Youth athletic fields get AEDs; School year begins without a state budget

Rep. Danielle Friel Otten August 22, 2025 | 3:22 PM

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Dear Neighbor,

My team and I had a great time at Uwchlan Township Community Day last Saturday, speaking with neighbors about the issues on their minds and sharing information about the services my district office can offer.

A big highlight of the day was meeting the student volunteers and youth CPR instructors from Aidan’s Heart Foundation and joining them on stage to announce the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at all nine Lionville Youth Association parks.

In the fall of 2024, I was excited to help secure grant funding for Aidan’s Heart Foundation through the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Today, we are seeing that funding in action, as it has enabled Aidan’s Heart to purchase AEDs and weather-proof cabinets to get AEDs onto our youth athletic fields. The grant has also provided funds for training and certification for nine young adults in the community to become CPR Instructors who will in turn now lead CPR certification courses over the next two years here in Chester County, providing multiple opportunities for community members to be trained in CPR.

Thank you to Aidan’s Heart Foundation for all the work you do in our community. You are making a difference!

Still no budget as students and teachers head back to school

This upcoming Monday is the first day of school for students in the Coatesville Area and Downingtown Area School Districts and many other districts across the state, yet we still have no state budget.

When the Senate came back to Harrisburg for a few short hours last week—seven weeks past the state budget deadline—the budget bill they passed demonstrated their lack of seriousness about their work. Instead of taking up any of the budget proposals that the House has sent them—including proposals passed on bipartisan votes—they passed their own budget bill that fails to invest in mass transit, roads, hospitals, childcare, or human services, or meet our constitutional obligation to fully fund schools. Instead of coming to the table to negotiate a budget in good faith, they advanced a bill that that they knew had no chance of gaining the support of the House or the governor.

My soon-to-be fourth grader understands that you can’t show up on the first day of school in fourth grade and turn in the same third-grade summer work packet you handed in last year. And yet that’s exactly what Senate leadership is trying to do. The Senate budget proposal, delivered nearly two months after the June 30 budget deadline, is the equivalent of trying to turn in last year’s homework assignment, two months too late.

With the cost of essentials such as electricity, insurance, maintenance services, construction materials, and transportation all skyrocketing, the Senate’s proposal for flat funding is effectively a funding cut for our schools, counties, human services, roads, first responders, transportation systems, and other critical state programs, as last year’s dollars will fund significantly less of this year’s needs.

Senate Republicans continue to demonstrate that they are the party of posturing, not progress. With more than $11 billion still sitting unallocated in state coffers, the Senate is failing to invest in our commonwealth and blocking every House proposal and bipartisan attempt at compromise. Make that make sense! These are your tax dollars, sitting idle while our schools, roads, and bridges are in disrepair; our families struggle to afford childcare, utility bills, medical expenses, and groceries; our seniors are struggling with rising property taxes as the state fails to contribute its fair share of school funding; and transit agencies statewide—the lifeblood of our economies and a lifeline for commuters, healthcare systems, and small businesses—are about to be decimated.

While the argument over transit funding has largely been portrayed as an urban versus rural divide, the fact is that both the transit impasse and the failure to pass a timely budget will have real and devastating consequences for Pennsylvanians in every county, whether urban, suburban, or rural.

Please continue to contact Senate leadership and urge them to do their jobs and come back to the table to negotiate in good faith for a budget that invests in Pennsylvania.

Glenmoore Eagle Little League Run to LLWS

For the past two weeks, it has seemed as if the eyes of the world have been following a baseball team from Southeastern Pennsylvania – and no, I’m not talking about the Phillies. We’re talking about our very own Glenmoore Eagle Little League team, who captured hearts across the country with their remarkable run to the Little League World Series.

This group of young athletes showed incredible grit, determination, and sportsmanship on the national stage and unified a community in a way only sports can. They didn’t just play baseball, they inspired us all with their passion, teamwork, and unshakeable belief in one another.

From the quiet fields of Chester County to the spotlight of Williamsport, this team has proven that anything is possible with enough hard work and a whole lot of heart. While they may only be 10–12-year-olds, they’ve written a story that our community will be telling for years to come and serve as an inspiration for every young athlete from central Chester County. (And who could forget that one sensational catch?!)

Congratulations to the Glenmoore Eagles – your run to the Little League World Series was nothing short of inspiring and we could not be prouder!

