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COLUMN |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Stephany Dugan |
State Rep. Nick Kotik |
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August 2007
LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP
Each year, the budget process allows the legislature to address Pennsylvania’s most pressing issues. The new Democratic majority this year sought to find long-term solutions to problems that affect Pennsylvanians daily. I am proud to tell you that we accomplished many of our goals – without raising taxes – by investing wisely in transportation, energy and the environment, education and health care. We also set a rigorous schedule for the fall session to continue the work we started.
It’s no secret that Pennsylvania faces a transportation funding problem. In Allegheny Co unty alone, 17 bridges have been classified as structurally deficient. Hundreds of other bridges across the state are not safe to cross, and thousands of miles of roads are in need of repair. But through the budget, we found a reasonable compromise to solve the problem. The transportation package will provide an average of $500 million per year to repairing our roads and bridges and will guarantee repair funds for at least the next decade.
The plan also includes aid for the state’s 77 mass transit systems, including the Port Authority. Statewide, transit systems provide 400 million rides each year, with many of those passing right here through PAT. Providing an average of $411 million per year from a dedicated funding source, the plan will reduce, if not eliminate, the need for service cuts or fare hikes. This is critical for thousands of seniors, people with disabilities and others who rely on mass transit daily to get to work, doctor’s appointments and school.
Aside from enabling Pennsylvanians to go about their daily routines, supporting mass transit helps the environment by reducing the number of cars on the road. But that’s not all we did to protect the environment. Although most of our energy plan will not be addressed until the fall, we did pass legislation as part of the budget package to encourage Pennsylvanians to use alternative energy. By allowing utility companies to “buy” excess energy generated by customers who use wind or solar power, Act 35 will reward those who contribute to the power grid. It also requires utilities to take a proactive role in finding alternative sources. We will look for more ways to reduce our oil consumption when we reconvene for a special session on energy independence in September.
The budget also takes great strides in making health care more accessible and affordable for Pennsylvanians. Nurse practitioners, midwives, dental hygienists and physician assistants have already been trained and certified to perform certain procedures but were restricted from carrying them out in the past. By expanding the duties these professionals can perform, more people will be able to receive medical care more easily. Additionally, we put a landmark program in place to reduce the number of hospital-acquired infections, which leave hospital patients sicker rather than healthier.
Education will receive a significant funding boost, as well. An overall increase in education funding includes almost $19 million more than last year for Allegheny County’s school districts. Additionally, the education plan includes $75 million for pre-kindergarten education and $20 million for full-day kindergarten programs. A $90 million boost for Classrooms for the Future will provide laptop computers for 250 more high schools, and the $6 million Healthy Schools Initiative will provide school breakfast programs and ensure that healthy food is served in cafeterias.
So what’s left for the fall? Aside from the Energy Independence Strategy, we hope to tackle property tax relief, the proposed Indoor Clean Air Act, the proposed Jonas Salk Legacy Fund and the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, just to name a few. I want to hear your ideas on these issues, as well as any other state government concern. To contact me or my staff, call my Coraopolis office at 412-264-4260 or my Carnegie office at 412-429-5091. You can also send me e-mail through my Web site: www.pahouse.com/kotik.
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