December 9, 2013
HARRISBURG, Dec. 9, 2013 – In memory of the soldiers who have died defending American freedom and in honor of Pennsylvania soldiers who will not be home during this holiday season, state Sen. Judy Schwank today laid a wreath at the Capitol as part of a “Wreaths Across America” event.
“National Wreaths Across America Day” is Dec. 14.
“Just a few days removed from ‘the day that will live in infamy’ and only a newspaper page turn from the seemingly daily reminder that some of our brothers, sisters, relatives and neighbors will never be coming home, the decision to lay a wreath in our solders’ honor was an easy one,” Schwank said.
“Our women and men in uniform have our trust and our prayers for a safe return home once their tours of duty are over. For those who have paid the ultimate price, laying a wreath is a solemn way to say we will never forget and will always be grateful,” she said.
Today’s “Wreaths Across America” event was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association.
More than 3,800 Americans have died in action in Afghanistan, and more PA National Guard soldiers have been killed in action than National Guard soldiers from any other state since the “war on terror” started in 2004.
In October, Sen. Schwank won the unanimous approval from the Senate of her measure to rename Route 662 in Ruscombmanor Township, Berks County, as the “Chief Warrant Officer-2 Jarett M. Yoder Highway.”
Yoder, 26, died in April in Afghanistan when his Apache helicopter crashed in Nangarhar Province.
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December 3, 2013
HARRISBURG, Dec. 3, 2013 – Pennsylvania’s extended deadline for people to apply for property tax/rent rebates is fast approaching, state Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) reminded residents today.
The deadline to submit free applications for the program – which is designed for eligible Pennsylvanians who are at least 65 years old, are widows and widowers who are at least 50 years old, and people with disabilities age 18 and older – is Dec. 31.
“The commonwealth gave participants and interested applicants another six months this summer to turn in their applications, but time is running out,” Schwank said. “Please don’t let the hustle and bustle of this month keep you from receiving rebates that could make a difference in each applicant’s life.”
In addition to the age requirements for participation, a homeowner or renter could receive a rebate if they became permanently disabled during the claim year, which would be 2012.
There are income guidelines, too, Schwank said.
Homeowners and renters who earn less than $8,000 a year are eligible to receive a rebate of up to the maximum $650. Homeowners who make between $18,001 and $35,000 can receive up to $250, while the minimum eligibility for renters is a $500 rebate for those making between $8,001 and $15,000. Proof of age and income are required.
“If applicants need assistance filling out the free form, we can help,” the senator said.
Call Schwank’s district office at 610-929-2151 to request an application or ask questions, or visit the Department of Revenue’s website, www.revenue.state.pa.us, to download an application. Requests for rebate applications by mail will be accepted until Dec. 20.
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November 19, 2013
HARRISBURG, Nov. 19, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank and the Senate Democratic Caucus today unveiled a 21-bill package designed to help soldiers who return to civilian life in Pennsylvania.
Schwank is the prime sponsor of two of those proposals: Senate Bill 1143, which would give people the option of an income tax check-off to raise money to inform veterans about services for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, military sexual trauma and/or traumatic brain injury awareness; and Senate Bill 1144, which would use the revenue raised under SB 1143 to produce public service announcements that would inform veterans afflicted with service-related illnesses of the services and benefits available to them.
“The circumstances and risks our soldiers, sailors, air force and marines face in the 21st Century are quite different from those of previous generations, but their dedication and their commitment is as great as it has been for 240 years since the first Minute Men turned out at Lexington and Concord,” Schwank said during a Capitol press conference.
“Our obligation to support and aid these men and women is the same as well, just as it was when President Lincoln called us, 150 years ago today, to our duty to honor and remember those who suffer on our behalf,” the senator said.
The money raised through Schwank’s income tax check-off would pay for radio and television public service announcements alerting veterans of the state and federal governments’ available benefits and services, including for PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and military sexual trauma.