Public Comment Opportunity: Cost Changes for Pennie Enrollees Coming in 2026

Since 2021, the federal government has provided enhanced tax credits to make health insurance more affordable for Pennie enrollees. The federal budget bill (that is, the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill”) failed to extend these tax credits, so they will expire on December 31, unless Congress votes to extend them. As a result, insurance carriers offering plans through Pennie are proposing, on average, a 19% increase to premiums for individuals and a 13% increase to premiums for small businesses and groups in 2026.

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department is set to review the proposals and make final approvals this fall. Consumers are encouraged to submit public comment on these proposed premium increases to ra-rateform@pa.gov. The deadline is September 2.

Read more here.

Review each carrier’s proposed rate increase here.

Best Wishes for the Upcoming School Year!

It’s hard to believe that another summer has come and gone. For many of my younger constituents, that means it’s time to get ready to head back to school. I know we’re sad to see summer come to an end in the Otten household, but we are also very excited to meet our new teachers and rejoin our friends in the classroom.

With students across the 155th Legislative District returning to school or college classes on Monday, I want to extend my best wishes to all students, families, teachers, staff, bus drivers, and administrators for a safe, healthy, and successful school year.

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback on any legislative or state-related issue, please contact my district office at repotten@pahouse.net.

Lionville Park & Rossi Park Master Plan Community Survey

Exciting things are in the works in Uwchlan Township!

Uwchlan Township is currently working on a master plan for improvements to Lionville Park and the creation of a brand-new park at the former Rossi Property - and they want to hear from you!

The survey is short & simple and will help shape the future of Lionville Park and Rossi Park.

Take the survey here.

2025 Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Deadline Extended

The deadline to file Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications, for rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2024, has been extended to December 31, 2025. The state will begin to issue rebate checks on July 1, so the sooner you file, the sooner you will receive your rebate if eligible!

Thanks to changes passed in 2023, more people are eligible, with income limits adjusted to keep pace with Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program has made it easier for seniors in Chester County to stay in their homes and afford groceries, medicine, and so much more.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians ages 65 and older, widows and widowers ages 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older.

Please call or stop by my office to find out if you’re eligible and get assistance applying for your rebate. We’d be glad to answer any questions and set up an appointment to help you complete your application online!

For those who prefer to file by mail, paper applications will be available in my office soon, and we will update here when they come in.

SEPTA Senior Key Cards and Card Renewals

If you have a SEPTA Senior Key Card that has expired or will expire within the next month, we can renew it in our district office. To renew your card before it expires, please stop by my district office, or call us to make an appointment.

My office can also process applications and take photos for new SEPTA Senior Key ID Cards, which allow seniors 65 and older to travel for free on all SEPTA Regional Rail and transit routes within Pennsylvania. Just stop by my district office and bring a form of ID with your date of birth on it, such as a PA driver’s license or non-driver ID, U.S. passport, or birth certificate. We’ll enter your information into SEPTA’s online system, take a quick photo, and then SEPTA will mail your new card to you directly.

2-1-1 Southeastern Pennsylvania: Health and Human Services

211 SEPA is part of the national 211 Call Centers initiative that seeks to provide health and human services for everyday needs and those in crisis situations.

2-1-1 works with county governments and provider agencies to ensure important local program information is easily accessible.

Visit 211sepa.org for more information.

Mental Health Resources: Call 9-8-8

Chester County residents experiencing mental-health-related crisis or distress can dial 9-8-8 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.?This system is designed to be a memorable and quick number that connects people in crisis to a trained mental health professional.

Chester County offers additional resources for those in crisis, including Chester County’s warm line, 1-866-846-2722, operated by Certified Peer Specialists, who are individuals in recovery with a lived experience of mental health challenges.

Chester County’s Teen Talk Line ensures seamless referral to Mobile Crisis for youth in need of immediate or higher-level support. The call line is 855-852-TEEN (8336), and the text line is 484-362-9515.

Visit the?Department of Human Services website for more information about the 988 system and other state and local mental health resources.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, please don’t give up hope, and please know that you do not need to walk this path alone. We are here and we will do whatever we can to help.

My staff and I are here to help make state government work better for you! For assistance with the above programs or any other state-related services, please email?repotten@pahouse.net, call 484-200-8259, contact us through my website, or visit my district office in Exton and let us know how we can help!

Sincerely,