Did you know that thanks to the school funding my House Democratic colleagues and I fought to include in the current state budget, homeowners in Stroudsburg School District will see a reduction in their school taxes? (See the news story here or at the above image.) We’re also working with Gov. Josh Shapiro to include additional funding again for the 2025-26 school year, because homeowners in Monroe and Pike counties have been paying the highest local share of property taxes of all 500 school districts for too many years. It’s past time for the state to step up.

For years, cyber charter schools have been playing by a different set of rules and financially draining our public education system, particularly here in Monroe and Pike counties. I joined my PA House colleagues in voting to pass a bill that would bring needed accountability to cyber charter schools across the state, saving taxpayers more than a half billion dollars every year.

The bill would set limits on the amount of taxpayer dollars charters can hoard, preventing cybers from offering gifts and vacations to parents to enroll their kids, and putting low-performing schools on notice. It also would make sure the money spent on cyber charters is spent to educate our kids, puts an end to nine-figure slush funds, and makes sure YOU have a say about how cybers do business.

Please, tell your state Senator to fight for you and pass the Cyber Charter Reform Act.

The PA Department of Environmental Protection received a permit request from PennDOT for the I-80 expansion project in Stroud Township. They are requesting permission to fill wetlands, build a bridge, install or replace stormwater outfalls, and fill in floodways near tributaries to Pocono Creek,

The permit ran in the PA Bulletin on Saturday, June 7, triggering a 30-day public comment period. With past non-compliance and the scope of the I-80 expansion project, I am insisting on a public hearing ASAP! Our community deserves a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement to fully assess potential environmental risks of this $935 million, 3.5-mile project.

Major concerns include stormwater runoff and erosion, increased flood risk, loss of forested wetlands, construction disruption, erosion and sedimentation runoff risks to Appenzell Creek and McMichael Creek, wetland mitigation being done in a different county 150 miles away, stormwater overload risks that could lead to potential flash flooding, risks to our excellent water quality, and more.

You can see the permit language by going to this link and searching for “wetlands” in Monroe County -- Pennsylvania Bulletin 

Public comments should be sent to RA-EPWW-NERO@pa.gov, and copy Pam Kania (pkania@pa.gov), Program Manager for the DEP NERO Waterways & Wetlands Program. Note that the email must mention the permit number for the project, ideally in the subject line of the email. Comments must be received within 30 days of the bulletin notice. The permit number for the project is E4502125-001. This is a Chapter 102 Water Obstruction and Encroachment Permit.

Please follow the instructions to make your comments and let your voice be heard. You may also call my office for help making a comment.

We are specifically seeking comments that pertain to stormwater management, runoff, flooding and are water related. We’d love to hear from hydrologists, stormwater management professionals, environmentalists and others who work with waterways (including streams, rivers, wetlands, lakes, ponds and floodplains) and call our community home.

This is your chance to voice your opinion! Tell PennDOT and DEP that Stroud Township, Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg and Monroe County want the right project that fits our area!

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides help when people need it most. The problem is -- many people don't know it exists. That's why I'm working to create a public awareness campaign to ensure everyone is aware of this life-saving resource. Read more about my proposal here.

The Pike County Career Center is gearing up for another session of its Summer Youth Employment and Training Program. The federally funded county program is intended to provide job readiness training and competitive wages to Pike County youth aged 14 to 24. For more information, call 570-296-2909 or check here.

The annual Women’s Expo is coming up next week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 21 at the Stroudsburg High School Cafeteria. I look forward to seeing many of you there as we explore all of the resources that are available to help you live a better life.

My House Democratic colleagues and I continue to pass important bills that will help our neighbors and improve our communities:

We’re ensuring access to affordable health care by requiring health insurance coverage for contraceptives (HB 1140).

We’re protecting consumers by banning “speculative ticketing,” a practice that allows unofficial sellers to list tickets for sale even though they do not actually possess – and may never have - those tickets (HB 463).

We’re supporting seniors and individuals with disabilities who qualify for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program by permitting these rebate payments to be issued at any time after an application is filed and approved by the PA Department of Revenue instead of having to wait until July 1 or later to receive their rebates (HB 1072).

My staff is here to help you with a wide range of state services, from filing for a Property Tax/Rent Rebate to obtaining a disability placard – to name just a few. We also have weekly satellite hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Lehman Township and Delaware Township. Don’t hesitate to contact us at 570-420-2850 or stop by the office at 18 S. 9th St. in Stroudsburg.

Congratulations to Matthew Rivera of Boy Scout Troop 83 for earning his Eagle Scout! All of your hard work paid off and we are all very proud of you.

We had a great turnout for our shredding event in Saw Creek.

District Office

18 South 9th Street, Suite 105
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
(570) 420-2850

Pennsylvania State Capitol

5-A East Wing  Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 772-1421