“The more people that would step forward to help by checking off the box, the more we can reach out to make veterans know that help is available to them,” Schwank said. “Hopefully, we will pass this so we can meet our responsibilities with the same commitment our soldiers have shown on our behalf.”
The Pentagon reported this year there were 26,000 military sexual assaults in 2012, with more than half of the victims (14,000) being male.
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Editor’s Note: The following Senate bills are included in the Democratic Caucus’ proposal:
SB 1132 – Operation Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom Service Bonus Bond Issue
SB 1133 – Peer to Peer Counseling
SB 1134 – $20M RCAP carve out for vets housing
SB 1135 – Vets priority for public housing
SB 1136 – Homeless Veterans Initiative
SB 1137 – Closing Cost and Down Payment Assistance
SB 1138 – Veterans Emergency Assistance Program
SB 1139 – Military Family Relief Assistance
SB 1140 – 5 additional veteran preference points on Civil Service
SB 1141 – EMS training for PTSD and TBI
SB 1142 – Subsidized child care priority for vets and active duty military
SB 1143 – PTSD, MST, and TBI income tax check-off
SB 1144 – PTSD, MST, and TBI public service announcement fund
SB 1145 – Disabled Vets Real Estate Tax Exemption
SR 262 – Task Force on Women Veterans Health Issues
SR 263 – Urging Congress to increase funding for Department of Veterans Affairs
SB 203 – Veterans Entreprenurial Training and Support Program
SB 215 – Veteran-owned business loan guarantee program
SB 231 – Employer Tax Credit for Hiring Veterans
SB 232 – Higher Education Credits for Veterans based on Military Training
SB 241 – Educational Gratuity Program
November 1, 2013
READING, Nov. 1, 2013 — State Sen. Judy Schwank will hold a volunteer firefighter’s forum at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Berks County Fire Training Center, for the county’s volunteer emergency responders.
“I am looking forward to meeting with Berks County’s volunteer firefighters to hear their thoughts and concerns,” said Sen. Schwank (D-Berks). “State Fire Commissioner Ed Mann and Christopher Kufro, PennDOT’s District 5 chief bridge engineer, will be on hand to discuss the important issues that affect the people who serve to protect and help us.”
For more information, call 610-929-2151.
Media coverage is welcomed.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank’s volunteer firefighter’s forum
WHERE: Berks County Fire Training Center, 895 Morgantown Rd., Reading
WHEN: 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 7
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October 28, 2013
HARRISBURG, Oct. 28, 2013 – In the wake of the one-year anniversary of the unforgettable and deadly shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, the Pennsylvania Department of Education is accepting applications for grants of up to $25,000 for schools in Berks County and throughout Pennsylvania to help make their classrooms and hallways safer, Sen. Judy Schwank said today.
“We live every day hoping nothing as tragic as Sandy Hook will ever be repeated,” said Sen. Schwank. “But the thing that’s better to do than just hope is to plan and take steps to prevent a nightmare from happening in our schools.
“I encourage schools in Berks County to strongly consider this opportunity and apply for a grant to better underscore the ‘safe’ in safe schools.”
The application deadline for the targeted grants is Dec. 6.
The Department of Education’s Office for Safe Schools says the money can be used for a variety of initiatives, including conflict resolution and dispute management; violence prevention curricula; classroom management; and the development of comprehensive, district-wide school safety and violence prevention plans.
Grants will be paid through the state’s E-grant system.
“An ounce of prevention, a moment of preparedness; we must move forward in our schools to be as sure as we can be that arrangements have been made to keep our kids safe,” Schwank said. “Hoping it doesn’t happen isn’t good enough.”
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October 23, 2013
HARRISBURG, Oct. 23, 2013 – The high cost of heating a home can be problematic for low-income residents, but the commonwealth will again be available to help, Sen. Judy Schwank announced today, through its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.
Applications for the federally funded program will be accepted starting Monday, Nov. 4.
