Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Revenue, a former Lehigh Valley legislator, has officially dropped the “acting” portion of his title.
Former State Sen. Pat Browne has officially become the state’s Secretary of Revenue in accordance with the Pennsylvania Constitution, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office announced on Thursday.
Browne, a Republican, was nominated by Shapiro, a Democrat, in January for the role, and had been serving as the acting secretary.
In a statement, Browne said he has been “deeply impressed” by the professionals in his department and said it would “strive to administer the Commonwealth’s tax laws and revenue programs as fairly and efficiently as possible.”
“I’m extremely grateful to have been nominated by Governor Shapiro to lead the Department of Revenue,” he said.
“We recognize the importance of this work and the key role that we play in the Governor’s vision of offering freedom and opportunity for the people of Pennsylvania.”
The release a touted some of the department’s achievements under Browne’s leadership including advocating for Shapiro’s budget proposal, which includes an expansion of the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.
The proposed expansion would increase the maximum standard rebate from $650 to $1,000, raise the income cap for renters and homeowners to $45,000 per year, and tie the caps to the cost of living.
Shapiro’s office says the expansion would cover almost 175,000 additional Pennsylvanians.
The Department of Revenue also announced the extension of the filing deadline for rebates on rent and property taxes, and oversaw a successful tax filing season that included the processing of more than 6.5 million returns, among other accomplishments.
Browne represented parts of the Lehigh Valley in the Pennsylvania legislature for 28 years, first as the State Representative for the 131st District, and then for 18 years representing the 16th District in the State Senate.
He chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee for eight years.
Browne was narrowly defeated in the 2022 Republican primary race by Jarrett Coleman, who later won the general election.
The release also cited Browne’s professional experience as an attorney and Certified Public Accountant, which Shapiro said made him “uniquely positioned” to lead the Department of Revenue.
Browne was one of three cabinet nominees who officially became the secretaries of their offices on Thursday.
Dr. Val Arkoosh, a physician and former Democratic Montgomery County commissioner, officially became Secretary of the Department of Human Services.
Al Schmidt, a former Republican Philadelphia city commissioner, officially became Secretary of the Commonwealth.
(Original air-date: 6/29/23)
