State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38
Update

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*Upcoming Events**

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*Upcoming Property Tax Rent Rebate Events

Thursday,
March 6th, 1-3pm, RJ Corbett Apartments, 175 Corbett
Court

Thursday, March 13th, 1-3pm, Towne North Towers, 99 Corbett
Court*

I will be hosting two Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) events
with Rep. Emily Kinkead for the residents of Corbett Court and Town
North Towers apartments in March! The PTRR program provides rebates of
up to $1000 on property tax or rent paid the previous year by
income-eligible seniors and people with disabilities.

Renters and
homeowners are eligible for the PTRR program if they meet the
following criteria:

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Income is less than $46,520 (program only
counts half of Social Security income);

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Age requirements:

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age 65 and older;

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or age 50 and older and a widow/widower;

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or age 18 and older and disabled.

Bring the following to the event
and a member of our staff will complete your online PTRR application
for you!

-
Proof of Identity (first time filers only)

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All
2024 income documents: Social Security, retirement funds, or other
interest bearing accounts.

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Completed PA rent certificate from
your landlord.

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Bank account and routing information if you
would like direct deposit.

If you have questions do not hesitate to
call our offices: 412-364-0469 Sen. Williams or 412-331-5523 Rep.
Kinkead.

For more information on the PTRR program go to:
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[link 2]

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*Good
News**

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*Fire and EMS Grants Awarded!*

Our volunteer fire
companies and emergency medical services agencies throughout Senate
District 38 were awarded more than $807,000 in operational grant
funding last week.

These grants were made possible by the 2024-25
Fire Company and Emergency Medical Service Grant Program [link 4].
Grantees can use the funds for facility construction or repair,
equipment purchase or repair, debt reduction associated with facility
or equipment, training and certification of members, and materials for
fire prevention education for the general public.

Our EMS companies
and volunteer fire departments spend countless hours fundraising to
provide top-quality, lifesaving services to their community members
every single day.
This annual grant program provides some operations
funding for our first responders, but grant amounts have not kept up
with rising costs facing these mostly volunteer departments. The state
must do more to help departments meet today's challenges, and that
includes incentivizing and funding mergers of services where it makes
fiscal and practical sense.

For a complete list of grantees
throughout the district go
to:
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[link 5]

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*Recognizing
Deer Lakes School District*

On Tuesday night, my staff joined the
Deer Lakes School District to celebrate their recognition as a Great
Pennsylvania School! This designation recognizes Pennsylvania public
schools that provide students with access to rigorous programming, are
community-centric, demonstrate financial well-being and display
resilience.

Congratulations to the entire Deer Lakes student body,
faculty, staff, and community on this well-deserved award!

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*Legislative
Update**

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*Protecting
Pennsylvania Taxpayer Dollars from Waste, Fraud, and Abuse*

My
colleague Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill and I will be reintroducing
the Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Act [link 6] this legislative
session. This bill encourages private citizens to come forward as
whistleblowers to report the filing of false or fraudulent claims
against the Pennsylvania government in order to protect taxpayer
dollars.

We know that 44% of waste, fraud, and abuse of government
funds is found by tip- by someone who knows what is happening being
brave enough to come forward and tell what they know. We all like to
think that we would speak up in that situation. But I know from my
experience at the National Whistleblowers Center and as a
whistleblower myself that it is extremely hard to speak truth to power
when your job, your health insurance, and your financial stability are
on the line. By protecting these whistleblowers from retaliation, we
can ensure that they feel safe coming forward and reporting the waste,
fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money.

Budget Hearings started this
week in both the House and Senate for the 2025-26 Budget. But once
again, we in the General Assembly are negotiating how to spend
billions of taxpayer dollars without the Commonwealth Fraud Prevention
Act, which will protect those dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse.
Protecting and encouraging whistleblowers to come forward is the best
and most effective way to prevent fraud and protect our tax
dollars.

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*News
You Can Use**

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*Turnpike
Scam Text Alert!*

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is warning
residents about a "smishing" scam targeting drivers. If you receive a
text message claiming to be from the PA Turnpike or other tolling
authority asking for payment of an unpaid toll invoice (see graphic
above), do not respond or click any links within the message. These
fraudulent texts are designed to steal your personal and financial
information.

