HARRISBURG, April 4 – As an advocate for customer protections in Pennsylvania, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery), announced today he has introduced legislation (H.B. 2186) that would help people avoid falling victim to gift card scams. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 13 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, this week introduced legislation (H.B. 2511-- Click to Cancel) that would increase consumer protections by requiring service providers to provide notification before each automatic renewal of a service, to be transparent about renewal terms, and to allow consumers to cancel subscription services exclusively online if they initially subscribed over the internet. “I’ve introduced legislation, ‘Click to Cancel,’ that would amend the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act to make consumers aware of their active subscriptions and their renewal terms and empower them to easily cancel their subscriptions,” Ciresi said. “I firmly believe that subscriptions should be transparent and easy to understand, and that consumers should be able to cancel them as easily as they can begin a subscription. “The situation too many consumers face today is that their online contracts often automatically renew without them being notified or even aware. Making matters worse is that some subscription services require consumers to jump through hoops just to cancel their subscription, such as by forcing them to call or speak to an online representative before they can end the service. “When it is passed, consumers in Pennsylvania will be better protected from companies’ subscription practices that have burdened them with fees for subscriptions they no longer want or Read more
HARRISBURG, April 6 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, announced that he secured a $130,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for sewer extension design and permitting in Limerick Township. “After a lot of hard work, I’m very happy that state funding has been awarded to extend public sewer access to the western portion of Ridge Pike in Limerick Township,” Ciresi said. “Following communication with Aqua PA, which owns the sewer system, to find out what they needed from the state to make the extension happen, I worked with DCED to secure the grant money required to finally, after decades, make real progress on extending public sewer access to this area. This grant is an excellent example of local service providers and state government coming together to achieve a solution that will benefit the whole community for years to come.” “Assisting the needs of our constituents is a continued high-priority objective of the board and with this grant from DCED, the township will be able to support Limerick property owners along Ridge Pike who are dealing with the burdens of failing on-lot septic systems,” said Limerick Board of Supervisors Chairman Kenneth W. Sperring Jr. “We thank Representative Ciresi for his support of this important project. These grant funds will not only provide for the engineering design of sanitary sewer Read more
“Fire Chief Sisca died as he lived — in service to others. Fire Chief Sisca’s death is an awful reminder to us how our law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to protect ours. My prayers are with the Sisca family during this terrible time.” Read more
HARRISBURG, March 8 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, introduced legislation to create signage requirements for subdivision and land development. The legislation would amend the Municipalities Planning Code to ensure that posted signs meet minimum size standards, are conspicuously posted, and include required information on the development and construction schedule. This signage would be required for land undergoing subdivision and land development. “Currently, property developers can provide ‘notice’ with nothing more than an 8½-inch by 11-inch sheet of paper, which is often easy to miss for anyone passing by and leaving many residents unaware of development happening near them,” Ciresi said. “My bill would guarantee more transparency with specific requirements for posted signage on property under development, giving residents a better understanding of what is happening in their community.” The legislation has been introduced as H.B. 2375 and referred to the House Local Government Committee. Read more
On the week of the fourth anniversary of the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, parents of students lost during that tragedy joined lawmakers for a joint hearing with the PA House and Senate Democratic Policy Committees to explore how to prevent similar tragedies from happening in Pennsylvania. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 10 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi announced today that the fire and emergency medical services companies in the 146 th District have been awarded $189,975 through the Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program. “Our fire and EMS companies daily put their lives on the line to save ours, especially during the pandemic,” Ciresi said. “As our fire and EMS services have suffered doubly from the impact of both the pandemic and weakened financial circumstances, they will be bolstered by the injection of these necessary funds so they can continue providing essential and often lifesaving services to our communities.” The fire and EMS companies in the 146 th District that have been awarded grants in the following amounts are: Empire Hook & Ladder Co. 1 – $15,000 Friendship HLH&A Inc. – $8,325 Goodwill Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1 – $23,325 Limerick Fire Department – $30,000 North End Fire Co. No. 1 of Pottstown – $15,000 Perkiomen Township Fire Co. 1 – $15,000 Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co. 1 – $15,000 Ringing Hill Fire Co. – $15,000 Royersford Fire Department – $15,000 Sanatoga Fire Co. – $15,000 Trappe Fire Co. No. 1 – $23,325 “Fire companies Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 9 – State Reps. