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In this Update:
New Bipartisan State Budget Protects Taxpayers
I supported a state budget last weekend that doesn’t raise taxes. This was the most important vote we’ll cast this year. While it is unusual for us to be at the Capitol on a Saturday and Sunday, this was necessary to finally move the annual budget legislation to the governor’s desk. The final agreement negotiated by the Senate and the House cut more than $1.1 billion from the governor’s spending request and does not require any withdrawals from the Rainy Day Fund. The Senate reduced more than a billion dollars in overspending from the Department of Human Services, including several areas of waste, fraud and abuse identified by me. The agreement requires PennDOT to deploy an additional $775 million for local highway repairs. Schools in Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill counties received significant funding increases. The final agreement was approved by a bipartisan vote of 44-6 in the Senate. Read my full statement here. Urgent Action Needed to Keep PA Communities Safe
Nearly 1,200 people convicted of second-degree murder in Pennsylvania could be released if the House of Representatives doesn’t act by Friday, July 24. In March, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the current sentencing structure for second-degree murder is unconstitutional and gave the General Assembly 120 days to enact legislation correcting the situation. The Senate has successfully passed bipartisan legislation to address this issue – legislation supported by Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, Pennsylvania District Attorneys and the Pennsylvania State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police. In Pennsylvania, second-degree murder (also known as felony murder) involves a homicide committed when the defendant engaged as a principal or an accomplice in the perpetration of a felony. In other words, homicides committed while the defendant was also committing another crime such as rape, arson, robbery, burglary or kidnapping. These are serious and horrific crimes, and the safety of our communities is at stake. It’s time for the House to join us in taking urgent action. Around the District
Rep. Jamie Barton and I heard from nearly 50 people on a wide range of issues last week at Leiby’s Ice Cream House & Restaurant in West Penn Township. Some of the key concerns raised included road conditions, especially potholes; blight; education funding and spending; electricity rates; solar panels; the LIHEAP program; improving rural internet service; and PACE/PACENET. Events like this allow me to hear directly from constituents about the most important issues in this large Senate district. The next day, I followed up that conversation with a meeting with PennDOT officials. I was able to relay many of the issues discussed at Leiby’s and receive updates on current and upcoming PennDOT projects. I was joined by Reps. JoAnne Stehr and Dane Watro, and staff from the offices of Reps. Tim Twardzik and Barton.
I also had the opportunity to meet with community leaders at The Dutch Kitchen in Frackville. I was joined by Congressman Dan Meuser; Reps. Tim Twardzik, Dane Watro and JoAnne Stehr; and Schuylkill County Commissioner Boots Heatherington. Over breakfast, we discussed a wide range of important topics, including data centers and industrial development, reducing the cost of home construction, solar farms, the need for more dentists and dental hygienists, and commonsense CDL legislation. Funding Awarded to Upgrade Freeland Borough Building
Rep. Jamie Walsh and I were pleased to learn that Freeland Borough was recently awarded $281,444 through the Local Share Account (LSA) Luzerne program to replace the roof of its municipal building. These highly competitive funds will make a critical repair to an important community building, ensuring local officials and residents have a safe and welcoming space for years to come. The borough also plans to install solar panels on the new roof to improve efficiency and reduce costs for taxpayers. We look forward to seeing the improvements take shape. Protecting Pets from Excessive Heat
Hot weather reminder: Police and emergency responders in Pennsylvania are authorized to remove dogs and cats from unattended vehicles by force if they’re deemed to be in imminent danger. Also, under Act 104 of 2018, dogs that are tethered outside and unattended can only be so for up to nine hours in temperatures up to 90 degrees, and only for 30 minutes above 90 degrees. The dog must have access to an area of shade to escape the direct rays of the sun, as well as clean water. Watch for signs of heat stroke in animals, including heavy panting, excessive drooling, vomiting and red or purple gums. You can read more about PA’s “Hot Car Bill” here. Camping Reservations Available at State Parks
State park campsites are open and ready to reserve, with options for tents, cabins and RVs. The commonwealth manages 125 parks covering more than 300,000 acres, so you’re bound to find one that has what you’re looking for. Available activities include picnicking, swimming, boating and other outdoor recreation. Prices vary for specific park accommodations and activities. Visit the Pennsylvania State Parks website to find a list of parks and features and to reserve accommodations. Focusing on our Local Communities: Meet Nesquehoning’s Bruce Nalesnik
Welcome to our latest edition of “Focusing on our Local Communities,” where we interview, on a bipartisan basis, a key local leader in one of the 102 municipalities that I represent in Carbon, Schuylkill, and Luzerne counties. This week, we focus on Nesquehoning Borough Council President Bruce Nalesnik. A lifelong resident of Nesquehoning and a Democrat, Nalesnik graduated from Panther Valley High School in 1977. He is a proud two-time Navy veteran, first serving in the Navy Medical Corps after high school, where he pursued advanced training to become a Psychiatric Specialist. Following the events of 9/11, he reenlisted as a Naval Intelligence Specialist, serving under Reserve Intelligence Area 16. Nalesnik is currently the owner-operator of the Bruce A. Nalesnik Funeral Home, which he founded in 1990. Licensed as a Funeral Director in 1984, he attended Tidewater College of Virginia, earning a degree in Education, before graduating with honors from Northampton County Community College’s Mortuary Science program. “I had some time on my hands, and I wanted to get involved with the borough in some way. So, I started my involvement by being appointed to the planning commission and then later I was appointed to council after there was a vacancy. I thought I could bring some value to the community through my work experience,” said Nalesnik. “And then this past January, I was honored to be appointed to president of borough council. We’ve been working hard to modernize and streamline the way that the borough does its business, and we haven’t raised taxes in four years.” Over the past two decades, Nalesnik has been an active and dedicated presence in the Nesquehoning community. His service includes 20 years as a member and past president of the former Nesquehoning Lions Club, 25 years with the Nesquehoning American Legion, and leadership roles as former chairman of both the Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission and the Carbon County Child Death Review Team. He has served on borough council for more than six years and remains proud of the progress the council has made. Nalesnik is also still a member of the borough planning commission. “We’ve been able to complete a lot of good projects. We finished Jacobs-Johnson Park on the west side of town and that came out very nice and was several years in the making. We’re in the midst of phase one of the upgrades to the park in New Columbus. We’re modernizing that park and putting in a new basketball court and pickleball court, installing new lighting and a walking path. And we’re always committed to paving our streets. I think we have the best streets in the area,” said Nalesnik. “We’ve really bolstered our police department. We have more full-time officers than ever before and we’re able to do that because we’ve been so efficient in other areas.” Quote of the Week
“I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life; I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.” – President Theodore Roosevelt |
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