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, May 4 – During a hearing today, lawmakers explored the impact of the auditor general’s closing of its School Audit Bureau, which laid off employees, and unilaterally decided school compliance audits would no longer happen in Pennsylvania. Read more
Ciresi Spring 2022 NL Read more
HARRISBURG, April 27 – A longtime advocate for transportation improvements in southeastern Pennsylvania, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, is applauding recent unanimous votes by the boards of commissioners in Chester, Berks and Montgomery counties to form the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority, which is an important next step in restoring passenger train service between Philadelphia and Reading, including Pottstown. The Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority will be the regional coordinating body between Berks, Chester, and Montgomery counties for the restoration of train service through the execution of contracts, selection of a service operator, and seeking and obtaining state and federal funding. “Bringing the train back to Pottstown has long been a top priority of mine because it would help unlock far-reaching economic and social benefits for our region,” Ciresi said. “With the approval of this rail authority, we get closer to this goal, which will benefit our region economically and socially. Restoring the ‘Reading Railroad’ of Monopoly fame would increase economic development, support downtown revitalization efforts, relieve traffic congestion, provide access to a range of cultural/educational/dining venues throughout the region, create job opportunities, boost property values, provide new transportation options, and attract young professionals and families to relocate in our communities.” According to a Read more
“Aging and collapsing stormwater arches in Pottstown are a top priority of mine and key to Pottstown's continued economic revitalization," Ciresi said. "I am glad to see this state funding awarded, and I will continue to fight for investment in this pressing and vitally important infrastructure need." 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
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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
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