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, and Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester/Montgomery, have introduced H.B. 2327, which would exempt at-home COVID-19 tests from the state sales tax. “As the pandemic rages on, we need all the tools in our arsenal to fight the virus,” Ciresi said. “By exempting at-home COVID-19 tests from the sales tax, we can help our residents and improve access to convenient diagnostic testing by removing this financial barrier. These tests are vital to public health and should not be taxed when Pennsylvanians are fulfilling their duty to their neighbors by testing themselves for the virus.” “Accessing at-home COVID-19 tests allows people to quickly get results so they do not put others at risk,” Shusterman said. “These important medical devices should be exempt from sales tax because they serve the greater good of the community.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 8 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, released the following statement regarding Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed 2022-23 budget unveiled today: “Governor Wolf’s budget outlines a clear vision to make up for years of underfunding education and local development with historic investments in public education and our communities that will improve our schools, reduce property taxes and breathe new life into the 146th,” Ciresi said. “This funding would be a major help to all of our local districts and have a transformative effect on Pottstown, which has long been one of the most underfunded in the state.” The budget includes an additional $2.1 billion for public education statewide, achieved through increases in basic and special education funding and cost savings through comprehensive charter school reform without raising taxes. It also expands on the “Level Up” funding included in this year’s budget, designed to help Pennsylvania’s most underfunded school districts such as Pottstown School District. The charter school reform that Ciresi and Wolf have partnered on would achieve over $373 million in savings statewide. These reforms include using the same special education funding formula used by school districts and setting a data-driven statewide tuition rate for cyber charter attendance. The local impact of these investments in education for the 146 th Read more
Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has prepared and released their updated 5-year resurfacing plan. This dynamic plan is designed to resurface pavement most in need of attention based on assessments of road condition. “Ensuring good quality roads is an essential component of our infrastructure and a key function of government,” Ciresi said. “I am pleased to see that so many state roads in our local communities are getting deserved attention, allowing for safer and more comfortable commutes for my constituents.” The resurfacing plan includes the following roads in and around the 146 th District in western Montgomery County: 2022: Linfield Trappe Rd between Lewis Rd and Township Line Rd (2.18 miles) – Limerick Township New Hanover Square between Bleim Road and New Hanover Township Line (0.46 miles) – Lower Pottsgrove Township Armand Hammer Blvd between Industrial Hwy and High Street (0.69 miles) – Pottstown Borough, Lower Pottsgrove Township Lewis Road between Linfield Trappe Road and Main St (5.27 miles) – Trappe and Royersford Boroughs, Upper Providence Township Yerkes Road between Collegeville Road/Route 29 and Level Road (1.26 miles) – Upper and Lower Providence Townships 2023: Evergreen Road between Lightcap Road and High Street/Ridge Pike (0.83 miles) – Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 1 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, introduced H.B. 2321, which would provide grant money to build sustainable community safe houses so that residents would have shelter in case of natural disaster. “This past year, many families in our communities have been left without shelter in the wake of serious storms like Ida,” Ciresi said. “Our residents need to have somewhere to go when their homes have been damaged by floods, wind or other types of natural disasters that we’re increasingly seeing in Pennsylvania.” If passed, H.B. 2321 would allow counties, municipalities and councils of governments to apply for grants to develop and maintain community buildings powered by and storing green energy. Grants of up to $250,000 would be issued to create emergency systems and centers, sustainably and reliably backed up by renewable energy, that would be there for our communities in their time of need. Money for these grants would be appropriated to the already existing State Sustainable Energy Fund to help get these projects off the ground. As they would be powered by renewable energy backup systems, Ciresi said these sustainable community safe houses would remain operational even when the power in the community goes out. Volunteers would be able to plug in refrigerators and fans, residents could charge their cell phones, and all sorts of other needs could continue to be met. Read more
