Category: Pa Services

Job Gateway Aids Pennsylvania Job Seekers

Job Gateway Aids Pennsylvania Job Seekers — The latest edition of a free website that connects employers with potential employees in Pennsylvania is now available, says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

The JobGateway website allows potential employees to post their resumes and find job recommendations tailored to their specific skill sets, allowing employers to search through the resumes to easily find qualified candidates.

More than 300,000 job seekers visited the site in the past month, and more than 2.5 million job applications have been posted on the site since it went live last year. The website sees an average of around 200,000 job openings at any given time and around 3,500 new jobs are posted each day.

Job Gateway Aids Pennsylvania Job Seekers 

Deadline Now Dec. 31 For Rent Rebate Program

The deadline to apply for the state’s 2012 Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is being extended from June 30 to Dec. 31, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on their rent or property taxes paid in 2012. The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18 years or older with permanent disabilities.

Income eligibility limits are set at the following levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits:

• $0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate (homeowners and renters)
• $8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate (homeowners and renters)
• $15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate (homeowners only)
• $18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate (homeowners only)

Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary income, property tax or rental information required to process claims quickly and accurately.

Claimants who already applied for Property Tax/Rent Rebates may check the status of claims online by visiting this link. Rebate checks will be mailed out starting July 1 to those who have already submitted applications.

As of May 31, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue had received 506,518 rebate applications.

May Motorcycle Month As Proclaimed By Pa.

May Motorcycle Month — Governor Tom Corbett has signed a proclamation to commemorate May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Pennsylvania, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

Data from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) shows there were nearly 4,000 crashes involving motorcycles statewide last year, resulting in 210 fatalities, up from 3,600 crashes and 199 fatalities in 2011.

Motorcyclists can improve their safety on the road by following some simple safety tips, including: wearing a U.S. Department of Transportation-approved helmet, face or eye protection and protective clothing; wearing reflective clothing and putting reflective tape on protective riding gear and the motorcycle; and knowing how to handle a motorcycle in adverse road and weather conditions such as potholes, gravel, and wet or slippery surfaces.

Motorists sharing the road with motorcyclists should also consider some safety tips, including: looking out for motorcyclists by checking mirrors and blind spots; allowing more following distance when following a motorcycle; and respecting a motorcycle as a full-size vehicle with the same rights and privileges as any vehicle on the roadway.

 

May Motorcycle Month

License Plates For Paratroopers, Merchant Mariners

License Plates For Paratroopers, Merchant Mariners — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is now offering license plates for members and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who have served with a U.S. Military Airborne Unit or as a World War II Merchant Mariner, reports state Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

The new license plates for members of a U.S. Military Airborne Unit feature images of jump and glider wings, and the plates for Merchant Mariners features an image of the Merchant Marine emblem.

For information about how to get one visit here.

 

License Plates For Paratroopers, Merchant Mariners

Pennsylvania Potholes Can Be Reported

Pennsylvania Potholes Can Be Reported — Pennsylvania drivers can contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to report potholes and other problems on state roads, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)

Based on the caller’s phone number, calls are directed to local PennDOT maintenance facilities where problems can receive the appropriate attention. Callers are encouraged to:

–Report the county and municipality where the problem is located.

–Report the state route number, which can be found on the small white-and-black signs posted along state roads, where the problem is located.

–Describe familiar landmarks nearby in order to help PennDOT crews locate the problem.

The toll-free maintenance hotline can be reached at 1-800-FIX-ROAD (1-800-349-7623). In addition to reporting potholes, motorists may also report missing highway signs, shoulder drop-offs, roadway washouts and other potential hazards.

 

Pennsylvania Potholes Can Be Reported

Pennsylvania Potholes Can Be Reported

Honoring Veterans Plate In Pennsylvania

Honoring Veterans Plate — Pennsylvanians can demonstrate their support for the state’s servicemen and women with an “Honoring Our Veterans” license plate now available from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, reports state Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

The plate was authorized by Act 194 of 2012.  It features an American flag and a bald eagle with the words “Honoring Our Veterans.”

The cost of the license plate is $35, with $15 from the sale of each plate dedicated to the Veterans Trust Fund.  The trust fund is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to provide grants to veterans service organizations and other charitable organizations.

Information about obtaining the “Honoring Our Veterans” license plate or any other special license plate can be found here.

Honoring Veterans Plate In Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania House Scholarship Applications

Pennsylvania House Scholarship Applications  — High school seniors can now apply for a Pennsylvania House of Representatives Scholarship to help cover the costs of higher education, says state Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)

Each year, two students preparing for post-secondary education are awarded four-year scholarships. The program is privately funded by individual and corporate donors. No tax or other public funds are used.

The program is open to graduating high school seniors who are Pennsylvania residents with plans to attend a Pennsylvania college, university or career school as a full-time student. Students must have attained a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average in high school in order to be eligible for the scholarship. A student’s commitment to community, leadership qualities, extracurricular activities and financial need are also taken into consideration.

The scholarship program is administered through the Foundation for Enhancing Communities.

To apply, students can find at application at Cox’s  website   under the Student and Teacher Resources tab. The application deadline is March 1.

Scholarships are awarded through an independent panel of judges chosen by the foundation.

 

Pennsylvania House Scholarship Applications

Pennsylvania House Scholarship Applications

Hunters Share The Harvest

Pennsylvania hunters and sportsmen are encouraged by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to consider participating in the state’s Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) program, which provides donations of venison to local food banks, soup kitchens and families in need, says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

Started in 1991, HSH has developed into a refined support service for organizations that assist Pennsylvanians in need. Each year, Hunters Sharing the Harvest helps to deliver almost 200,000 meals to food banks, churches and social services feeding programs.

As part of the program, hunters are encouraged to take a deer to a participating meat processor and identify how much of their deer meat to donate to HSH. If an individual is donating an entire deer, he or she is asked to make a $15 tax-deductible co-pay, and HSH will cover the remaining processing fees. However, a hunter can cover the entire costs of the processing, which is also tax deductible.

To learn more about the program and obtain a list of participating meat processors and county coordinators, visit the Game Commission’s website or go to the HSH website.

Pennsylvania’s HSH program is recognized as one of the most successful among similar programs in about 40 states.

529 College Savings Program

The Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Program is available to help families cover the costs of tuition, said State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)

The program, administered by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, is currently offering free online enrollment, a savings of $50, to help families get started. Families who enroll in the 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan receive free enrollment when they visit the 529 website and use the coupon code MYPLAN. The promotion is good through Sept. 30.

To help educate more families about the benefits of the plans offered, the Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Program is offering free college savings webinars over the next several weeks.

For information on the program or upcoming webinars, visit Cox’s website, hover over the “State Programs and Services” link on the left-hand side and then choose “PA 529 Plan.”

529 College Savings Program