“LIHEAP can be the lifeline for people who are already financially stretched,” Schwank said. “I encourage everyone who has participated in the program in the past and people whose income has changed to apply on Nov. 4 to get the help they need.”
The income guidelines for LIHEAP are unchanged from last year: 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
For one person, the maximum income level to qualify for heating assistance is $17,235. For two people, $23,265; three people, $29,295; four people, $35,325; and five people, $41,355.
Schwank said people can submit their applications online at www.compass.state.pa.us, or pick up applications in her district office or the Berks County Assistance Office.
“My office is also ready and able to help people fill out the forms,” the senator said.
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October 22, 2013
HARRISBURG, Oct. 22, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank’s proposal to name Route 662 in Ruscombmanor Township, Berks County, as the “Chief Warrant Officer-2 Jarett M. Yoder Highway” won the Senate’s unanimous approval today.
House Bill 925, because it was amended in the Senate, returns to the House for its consideration and expected approval.
“We moved one important step closer to naming this stretch of highway for a young but patriotic soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice as a member of the 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard,” Schwank said following the Senate’s approval of the legislation.
Yoder, a 26-year-old graduate of Oley Valley High School, died this past April in Afghanistan when his Apache helicopter crashed in Nangarhar Province.
The stretch of Route 662 to be named the “Jarett M. Yoder Highway” is in Ruscombmanor Township, between Fleetwood Borough and Oley Township.
After he died, the 11th Senatorial District resident was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Air Medal, and NATO Medal for his service in Afghanistan. He also received the Combat Infantryman Badge, Combat Action Badge, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze star, and the Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze star.
When Yoder died, he was serving his second deployment since enlisting in the National Guard in 2005, which is the year he graduated from high school.
The chief warrant officer was married to Heather Garay-Yoder and was the son of Diane and Gary Yoder.
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October 22, 2013
READING, Oct. 22, 2013 — State Sen. Judy Schwank will hold a town hall meeting at 7 p.m., Oct. 24, in the Borough of Fleetwood for residents of the 11th Senate District.
“I am looking forward to meeting with the residents of the Borough of Fleetwood and the neighboring communities to hear their thoughts and concerns,” said Sen. Schwank (D-Berks). “I am also pleased that State Trooper Ethan Brownbeck; David Shallcross, community liaison for the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office; and Fleetwood Borough Police Chief Steven Stinsky will be joining us to discuss crime prevention.”
The meeting is part of an ongoing series of town halls the senator hosts in various communities throughout the 11th Senate District.
For more information, call 610-929-2151.
Media coverage is welcomed.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank to hold Town Hall Meeting
WHEN: 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Fleetwood Area High School Cafeteria, 803 North Richmond St.
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October 10, 2013
Harrisburg, Oct. 10, 2013 – Berks County added three farms and more than 170 acres today to the state’s 25-year-old farmland preservation program, Sen. Judy Schwank announced.
“In its silver anniversary, I’m pleased to announce today that an additional 173 acres of Berks County farmland has been added to Pennsylvania’s growing list of protected prime agricultural fields,” Schwank said.
The Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board, of which Schwank is a member, approved the preservation of the 74.8-acre Leroy & Lisa Hoover farm in Marion Township, the 12.8-acre Mark & Maryann Martin farm in Maxatawny Township, and the 85.6-acre John & Alma Weaver farm in Richmond Township, Berks County.
The farms are being preserved through the purchase of $433,000 worth of conservation easements.
“Gov. Robert P. Casey had the vision to make sure our invaluable farmland is handed down from generation to generation,” Schwank said. “Twenty-five years later, I think he would be proud of the work Berks County’s farmers have completed to ensure that his – and their – agricultural heritage continue.”
Since its inception in 1988, the commonwealth has protected 4,491 farms totaling more than 480,089 acres. Berks County counts 655 farms in the statewide total and 65,809 acres, and it remains the leading county in the number of acres of farmland that have been preserved.
