Happy Thanksgiving!

(Nov 25, 2020)

Normally, each year on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving I work with friends, neighbors and partners to host a community Thanksgiving dinner at Calvary Christian Church at Large and the Boulevard. It's always one of my favorite nights of the year - the food - provided by my friend Said from Peace Islands PA - is delicious and the room buzzes with conversation and conviviality. I will be missing this annual ritual immensely this year. It has been a year of trials and tribulations. From the pandemic, to civil unrest, to a contentious election and more, our community and our spirit has been tested. But when I think of all the ways the people of my district have stepped up to meet the challenges we've faced, I realize how much I have to be thankful for. I think of my friends in Lawncrest who organized a weekly food giveaway to families facing food insecurity. I think of business owners like Matt from Nick's Roast Beef and Orlando from Tio Pepes who gave out free meals even though their own restaurants and staff faced ever shifting rules, regulations, and restrictions. I think of Val who offered to volunteer in my office to call people on their birthday to make sure no one felt alone. I think of the childcare workers and teachers, the senior home aides and SEPTA drivers, the doctors and nurses and so many more frontline workers who risked everything to serve others. When I sit down with my wife for a pared-down Thanksgiving tomorrow, while we will miss Read more

 

Solomon and Community Leaders team up to give out Thanksgiving Turkeys to local families

(Nov 23, 2020)

With the generosity of Peace Islands Institute Pennsylvania and local businessman Tommy Liu, we donated 300 turkeys this morning to families across our district. Northeast High School , Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association , William H. Ziegler Elementary School , and Calvary Chrisitan Church -- our vital community partners -- helped us get these turkeys into the hands of folks in need. Leaders Of Tomorrow , an inspiring group of our young people in the neighborhood, delivered turkeys directly to homes in the Northeast. Thank you to all involved for donating your time and your turkeys to ensure that every family is taken care of this holiday. I am grateful for the tireless efforts of all of our community leaders. Wishing everyone in the district a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Read more

 

New COVID-19 Guidance for Philly and Statewide Mitigation Efforts

(Nov 20, 2020)

We are all in this together, and we must work together to keep our community going. Read more

 

Solomon Welcomes new District Office team members

(Nov 12, 2020)

Please join me in giving a big Northeast Philly welcome to two new members of my district office team, Aileen Walsh and Ton Quach. Aileen is a lifelong Lawndale resident who volunteered as an intern with us during her time at Penn. A talented writer, Aileen will be helping with communications as well as constituent services. We met Ton in his role working for Penn Asian Senior Services (PASSi), where he still works, when he posted up at our office one day a week to help the Asian community apply for various state programs. Fluent in Cantonese and Vietnamese, Ton has lived in Castor Gardens for years with his family and is looking forward to serving his community in this new role. Welcome to the team, Aileen and Ton! Read more

 

Shredding event tomorrow, join us

(Nov 06, 2020)

I know this week has been one long journey for many of us. They say a clean house is a clean mind, so declutter your home of old papers and bank statements at our annual shredding event tomorrow. Read more

 

Drop off your ballot or vote in-person on November 3

(Nov 02, 2020)

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Read more

 

Newsletter: Mail-in ballot deadline is tomorrow!

(Oct 26, 2020)

If you are planning to cast your ballot by mail, request yours: votespa.com/MailBallot Also remember: your ballot must be postmarked by November 3. Otherwise, it will not be counted. Read more

 

Solomon leads massive neighborhood clean up effort

(Oct 25, 2020)

This Sunday, Oct. 25, I joined the International Weloveu Foundation United States for a big community cleanup. We were everywhere- abandoned lots, trash filled driveways, and residential sidewalks and streets. One 91-year old resident told one of the volunteers that our efforts made her feel good about her neighborhood and shared a picture of how the community looked in 1939. She felt positive about the community vibe back then and felt the same way today! Read more

 

Bringing police and young people of color together

(Oct 19, 2020)