Cyber Wast Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 30 – A passionate advocate for the development of outdoor recreation and trails, state Rep. Joe Ciresi announced today that Limerick Township was awarded $250,000 to develop Limerick Community Park and Montgomery County $397,800 to extend the Schuylkill River Trail in Pottsgrove Township and Pottstown Borough. The Community Conservation Partnership Program grants are from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). “I’m glad to see that the vital work of community improvements will be possible thanks to this state investment in the 146 th District,” Ciresi said. “These grants will enhance the quality of life in our communities for residents and increase the economic potential of this area by making the possibility of living here even more attractive to potential residents.” Limerick Township has been awarded $250,000 for the development of Limerick Community Park. The funding will help construct softball fields, a pedestrian walkway, a parking area and stormwater management measures, install equipment with required safety surfacing and provide ADA access, landscaping, project sign and other related site improvements. This funding award follows a $225,000 DCNR grant for improvements to Limerick Community Park, which Ciresi announced in September 2020. Montgomery County has been awarded $397,800 for the development Read more
Fall 2021 NL Read more
The money will be used to install pedestrian signal improvements comprising of LED Hand-Man Countdown pedestrian signal heads, controller assembly modifications to accommodate the Hand-Man Countdown pedestrian signals, pavement marking adjustments on Tenth Street and revised location of an ADA ramp. Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 21 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, announced today that competitive Career and Technical Education Equipment Grant Program awards were given in the amount of $50,000 to the Pottstown School District and $50,000 to Western Montgomery CTC from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to purchase new equipment aligned to training students in high-demand occupations . “I’m very glad that Montgomery County’s career and technical education programs are receiving this needed financial support to help our students get the critical skills and training they need to enter into meaningful, family-sustaining careers,” Ciresi said. “This is a win-win for the county as our students will have access to first-class equipment and experiences, which in turn will make Montgomery County even more attractive to companies seeking to locate to an area where there are highly skilled workers.” Each grant must be matched dollar for dollar from a local source, which could include local school funds or contributions from business and industry partners. Since 2015, the number of career and technical education students earning industry-recognized credentials has increased by 38.7 percent and the number of credentials earned by students enrolled in CTE programs has grown by 33.6 percent. Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 20 – A forceful advocate for economic development in the 146 th District, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, was instrumental in securing a Keystone Communities Program grant of $320,400 for renovations to the former PNC Bank building in Pottstown. Ciresi, who has successfully secured funding for other Pottstown redevelopment projects, praised the grant to renovate the former PNC bank building. “ The instrumental redevelopment of this 7,550-square-foot building, which has lain vacant for over 15 years in the middle of Pottstown’s downtown business district, will be a significant boost to the town’s ongoing revitalization,” Ciresi said. “With the return of this site to economically productive use, this redevelopment project will provide significant benefits for the borough and regional community and continue the momentum that Pottstown is experiencing.” The Keystone Communities Program is designed to encourage the creation of partnerships between the public and private sectors that jointly support local initiatives such as the growth and stability of neighborhoods and communities; social and economic diversity; and a strong and secure quality of life. The program allows communities to tailor the assistance to meet the needs of its specific revitalization effort. Since January 2015, the Wolf administration has Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 14 – An advocate for the Pennsylvania tourism industry, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, applauded the Wolf Administration’s dedication of $17,086,197 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to kickstart the recovery of the tourism industry in Pennsylvania in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “As a member of the House Tourism & Recreational Development Committee, I’ve been pushing for the state to invest in Pennsylvania’s tourism industry, as