The long-term goal of the state’s program is to permanently preserve farmland. The holders of the easements have the right to prevent development or improvements of the land for purposes other than agricultural production.
Local, county or state government – or any combination of the three – may buy easements.
Counties that decide to have an easement purchase program must create an agricultural land preservation board.
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October 9, 2013
HARRISBURG, Oct. 9, 2013 – Parents and students looking for answers and tips on paying for higher education will find the help they are seeking at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10, during Sen. Judy Schwank’s annual “College Financial Aid Awareness Night” in Reading.
“College Financial Aid Awareness Night” will teach attendees how to save, apply and pay for college.
“Higher education continues to be the key to opening doors to greater awareness, bigger paychecks, and developing a deeper commitment to community,” Schwank said. “There are many ways to unlock these doors, and we hope many people are able to participate in this special evening.”
Reading Area Community College Director of Financial Aid Benjamin Rosenberger, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency’s Sonya Mann-McFarlane, and David Dominick of the Pennsylvania Treasury TAP 529 program will present information during the seminar, as will Sen. Schwank.
Media coverage is welcomed.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank’s annual “College Financial Aid Awareness Night”
WHEN: 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10
WHERE: Muhlenberg Senior High School, 400 Sharp Ave., Reading
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September 26, 2013
HARRISBURG, Sept. 26, 2013 – Eighteen arts organizations in Berks County will share more than $140,000 in grants from the PA Council on the Arts, Sen. Judy Schwank announced today.
“Berks County is a great place for people with artistic talent; an eye for the beautiful, an ear for the magical, and a touch for the sensual,” Schwank said. “The state investments we make every year in the arts are a vital part of making sure Berks County and all of Pennsylvania enjoys a better quality of life.”
The 18 grant awards:
Arts and Activities Alliance: Studio B, Boyertown — $2,003
Berks Arts Council, Reading — $21,812
Berks Bards Inc., Reading — $748
Berks Community Television, Reading — $5,185
Berks Youth Chorus, Reading — $3,397
Clay on Main, Oley – $2,003
Community School of Music and the Arts Inc., Reading — $2,953
Foundation for the Reading Public Museum, Reading — $24,660
GoogleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading — $26,165
KU Presents!, Kutztown — $4,708
Mifflin Community Library, Shillington — $1,496
Miller Center for the Arts, Reading — $3,036
New Arts Program Inc., Kutztown — $2,003
Our Town Foundation, Hamburg — $2,003
Reading Choral Society, Reading — $2,003
Reading Musical Foundation, Reading — $9,144
Reading Symphony Orchestra, Reading — $18,544
Yocum Institute for Arts Education, Reading — $8,955
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September 25, 2013
READING, Sept. 25, 2013 — State Sen. Judy Schwank will hold a town hall meeting at 7 p.m., Sept. 26, in Morgantown for new residents of the 11th Senate District.
“Legislative district boundaries changed for many state lawmakers following the 2010 Census, and I am looking forward to meeting with the residents of Caernarvon Township and neighboring communities in the southern end of my district,” Schwank (D-Berks) said.
The meeting is part of an ongoing series of town halls the senator hosts in various communities throughout the 11th Senate District.
For more information, call 610-929-2151.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank to hold Town Hall Meeting
WHEN: 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Caernarvon Township Social Hall, 3307 Main St., Morgantown
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September 17, 2013
HARRISBURG, Sept. 17, 2013 — Development Projects in the City of Reading will get a big boost with the approval today of more than $5 million in new investments for the Greater Berks Development Fund, and an additional $1 million for the Doubletree Hotel Project, Sen. Judy Schwank and Rep. Tom Caltagirone announced.
The investments, through the Commonwealth Financing Authority, are loans through the Building PA program.
“There are several exciting development projects, including the hotel project, moving forward in Downtown Reading,” said Schwank. “These important new investments will help keep the momentum going.”