Last Friday I supported a unique event from the Leaders Of Tomorow Crew youth organization, in partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department to foster an expanded dialogue between young people and the police in the wake of George Floyd's death. I continue to be inspired and impressed by these young people, who designed and ran this whole event. Not only did they make sure it was safely done in the climate of a pandemic, but they created a space where young people and police could connect as human beings, to have the tough, real conversations that have often been missing. And the police approached this with openness, thoughtfulness, and honesty to really make the connection true and indelible. The conversation will continue and grow, but it was a truly memorable night. Big thanks to Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association for hosting us on short notice out of the rain, to Commissioner Outlaw and DC Dales for their support, and all the officers and young people who made this happen. More work to do - let's keep at it together! Read more

 

10 Ways to Solve Philadelphia's Garbage Problem

(Oct 06, 2020)

The idea that we could put a man on the moon but we can’t clean up Philadelphia just doesn’t make sense. Of course we can do it. We just need the will and resolve to get it done. Check out this article in The Philadelphia Citizen about lessons from my day picking up trash in Northeast Philadelphia, and my partnership with #yafavtrashman. We have to listen to workers like Terrill Haigler who do the job day in and day out, citizens, stakeholders, and learn from other cities if we're going to become the cleanest city in America. Let's do it! Read more

 

Solomon pushes back on rushed, dangerous election select committee

(Oct 02, 2020)

On Wednesday, the PA House State Government Committee on which I sit debated a serious and unprecedented resolution, HR1032, that could have wide-ranging implications for our elections in PA. It would create a "select committee" with would have the power to interfere in our election. As you can see from my questioning of the Chairman, who is also the sole sponsor of the resolution, this resolution is rushed, poorly thought out, and hyper-partisan on an issue that has been and must be handled in a bipartisan manner. Frankly and unfortunately, he does not really know what is in his own resolution and relies on whispers in his ear to tell him what he should say. This is dangerous and disappointing when our Committee has, to this point, advanced important reforms in a bipartisan way during this Session. It is an exercise in pure political partisan power, plain and simple. And the people of our Commonwealth deserve better. You can read more about this resolution here: https://bit.ly/3cPg0jf Why are we rushing? Why didn’t the intent match the words? Why aren’t we using a current vehicle that we already have? Why is it happening in a purely partisan way? Read more in Talking Points Memo . Read more

 

New date for Rep. Solomon's shredding event

(Sep 24, 2020)

The upcoming shredding event—that was rescheduled for Sept. 26—has been postponed. The new date will be Saturday, Nov. 7. Read more

 

Solomon touts unprecedented early voting sites in Philadelphia

(Sep 18, 2020)

Important 2020 Election Update: early voting sites are coming to Philadelphia for the first time! In our area, it will be at J. Hampton Moore Elementary School. This unprecedented step is made possible by Act 77 of 2019 in the PA Legislature, for which I was a huge proponent of and advocate. Assuming the full election board gives the green light, starting September 29th these 16 sites, in addition to Moore, will be open 7 days a week, 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays and Sundays. You'll be able to request, fill out, and submit ballots including mail-in ballots on the spot. The more people who use these sites will prevent backlogs in the mail, and long lines on Election Day! > Read more . Read more

 

New 2nd Police District is finally open

(Sep 14, 2020)

I am so proud that at last the 2nd Police District headquarters is now in the 2nd Police District, with a new facility just up from Cottman and Castor! This is something I have been pushing for since the day I started serving as your state rep. and worked tirelessly with Philadelphia Police leadership, the Department of Public Property and others to make happen. It is something the officers of the 2nd wanted desperately after years being crammed into a leaky building with their colleagues from the 15th on Levick and Harbinson. Now it is located centrally and conveniently to the people the 2nd serves. Not only do we hope this will decrease response times from residents and businesses-- a common complaint I hear in my office--but that it will mark a new day in the relationship between the police and the people. Commissioner Outlaw spoke to me recently about wanting "community policing" to be a philosophy embodied by all those in uniform, and her team has been working with me and the Leaders Of Tomorow Crew to host events that continue a dialogue between young people of color and police (watch this space for an announcement soon). Read more

