For Immediate Release
6/30/09

Education Committee Advances Piccola’s EITC Legislation 

Making Changes to State’s Tax Credit Program

HARRISBURG – The Senate Education Committee, Chaired by Senator Jeffrey E. Piccola, voted out today Senate Bill 899, legislation he has authored that would make long-overdue changes to Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) by expanding income limits and allowances to benefit more families—without placing an additional financial burden on the Commonwealth.

EITC has been providing scholarships to children throughout Pennsylvania to attend the schools of their choice since 2001.  The program allows companies in the state to receive tax credits for contributions made to the scholarship program and provides parents the economic means to choose the learning environment they believe best meets the needs of their children, regardless of family income.  

"I have always been a stalwart supporter of the EITC program and that’s why I recently introduced a measure to adjust the allowable household income for eligible families under this initiative.  Although the program has been providing an educational lifeboat to tens of thousands of children and their families for the past eight years, I believe the time has come to adjust these income provisions," Piccola said.  "My legislation is revenue-neutral and makes these necessary adjustments without increasing the amount of Pennsylvania’s tax credit during these difficult times."

Under Senate Bill 899, the base amount of allowable household income for eligible families would increase from $50,000 to $60,000.  The legislation would also increase the capita income allowance for household dependents from $10,000 to $12,000.  A cost of living adjustment would be applied annually to the income guidelines as well. 

Additionally, Piccola’s bill would apply a multiplier to allowable household income for those families with special needs children.  "This is a significant and much needed component to the EITC program considering families often pay significant costs to ensure their child’s educational needs are met.  In many instances, there are families who are not eligible but struggle with these educational costs," added Piccola. 

"No one can question the success of this model public-private partnership that has brought new thinking and innovation to Pennsylvania’s school system and allowed so many children to attend a school that best meets their needs.  We must continue this success and make the necessary changes I’ve proposed to the program and give even more parents and children the economic means to make these same choices," said Piccola.

Contact:

Colleen Greer
(717) 787-6801

Additional Information:
Education

  Print this page

 E-mail this page

Back