“This investment of state funds is essential to our ongoing efforts to revitalize Reading,” said Caltagirone. “With the state’s support, we will be able to leverage additional private investment in our city.”
The Commonwealth Financing Authority had approved a $12 million loan to the Greater Berks Development Fund. Today’s approval by the authority increases that line to $17 million. The additional dollars will support development projects in Downtown Reading.
For the Doubletree Hotel project, the CFA’s approval similarly increases Building PA loan funds from $5 million to $6 million. The new support is from previously approved Building PA funds that were made available to Greater Berks for local development projects.
The Building PA Program provides capital to developers in small-to-mid-size communities for real estate assets. The funds can be used for industrial, commercial, and multi-use projects. The Greater Berks Development Fund is the Commonwealth-approved Building PA fund manager for Reading and Berks County.
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September 13, 2013
READING, Sept. 13, 2013 – The emergency services organizations representing the men and women who answer the call to help Berks County residents in distress can now apply for state grants to pay for facilities, equipment and training.
Eligible fire departments, volunteer ambulance services and rescue squads can apply for the assistance online through the Office of State Fire Commissioner.
“Berks County’s fire fighters, paramedics and rescue personnel embody what it means to be ‘first responders’,” Schwank said. “I am hoping each organization takes the opportunity to apply for a grant so they continue their vital services every day.”
Grants can help to pay for the construction or renovation of a fire department or ambulance service facility, the purchase or repair of equipment, debt reduction and the training and certification of members.
Money from the 2013-14 Fire Company, Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program is open to career and volunteer fire departments.
Generally, grants will range from $2,500 to $15,000.
“Whether applying as one unit or as a regional or joint project, these grants will go a long way to ensuring our emergency responders will be there when we call them,” Schwank said.
The deadline to apply for the grant is 4 p.m., Oct. 24. Click HERE for the fire commissioner’s instructions and online application.
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September 12, 2013
LEESPORT, Sept. 12, 2013 – With elder abuse a growing problem, Sen. Judy Schwank and top prosecutors from Berks County and the state today provided tips for staying safe to a packed house of senior citizens at Bern Evangelical Lutheran Church.
“With the third highest percentage of senior citizens in the country, we need to take steps every day to make sure our grandparents, friends and neighbors are not falling victim to scam artists and crooks,” Schwank said during her Senior Crime Prevention Seminar.
“In some parts of Pennsylvania, elder abuse is more of a problem than child abuse,” she said.
Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams, Berks County First Assistant District Attorney Theresa Johnson, and state Attorney General Senior Public Protection Community Liaison Dave Shallcross helped 125 seniors who attended the seminar identify con artists who are trying to steal their money or property or physically hurt them.
Statistically, senior citizens often fall prey to identity theft, and charities, telemarketing and sweepstakes fraud. But they are also victims of sexual and psychological abuse and neglect.
Pennsylvania’s fastest growing population is residents who are 85 years old and older.
The attorney general’s office and the Berks County District Attorney’s office have elder abuse units that investigate crimes against senior citizens.
Berks County’s elder abuse unit offers tips on its web page, as does the attorney general’s office. Sen. Schwank’s office can also help by calling 610-929-2151.
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September 11, 2013
READING, Sept. 10, 2013 – To help senior citizens in the 11th Senate District protect themselves from becoming victims of crime, Sen. Judy Schwank will hold a Senior Crime Prevention Seminar at 10 a.m., Thursday, at Bern Evangelical Lutheran Church in Leesport.
Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams, First Assistant District Attorney Theresa Johnson, and a representative from the Office of the Attorney General will share the latest tricks criminals are using to scam and hurt senior citizens.
Media coverage is encouraged.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank’s Senior Crime Prevention Seminar
WHEN: 10 a.m.
