The outlook from Harrisburg + local updates

Rep. Tim Brennan August 22, 2025

PA Representative Tim Brennan banner image

Dear Neighbor,

Before I update you on the state budget, I’m excited to share a positive development for our neighbors in Buckingham Township.

After learning of a national study revealing higher-than-average PFAS levels in drinking water wells that serve the township, I worked with Sen. Santarsiero to take fast, definitive action with township officials. We sought – and received! – state financial support to the tune of $2,057,063 to construct a PFAS remediation system.

All of us deserve the cleanest, safest drinking water we can deliver. PFAS contamination is a serious concern, with real health consequences – it’s important to get remediation solutions in place immediately if levels test outside a certain range. We also wanted to reduce the cost burden on the local tax base.

I appreciate our local journalists for helping to keep everyone informed about developments like this, and I hope this announcement brings you reassurance that your local and state elected officials in Bucks County work together in every way we can to solve the issues affecting you -- especially when it comes to your health and wellbeing.

Harrisburg Update

The outlook from Harrisburg

My House colleagues and I passed important bills over that past few weeks that aim to help you and our neighbors and improve our communities.

You’ve likely seen a story or two (or dozen) about the state budget stalemate that’s been playing out in Harrisburg since June.

Perhaps the biggest focal points for us here in the southeast part of the commonwealth are the battles over education and mass transit funding, including the latter’s connection (and vice versa) to financing for road and bridge projects.

Taking a closer look at the transportation funding issue, SEPTA isn’t PA’s only mass transit agency in a fiscal crisis – it’s fair to say most of them are, including Pittsburgh’s, which is the next largest after SEPTA.

SEPTA warned it would begin service cuts and fare hikes on August 24th if the General Assembly didn’t legislate additional funding and guarantee future support by then, and it has started to follow through on that deadline.

But allowing drastic cuts to continue is simply not an option we can afford to entertain.

Mass transit makes a tremendous positive impact on our lives. It gives people with disabilities the autonomy to travel without assistance, gets workers to their jobs, takes students to school, and allows visitors to support our tourism industry.

All of the above have the added benefit of helping to drive our state and local economies – in fact, the southeast region is an economic engine for the entire commonwealth. A strong, functional public transit system is both in the short- and long-term interests of this region. Every dollar invested in mass transit generates five dollars in local economic activity.

Undermining this system would lead to a ripple effect of harm, stifling growth and taking our transportation system backwards at a time we should be investing in sustainable, forward-thinking solutions. I’m working with my colleagues and leaders at SEPTA to find a solution that avoids cuts, provides for more reliable appropriations in future budgets by identifying a new transit funding source, and continuing plans to increase efficiency.

Those goals are reflected in the House’s current proposal, H.B. 1788, which we approved and sent to the Senate earlier this month after Senate leadership introduced its own version of a “funding” bill. Their stop-gap measure – rarely a fiscally responsible method of addressing a problem – doesn’t identify a stable funding stream for any mass transit agency around PA, let alone allow SEPTA to avoid massive service cuts. However, we introduced H.B. 1788 to include the additional accountability and reporting measures their bill calls for.

The Senate’s plan would soon create more service cuts – for example, forcing SEPTA to decide between repairing and replacing the oldest rail fleet in the country, or avoid shuttering entire lines and routes; between making service more accessible for people with disabilities who depend on SEPTA to get around, or providing service at all.

Work on this effort goes hand in hand with making sure road projects aren’t delayed, that schools don’t have to borrow money for the new school year, and finishing the business of funding the programs and services your taxes pay for.

But we’re up against Senate leaders intent on running out the clock.

If you’d like to let them know how you feel about this, you may reach out to Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman at (717) 787-8724 or via web form; and Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward at (717) 787-6063 or via web form.

Recognizing our PEMA director

Shortly before budget season began I was proud to welcome my friend, PEMA Director Randy Padfield, to the House floor. He was joined by his childhood friend Frank—now a Fire Chief—and Frank’s son Frankie, both of whom serve as volunteer firefighters. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and service.

I’ve been fortunate to work with Director Padfield and his team on efforts to streamline Pennsylvania’s emergency management codes and to strengthen how our state prepares for and responds to crises. From assisting with flooding responses in our region to supporting Doylestown’s Emergency Preparedness, PEMA continues to play a vital role in keeping our communities safe.

In the District

Repping the 29th from sea to shining sea

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives continued to meet through much of July, though the Senate recessed without a budget. The Senate returned in August and talk among the chamber leaders is finally picking up again, after we had some downtime waiting for the Senate to act on our proposed budget.

I took that opportunity for a brief excursion to continue the tradition I started with my son, Tucker, our annual trip to baseball parks, national parks, and to Cooperstown for Baseball Hall of Fame Weekend.

We repped our Phillies gear, of course, as we proudly watched the induction of two noteworthy Pennsylvanians: former Phillie Dick Allen and former Pittsburgh Pirate Dave Parker. Earlier in the year, I worked on resolutions to honor both of these Pennsylvania sports icons.

I meant it when I said from sea to shining sea: While Tucker and I were westward in Alaska, Kelly from my team grabbed some time on the east coast visiting Maine!

Honoring our newest Eagle Scouts

Our communities have had the honor of counting several new Eagle Scouts among them this summer, and I’ve enjoyed getting to help recognize their accomplishments, which reflect scores of hours across years of service to the community.

