PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, state Rep. Joe McAndrew, D-Allegheny, and state Sen. Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, announced $648,625 in grant funding across the Municipalities of Penn Hills, Oakmont, Verona and Plum in Multimodal Transportation Fund grants and Statewide Local Share Account grant opportunities created through gaming revenue. “The safety of our constituents is vital, and I’m proud to help support a strong local economy,” said McAndrew. “I appreciate working with Senator Costa in supporting the region with these crucial funds.” “All of us deserve to travel safely on our streets and live in strong, sound communities,” said Costa. “The grant funding we are announcing today will ensure that our public spaces, nonprofits, streets, intersections and neighborhoods have the resources they need to repair what’s broken and expand what’s working. I’m so proud of all the awardees and look forward to seeing the fruits of their labor down the line.” Grants awarded locally included: Oakmont Volunteer Fire Department was awarded $100,000 for additional space for their fire department garage, construction of an addition to extend the length of the garage to house the new ladder fire engine. Municipality of Penn Hills was awarded $70,000 for design of the VOPP Segment 2 Milltown Park Trail extension located in Penn Hills, including hiring an engineer to complete the design, engineering, Read more
Will improve multiple projects across the community. Read more
Will improve pedestrian safety and make upgrades to roadways. Read more
Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative Aerion Abney are proud to announce $775,973 in grant funding within their legislative districts in Multimodal Transportation Fund Grants and Statewide Local Share Account Grants through the Commonwealth Financing Authority and Department of Economic and Community Development Read more
PITTSBURGH, March 16 – State Rep. Aerion A. Abney, D-Allegheny, announced today that nearly $920,000 in state Local Share Account grants is being awarded to multiple local organizations. “These grants are essential sustainment, infrastructure and, most importantly, personal investments in the people and communities I represent,” Abney said. “I’m incredibly thankful to Senator Wayne Fontana for his vital collaboration in securing these funds.” Beneficiaries of the grants are: Amachi Pittsburgh: $42,000 to purchase front and back door cameras with cloud-based monitoring, a keyless entry system, a video intercom system, and 14 locked storage cabinets. The Amachi office, located in the lower Hill District of Pittsburgh, offers programs and services to families impacted by parental incarceration. Bethlehem Haven: $425,000 to renovate a women's shelter located at 1410 Fifth Ave. by reconfiguring the living spaces so each of the 26 women can have their own independent living space in a single occupancy unit. City of Pittsburgh: $250,000 to install a solar energy system on the Fourth Division Maintenance Facility upon completion of a new building for the facility. Pittsburgh Housing Development Corp.: $200,000 to demolish six homes in three of PHDC's target investment neighborhoods. The demolition process is termed deconstruction due to the methods used, which include recovering, reusing and recycling Read more
“As a small business owner and borough council member, I've witnessed the challenges that people face when pursuing projects that would be beneficial for all, such as turning unused storefronts into locations for viable businesses,” Salisbury said. “Unfortunately, the process is often too burdensome and expensive for prospective local business owners to take on because it requires experienced lawyers to navigate all the complexities.” Read more
HARRISBURG, March 13 – State Rep. Emily Kinkead sent a letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro today requesting his support for state budget initiatives guaranteeing no child in the Pennsylvania public school system will go hungry during the time they are supposed to be learning. “The federal pandemic programs guaranteeing free breakfast and lunch in schools over the past three years demonstrated the immense benefits of providing free school meals,” said Kinkead. “Why stop now? Learning minds require nutrition whether a pandemic is happening or not. We have the money, and we know it benefits both educators and students in our schools. This is a real opportunity to permanently improve all Pennsylvania schools and it would be foolish not to pursue it.” In the letter, Kinkead thanked Shapiro for highlighting food insecurity in his budget address but was adamant she believes his proposal does not go far enough to address child hunger. Most notably, where Shapiro included free breakfast in his budget proposal, she is requesting an estimated $275 million be added to the state budget to provide universal free school meals – breakfast and lunch – to all K-12 students in Pennsylvania public schools. She is also requesting an additional $30 million increase to the state’s supplement for the community eligibility programs and $25 million to be used to retire student lunch debt across the Commonwealth. “Altogether, this request Read more
State Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, announced today that he has been appointed to three Pennsylvania House standing committees – Health, Insurance and Professional Licensure – for the 2023-24 legislative session. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 7 – Rep. Dan Deasy, D-Allegheny, said he is honored to be appointed the majority chair of the House Liquor Control Committee for the 2023-24 legislative session. The Liquor Control Committee handles legislation dealing with the manufacturing and sale of alcohol in the state through Pennsylvania’s Liquor Code. It also oversees the operations of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, as well as liquor enforcement, which is handled by the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement within the Pennsylvania State Police. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the majority chairman of this committee,” Deasy said. “In this new role, I remain committed to looking for ways to help small businesses that are still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I will also fight to preserve the family-sustaining jobs of 3,500 state store workers previously threatened by efforts to privatize the state’s liquor system.” Deasy has served as the minority chair of the Liquor Control Committee since 2019. