It was a whirlwind this past weekend as we reached a final budget. While slightly late this year and missing a lot of what House Democrats have been working toward, the budget includes wins that greatly benefit Philadelphia.

We made the third consecutive down payment on our equitable funding formula, making sure that underfunded school districts like Philadelphia’s receive more money to address years of lacking investments. This money is not just for basic and special education, but also money for facilities. As a member of the Basic Education Funding Commission, this was my number one priority. We also addressed more cyber charter school reforms that will help our school districts realize more savings and accountability.

Other wins in this budget include retention bonuses for childcare workers, student-teacher stipends, and a nursing shortage assistance fund. All of these were areas where we needed to do more to address workforce shortages. While I would have liked more affordability issues addressed, we provided more affordable housing grants, as well as a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retired police, fire and teachers. These public servants haven’t received a COLA in 25 years. We also helped build better communities by investing in proven violence prevention programs.

Unfortunately, agreements couldn’t be reached on court-ordered sentencing guidelines, regulations for now illegal “skill games” or legalization of marijuana. Hopefully, we can get agreements on these outstanding issues in the fall. Also left on the table was the topic of data centers and how to address the issues surrounding them. We required them to begin reporting their energy and usage, but we need to do more to protect communities and our environment as they are built throughout the Commonwealth.

While I would have liked to get all these issues addressed and deal with our structural deficit, it was more important to get a budget in place and not cause the harm we all saw a late budget inflict last year.

I look forward to seeing you around the district this summer, and please keep safe in this heat!

Sincerely,

This week, panels detailing the lives of nine enslaved people at the President’s House were removed overnight, replaced with new displays that omit the true history of the location. I completely oppose the whitewashing of history, and that includes opposing the decision of the Trump Administration to remove these panels. Tourists and residents alike should be able to learn about our shared history, both good and bad.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has officially reversed course on text messaging to notify drivers about unpaid tolls; deciding to shelve its pilot program after I and others raised concerns.

My colleagues in the House heard my concerns about the confusion this program would have caused, passing my House Bill 2551 that would prohibit these messages from the Turnpike Commission and other state agencies. I’m happy that the Turnpike Commission won’t be subjecting residents to confusing texts that are easily replicable by scammers, and I urge the Senate to act on my bill for the good of the Commonwealth.

A very happy 100th birthday to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge! For the past 100 years, the bridge has served as a vital link between Philadelphia and New Jersey. Last weekend, the bridge was closed to vehicle traffic, allowing pedestrians to walk across the main traffic lanes.

A hidden gem in Queen Village is the Southwark/Queen Village Community Garden, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary! In 1976, the community garden committee of the Queen Village Neighbors Association began turning the vacant lot at 311-33 Christian Street (formerly the Henry Berk Elementary School) into a garden, as part of the neighborhood’s celebration of the Bicentennial.

Back for his second year with my office, my summer intern Evan Bisch took a tour of the Capitol Building in Harrisburg this week. I’m always happy to see my staff take advantage of these opportunities to learn more about how the Commonwealth’s government operates. If you’ve never been to the Capitol, I’d highly recommend booking a guided tour on the Capitol website and immersing yourself in Pennsylvania history.

District Office

610 North Second Street

Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 503-3245

Pennsylvania State Capitol
300 Main Capitol Building

P.O. Box 202175

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-8098