Only about 6% of Scouts reach this rank, and many of these Eagle Scouts go on to keep achieving so much more in their lives and careers.

For his project, Nathaniel Lawlor constructed and installed birdhouses designed for the American kestrel at Washington Crossing Historic Park and other areas around his community. His work benefits both birds and birders alike, helping to conserve our area’s amazing wildlife.

Sam Morrin installed two dugout organizer shelves for the New Hope Solebury High School Baseball Team as his project. We recognized him in a wonderful ceremony full of stories at Jericho National Golf Club.

Wowed by the WOW Bus!

PA CareerLink is an in-person and online system that connects PA residents seeking good jobs with employers looking for skilled workers. An initiative of the PA Dept. of Labor & Industry, each county has its own CareerLink office – in our region, PA CareerLink Bucks partners with the Bucks County Workforce Development Board.

CareerLink’s WOW (Workforce on Wheels) bus gives a way for job-seekers in Bucks who don’t live near its office in Trevose to meet in person with CareerLink Bucks experts – it was recently at Bucks County Community College, and my staff took the opportunity to check it out!

The WOW bus provides services such as resume writing, teaching interview skills, assisting with job searching, and hosting recruitment events. Thank you to Sen. Santarsiero and Rep. Warren for arranging this useful event! Follow its Bucks County schedule here.

Celebrating National Intern Day

I can’t overstate how wonderful it’s been this summer for my staff and I to work with some truly outstanding student interns here at our district office in Doylestown. From supporting our efforts to serve constituents to diving into the ins and outs of how a bill passes through state government, they’ve brought energy, insight, and a fresh perspective to our office.

We’re especially thankful for the chance to learn from these young people about the issues that matter to high school and college students, and the ways they see the world.

As much as we hope they’ve gained a lot from their time with us, we’ve gained just as much from them.

Pictured here are Maura and Michael; we’re also deeply grateful to Echo, Ethan, Grace, Lily, Megha, and Najet for their work and dedication.

Interns past and present, thank you for lending your skills to our efforts – your future employers will be lucky to have you on their teams!

Redevelopment tour with Solebury Township

I joined Sen. Santarsiero, Solebury Township Supervisor Kevin Morrissey, and additional township staff this month to tour the newly acquired former New Hope Crushed Stone Quarry property.

While the redevelopment process is just beginning, this site holds incredible potential — from preserving vital open space and protecting our environment, to expanding opportunities for Solebury Township’s strong Parks & Recreation programs.

It’s inspiring to see the groundwork being laid for a project that will benefit our community for generations. I can’t wait to watch this vision take shape for Solebury Township and the people we serve. You may learn more and follow along as this project progresses.

National Night Out in Laurel Park, Peddler’s Village & Doylestown Twp

Sen. Santarsiero and I had a great time traversing the district to visit National Night Out events in Doylestown, Solebury and Buckingham to catch up with our neighbors and first responders, and to spread the word about the services our offices provide.

National Night Out is an annual community-building event that helps residents build relationships with the first responders and members of local law enforcement who serve their community. Thousands of neighborhoods and millions of people participate every year. It’s a chance to say thank you and recognize the incredible work that our first responders do, giving them a look at their work that often takes place far from the public’s view.

Overall, it’s a way for people to have fun together while getting the chance to recognize their neighbors who are on the front line helping their community flourish. This year’s events were a great time as usual, and I’m grateful to all organizers and participants!

Little League World Series

The House Tourism Committee and a bipartisan group of legislators held a roundtable discussion last week in conjunction with one of the most “Pennsylvania” of activities, the Little League World Series.

Little League baseball and the yearly tradition began here in Pennsylvania; the annual series began in 1947. It’s a tradition for the Brennan family too; we’ve been attending since 2015.

This year we had the chance to see international games, and the Pennsylvania team come up a bit short in a 2-0 Loss to the Midwest team.

The two-week event puts the eyes of the world on a small city in Pennsylvania and brings thousands of people to attend and contribute to our regional economy – about $40 million each year! Good luck to all the kids playing!

FYI

PA House Fellowship Program accepting applications for Spring 2026

If you're a college student looking for an opportunity to get valuable state government experience this spring (January through early April 2026), I hope you consider applying to the PA House Fellowship Program!

The Fellowship Program is based in the Capitol Building in Harrisburg. Fellows receive compensation (which may also include college credit) and are assigned to work in House standing committees or leadership offices. Duties and experiences include drafting and presenting your own legislation, researching policy, helping with constituent services and outreach, attending meet-and-greets with public officials and staff, and touring PA's historic public spaces.

The deadline to apply is October 1. Click here for eligibility details and to submit your application. You're welcome to call or email my office to request a letter of recommendation if you decide to apply: RepBrennan@pahouse.net | (267) 884-0395

Vote-By-Mail – it’s safe, it’s secure, and it’s YOUR choice to be heard

November 4th is Election Day, and you have several options for how to make your voice heard. First, make sure you’re registered – you have until October 20th.

You can vote in person at your local polling place; the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here to find out where to vote. If it’s your first time voting at a new polling place, you will need to show a photo ID to cast your ballot.

If voting in person doesn’t fit your schedule, Pennsylvania also offers safe and secure Vote-By-Mail options. Once you apply, your ballot will be sent to your home. You can fill it out and either drop it in a mailbox -- make sure to allow at least a week for delivery -- or return it in person to your county election office.