WHERE: Bern Evangelical Lutheran Church, 820 West Leesport Road, Leesport
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September 3, 2013
KUTZTOWN, Sept. 3, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced today that three local colleges, Kutztown Borough, and the Wyomissing Police Department will share a combined $150,000 to help minors avoid the temptation of underage drinking and alcohol abuse.
Kutztown University is receiving $40,000 for the program while Kutztown Borough is getting a $36,615 grant. The PLCB’s grant to Albright College is for $27,254. Wyomissing Borough Police Department will receive $24,478. Penn State-Berks is getting $20,065.
“Television commercials and internet ads make it look like drinking is a cool thing to do, but when alcohol is consumed irresponsibly and illegally, the results are costly, tragic and sometimes deadly,” Schwank said.
The PLCB’s Bureau of Alcohol Education will pay the grants over a two-year period.
One-hundred-and-fifteen organizations applied for a share of the board’s $2.1 million program. Kutztown’s borough and university, the Wyomissing Borough Police Department, as well as Albright and PSU-Berks are five of the 61 entities that won funding.
“There is a responsibility that comes with drinking alcohol,” Schwank said. “With the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s investments, we are taking positive steps to make sure everyone understands this expectation. And, we are working to make sure that our young adults who are not yet legally allowed to consume beer, wine and liquor wait until they are 21 to do so.”
With this newest round of funding, the PLCB has invested more than $10 million to more than 250 schools, colleges, law enforcement departments and community organizations throughout Pennsylvania since 1999.
Officials from Kutztown Borough and its police department, Kutztown University, the PLCB, Albright College, Penn State Berks Campus, the Reading Police Department, and the Wyomissing Borough Police Department joined Schwank at today’s press conference.
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August 29, 2013
READING, Aug. 29, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank will announce the local recipients of Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board grants for the prevention of underage drinking and alcohol abuse at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3, in Kutztown.
The PLCB is awarding more than $2.1 million to applicants statewide so they can teach students and residents about the dangers of irresponsible alcohol consumption.
Schwank will be joined by elected state and local officials, as well as representatives from area colleges and the PLCB.
Media coverage is encouraged.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank to reveal recipients of PLCB grants supporting initiatives designed to prevent underage drinking and alcohol abuse
WHEN: 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3
WHERE: Kutztown Borough Hall Train Station, 45 Railroad St., Kutztown
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August 19, 2013
HARRISBURG, Aug. 19, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank’s legislative efforts to help struggling Pennsylvania cities and cash-strapped emergency responders bore fruit today as a bill she worked to make significant, positive change was signed into law by the governor.
House Bill 465, the state’s tax code, creates City Revitalization and Improvement Zones in Pennsylvania. Sen. Schwank successfully led the effort to make the zones available to more Pennsylvania communities, including Reading, Lancaster, York and Bethlehem.
“There are many cities the size of Reading that were not covered under the initial proposal,” Schwank (D-Berks) said. “I worked to make sure they had the option to participate in a new program that could provide significant economic development and a way out for cities struggling with declining property values, job loss and escalating crime.”
City Revitalization and Improvement Zones, or CRIZs, will be funded with public bonds issued by a local municipal authority. The bond payments will be covered by local and state tax revenue raised within the zone.
Schwank’s change opened the program to all cities with populations exceeding 30,000 and it includes one pilot zone in a borough or township.
Up to two cities a year could join the program beginning in 2016. However, two cities and the borough/township pilot could establish zones sooner now that the law has been signed and implemented.
“We have significant work to do to help Pennsylvania’s great cities and towns return to prominence. City Revitalization and Improvement Zones happened because of bipartisan support and the collective belief that this new economic development tool will make a difference,” Schwank said.
CRIZ guidelines will be published by Oct. 31.
Another significant part of HB 465 creates a property transfer tax exemption for fire departments and other emergency response companies when they merge or consolidate.
The senator worked with Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Berks) on the proposal after the Barto, Bally and Bechtelsville fire companies merged to form the Eastern Berks Fire Department (Company 97) and were slapped with a $17,000 transfer tax bill after deeding their stations to the new company.
