Are you confused about recent news reports that you may not be getting property tax relief? Don’t be! My staff can help you sort it out, but following is also some information that can tell you whether you need to do anything further to receive your property tax relief.

What is a Homestead Exemption?

Homeowners, who use their home as their primary residence, have the opportunity to apply for a homestead exemption on that property that makes them eligible for property tax relief from gaming revenues, as well as other relief programs – including tax relief provided through the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD) additional 1% sales tax.

Do I Have a Homestead Exemption?

It’s easy to check if you already live in Allegheny County. Go to the County’s property tax website and look up your assessment record. At the bottom of the first page, click on the “Continue” button. On the search page that opens, enter the name of your street (you do not need to indicate drive, street, etc.) in the first box and your house number in the second box. You do not need to select your municipality. Click on the “Search” button. The next page that you will see will have a General Information tab open. On the left hand side of that tab, you will see the word "Homestead." If it says “Yes” next to the word “homestead,” you do not need to do anything further. If it says “No” and this is your primary residence, you will need to complete and submit the homestead exemption application.

I Need to Get a Homestead Exemption, Now What?

The application is available online through the County's Property Assessment Office and can be also found here. In order to receive property tax relief from your school district this year, your application must be filed by March 1st.

You can still apply after March 1st, but you will not see property tax relief from that homestead exemption until the following tax year.

I Have My Homestead Exemption – What Property Tax Relief Am I Getting?

Property owners are eligible to receive property tax relief from two sources that are funding by the revenues from gaming. The first, available to everyone, is through the homestead exemption explained above. The second, where applicants must meet eligibility requirements, is through the Property Tax and Rent Rebate (PTRR) Program. For more information on the PTRR Program visit the Department of Revenue’s site.

Under the Gaming Act, property tax relief money for individuals who have filed for the homestead exemption is sent directly to the school district and is credited against your property tax bill. By law, the amount of the homestead must be noted on the school property tax bill each year. Some property owners who have mortgages do not receive those tax bills; instead, they go directly to the mortgage company. If you do not receive your tax bill, but want to see the amount, you can contact your mortgage company or school district for a copy of that tax bill.

The Department of Education has published average estimates of tax relief by school district for FY 09-10 and FY 08-09, if you’d like to see what is or was expected by district.

All property owners across the state share in the money in the property tax relief fund - so the fact that Pittsburgh didn't have a casino that opened right away has nothing to do with the amount of relief received. It also means that when the Rivers opened, there wasn't a huge impact on the amount of the homestead relief. As more and more casinos get up and running, the amount of revenue that comes into the state increases - and the amount of the homestead relief increases. There are two additional facilities expected to be opened in 2010, so the amount of money in the fund will likely increase again for next year's calculations.

Still Have Questions?

As always, my staff stands ready to assist you with questions about this issue or any other state matter. You can also e-mail your questions to me directly through this link.