HARRISBURG, Oct. 10 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, today announced that two local school districts were awarded $77,999 in state funding last week from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s competitive Safe Schools Targeted Grant program. Geared toward creating a safer environment for students, the funding will be used for numerous initiatives, including programs to prevent and reduce violent incidents; purchasing security/safety-related equipment; training and compensation for school resource officers; and training and compensation for school police officers directly employed by school districts. “I’m happy to announce this funding for the two local districts,” Conklin said. “We live in a time where schools are no longer safe, and this funding looks to rectify that problem. By implementing this funding, we’re putting the safety of our students first, which is a top priority for parents and legislators alike.” The school districts that received funding are: State College Area School District received $39,999 for the training and compensation of school police officers directly employed by the school. Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District was awarded $38,000 for the training and compensation of school police officers. These officers are also directly employed by the school. This PDE program is separate from the new $60 million School Safety and Security Grant program created this year and Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 10 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, today announced that Reliance Volunteer Fire Co., located in Philipsburg, was awarded $3,248 in state grants to help fund training and equipment related to fighting brush and forest fires. “I’m happy to announce this funding because it will play a large role in helping these men and women better combat fires in our district,” Conklin said. “These firefighters are volunteers – they don’t have to be here. But they choose to answer the call every day to protect our residents and region. I’m glad to see they’re receiving credit and funding where it’s due.” The grant program, offered through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, is for training and equipment purchases directly related to fighting brush and forest fires. Grants may be used for purchasing mobile or portable radios; installing water supply equipment; wildfire prevention and mitigation work; training wildfire fighters; or converting and maintaining federal excess vehicles. Aid is granted on a cost-share basis, with recipients supplying matching funds. Grants for any project during a fiscal year cannot exceed 50 percent of the actual expenditures of local, public and private nonprofit organizations in the agreement. The maximum grant awarded any fire company in 2018 was $10,000. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 21 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, today announced that the Centre County Library and Historical Museum’s Holt Memorial Library branch was awarded a state grant for updates to its heating and cooling system. The Keystone Library Grant of $27,000 will assist the library in replacing its outdated and inefficient HVAC system. The funding was among $6.8 million in library grants awarded by the state Department of Education on Thursday. “Libraries play such a vital role in the educational development of the commonwealth’s youth, so I’m more than happy to announce this state funding,” Conklin said. “This grant will allow the library to conduct necessary upgrades that will in part make the visitors’ experiences at the Holt Memorial Library more enjoyable for years to come.” Keystone Library Grants are competitive grants funded through the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund. They must be matched dollar-for-dollar, and they can be used for projects such as HVAC upgrades, ADA upgrades, roof or window replacements, expansion projects and more. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 18 – A state grant totaling $250,000 was awarded to the 77 th Legislative District, state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, announced today. The funding, granted by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, was requested on behalf of the Wildlife for Everyone Endowment Foundation for Phase 1 construction of the Wildlife Center located in Huston Township. “I’m excited to announce the funding that will go toward the construction of a Wildlife Center here in Huston Township,” Conklin said. “This funding will help create an attraction that will entice wildlife enthusiasts and tourists to visit our wonderful district.” Phase 1 of the Wildlife Center will include the construction of an ADA-compliant trail and boardwalk loop; observation areas; pavilions; restrooms; and fixed trail amenities like benches, wayward signs and tables. Conklin thanked the CFA board for approving the grant. The CFA is a seven-member board created to administer and fund projects from programs that are part of the economic stimulus package passed by the General Assembly in 2004. The entity falls under the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Read more
Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, announced Monday that he has introduced legislation that would protect Pennsylvania’s children by enacting a number of commonsense statutory reforms. Read more
