As of this writing, there are approximately 750,000 Pennsylvania votes that need to be counted. That is more than 750,000 Pennsylvanians who lawfully casted their vote and deserve to be heard. Counting every citizen’s legal, timely vote is imperative. As workers securely make progress on tallying the results, we must be patient. This process may take several days, but the integrity and sanctity of the vote in our state must be maintained. Last Fall, in a bipartisan showing, the Pennsylvania General Assembly agreed to allow for mail-in ballots. Since then, House Democrats have made many efforts to help clarify any confusion about the process and give local election boards the tools needed to securely and expeditiously process votes cast by mail. Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues chose political gamesmanship over a genuine effort to ensure a smooth election. Their inaction failed to allow for the early processing of ballots received – as 32 other states permit-- and, in turn, why there is a delay in knowing the outcome of this election. The ambiguity in the law did not address their local official’s concerns; nor does it protect every Pennsylvanian’s constitutional right to vote and our obligation to make sure those votes are counted. Now, more than ever, we must ensure that we uphold the freedoms guaranteed in our state and nation’s constitution. In these unprecedented times, the voters must have the final say, not the candidates or Read more
State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, is calling for additional funding to assist first responders and others working in essential and frontline jobs who were omitted from the hazard pay grants awarded by the Department of Community and Economic Development earlier this week. Read more
State Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna, announced today more than $104,000 was awarded to seven area school districts to enhance educational services for special education students who may be negatively impacted by pandemic mitigation measures. Read more
State Rep. Jeanne McNeill announced today that $947,864 in federal funding has been allocated to several area schools and Career and Technical Education centers in her district to assist with implementing public health and safety plans. Read more
State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, today announced that a $563,933 grant has been awarded to Catasauqua Borough from the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The borough will use the funding to construct new public streets and make improvements for pedestrian and bicyclists in and around the former Crane Iron Works brownfield site. Read more
The Whitehall Active Community Center was awarded a $10,038 grant, state Rep. Jeanne McNeill announced today. Read more
As the July Fourth holiday draws closer, so too do the calls and complaints to my office about fireworks activity. Read more
A new form of financial assistance for renters and homeowners financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will begin accepting applications July 6, state Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, announced today. Read more
State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, joined her colleagues in unanimous passage of S.B. 1122 to provide one-time crisis grants to each volunteer fire and emergency medical services company across the state to assist in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
TAYLOR, May 21 – State Rep. Bridget M. Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna, announced today she has joined others in asking Gov. Tom Wolf to allow curbside transactions for retail businesses still shuttered by the administration’s closure order, including those in Lackawanna County. Read more
A bill that would protect people working in Pennsylvania’s long-term care facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic has been introduced in the PA House, according to prime co-sponsor state Rep. Bridget M. Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna. Read more
TAYLOR, May 8 – State Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna, is encouraging area school districts to consider applying for funds to assist them in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Education submitted an application to the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Once the state’s application is approved, school districts will need to apply for the funding. “We’ve already observed the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our educational system, and, as we move forward, our schools will need the ability to properly face any additional challenges that come their way,” Kosierowski said. “Funding like this will aid our districts in ensuring quality education in a safe environment.” Locally, it is anticipated that school districts would receive the following funding: Abington Heights School District: $226,310 Carbondale Area School District: $629,788 Forrest City Regional School District: $187,215 Lakeland School District: $196,233 Mid Valley School District: $486,487 Old Forge School District: $186,968 Riverside School District: $323,316 The U.S. Department of Education is expected to approve the application within a week and is working on a streamlined application process to ensure Read more
