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Dear Neighbor,
I hope everyone’s holiday weekend was filled with family, friends, love, and reflection. Regan and I were thrilled to have our kids here to celebrate Easter and the start of spring.
April has arrived with a lot packed into it, both good and bad. It’s Earth Month, trout season opened on Saturday, and the world beyond our borders feels more uncertain than ever—with U.S. and Israeli forces engaged in military conflict in Iran and Lebanon, and with no clear objectives or endgame in sight. I can’t pretend that’s not heavy. It is.
But I’ve also been thinking a lot about what steadies me when the news feels overwhelming, and the answer is almost always the same: I take a break and go outside. Pennsylvania in April is hard to beat—beautiful fly-fishing streams, winding trails through Rothrock, and dozens of inviting bike and walking paths that can drop you off at a coffee shop or brewery. Action alleviates anxiety, and there’s something about moving through a place you love that helps restore what the news cycle depletes.
So, here’s my ask: Call your representatives in Washington—demand the congressional oversight and checks and balances that this moment requires—but then set down your phone and take a breath of spring air. Both things matter. Both things are worth doing.
There’s no shortage of ways to get involved locally this month. Snow Shoe Township is holding a road cleanup tomorrow, Saturday the 11th, and Clearwater Conservancy’s Watershed Cleanup Day is next Saturday, April 18. Check with your local township for even more opportunities and reach out to us if you need an introduction. Come out if you can and get involved in some cleanups this Earth Month!
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State College Area Connector Project Update
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One of the issues I hear about most often is the proposed expansion of Route 322. Through April 20th, PennDOT is receiving public comment on their Draft Environmental Impact Study.
Just this week, they hosted a public hearing to integrate feedback into the plan. If you couldn’t make it, online comments are still open at PennDOT.pa.gov/SCAC or you can send a letter to: PennDOT Engineering District 2-0, 70 PennDOT Drive, Clearfield, PA 16830 Attn: Eric Murnyack.
Now is the time to make your voice heard before final decisions are made. You can find the current proposed plans here!
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She Rules: A Professional Women’s Panel
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Our amazing intern, Miranda, has returned to my office for her final semester at Penn State. Her capstone project this semester is to organize a panel of brilliant women who are leaders in traditionally “male-dominated” fields.
We’ll hear about what they’ve learned and their advice for the next generation of leaders. We’ll be meeting in Schlow Library’s Community Room on Wednesday, April 15, and we’ll be collecting donations for Centre Safe. More details, including the most in-demand donations, are in the flyer above!
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On April 21, my office is partnering with the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority to bring our mobile shredding event to Milesburg! This is the week after Tax Day, and you’ll likely have plenty of paperwork with sensitive personal information on hand. Properly disposing of these documents is key to protecting your information from identity theft.
We’re also accepting shelf-stable food donations as a part of the YMCA’s Military Share food drive, to help provide food and support to those who have served our country.
Check out the flyer above for more details and please help spread the word!
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PA House Democrats Pass Bill to Fight Rising Utility Costs
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Over the last few months, many of you have reached out to me and my office about rising energy costs and the strain they’re putting on your household budgets. I take those concerns seriously—and I’m proud to share that PA House Democrats recently took action to begin delivering some relief. In March, the PA House passed H.B. 1834, a major step forward in protecting Pennsylvania families from higher utility bills as data centers continue to expand in our state. I voted for this bill because it puts consumers first. It ensures that large corporations and high-volume energy users, not families or small businesses, pay the full cost of the additional energy and infrastructure they require, preventing those expenses from being passed on to you. This is a big step forward for energy affordability and for putting Pennsylvania families first.
In addition, next week we plan to advance further legislation to empower local municipalities that are on the front lines of protecting our environment, public safety, and quality of life in the communities they serve. These bills are now in, or will soon move to, the PA Senate—please contact your state senator today and urge them to take action to lower costs and deliver real relief for our communities.
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State College Community Land Trust 30th Anniversary
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Last week, I was honored to attend the State College Community Land Trust’s (SCCLT) 30th Anniversary Celebration and present them with a citation from the PA House of Representatives. Affordable housing is one of the most urgent and important issues here in Centre County and across Pennsylvania.
Over the past three decades, SCCLT has done an incredible job helping more than 80 low- and moderate-income individuals and families purchase their first homes right here in our community. I was very proud to help celebrate this milestone anniversary and recognize their outstanding work.
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More of What We’ve Been Up To!
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It's been a full and rewarding start to the month for me and my team — check out a few photos from all of it below!
We kicked things off on April 2 at Kitchen Witch in Howard, where more than a dozen neighbors stopped by for good conversation and even better baked goods. It was a relaxed opportunity to hear directly about what matters most to you and your community.
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I then had the opportunity to attend the annual PA Farm Bureau Legislative Luncheon in Harrisburg, followed by the Centre County Farm Bureau’s Spring Dinner in Spring Mills. It’s truly an honor to represent and support the people who work tirelessly to provide us with nutritious food, clothing, and so much more.
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On Tuesday, I joined fellow state and federal elected officials at the annual Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County (CBICC) Legislative Breakfast. I shared updates on priorities and progress related to the state budget and strategic economic development initiatives, along with the latest on Rockview and other local issues.
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Later that day, despite an untimely and unfortunate power outage, our team “powered through” a Pop-Up Office in Unionville—helping residents with reduced car registrations, Property Tax & Rent Rebate claims, and much more. We’ll be back in Unionville this summer, so stay tuned!
Meanwhile, I had the joy of reading to second graders at Wingate Elementary, celebrating our public schools and the school libraries that bring stories to life for kids every day.
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That evening, I participated in a panel discussion of Screenagers: Growing Up in a Digital Age. The event was held in partnership with the State College Area School District and the Jana Marie Foundation and focused on the negative impacts of unlimited screen time and social media, as well as healthy digital habits for adolescent health and well-being.
The following day, I hosted my twice-annual Talk with Takac on campus—a chance to connect with students, share how our office can support them, and hear firsthand what issues our youngest voters are thinking about.
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And yesterday, we wrapped up the week with an Unclaimed Property event in partnership with the Pennsylvania Treasury at Centre Care, where we helped locate more than $129,000 in unclaimed money for our neighbors, local businesses, and organizations! Couldn’t make it to the event? Call us at 814-308-0569 and we’ll help you search for and claim what’s yours.
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Keep an eye out to see what’s coming next as we enter into the warmer months!
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PA State of the Woman Survey
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Upcoming Public Meeting Related to PA Climate Action Planning
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The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be hosting a series of in-person public conversations related to Pennsylvania’s Climate Action Plan, with the first session taking place in State College next week. The event will be held on Tuesday, April 14 at 12 p.m. at Schlow Library.
The sessions are designed to give DEP the opportunity to listen to community perspectives on climate hazards, long-term Climate Action Plan implementation, and local priorities, and to share available state resources. Registration for the event can be found here.
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As always, thank you for your continued trust and support. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email us at RepTakac@pahouse.net or call our office at 814-308-0569.
And please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky to find out more about what we’re up to and our upcoming events in the community!
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District Office
216 W. Hamilton Ave.
State College, PA 16801
(814) 308-0569
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Pennsylvania State Capitol
103-B East Wing
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 772-0750
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