*What You Should Do if You Receive a Scam Text:*

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*Verify your account:*

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Log in to your E-ZPass account to check
your toll balance and other personal information.

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Call the PA
Turnpike at 1-877-736-6727 (M--F, 8am to 6pm).

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Visit the
official E-ZPass website: [link removed] [link
7].

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Use the official PA Toll Pay app, available on the Apple
App Store or Google Play Store.

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*Don't click on
links:*

Never click on links or download attachments in unsolicited
messages from unknown parties claiming to be the PA Turnpike or any
tolling agency. Always verify by visiting the official website or
using trusted contact information.

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*Take action if you've
shared information:*

If you clicked a link or provided personal
information, immediately take steps to secure your accounts. Dispute
any unfamiliar charges with your bank or financial institution.

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*Don't be pressured:*

Legitimate businesses will never pressure you
to act immediately. Always take your time when dealing with financial
matters.

*Important to Know:*

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The PA Turnpike Commission
will never send unsolicited text messages demanding payment or
requesting money via links, apps like Zelle or Venmo, or other payment
services.

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The PA Turnpike does work with two authorized debt
collection agencies--Harris & Harris and TSI--but only customers with
significant overdue balances will receive texts from them. These
legitimate texts will always include the agency's name, company
details, and specific account information.

*What to Do If You
Receive a Suspicious Message:*

If you receive a fraudulent text,
email, or message, report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint
Center (IC3) at: [link removed] [link 8].

For more
information about this scam and how to protect yourself, visit the PA
Turnpike's Security and Fraud page:
[link removed] [link 9].

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*PHEAA
February Financial Aid Webinars*

Need help navigating the financial
aid process for higher education? Attend one of the upcoming
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) webinars that
help students and their families understand their options.

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*Advance Planning for Financing Higher Education*: Tuesday, Feb. 25,
at 6:30 p.m. This one-hour session helps participants understand
education costs and what resources are available to help them plan and
make affordable decisions.

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*Improve Your Credit - Get Your
Loan*: Thursday, Feb. 27, at noon.

This one-hour session will help
participants increase their financial literacy and knowledge on the
process of credit, how to maintain or improve ratings, and comparison
points to help make informed and affordable education borrowing
decisions.

Webinars on financial aid timelines and understanding
offer letters are scheduled in March.

For the complete list of
webinars and to register in advance go to
www.pheaa.org/virtual [link
10].

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*Shape the Future of McCandless Parks - Take the Master
Plan Survey*

The Town of McCandless is developing a Master Plan for
the future of its parks, focusing on development, connectivity, and
community programming. This is your chance to influence the direction
of McCandless' recreational spaces and ensure they meet the needs of
your community for years to come.

If you're a McCandless resident,
don't miss out on this opportunity to have your voice heard.

Take
the survey now by scanning the QR code above or
visit:

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The
survey will be open until *March 11*, so be sure to share your
thoughts before the deadline!

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*Winter Scavenger Hunt in Your County Parks*

Tired of
spending your days inside this winter? Bundle up for a fun outdoor
adventure courtesy of your Allegheny County Parks! The rangers have
curated a Winter Scavenger Hunt list and guide on a new blog post that
shares everything you need to know to participate. Participants can
also post about their experiences on the blog.

For the blog post's
downloadable scavenger hunt list and suggestions for trails and open
spaces in all nine county parks go to:
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As
always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have
by phone at 412-364-0469 [link 15] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
16] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 17]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams

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tel:412-364-0469
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mailto:[email protected]

Contact
Information:

Website:
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Office Location:
District
Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone:
412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928
Monday ? Friday 9-5

Harrison
Office
1826 Union Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone:
724-224-2131
Fax: 724-224-2145
Monday ? Thursday 9-5

Harrisburg
Office
366 Capitol Building
Senate Box 203038
Harrisburg, PA
17120-3038
Phone: 717-787-6538
Fax: 717-787-8625
By appointment
only


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