EBENSBURG, July 20 – Four days after he sought intercession from Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators and Cambria County’s congressman, state Rep. Frank Burns finally received a response from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to his three-month-old Freedom of Information Act request. Read more
“This grant will boost VCI’s efforts to serve our local veterans, and it is a privilege to do what I can to help those who have served our country.” Read more
“Three months ago, I asked for documents and communication exchanged between the Johnstown Housing Authority, HUD’s Pittsburgh Field Office and/or HUD’s Region III Office in Philadelphia, concerning the Prospect public housing complex,” Burns said. “What I’ve gotten since then is a runaround that no citizen should have to endure – starting with a request for clarification of what is a pretty clear request. Follies such as this have no place in good government.” Read more
Burns, D-Cambria, said the time is right to reign in the unbridled money grab by corporate cyber charter schools, which are bleeding local school district budgets dry by siphoning off millions in local tax dollars. These schools frivolously spend those tax dollars advertising to recruit new students in order to increase their profits. They even sponsor professional sports teams and offer gifts and travel to their students’ parents. Read more
Intent on protecting the state’s drivers from unnecessary tickets and fines, state Rep. Frank Burns introduced two measures that would do just that. Read more
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Johnstown city officials want to keep taxing folks at the higher rate, even though Act 47 no longer applies. They want state elected officials, including Burns, to carve out a special exception in state law so they can keep collecting lots of money – an extra $900,000 a year, to be exact. Read more
“As I’ve said before, if I don’t advocate for our region, state funding won’t make it back to Cambria County,” he said. “We could miss out on the benefits that these grants can bring, or have to pay for them out of our own pockets. That’s why I’ve made it a priority to fight and make sure our region gets its fair share of state funding.” Read more
"Our state Capitol is one of the most beautiful buildings in the country, and there’s so much to learn and see,” Burns said. "If you are interested, please call my office to find out more information and reserve your spot on the bus." Read more
EBENSBURG, May 31 – Clued in by a concerned tenant who shared a notice that Oakhurst and Coopersdale public housing are now in play for a wholesale redevelopment, state Rep. Frank Burns is reiterating his call for the Johnstown Housing Authority to reveal what impact HUD’s required “ equity plan ” could have on the effort. Burns, D-Cambria, said the notice sent his way said public meetings held today in Oakhurst and tomorrow in Coopersdale are to discuss the JHA’s pursuit of a Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant , as part of a “Transformation Plan” for those communities. Burns said the JHA is looking to “explore rehabilitation and redesign potential, and assess the potential of mixed-income redevelopment with a public-private financing model,” according to the notice. According to the facilities listing on the JHA website, Oakhurst has 100 units, Oakhurst Extension has 300 units and Coopersdale has 121 units. Added to the 110 units at the recently vacated Prospect community, that means 631 of the JHA’s 983 family housing units could be impacted by redevelopment. “What’s unclear at this point is whether those communities would be rebuilt at their current locations, which are all in the city of Johnstown, or whether they could be placed elsewhere in Cambria County,” Burns said, noting that the JHA currently operates a 56-unit complex in Nanty Glo Read more
“Securing this new funding is going to support reclamation work that will expand access to recreational trails, provide access for maintenance of the Inclined Plane and build on other projects underway to expand hillside recreation and tourism for the area," Burns said. Read more
“The JHA told me it needed a 30-day extension to determine whether the information I was requesting needed to be released – then basically turned around and released the same information to news outlets 13 days later,” Burns said. “By doing so, the JHA has proven that it likes to play games. It’s no wonder the public gets fed up with how they operate.” Read more
“Military families can’t control the dynamics of their lives when engaged in serving our nation,” Burns said. “Students shouldn’t be penalized for their families having to answer the call of duty. My bill would make sure they aren’t.” Read more
Burns, D-Cambria, said although the equity plans are a well-publicized requirement for housing authorities – with potential far-reaching implications – he has heard precious little from the JHA about the steps it is taking toward compliance. Read more
Burns, D-Cambria, specifically balked at criminalizing gun owners who’ve done nothing wrong, instead of going after gun-using criminals, many of whom are already prohibited from owning firearms because of prior convictions. Read more
“The nature of military service requires them to go where and when they’re needed, so miltary parents can’t control where they’re sent,” Burns said. “That unpredictability shouldn’t penalize them or their children when it comes to their child’s higher education. My bill would make sure they aren’t.” Read more
“Manufacturing steel domestically guarantees not only that steel is produced with ample regulatory oversight, but also produces an incredible economic multiplier in the process, and helps improve our safety and security,” Burns said. “It was great to meet with both labor and management from the steel industry today to learn more about the positive impact the industry is having in the Commonwealth.” Read more
As part of the fourth round of the Digital Literacy and Workforce Development Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, there is approximately $900,000 available in grant funding. The funds will support digital literacy and job training programs in communities that lack access to broadband infrastructure and high-speed internet. Read more
“It’s incredible the JHA isn’t sure that taxpayer money spent on public housing should be public information,” Burns said. “I think what they really want is 30 days to come up with some creative excuse for not complying with my request.” Read more
“I’ve always made economic development a priority, and supported programs and grants to make education, training and jobs more accessible to improve the region’s economy,” Burns said. “This grant will give more students more opportunities to work toward higher education and a successful future.” Read more
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