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Prayers for Peace, Unity, Respect
My family, like so many across the Commonwealth and the nation, is deeply saddened by the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump and the tragic loss of a husband, father and community leader at a Butler County rally over the weekend.
We send continued prayers for President Trump; to the family of Corey Comperatore, who lost his life while shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire; to those injured; and to the many people dealing with the physical and emotional aftermath of the shooting.
This is not how we settle differences. We must allow for discussion and vigorous debate, but never violence. There are real issues facing our great nation, but the very idea of engaging in violence that leaves families grieving the loss of a loved one is beyond shameful and should never happen in the America I know and love. The political rhetoric must end and end now. We are better than this.
I commend the law enforcement officers who stopped this tragedy from being any worse than it was. The questions being asked about how this could have occurred are reasonable and must be answered.
Please pray for our nation.
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A Moving Experience at the Moving Wall
Being able to see the names of more than 58,000 men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War was incredibly moving. And doing so right here in Tioga County was amazing! I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who played a role in bringing the Moving Wall to Williamson last week. From the wall’s arrival to its departure, every single thing was done with the utmost reverence for the men and women who are memorialized on the wall.
Attendance at the opening ceremony – which had to be moved indoors due to weather – was standing room only, and that’s a testament to this community’s support for our veterans who served and sacrificed for us and for our country.
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Update on the 2024-25 State Budget
The General Assembly and governor finished the overdue state budget last week. Unfortunately, I had to cast a “no” vote because it spends beyond what we can afford.
In legislation as exhaustive as the state budget, there are going to be good things and bad things, but when I looked at the “big picture” with this plan, all I could see is higher taxes and more debt weighing down our state’s economy, employers and workers in our future.
This $47.6 billion budget increases spending by $2.7 billion, or 6%, over the prior year’s budget. Even worse, it spends $3.3 billion beyond what we are projected to bring in over the next 12 months. That means dipping into surplus funds to pay for recurring costs, and when the surplus runs out in the next couple years, we will all be hit with higher taxes.
The budget also takes on significant debt to fund the PA SITES program. The mission of the program is valuable, as it aims to help make sites and buildings ready for occupancy by new employers or those looking to expand in the Commonwealth. But it simply isn’t right to place the burden of that debt on our kids and future generations of Pennsylvanians.
While I am deeply concerned about the impact of this budget, I will continue to advocate for policies that would set our Commonwealth up for success, such as investments in educational options for our students and tax and permitting policies that make Pennsylvania more competitive economically.
To learn more about the state budget, visit PAHouseGOP.com/budget2024.
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Celebrating PA as Birthplace of American Democracy
The quintessential symbol of the Commonwealth and our nation’s independence – the Liberty Bell – will soon be featured on a new Pennsylvania license plate and on welcome signs at state-border entry points.
The new plates and signs reflect the Commonwealth’s key role in our nation’s history, as well as its role in marking the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026.
The license plates will not be available until next year, but you can sign up now to receive an email update when the new license plates are ready to order in spring 2025. Military, special organization, special fund and specialty plates without legislatively mandated designs will also be updated with the new design.
When the plates become available, fee information will be included with replacement instructions on PennDOT’s website and will vary based on plate type and any optional personalization. The department and its partners will use all existing standard issue license plate inventory before transitioning to the new plate design.
The new welcome signs have already been installed in eight locations: on U.S. 15 in Adams County; Interstate 295 in Bucks County; Interstate 90/the Ohio line in Erie County; Interstate 70 in Fulton County; Interstate 80 in Monroe County; Route 449 in Potter County; Interstate 81 in Susquehanna County; and Route 1015 in Tioga County. Another 29 signs will be installed in the coming months.
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PBDA Accepting Applications for Program to Provide Laptops
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has announced the application period is open for its Digital Connectivity Technology Program. Through the new program, the PBDA will purchase and distribute $20 million in laptops for eligible public-facing institutions such as libraries, municipalities, workforce training organizations, not-for-profit organizations and other community anchor institutions that can offer internet access to individuals who lack the technology.
Online applications can be made through the PBDA website until Monday, Aug. 19.
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PGC Seeks Help Counting Turkeys
The Pennsylvania Game Commission again is seeking input from the public in surveying wild turkeys this summer. The Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Sighting Survey is open now through Aug. 31.
Participation is important for turkey population management. Survey data allow the agency to determine total wild turkey productivity and compare long-term reproductive success within Pennsylvania and across states, as this is a standard methodology used across the country. Data also are used in the turkey population model to track population trends.
Turkey sightings can be reported through the Game Commission’s website. The agency recommends saving this link to your favorites for quick access to report turkey sightings. The mobile app is no longer available.
On the website, participants are requested to record the number of wild turkeys they see, along with the county, township, wildlife management unit (WMU), date and contact information if agency biologists have any questions. Participants may also simply drop a “pin” on the map for the location data to automatically populate. Location data are used only for the survey, not for law enforcement and are not shared.
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Mark Your Calendars for These Upcoming Events
Our annual Senior Expo is coming up on Friday, Aug. 2. Seniors, their family members and caregivers are invited to join us for the opportunity to gather information, ask questions and connect with nearly 80 exhibitors from government agencies, health care and long-term care service providers, insurance and financial services, and more. Admission is FREE!
New this year, we are offering a free service to help protect you from identity theft through shredding of personal documents. All residents (no businesses, please) are invited to bring up to two grocery-style bags of documents with sensitive information, such as Social Security and bank account numbers, to be securely shredded.
Mark your calendars and register here to reserve your seat at our next PA Game Commission Night, where we will hear from our white-tailed deer biologist and our white-tailed deer habitat management specialist. This event typically fills up fast, so be sure to reserve your seat sooner rather than later.
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