October 11, 2011
READING, Oct. 11, 2011— Students who suffered severe losses as a result of the recent flooding from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee may be entitled to state grant award reconsideration from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), according to state Sen. Judy Schwank.
“Many families were devastated by September’s flooding,” Schwank said. “As families with college students continue to recover, I encourage them to apply for this special reconsideration from PHEAA. It could provide families with significant financial relief from higher education costs.”
PHEAA gives special consideration to a student’s state grant application when it is determined that the family’s ability to finance educational costs has been reduced as a result of losses incurred due to flooding, as well as other disasters like fires or other unforeseeable circumstances.
A Casualty Loss Form is now available online at www.pheaa.org/casualty-loss. Individuals may also call 1-800-692-7392 for more information.
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October 6, 2011
READING, Oct. 6, 2011— State Sen. Judy Schwank this week welcomed Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander to Berks County to discuss the issues facing local social service agencies that have been affected by state budget cuts and the economy.
“Poverty is real in Berks County, whether it’s in our urban communities or our rural areas,” Schwank said. “Organizations and agencies are using every resource they have to help people move forward, but they too are feeling the squeeze of budget cuts and an unstable economy. I wanted the secretary to meet the people who are trying to help as many people as possible, even in tough times. It’s important that Secretary Alexander sees that DPW funds are going to good use.”
The daylong discussion commenced with a discussion with Modesto Fiume, president of Opportunity House, a multi-service organization that assists low-income and at-risk individuals and families in Reading, and Kathy Greiss, president of Friend Inc. Community Services, a multi-service social agency based in Kutztown.
While both organizations serve different populations, they share the goal of providing individuals and families the tools they need to become self sufficient. They are also struggling with budgetary constraints.
“It’s amazing that Opportunity House and Friend Inc. are still working so diligently to help others, despite lean times,” Schwank said. “The needs of low-income urban residents versus low-income rural residents are similar, but their access to services is often quite different so I’m thankful for these organizations and their dedication to our urban and rural residents.”
Schwank and Alexander then met representatives from the county’s Department of Children and Youth and Department of Mental Health/Mental Retardation to discuss their needs and concerns. State Sen. Dave Argall, who also represents a portion of Berks County, attended as well.
The departments expressed their frustration with DPW’s regulations and the lack of accountability by health care providers. They discussed ways to improve the interaction between the state and county agencies.
“Our county agencies are frustrated. They want to provide a safety net for those who need it most but they know they are working with limited funds,” Schwank said. “I’m pleased that the secretary could meet with the folks who are on the front lines serving vulnerable citizens because I believe it will help him make improvements to DPW.”
Alexander agreed that the system is broken and assured the group that he was working to root out fraud and waste while simplifying the massive department.
Finally, Schwank, Argall and Alexander toured Hamburg State Center, an intermediate care facility located in Hamburg that provides an array of services to 115 children and adults with varying special needs.
Alexander spoke to several parents whose now-adult children call the center home. They implored the secretary to keep Hamburg State Center open because their children receive quality medical and social services in a loving environment.
“We heard first hand from the center’s biggest advocates, the parents,” Schwank said. “Their experiences gave both the secretary and me a personal glimpse of the individuals who are benefitting from state-run facilities. To quote one of the parents, ‘They’re not institutions. They’re home.’ We must do everything we can to ensure that we don’t take the homes of our most vulnerable citizens away.”
The tour with Alexander is just one of the ways the senator is exploring the county’s needs.
“Secretary Alexander and I had an extremely productive meeting I’m encouraged that he was willing to come to Berks County and meet with local agencies and organizations,” Schwank said. “This is a good start toward moving our area forward but there’s much more work to be done. We must focus on ensuring that our agencies are properly funded and we must do more to promote job growth.
“I will continue to meet with the various communities and gain a better focus on how I can best represent the 11th Senatorial District,” she said.
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October 6, 2011
READING, Oct. 6, 2011 — A local direct mail company has been approved for significant state funds to expand its facility in Cumru Township, state Sen. Judy Schwank announced today.
Targeted Solutions, LLC, d/b/a Mail, which provides printing and direct mail services for independent pizza shops, will receive a $516,927 loan from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA).
The funding will be used toward the acquisition of an existing 24,000 square-foot building at the company’s location at 4125 New Holland Road in Mohnton.
The project will sustain eight jobs and create an additional 17 jobs over the next three years.
