Dear Neighbor,

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Budget Update

Over two weeks ago, the House of Representatives sent a finalized budget bill to the Senate. This was a plan that reflects genuine compromise by cutting a BILLION dollars off the governor’s proposal while still paying for the things we really need. 

Instead of voting on this plan or at least propose an alternative or compromise budget, the Senate majority recessed and went back home without scheduling any further session days to work on and pass this budget. They are currently scheduled to be back in session in September, although Senate Leadership could call them back sooner.

My colleagues and I in the House are ready to pass a compromise budget, but we need the State Senate to participate in negotiations in order to get there. I’ll continue to keep you posted in this weekly e-newsletter.

This story from City and State gives a succinct summary of where things stand right now: What we now know – and don’t know – about the Pennsylvania budget - City & State Pennsylvania.

Protecting Your Wallet, Cutting Your Costs

While the federal government continues to make life harder for Pennsylvanians with up and down, come and go tariffs – prices on everything from basic groceries to automobiles and construction materials are creeping up and up.

I would like to let you know about some legislative bills I delivered to make life easier for you and your family’s bills.

You shouldn’t have to struggle to buy a home, so I made sure you can lower your interest rates and avoid scams when you sign real estate agreements to get your piece of the American Dream here in Lackawanna County. I also protected seniors by requiring face-to-face counseling with an approved financial counselor before signing a reverse mortgage.

The cost of living is already high enough and I’m protecting YOUR wallet from sneaky fees and subscriptions that start to add up.

I voted to ban junk fees on concert tickets so that you only pay the price you see, banning “speculative ticketing” - a practice that allows unofficial ticket sellers to list tickets for sale that they don’t even have - and cap ticket resales at no more than 5% of the original ticket price.

I also voted to make it easier for you to cancel subscriptions and memberships as well as clearly opting IN to a service rather than having to opt OUT – these quiet automatic renewals and subscription services can add up and cause additional strain on bank accounts and credit cards.

I also voted to tell banks those outrageous overdraft fees must end -- capping your overdraft fees at $15 or the actual cost of processing your transaction – whichever is lower.

And lastly – you shouldn’t go broke just because you get sick or injured. I voted to make sure YOU are informed about financial assistance available to avoid massive amounts of medical debt.

All of these bills are in the State Senate awaiting action – please, contact YOUR senator and ask them to stand up for our working families.

Want to know more? Visit www.pahouse.com/deliveringforpa

Make Your Voice Heard

The last day to register to vote in the municipal election is October 20!

Voting takes place on November 4.  If you need to update your voter registration, apply for a mail in-ballot or see where you vote, you can visit here.

Pennsylvania State Capitol
527-E Main Capitol Building

PO Box 202114

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-4874

District Office

277 Scranton Carbondale Highway

(across from the Viewmont Mall)

Scranton, PA 18508-1111
(570) 562-2350