 

Solomon delivers free cloth masks to local childcare provider

(Sep 11, 2020)

Yesterday, I was at the KenCrest Early Learning Center on Rising Sun Ave. to give out 300 free masks to help keep young children safe from spreading COVID-19 and for everyone to follow state guidelines. The state requires all children over 2 to wear a mask when they're in a childcare center - that's a tough ask for a 3-year-old to keep it on all day, but it's necessary so they can be safe at care while their parents are working. We all need to do our part, and I was happy and grateful to partner with my friend Pete of Covid19inc. to get these masks to these kids. Read more

 

Time to end gerrymandering

(Sep 07, 2020)

By State Reps. Jared Solomon, Jim Gregory and Pamela DeLissio Crises loom everywhere during these turbulent times, so you would be forgiven if the issue of gerrymandering was far down on your list of priorities. But it should not be. In fact, it plays a significant role in how your state Legislature and elected U.S. representatives handle the myriad threats, upheavals and opportunities we face right now. As is currently the process in state Senate, state House and congressional redistricting, due to gerrymandering, our elected officials select their voters by redrawing the boundaries in a partisan manner. Efforts have been made for decades to place the boundary line-drawing process in the hands of an independent redistricting commission. Those efforts have never succeeded. The people of Pennsylvania and some of its elected leaders have long known and lamented that congressional redistricting is a partisan process. The bill to redraw these boundaries just needs to pass the Pennsylvania General Assembly and be signed by the governor – the same process used to rename a bridge. We should note that redrawing state legislative boundaries is done by a party-backed commission that would require a constitutional amendment to change, the opportunity for which, at least in 2020, has already come and gone. So, in this age of polarization, it is noteworthy when a Republican from very conservative Blair County and two Democrats from very liberal Philadelphia come Read more

 

Solomon spends a day helping haul trash

(Aug 19, 2020)

Keep an eye out for your new trash man for the day! I'm out all day today doing my part to help the Sanitation Workers of the Streets Department catch up on all the trash we need picked up from our streets. As an Army Reservist, I know how to drop what I'm doing to serve the greater good - right now we need all hands on deck to get all this trash picked up. See you out there! Big thanks to my crew and the Streets Department for letting me lend a hand. Wow - I am hurting today! Yesterday I worked from 7 AM to about 2 PM hauling trash with this crew from the Streets Department and let me tell you - that is hard work. My respect for these men and women who do this every day is through the roof. My crew on the truck - Alan, Mason, and Melvin - some of whom have literally been doing this 45 days in a row! Absolutely my hat is off to these guys. They truly care about the work they do, and what I loved was how well they knew the neighbors - which house needed the can put away just so because it was an older resident. I got soaked - a mix of sweat and whatever trash juice was seeping out of people's bags. I was hauling construction debris, diapers, IVs. The recycling program - whew - there's a lot of work we need to do if we're going to salvage this. I'd say 90% of recycling I saw was either put out improperly or was contaminated with trash and plastic bags. We have to do better if this is going to continue. Big thanks to Faruq, Keith, Carlton and Read more

 

Summer 2020 Newsletter

(Aug 12, 2020)

My Summer 2020 is now available! Read more

 

For African Americans and Jewish Americans, the Fight for Justice Is Inextricably Linked

(Jul 31, 2020)

In the aftermath of an anti-Semitic Facebook post from the head of the Philadelphia NAACP, I penned an op-ed with Democratic Whip Jordan Harris to condemn that hateful post, but also highlight the parallels of struggle and triumph between the African American and Jewish American communities. This solidarity has historical precedence. We can’t allow this divisive move from this individual to cloud our collective ongoing fight to dismantle white supremacy, which seeks to divide us, while simultaneously oppress us. Read more

 

Tele-Town Hall Meeting

(Jul 24, 2020)

Pa. state Rep. Jared Solomon conducted a tele-town hall on Saturday, July 18 to discuss and address concerns from residents about the COVID-19 health crisis, police reform, fireworks nuisance and how state and local governments have been responding. Read more