“This loan will ultimately help Targeted Solutions, as well as the many local pizza shops the company caters to,” Schwank said. “Small businesses like Targeted Solutions, and even our corner takeout restaurants, play an economic important role in Berks County, so I’m pleased that the state is investing in our area.”
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September 27, 2011
September 27, 2011, Harrisburg – State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) announced today that Berks County will receive nearly $27,000 in state grants to assist with recycling efforts and waste management.
“Recycling and waste management are two effective ways to combat pollution in Pennsylvania,” Schwank said. “The Department of Environmental Protection recognizes this and works diligently to provide local communities the resources they need to combat pollution. These funds will go a long way toward helping these communities with their recycling and waste management programs.”
The Berks County Solid Waste Authority will receive a $22,861 grant to reimburse 50 percent of the costs for developing and operating a household hazardous waste (HHW) collection at the Exeter Township Municipal Building, which was held on April 26. The Authority also received a $2,087 to reimburse 50 percent of the costs for the development and operation of a HHW collection event for pharmaceuticals, which was held on April 16.
These grant funds were distributed through DEP’s Pennsylvania Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Grant Program.
Also receiving grant funding was Fleetwood Borough. The borough received $2,026 based on the 187.2 tons of recycling in 2009 and the municipality’s population. The funding, provided through DEP’s Recycling Performance Grant Program, was awarded to help the borough increase the amount of materials recycled.
# # #
September 26, 2011
HARRISBURG – September 26 – State Senate Democrats today unveiled their revised job creation plan, called “PA Works Now,” which they claim would create 80,000 new jobs and leverage billions in private investment to generate jobs and economic activity.
[hdvideo id=13 ]
State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said job creation is the number one priority for this fall’s session of the General Assembly. He added that the PA Works Now package does not require new broad based taxes, is fully paid for and does not put additional strain on the state General Fund.
“PA Works Now features a new investment vehicle called the Pennsylvania Investment Bank that will quickly pump $1.2 billion into the economy and create jobs,” Costa said. “Our goal is to jump start the economy and create new jobs in the shortest possible time.
“Job creation is the most important issue lawmakers must tackle this fall.”
The Democrats’ plan includes renewed investment in job-producing programs and public works such as water and sewer projects as well as money for new business investments. The plan also provides a new round of capital infusion for the state Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund and would establish Pennsylvania’s version of the successful “Georgia Works” on-the-job training program.
The Pennsylvania Investment Bank would target more than $1.2 billion for water and sewer system reconstruction, new business investment and other public works. The bank would capture funds generated from existing borrowing capacity. The bank would use $500 million in Commonwealth Finance Authority dollars plus a half-billion from PENNVEST (Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority).
The investment bank would also utilize $80 million in funds from a proposed Marcellus Shale tax or fee along with surplus state revenues. Democrats estimate that these sources would generate $180 million.
“There are so many workers who are looking for jobs and even more who are worried about what is next for them in this very difficult economic recovery,” Costa said. “Our comprehensive PA Works Now plan addresses job creation and presents an opportunity to move our economy forward.”
Democrats said action is needed now on their job creation plan because of the recent increase in unemployment. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate spiked by nearly a half percent from July to August – rising to 8.2 percent. Since May, the number of unemployed Pennsylvanians grew by 45,000.
Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) decried the alarming increase in unemployment and the inaction of both the Corbett Administration and Republican lawmakers who control floor action in both the state House and Senate.
“The Corbett Administration has failed to respond to the hardship in the labor market in any discernable way,” Hughes said. “The administration is either tone-deaf to the plight of the unemployed or focusing on political wedge issues that do not create jobs. They’ve produced no new jobs plan.
“The priorities of the administration are skewed,” Hughes said.
Hughes criticized Corbett and Republicans for focusing on changing the apportionment of electoral votes, English-only legislation and voter ID legislation. These issues interest only “politicos on the extreme political fringe of the Republican Party. These proposals do nothing to help our economy grow,” Hughes said.
“We are stuck debating issues that appeal to the political extreme at the expense of working families,” Hughes said. “Working men and women need jobs. They don’t need political talk. That is a sham and it’s a shame.”
Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) said the state has lost an opportunity to reverse negative economic trends. She noted that the recent business downturn has had a disproportionate impact on educators, women, minorities and Pennsylvania’s youth.