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 7 – Rep. Anita Kulik, D-Allegheny, announced today her appointment as majority chair of the House Game and Fisheries Committee for the 2023-24 legislative session. “Pennsylvania is a haven for hunters and anglers with its robust and vibrant natural resources,” Kulik said. “It is an honor and privilege to be chair of a committee that prides itself on furthering legislation that focuses on continued stewardship of Pennsylvania’s wildlife and outdoor resources, while also enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities for current and future generations.” The House Game and Fisheries Committee works with the state Game and Fish and Boat commissions, which are both independent entities that are largely self-funded by license purchases and fees, to review bills that ensure the interests of hunters and anglers are well represented. “Sportsmen and women have long heard the call of the outdoors here in Pennsylvania, and as chair of this committee, I will work to honor their voices when it comes to hunting, fishing and wildlife-related issues and policies implemented by the Game Commission and the Fish and Boat Commission.” Kulik has served on the Game and Fisheries Committee since 2019. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 8 – State Rep. Aerion A. Abney, D-Allegheny, has been named to the PA House Appropriations Committee . “I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve on such an influential committee. Our state budget, like any budget, is a statement of priorities,” Abney said. “I look forward to prioritizing the needs of my constituents and all residents of the Commonwealth to produce a budget that works for everyone.” Abney will chair the body’s Health and Human Services Subcommittee and joins his House Democratic colleagues State Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, Manuel Guzman Jr., Emily Kinkead, Napoleon Nelson and Benjamin Sanchez who will chair the Education, Economy/Infrastructure, Fiscal, Criminal Justice and Government/Financial Oversight subcommittees, respectively. State Rep. Regina Young will serve as the committee’s secretary; State Rep. Kyle Mullins was appointed vice chair and State Rep. Jordan Harris will chair the committee. Read more
Says budget addresses many pressing issues across Pennsylvania Read more
Says access to health care, lowering costs are key issues in years ahead Read more
Legislation would prohibit registered sexually violent predators from residing within 2,500 feet of a public school, private school, parochial school, pre-school, or childcare facility. Read more
Leadership role comes amid historic change in House leadership Read more
PITTSBURGH, March 1 – The Biden-Harris administration has awarded $23.5 million to support construction of a new terminal currently underway at the Pittsburgh International Airport, members of the state House Allegheny County Democratic Delegation announced today. “In recent months, Americans have experienced unacceptable levels of delays and interruptions at airports across the country,” said state Rep. Nick Pisciottano, the delegation chair. “This new terminal will expand the capabilities of Pittsburgh International and contribute to our region’s reputation as a national leader in transportation and infrastructure. Building and maintaining robust transportation infrastructure throughout southwestern Pennsylvania will require effort and dedication from all levels of government and I thank President Biden for his support at the federal level.” Pisciottano specified the project will add a 700,000-square-foot landside terminal, which includes a new baggage handling system, elevators and escalators. He added that, when the terminal is complete, improvements to security screening and baggage checking will greatly enhance the experience of all travelers passing through the airport. Construction crews broke ground on the project in October 2021. The total cost of the airport project is estimated to be $1.4 billion and to be completed in 2025. An interactive map showing the nearly $1 billion awarded to 99 airports of all shapes Read more
Bill would require insurance, programs to cover inspections and well visits Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 27 – State Rep. Emily Kinkead, D-Allegheny, called for increasing outreach and expanding public food resources at a legislative lunch and learn hosted by the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Coalition at the state Capitol today. “Inflating food prices over the past year, coupled with the end of federal pandemic programs, will be devastating for many low-income families in the Commonwealth,” said Kinkead. “Whether it’s connecting people to community food banks or state programs like the Senior Food Box, we need to do more to ensure food insecure Pennsylvanians can pay their grocery bills and access adequate nutrition.” According to the PHAC, more than 300,000 Pennsylvania seniors are eligible for the existing Pennsylvania Senior Food Box , but only about 35,000 are enrolled to receive it this year. Kinkead said spreading awareness about the underutilized program could be one way to provide relief to the many Pennsylvanians heading toward a “hunger cliff.” Kinkead emphasized more than 1.8 million Pennsylvanians are enrolled in SNAP and that beneficiary households are expected to receive about $180 less per month, expressing concern that existing programs and resources may be overwhelmed by the increased demand. “Hunger doesn’t always look like a person holding a cardboard sign; it often looks like a parent working full-time on minimum wage or a young student becoming disruptive in class because they Read more
New state funding of $750,000 to the Northland Public Library Authority in McCandless will help rehabilitate parts of the structure providing more safety to people who visit, state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, announced today. Read more
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 24 – A state grant of $750,000 has been awarded to Northland Public Library Authority, which serves residents of the 20th Legislative District, state Rep. Emily Kinkead announced today. “Libraries make knowledge accessible to everyone,” said Kinkead. “Because they are free to access, they grant low-income families in every community entry to a wealth of educational resources, as well as tools to access government programs and apply for jobs. Tax dollars invested in public libraries pay dividends by expanding opportunities for everyone, and I will continue advocating for investments from the state to help our libraries grow so that they can continue to help our communities thrive.” The grants pay up to 50% of eligible costs in planning, acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of public libraries. Examples of fundable projects include but are not limited to: ADA upgrades, roof improvements, replacement windows, energy efficient upgrades to HVAC systems, facility expansion and new construction. More than $4 million was awarded to 21 public libraries across the state through this round of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities. Read more
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