Schwank said emergency responders working to become better stewards of precious financial resources should not be penalized after they take action to improve accountability and performance.
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August 12, 2013
READING, Aug. 12, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank today urged state lawmakers and the governor to finally consider her legislation to reduce the size of the Pennsylvania General Assembly by more than a third.
“For too long, taxpayers have had to pay for an institution that, by nearly every standard, is too big,” Schwank said. “My bill would make the legislature a modern governing body by shrinking the size of its membership by more than a third.”
If approved, Schwank’s Senate Bill 336 would drop the size of the Senate from 50 to 40 while the House of Representatives would go from 203 members to 121.
“Our legislature worked well in the mid-19th century when a larger number of representatives and senators were needed to make sure their constituents’ voices were heard in Harrisburg,” Schwank said. “But we no longer communicate today the way we did then, and we’re wasting millions of tax dollars every year by continuing this antiquated way of daily legislating.
“Also, being the size we are ties the legislature’s hands in responding to evolving economic and social conditions. This isn’t good for anyone,” she said.
Schwank’s measure calls for a constitutional amendment to reduce the size of the legislature. A similar bill she proposed last year died as the 2011-’12 session expired, but it had garnered strong bipartisan support in the meantime.
Similar proposals from other lawmakers are also making the rounds in Harrisburg.
“What’s clear is Pennsylvania taxpayers want a leaner, faster and more effective governing body that’s much less expensive. I’m listening and willing to work in a bipartisan manner to make sure this finally happens,” Schwank said.
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August 12, 2013
READING, Aug. 12, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank will hold her third annual “Municipal Officials Meeting” at 7 p.m., tonight, Aug. 12, at Penn State-Berks.
The annual get-together reflects Sen. Schwank’s commitment to work collaboratively with local officials to better address local needs and concerns.
Officials from the Department of Community and Economic Development, PennDOT, and the attorney general’s office will be in attendance.
Media coverage is encouraged.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank’s 3rd annual “Municipal Officials Meeting”
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: Janssen Building, Penn State-Berks, Tulpehocken Road, Reading
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July 24, 2013
Harrisburg, July 23, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) today said the Reading Regional Airport will receive state funding to make safety improvements and increase the quality of air travel in Pennsylvania.
“Thanks to PennDOT’s aviation development program, the Reading Regional/Carl A. Spaatz Field will get $37,500 to remove runway obstructions and make general improvements,” Schwank said. “This extra support will help Reading Regional compete with larger airports in surrounding areas and bring business to Berks County.”
Located on Route 183, Reading Regional Airport is a full-service transportation center serving a growing part of southeastern Pennsylvania. Reading Regional opened as a civil airport in 1938 and is served by three charter airlines.
Nineteen airports in 17 counties across Pennsylvania will receive a portion of the $2.1 million state investment. The grants are funded by Pennsylvania’s jet fuel tax and were approved by the State Transportation Commission.
“This grant will allow Reading Regional to continue safely serving the people of Berks County,” Schwank said.
For more details about the state’s 2013 transportation program, click here.
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July 10, 2013
Harrisburg, July 10, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank today said businesses in Berks County that want to become more energy efficient and environmentally friendly now have the opportunity to apply for a state grant to help pay for those improvements.
The Department of Environmental Protection has opened the application window for its Small Business Advantage Grant Program, which reimburses up to half of the project cost (up to $9,500) for pollution prevention and energy efficiency equipment or processes. The deadline to apply is Sept. 6.
“For a business needing to replace high-energy-consuming equipment with more energy-efficient appliances or take steps to reduce runoff or cut back on environmental discharges, DEP’s Advantage Grant Program is a great program to consider,” said Schwank.
All small businesses with fewer than 100 employees are eligible for the program. Small offices owned by large companies are ineligible. Companies that apply for the grant must have a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vendor registration number.