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HARRISBURG, Aug. 10 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, today announced a total of $75,000 in 2017-18 Historic Preservation Tax Credits has been awarded to the 77 th Legislative District. Conklin said the allocated tax credits will aid in the rehabilitation of Philipsburg’s historic Hoffer Building and leverage an estimated $350,000 in construction expenditures. The building will be rehabilitated for housing and commercial use. “The tax credits awarded through this program will play a vital role in revitalizing the Philipsburg Historic District, which in part will strengthen the local economy and bring new residents to the 77 th Legislative District,” Conklin said. The Historic Preservation Tax Credit program is administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Since 2013, the Historic Preservation Tax Credit program has invested more than $15 million to rehabilitate 81 historic buildings leveraging an estimated $1.3 billion in construction expenditures. The investments have helped preserve buildings that contribute to the distinct character of Pennsylvania’s boroughs, townships and cities. This year, a total of $3 million was awarded to 21 projects statewide in 2017-18 Historic Preservation Tax Credits. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 12 – The House today unanimously adopted two resolutions introduced by state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, and state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin, congratulating the Penn State University men’s wrestling and basketball teams on championship-winning seasons. House Resolution 956, introduced by Conklin, congratulated Coach Cael Sanderson and the Penn State men’s wrestling team on its seventh National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I championship in eight years. “Last year, the Penn State wrestling team was described as ‘dominant,’ but it’s time we use the correct word and call them what they truly are – a dynasty,” Conklin said. “I can’t tell you how much pride we have in what this team has done. These amazing young men fought back from points behind – from what many thought were overwhelming odds – to capture this championship.” House Resolution 954, introduced by Benninghoff, recognized Coach Patrick Chambers and the Penn State men's basketball team for their victory over the University of Utah and becoming the National Invitation Tournament champions in 2018. “It was a great year to be a Nittany Lion fan,” Benninghoff said. “Congratulations to both teams on their outstanding seasons, athleticism and leadership on behalf of all of us in Centre County and across this commonwealth. We are proud to have cheered you on in your Read more
CENTRE COUNTY, May 14 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, announced the award of a $4,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to the Centre County Historical Society. “I am pleased to know that the Centre County Historical Society, also the oldest and largest organization in Centre County, is receiving this grant in order to continue to preserve our history and culture,” Conklin said. “Grants like these are imperative to helping our local county, regional and state museums continue to thrive.” Grant monies are intended to strengthen the commonwealth’s communities by supporting the general operations of eligible museums and official county historical societies that are not supported by other state agency funding programs. The CCHS was founded in 1904 and disseminates Centre County history, offers programs and exhibits to both children and adults, maintains artifacts, books, maps, photographs and manuscripts, and publishes publications, according to its website. CCHS was one of 142 museums and official county historical societies from 55 counties in Pennsylvania that were awarded a part of almost a total of $2 million in grants. For information about the grants, visit PHMC or CCHS to learn more about the Historical Society. Read more
CENTRE COUNTY, May 10 – Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, announced the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has awarded $935,000 to Centre County to improve public safety. The funds will be used in State College for pedestrian safety through sidewalk improvements, fencing, street lights, street furniture and landscape features for traffic calming. “Public safety plays an integral part in keeping our community secure over all,” Conklin said. “This grant not only bolsters the safety of our students and residents, but will also help in keeping the neighborhood beautiful.” Grants were presented to communities to support transportation alternatives. Those include, on-and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities, and environmental mitigation, trails that serve as a transportation purpose, along with safer routes to school projects. Nearly $66.8 million was awarded to 82 projects across the commonwealth through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program, where the funds fall under Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside. For more information, visit PennDOT’s TA Set-Aside Funding Site . Read more
