Dear Neighbors,

People continue struggling to deal with high costs of food and other goods -- costs that continue to rise. To build a robust state economy, we must ensure that people get a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. After our first week of budget hearings as a member of the PA House Appropriations committee, I’m elevating issues important to our community.  

That includes advocating for issues like raising the minimum wage. I can still remember how tough it was to make ends meet when I was working an entry-level job making $6-$7 per hour out of college and trying to support myself. Unfortunately, corporate special interests have been blocking raising the minimum wage since 2009, the last time the federal minimum wage was raised to $7.25 an hour. Not so fun fact -- Pennsylvania’s current minimum wage is also a paltry $7.25 an hour. 

I’m working on legislation with state Rep. Roni Green to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to at least $15, with cost-of-living indexes -- allowing municipalities to raise local wages higher if they need to. And this week, I spoke with PA Revenue Secretary Pat Browne during the budget appropriations hearings. 

Click on the image below to watch me and Secretary Browne briefly discuss how raising the minimum wage will make PA businesses stronger & more competitive.

Image: Me talking to Sec. Browne in the capitol

I am working with Gov. Josh Shapiro and other legislators to address the funding gap for SEPTA to lower wait times and expand services. I’m also working on creating a transit worker security grant program that would protect workers and riders. 

PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll and I spoke this week about these issues and on working to slow down cars in our neighborhoods to make our streets safer for everyone.

Click on the photo to see Secretary Carroll and I discuss safeguarding SEPTA and expanding the speed camera program. 

Image: Speaking last session about increasing SEPTA funding in the East Wing Capitol rotunda  

Pennsylvania needs to have our first responders’ backs and support their health and wellness. Talk is cheap, so last year I helped get a law passed with state Rep. Jennifer O’Mara to extend PTSI coverage to first responders, like our state police troopers.

I spoke last week with State Police Chief Colonel Christoper Paris about our PTSI law and another of my bipartisan bills supporting the mental health of police and firefighters through grants for embedded resilience coaches. We also discussed the ongoing work our state police are doing, and what more needs to be done, to reduce racial disparities in traffic stop searches. 

Chief Paris acknowledged both the progress and the real work that is needed to ensure that justice is applied fairly and equitably across our commonwealth during traffic stops and other police encounters. We also discussed efforts to reduce racial disparities in traffic stop searches by our state police and steps to diversify the workforce.

Click on the image below to see a clip of my discussion with Colonel Paris during last week’s budget hearing. 

Image: Me in the house chamber speaking with Col. Paris 

One of the reasons I decided to run for office was the cruel closure of Hahnemann hospital by a private-equity firm some 18 months after they acquired the hospital. Over my career, I had referred countless patients to this critical hospital, only to see it closed by a corporation interested more in stripping our beloved hospital of its assets, like its valuable real estate, instead of caring for our community.

This week, I spoke with PA Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen about my bill with state Reps. Lisa Borowski and Paul Takac to close merger and acquisition loopholes to protect our community hospitals from greedy hedge-fund interests!

Click the image above see a clip of my conversation with Secretary Bogen.

Image: Photo of me speaking during the policy hearing on getting lead out of schools

This week, I also chaired a Majority Policy Committee hearing with state Reps. Ryan Bizzaro and Mary Isaacson on elevated lead levels in the drinking water at many PA schools.

There is no safe level of lead poisoning -- period. Yet Pennsylvania continues to send many of our kids into school buildings where we know they will be exposed to lead through aging water fountains -- and I was one of those kids who drank from those fountains!

Even small amounts of lead can have lasting impacts on children. State Rep. Roni Green and I are leading a bipartisan bill to get the lead out of all PA schools in two years. 

You can read more about the hearing, or watch a recording of it by following this link.

Neighbors continue to deal with high prices, and federal elected officials and the president should be focused on providing relief through lower prices and increased wages -- not on reckless actions like planning to gut nearly a trillion dollars in health care support so they can pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.

Click here to read my OpEd published in the neighborhood papers on why prices are not going down despite promises they would. 

If you’re interested in going ice skating, email us at reptarik@pahouse.net by Wednesday at noon and let us know to enter you into a random drawing for a family four pack to the Wissahickon Skating Club (WSC)!

Please include your name and phone number to have a chance to win! Public Skating sessions are Friday 8:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. and Saturday 12:45 p.m.-2:15 p.m. The winner and neighborhood will be announced in my next newsletter! 

WSC is a community nonprofit located on the grounds of Springside Chestnut Hill Academy at 550 W. Willow Grove Ave., 19118.

Spring is around the corner, and we’ve got some exciting community events lined up! Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details.

?? Mutt Madness Pet Adoption Event

Saturday, March 29 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Roxborough Pocket Park

Looking to welcome a new furry friend into your family? Mutt Madness is the perfect opportunity! In coordination with Roxborough Development Corp. and ACCT, local rescues will be bringing adorable, adoptable pets who are looking for their forever homes.

Image: Me with my senior cat rescue, the late Theodore 

??? Shredder Day

Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. - noon (Location TBA)

Days we look forward to every year:

New Year’s Day. Super Bowl Sunday. Shredder Day.

Well maybe the last one is just me. But Shredder Day is a time we can help you and your family protect against identity theft while spring cleaning. There’s a giant truck that safely shreds your papers on site. And spring cleaning is fun, even if you end up cleaning more stuff than you intended to. Just ask my staff!

We’ll announce the location for Shredder Day soon—stay tuned!

While you wait, click on the image below to see a video from our last Shredder Day announcement!

Image: Rep Tar hanging out on a desk in a video about the last Shredder Day

 ?? Library Office Hours

Monday, March 10 from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Falls of Schuylkill Library

Need help with state services? Whether it’s PennDOT paperwork, rent rebates, or any other issue, our team will be on hand to assist you—no appointment needed! 

My staff will be there (and schedule permitting I should be to) to help you get the support you need right in our neighborhood!

Image: Helping out at library office hours event at the Falls of Schuylkill Library

With Gratitude,

Follow us on Social Media

FB/Twitter/TikTok: @RepTarik

Insta/Bluesky: @RepTarikKhan

Pennsylvania State Capitol
121-A East Wing
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-4945

District Office

4001 Main St., Suite 101
Philadelphia, PA 19127
(215) 482-8726