All projects must lead to at least a $500-plus-25 percent annual economic gain or savings through the energy conservation or pollution prevention project.
“There are some things to navigate in applying for Small Business Advantage Grants,” Schwank said. “My office is ready to help any Berks County small business win a grant and leave a greener footprint.”
Judy’s On Cherry, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Reading, won a Small business Advantage Grant in 2011.
For details, an application package and contact info, click HERE.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
June 30, 2013
Harrisburg, June 30, 2013 – Legislative efforts by Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) to save thousands of dollars for emergency responders and expand a proposed economic development program to include Reading and other cities were approved today by the state Senate.
The Senate approved HB 465, creating the City Improvement Revitalization Zone (CRIZ) program, after expanding the number of cities that could participate. CRIZes would be funded with public bonds issued by a local municipal authority, with the bond payments covered by local and state tax revenue raised within the zone.
Schwank sought the change and her proposal was among a number of provisions the Senate added to the bill. It will now be returned to the House of Representatives for concurrence with the Senate’s action.
“The initial CRIZ proposal was technically very good, but it was too limited. It was available only to four Third Class cities with populations between 40,000 and 70,000 people,” Schwank said. “That left Reading and many more deserving cities on the sidelines.”
Schwank had introduced her own proposal, SB 1033, to establish a 15-city pilot program in which all cities but Philadelphia and Pittsburgh were eligible to apply. The proposal approved Sunday was a compromise, opening the program to all cities over 30,000 in population and also providing for one pilot zone in a borough or township.
Up to two cities a year could join the program beginning in 2016, and two cities and the borough/township pilot could establish zones sooner, when the law takes effect.
“The particulars and timing of the economic problems change from city to city, but the results from Altoona to Reading have been similar: declining property values, crippling taxes, lost jobs, increasing crime rates, and declining graduation rates from city to city across the state,” Schwank said. “We need to stop the bleeding and revitalize cities.”
The bill also contains a provision Schwank previously succeeded in introducing with support from Rep. Ryan Mackenzie that would create a property transfer tax exemption for fire companies and other emergency response companies when they merge or consolidate.
The idea for the bill came when the Barto, Bally and Bechtelsville fire companies merged to form the Eastern Berks Fire Department, Company 97, and were hit with a $17,000 transfer tax bill on deeding their stations to the new company.
“When any local fire department, EMS, river rescue or police department takes a proactive step to save money and help more people, it’s incumbent on the commonwealth to not penalize them for doing the right thing,” Schwank said.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
June 30, 2013
Harrisburg, June 30, 2013 – Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) today voted “no” on Pennsylvania’s 2013-’14 budget.
“Instead of focusing on job creation, the past several weeks have been devoted to the expansion of alcohol sales and eliminating jobs, along with various other misguided priorities,” Schwank said. “They, and the lack of a transportation funding plan, proved to be strong reasons for me to not support this spending plan for the new fiscal year.”
Schwank said the $28.37 billion general fund budget misses the mark on issues that matter most to Pennsylvanians.
“Once again to my disappointment, this budget fails to seriously address the needs of job creation and economic development,” she said. “There is no real funding for significant job creation programs, including tax credits and economic development; even job training programs that have proven to be successful, such as Keystone Works, have been cut by over $1 million dollars.”
Schwank also said she was disappointed in the plans for education funding.
“The budget adds more than $120 million in education funding to be spread around the state,” she said, “but it fails economically hard-hit school districts that face deep cuts, local tax increases and more hardship.
“We have again failed to address the way we fund our cyber charter schools. The current funding formula is costing taxpayers millions of dollars and has created a budget crisis for many school districts within the commonwealth,” she said.
Schwank said community colleges are not supported by the budget, either.
“I have been a strong supporter of our community colleges, like Reading Area Community College. They are vital to our workforce education efforts in the commonwealth but once again we failed to address their funding needs”
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