CENTRE COUNTY, May 4 – Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, announced that Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership Inc. will receive a $77,500 small business loan to help renovate the Moshannon Valley Enterprise Center in order to repair its floors, roof and crack in the sewer line. Through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority, the loan is for 15 years at a low-interest fixed rate of 2.5 percent. The Moshannon Valley Enterprise Center has approximately 22,000 square feet of available space for businesses to rent at a low cost and is located in Philipsburg. The loan will provide funds for the renovation of about a 13,000-square-foot section of the building. “These loans are essential to helping to create and sustain jobs for those living in Centre County and throughout Pennsylvania,” Conklin said. “Revitalizing the Moshannon Valley Enterprise Center is a great investment, because in turn, they will continue to help curb unemployment, further economic development, and provide support for existing businesses and entrepreneurs to grow.” The Moshannon Valley was one of eight business projects in six counties across the commonwealth that secured part of the $8.6 million in loans from PIDA this month. Aside from this project in Centre, projects in Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Crawford and Lancaster counties also secured loans. Moshannon Valley is a private, non-profit corporation that was founded in 1988 after the Moshannon Valley Read more
HARRISBURG, April 17 – Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, announced today that a workforce development board serving Centre County will receive a $135,240 Strategic Innovation grant to expand digital communications in the region. “This grant will improve access to skills-based learning and job opportunities in our region by enhancing online resources that connect job seekers with training programs and employers,” Conklin said. “I’m encouraged that this will open more doors for Pennsylvanians seeking to join the workforce. Creating jobs and putting people first is all part of our Democratic Plan for PA.” The funds, made available through the Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board, will permit development partners in the region to expand digital communications and enhance community engagement through: An online regional Career Hub promoting work-based learning, A website for the region’s CareerLink® offices, An update to the Central PA Workforce Development Corporation’s website, and Additional outreach materials The grant is one of 16 projects receiving a total of $3.5 million. Such grants are made available by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry through local workforce development boards across the state. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 16 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, today announced the award of $245,500 in state grants to help the State College Area School District buy and install three solar energy systems at three of the district’s elementary schools. “I’m ecstatic that the State College Area School District was included in this grant disbursement,” Conklin said. “I know full well the students at these schools are going to benefit from the installation of alternative energy in more ways that they know. Plus, it shows them the importance and significance of alternative energy at a young age.” One of the Solar Energy Program grants, worth $93,500 , will be used for the purchase and installation of a 63.9-kilowatt solar power system to be located on a new two-story classroom and existing gym at the Spring Creek Elementary School . The solar panels will produce 74,053 kilowatts annually, approximately 28.45 percent of the building’s energy use, and save the district $5,769 in energy costs. The district will fund the remaining $93,500 . Another $85,250 grant will be used for the purchase and installation of a 59.3-kilowatt solar power system to be located on a new two-story classroom and existing gym at the Corl Street Elementary School . The solar panels will produce 68,700 kilowatts annually, approximately 20 percent of the building’s energy use, and save the district $5,352 in energy costs. The district will assume the Read more
HARRISBURG, March 16 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, will be introducing legislation in the near future that will enact combined reporting to close the "Delaware loophole” and reduce the Corporate Net Income tax rate from 9.99 percent to 7.99 percent. The legislation is geared toward enhancing job growth in Pennsylvania, and protecting small and medium-sized businesses, while ensuring taxpayers are not footing the bill for larger corporations. Pennsylvania’s current CNI tax rate is 9.99 percent, the second highest in the nation behind Iowa, which has a tax rate of 12 percent. The Delaware loophole is a longstanding, legal practice that large corporations in Pennsylvania use to exploit a state law that allows them to establish holding companies in Delaware. Doing so enables companies to transfer all profits earned in the commonwealth to their out-of-state subsidiary because, unlike Pennsylvania, Delaware does not have a CNI tax. “If Pennsylvania is going to be an innovator in business development, we need to consider reducing the corporate tax burden,” Conklin said. “But, this should not be done at the expense of hard-working families across the commonwealth.” In his ongoing effort to close the loophole, Conklin also recently introduced legislation, House Bill 1719 , which would require corporations and their related subsidiaries to file taxes as a single company for state CNI tax purposes. Nearly 76 percent of the Read more
In this issue I address gerrymandering, #Plan4pa and how to apply for the 2017 property tax/rent rebate program. Read more
