Teacher William Sax honored by the House of Representatives and City Council
Last week, I was so proud to be able to present an official award of recognition to William Sax of South Philadelphia High School. My Chief of Staff, along with state Rep. Jordan Harris and staff from Councilmember Isaiah Thomas’s office, were present to tour Mr. Sax’s Museum and grant him a Certificate of Recognition. Mr. Sax has made lifelong contributions to the education and enrichment of the city, including self-funding and managing the African American Museum at South Philadelphia High School, the only one of its kind in the city. Congratulations!
|
Sound the Alarm Event with American Red Cross and PFD
On Friday, May 2, the Red Cross worked with the Philadelphia Fire Department and community groups to send 150 volunteers to install over 500 smoke detectors in the district, free of charge. The event kicked off at Murphy Rec with Red Cross’ mascot Fred Cross.
|
Tree Restoration at Dickinson Square Park
Last weekend, Friends of Dickinson Square Park completed the final steps of their long-term restoration project, which received $11 million in state grants from the DCED. Arborists worked to preserve the health of older trees and crews pruned shrubs and took care of street trees.
|
Upcoming Events
- This Saturday! Free Shredding Event, Saturday, May 10 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at South Philadelphia High School. Limit of two bags per person and remove any staples, paper clips, or other such materials beforehand. Call my office at 215-271-9190 for more information.
- Love Your Park Week 2025 kicks of this weekend on May 10. This is an opportunity to support local parks with clean-up, landscaping, repairs, and more. Head to the Love Your Park website here to see what parks are hosting events: Mifflin Square, Dickinson Square, Columbus Square, and South Philly High School are all participating.
- The Italian Market Festival is coming up on May 17 and 18. Just outside of my district between Federal and Christian streets, this annual festival on South 9th Street celebrates the colorful and vibrant culture of this historic area.
|
Read about current and upcoming legislation I support!
HB1095 Eviction Sealing Bill
With Rep. Izzy Smith-Wade-El, I co-sponsored HB1095, which this week was approved in committee with bipartisan support! Anyone who’s gone on the hunt to rent a home knows how tough the application process can be. Many times, people are screened out of the housing application process automatically because of a past eviction record, even if their case was withdrawn. The Eviction Sealing Bill would limit access to eviction records in some cases, like no-fault evictions or evictions related to domestic violence. Everyone deserves a second chance, especially when it comes to something so important as putting a roof over the heads of their families and kids.
HB789 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
I voted yes on state Rep. Joe Ciresi’s HB789, which passed the PA House this week and is headed to the state Senate! This bill takes advantage of existing state programs to increase the number of EV charging stations. It's great to see smart, forward-thinking legislation like this, which shows that we can make Pa. greener and cleaner — without making everyday Pennsylvanians pick up the bill.
Update: HB1216 “Pay the Price You See” Bill approved by committee!
My bill, HB1216, would require platforms like ticketing, lodging, and food delivery to display the full, final price of their products — before consumers get to the final checkout page. I’m happy to report that the bill was approved in the House Consumer Protection, Utilities, and Technology committee with unanimous, bipartisan support! The bill will soon head to a vote in the full House.
|
The PA Primary Elections this year will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. You can use the resources available at the PA Department of State website to check your registration, find your polling place, request mail-in ballots, and more.
Job opportunities:
- The City of Philadelphia is hiring Fire Service Paramedics. Applicants must have current paramedic certification from any state. Apply by May 16 at www.work.phila.gov.
- Summer jobs for teens are available through tutoring organization Mighty Writers, who are partnering with Career Connecting Learning PHL (C2L-PHL). There are many opportunities for teens to work this summer from July 7 - Aug. 5, including as camp counselors and food distribution assistants. Contact an individual Mighty Writers location to get more information.
|
Here are some articles you may be interested in, from the district and from Harrisburg.
|
The 2024 Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is open until Dec. 31! This program provides a rebate ranging from $380 to $1,000 to eligible older adults and people with disabilities 18 and older. You can apply online or visit my office at 9th & Ritner for help with your application. Remember to bring your income information along with a rent certificate signed by your landlord or proof of property taxes paid.
|
Harrisburg Office
317 Irvis Office Building
P.O. Box 202184
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 787-5774
|
District Office
2400 South 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 271-9190
|
|