2017 Tax Amnesty Program is Now Open

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has announced the opening of the 2017 Tax Amnesty program which is scheduled to run from April 21 through June 19. During this time period, all penalties and half of the interest owed will be waived for those to participate.

Currently, nearly $3.5 billion in tax delinquencies are eligible for the program, including:

• Corporation Tax -- $1.1 billion
• Personal Income Tax -- $929 million
• Sales and Use Tax -- $888 million
• Inheritance Tax -- $90 million
• Employer Withholding -- $247 million
• Cigarette, Realty Transfer, Motor Fuels and other taxes -- $193 million

In Pennsylvania nearly 681,000 people qualify for the program.  Almost 60,000 of those folks live right here in Allegheny County.  While the program is open to individuals and businesses who did not file taxes due on or before December 31, 2015, not everyone will quality including:

• Those who participated in the 2010 Tax Amnesty program
• Taxpayers under criminal investigation, criminal prosecution or criminal restitution for allegedly violating a tax law
• Taxpayers in bankruptcy, unless granted permission by the Bankruptcy Court; and

Here’s just one example of what the program might mean for someone who owes back taxes:

Still have questions or want to apply for the program? Visit www.backtax.pa.gov or call toll-free 844-PA-STATE-TAX (1-844-727-8283).  Applications and eligible returns MUST be filed and payment made by June 19, 2017.

Environmental Education Grants Awarded to Benefit Students

I spend so much time talking about the value of our investments in our children and their education.  When we invest, everyone wins -- kids come to school ready to learn from the early childhood investments we focused on making.  And when they get to school, they have the resources they need to be successful, because we made K-12 education a priority year after year.

These investments have once again come back to Pittsburgh in the form of Environmental Education grants. 
There is nothing more important than providing our children with a solid education focused on science and the environment.  The opportunities provided to our students through these grants further our commitment to STEAM-based education – focused on science, technology, engineering, art and math. Most importantly, these grants fund critical programs and community organizations that will open doors to the future that many children otherwise would not have had.” 

Three local programs and organizations will benefit from these grants made available through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Education Grant Program.  The program uses funds collected annually for environmental education which are collected from pollution fines and penalties.   Since 1993, the program has awarded more than $11 million in environmental education grants.  
Those receiving grants include:

• School District of Pittsburgh, Trout in the Classroom, $2,952 to improve student performance on the Pennsylvania Biology Keystone Exam and increase student engagement in science related course work; 
   
• Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, Creative Environmental Field Trips, $2,863 to provide field trip opportunities for area students to learn about the importance of reuse as a strategy for reducing negative environmental impacts; and

• Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy (Frick Environmental Center), Sustainable “Freedom Garden” Teaches All of Us, $50,000 for the construction of an interactive outdoor garden and walking trail with wild botanical plants and flowers that honor the horticultural experience of previously enslaved Freedom Seekers from the 1850s in the United States.   

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