– A bill co-sponsored by state Reps. Tarah Toohil, D-Luzerne, and Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, that would make resources available for children born to mothers who are at high risk for maternal depression has been approved by members of the House. Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 23 – State Rep. Marty Flynn, D-Lackawanna, said the Commonwealth Financing Authority today approved $644,000 in state gaming grants for important projects in portions of Lackawanna County he represents. “While the casinos have continued to provide thousands of jobs and helped the horse racing industry in Pennsylvania, an additional benefit is the local economic development dollars that are provided to host and adjacent counties,” Flynn said. Flynn said the grants include: $250,000 to the Scranton Enterprise Center to make renovations; $5,000 to Shalom Scranton/The Greenhouse Project for handicapped accessibility and HVAC improvements; $55,000 to the Scranton Police Department for the purchase of tasers; $20,000 for the restoration of the Scranton Transit Trolley Car No. 505 at the Electric City Trolley Museum; $30,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Scranton for facility improvements and ground renovations; $25,000 to the City of Scranton for the preparation of a pollution reduction plan for the separate storm sewer system; $24,000 to the Tripp Park Miss-E League for equipment; $60,000 to Heritage Valley Partners for improvements to the connector trail from the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail to downtown Scranton; $100,000 to Goodwill Industries of Northeastern Pennsylvania for the purchase of vehicles; $65,000 to the Lackawanna County Land Bank for the implementation of a Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 14 – State Reps. Peter Schweyer and Mike Schlossberg, both D-Lehigh, and Sen. Pat Browne, R-Lehigh, announced the approval of $353,500 in state grants to install street lights, improve sidewalks and ramps, and create a multi-use trail in Allentown. Allentown will receive $250,000 for a center city street lighting and ADA ramp installment project and $250,000 for the second phase of the American Parkway light project through the state's Multimodal Transportation Fund program. The city will also receive a $103,500 state grant to create a multi-use trail that would extend from Allentown’s Central Park to the Lehigh Parkway through the Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program. “I am pleased to work with Representatives Schweyer and Schlossberg to advocate for and secure funds to help defer some of these expensive costs municipalities have with critical infrastructure improvement projects,” said Browne, Senate majority Appropriations Committee chairman. “Projects such as these three are important to creating a healthy, safe and high quality of life standard here in Allentown.” The Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program grant will be used to create a 1-mile paved multi-use trail that would extend westward from Allentown’s Central Park, known as Auburn Cross Trails, to the Lehigh Parkway, creating a link between the city and regional trail networks. The funding will be used to develop a Read more
State Rep. Marty Flynn, D-Lackawanna, today announced he will host a House Democratic Policy Committee public hearing to discuss property taxes at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1 at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel, Ballroom, 700 Lackawanna Ave., Scranton. Read more
When state Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone, a Reading Democrat, thinks about kids with cancer, he thinks about two children in particular. Read more
WILKES-BARRE — State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski made the case that universal health care is a moral right at a packed public forum Tuesday night. Read more
SCRANTON, Aug. 8 – A staffer from state Rep. Marty Flynn's office will provide outreach assistance next week in South Abington Township. The visit will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Aug. 16 at the South Abington Township Building, 2nd floor meeting room, 104 Shady Lane Road, Chinchilla. The monthly outreach visits alternate on the third Wednesday of every month between South Abington Township and Clarks Green. Flynn's staff can help with Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program applications, PennDOT paperwork, unemployment compensation, workers' compensation, PACE/PACENET prescription-drug coverage, unclaimed property searches and any other state-related matter. His main office – in Jay's Commons, 409 N. Main Ave. – is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 570-342-4348. Next month’s visit will take place Sept. 20 at the Clarks Green Borough Building, 104 N. Abington Road. Read more
SCRANTON, Aug. 7 – Older residents with questions about Medicare or health insurance coverage should visit state Rep. Marty Flynn’s office during his monthly outreach next week. Flynn said an APPRISE counselor will be available from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Aug. 14 at his office – 409 N. Main Ave. in Jay's Commons – to help answer questions about Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap plans, Medicare drug plans, PACE/PACENET prescription-drug coverage and various low-income assistance programs, such as the Medicare Savings Program and Extra Help. Appointments are suggested by calling Flynn's office at 570-342-4348. The local APPRISE program is sponsored by the Voluntary Action Center and is funded by the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging. Read more
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