CENTRE COUNTY, Jan. 22 – State Rep. Scott Conklin praised today’s Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that the state’s Congressional Redistricting Act of 2011 violates the Pennsylvania Constitution. The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against the commonwealth arguing that the state’s congressional redistricting that took place in 2011 was done in order to maximize the number of Republicans elected within certain districts after the 2010 census. “I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the 2011 Congressional redistricting plan,” said Conklin, D-Centre County. “This decision underscores the need for Congressional redistricting reform. The political interests of incumbents should not come before the interests of the Pennsylvania electorate.” The Supreme Court is prohibiting use of the current redistricting system in the 2018 elections, beginning with the primaries scheduled for May 15. The Supreme Court will draw and use its own plan in this year’s election if the General Assembly does not pass a new plan by Feb. 9 or if Gov. Tom Wolf does not approve the plan by Feb. 15. “The law of the land is that voters choose their elected officials,” said Conklin. “For far too long, the redistricting process has allowed incumbents to choose their voters.” Last week, Conklin introduced a bill that would create a Congressional Redistricting Commission and provide Read more
CENTRE COUNTY, Jan. 16 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, today announced a bill that would create a Congressional Redistricting Commission and provide guidelines for the congressional redistricting process. By amending the Pennsylvania Election Code, H.B. 2020, the Congressional Redistricting Commission would be established each year following a decennial census, as well as require the commission to adhere to redistricting principles created by state and federal law and court precedents. “The intent of my bill is to put integrity back into the process of redistricting and to insure that congressional districts are drawn by considering the fair and equal representation of the citizens of Pennsylvania rather than the political parties currently drawing maps,” said Conklin, D-Centre. Last year, the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and others filed a lawsuit arguing that the state’s congressional redistricting that took place in 2011 was done in order to maximize the number of Republicans elected within certain districts. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is now expected to hear oral arguments regarding the case. Conklin said he would like to see Pennsylvanians have the authority to draw congressional maps, and leave partisanship out of it. “Over the past year, I have watched partisanship and gridlock in Washington, which have caused divisions in our nation and our commonwealth,” said Conklin, also the Democratic chairman of Read more
Click here and download Rep. Conklin's 2018 Capitol Scenes Calendar. Read more
CENTRE COUNTY, Oct. 25 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, invites the public to explore the high-tech offerings of the Pennsylvania CareerLink mobile career center, which will visit his legislative office in Philipsburg from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14. Known simply as The Link, the bus-like vehicle is equipped with seven computers, internet access, printing capabilities and a presentation screen – all to assist residents in their job-search efforts. Professional staff support for job matching, career guidance, workforce training and employer recruitment is also part of The Link experience, Conklin said. “I’m pleased and excited to present this opportunity to residents of the 77 th Legislative District and Centre County,” Conklin said. “As our society and economy grow more technical by leaps and bounds, this is one way for us to help job-seekers and employers keep up with the times.” In addition to Centre County, the mobile center hits the road to provide its services to Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties. For more information, please contact Conklin’s legislative office in Philipsburg at (814) 342-4872. It is located at 209 E. Presqueisle St. Read more
CENTRE COUNTY, Aug. 7 – State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, is co-hosting a “Pathways to Pardons” event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16 at the State College Municipal Building, 243 S. Allen St. Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, who chairs the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, has partnered with Conklin to present the event, where they and others will explain the process for obtaining a pardon or expungement of a past criminal conviction in Pennsylvania. Conklin understands the need to remove such impediments for those who may have made a mistake, paid for it and now wish to obtain gainful employment. The program is free, open to the public and will include a question-and-answer session. Stack created the “Pathways to Pardons” program to bring together experts in corrections, drug and alcohol treatment, probation and parole, and public interest law to give step-by-step help to people who want to remove barriers to employment by clearing a minor criminal conviction from their records. For more information, please contact Conklin’s office at (814) 238-5477. Media coverage is invited. Read more
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