Pennsylvania Distributes Fresh $1,657 Stimulus Check – As Governor Tom Wolf continues his push to win over Republicans in the state legislature to back his plan for a statewide $2,000 stimulus check, the Democratic governor is at least getting his way for some of the state’s population.
On August 24, Wolf announced that all those who received a property tax or rent rebate last year will be eligible for a fresh round of relief. This latest check will grant residents a portion of the rebate they received last year.
“I am proud that bonus rebates are starting to roll out to Pennsylvanians in need this week,” Wolf said in a statement in August. “I proposed these bonus rebates back in February to help low-income Pennsylvanians deal with inflation and higher costs. For older adults in particular – many of whom are on a fixed income – a bonus Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program rebate this year will be a gamechanger. These bonus rebates will help older adults and Pennsylvanians with disabilities stay in their homes.”
How the Stimulus Check Works
The stimulus check plan is very simple, though doesn’t distribute as much money to as wide a population as the governor is hoping to achieve in other legislation. Claimants of last year’s property tax and rent rebates can claim 70% of what they claimed last year. For some, this could amount to $1,650 in stimulus checks.
The scheme has been paid for by $140 million in remaining funds from President Joe Biden’s landmark American Rescue Plan Act.
Eligibility simply depends on whether a state resident was an eligible claimant of the 2021 Property/Tax Rent Rebate Program and has filed an application for a rebate on that year’s property taxes. Those who meet these criteria need to do no more, as the checks will be automatically processed and distributed.
Stimulus Checks Are Already On Their Way
In August, the Department of Revenue announced that 361,042 checks had already been processed on claimants who were approved for a rebate in 2021. Those who received their rebates via check last time will receive a check this time, and those who received it via direct deposit last time will receive it via the same method once again.
The checks went out ahead of schedule, originally intended for September. Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell encouraged people waiting for a check in the mail to be patient, however, as they may take a little time to arrive.
Eligible claimants who have not yet filed their application for last year can still do so via the myPATH online filing system.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
