for sick leave and family leave that are no longer available, bogus self-employment tax credits and ghost tax return preparers, among others.
Click here to learn more about these scams and how to protect yourself. And remember, the IRS will never contact you using social media or text message. The first contact from the IRS usually comes in the mail. Taxpayers who are unsure whether they owe money to the IRS can view their tax account information at IRS.gov.
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Upcoming District Events
In addition, my staff and I have a lot of events planned in the coming months. More details to follow, but here is a sneak peek:
May 15th – Senior Expo
July 12th – Damaged License Plate Event
July 19th – Shredding Event
August 9th – Damaged License Plate Event
September 5th – Senior Expo
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Mobile District Services
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