too many marketing opportunities were going to waste,” Ciresi said. “This money will provide opportunities to promote Pennsylvania’s destinations to diverse audiences, and so increase the numbers of people interested in visiting--and perhaps moving to--our beautiful state. This grant money will help the tourism industry build back better, supporting the wide range of jobs and businesses that benefit from tourism. I applaud Gov. Wolf’s decision to make this strategic investment in Pennsylvania’s future.” Pennsylvania’s travel and tourism industry supports over 490,000 jobs and generates $4.3 billion in annual tax revenue. Over 200 million people visit Pennsylvania each year, creating an economic impact of $46 billion. After consulting with tourism stakeholders across the state and colleagues around the nation, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office at the Department of Community and Economic Development will invest the $17,086,197 in the Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 7 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, introduced legislation to establish a State Emergency Supplemental Grant Program for disaster relief. As representative of the 146th Legislative District, Ciresi has been particularly concerned how Hurricane Ida had devastated the commonwealth, causing over $100 million in public infrastructure damage and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses, leaving many Pennsylvanians struggling to pay for the damages. Currently, Pennsylvania residents rely on the Federal Emergency Management Agency for financial assistance to help cover the cost of storm damage. Unfortunately, FEMA often can only cover a portion of the costs associated with damage deemed eligible for aid. In cases when only a state disaster declaration has been issued, Pennsylvania residents are not eligible for FEMA aid. “With each passing year, we are seeing increasingly dangerous weather,” Ciresi said. “We need to put a safety net in place to protect and support Pennsylvanians when natural disaster strikes. That’s why I’ve introduced legislation to establish a State Emergency Supplemental Grant Program, which would provide individuals who have maximized their federal assistance grants from FEMA with supplemental grants from the state to cover recovery costs. In addition, when there is only a state disaster declaration, affected individuals and businesses would still be eligible for financial assistance to Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 6 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, was instrumental in securing a $1 million state grant for Royersford Borough’s Riverfront at Royersford LLC redevelopment project. Ciresi said the funding, awarded through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, will help realize the plans for the Riverfront at Royersford LLC, a mixed-use development that will include living, restaurant and entertainment venues and retail opportunities. “I’m very proud that I was able to secure this $1 million redevelopment grant that will help bring back social life and economic opportunity to this stretch of Schuylkill riverfront,” Ciresi said. “This state grant money will help transform what was once industrial brownfields into a vital economic, leisure and residential hub for the 146 th District. The Riverfront at Royersford will be a pioneer of mixed-use development in southeastern Pennsylvania, while expanding amenities and opportunities for all area residents.” “We are extremely thankful to Representative Ciresi for his unwavering advocacy of this project and to the borough council, mayor and staff for being excellent public partners in this process,” said Richard Lewis, president & CEO of The Lewis Group. "This team has repeatedly proven its commitment to the continued revitalization of Royersford through careful collaboration and action to mitigate barriers to Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 19 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, announced today that Trappe was awarded $423,833 to install sidewalks and pedestrian crossings and the Riverfront at Royersford LLC was provided $330,000 to construct a trail along the Schuylkill River by the Commonwealth Financing Authority though the Multimodal Transportation Fund Program. “This grant will help improve quality of life by improving pedestrian infrastructure in Trappe and creating multiuse trails in Royersford,” Ciresi said. “This money will help improve pedestrian and bicyclists’ safety and so encourage physical activity, healthier lifestyles, and walkable communities in our area.” Trappe will use the grant to install sidewalks and pedestrian crossings along Main Street as part of Phase II of the Downtown Trappe Pedestrian Improvements project. Phase II includes replacing the walkway along the historic Augustus Church, installing new sidewalk in the western part of downtown Trappe, and upgrade several of Main Street’s crosswalks for pedestrian safety. Ciresi had announced $250,000 in Commonwealth Financing Authority funding for Trappe sidewalk improvements earlier this year. Riverfront of Royersford LLC will use the grant to construct an eight-foot-wide walking trail with adequate lighting for both pedestrian and bicycle traffic along a ¾ mile stretch running parallel with the Schuylkill River. This Read more
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