According to Schwank, the Corbett budget cuts have put several thousand educators or school staff out of work. The Berks county lawmaker said Senate Democrats will soon flesh-out a package of bills that would specifically help women, minorities and young people find jobs.
“Failing to take action now condemns those who have a difficulty getting jobs in a robust economy – women, minorities and our youth – to even deeper despair when the labor market contracts,” Schwank said. “Doing nothing on job creation is not an answer and it’s not fair. That’s why we need to work on a jobs plan like PA Works Now.”
Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe), who previously served as secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development, said PA Works Now would inject much-needed capital into business investment and job creation programs. He said doing so is essential toward generating economic activity and employment opportunities now.
“There is no question that our recovery from the recession is soft,” Blake said. “The state has a responsibility to incent private sector investment for job growth.”
Costa, Hughes, Schwank and Blake were joined by a host of Senate Democratic colleagues at the Capitol news conference.
Senate Democrats unveiled a previous version of PA Works earlier this year.
Senators who attended today’s news conference included Democratic Whip Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia), Caucus Chairman Richard Kasunic (D-Fayette/Somerset), Caucus Secretary Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), Caucus Administrator Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) and state Sens. Andy Dinniman (D-Chester), Daylin Leach (D-Delaware/Montgomery), John Yudichak (D-Luzerne/Monroe/Carbon) and Tim Solobay (D-Washington/Greene).
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August 24, 2011
READING, August 24, 2011 – – Local and state agriculture professionals today traded ideas and shared concerns and goals regarding food safety and agriculture profitability in Pennsylvania with the state Senate Democratic Policy Committee at a roundtable discussion at Penn State University, Berks Campus.
“Protecting Pennsylvania’s food supply is of paramount importance, not only to maintaining the profitability of the state’s agricultural industry, but to the health and safety of Pennsylvania citizens,” said committee Chair Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton/Lehigh). “I am happy to have had this opportunity to meet with top agriculture and food safety experts in the state to discuss ways to keep Pennsylvania consumers safe from food-borne illnesses that threaten the health of the public and the economic development of the state.”
The discussion centered on how to keep food safe and Pennsylvania agriculture profitable. Topics included legislation regarding food safety regulations, particularly how they pertain to fresh produce, farmers, and farmers markets; a discussion on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP); a discussion on food-borne illnesses and the most common causes of the illnesses; and information on how Pennsylvania producers are keeping food safe, as well as the challenges the industry faces regarding food safety.
“We have all read about the series of recent incidents regarding food-borne illnesses throughout the nation and here in Pennsylvania. As both a lawmaker and a consumer, this greatly concerns me,” said state Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks). “It was very beneficial for my Senate colleagues to join me here in Berks County to discuss this critical issue. We must understand how these illnesses spread and eliminate that problem from the food supply chain. It is important to our citizens and to the economic welfare of the state, as agriculture is our leading industry.”
Schwank, who serves as Democratic Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, requested this meeting in an effort to examine current policy on food safety and to discuss concerns the industry and the public have regarding the issue.
The informal roundtable discussion featured experts and educators from agriculture, academia, health and the food industry.
“This roundtable discussion is a step in ensuring that our current food safety laws are working to keeping consumers safe,” said Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny). “Senate Democrats are dedicated to protecting the health and welfare of our citizens and we thank the panelists for their expert input on this issue. As we move forward in this process, it is our hope that we can rely on these experts to help guide future policy on this matter.”
State Sen. John Wozniak (D-Cambria/Somerset/Centre/Clinton/Clearfield) was also on hand at the event.
“It is important that we all work together — the legislature, the industry, and the public — to protect against food-borne illnesses,” Wozniak said. “This discussion was a great opportunity to begin open dialogue on food safety issues.”
Panelists included Dr. Lydia Johnson, director of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services; James Weaver, GAP-certified farmer at Meadow View Farm; Dr. Hassan Gourama, associate professor of food science at PSU Berks; Gary Zanecosky, director of quality at Giorgio Foods, Inc.; Brian Snyder, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture; and Brent Ennis, Southeast district executive director of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Johnson stated that the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is committed to protecting Pennsylvania citizens from food-borne illness.
“It is essential that we protect the citizens of Pennsylvania,” Johnson said. “Because contamination can happen at every step in the food process, we must have consistent regulations.”
Weaver expressed concerns that cuts in funding make it difficult for farmers to comply with regulation requirements.
“Cuts in funding hurt farmers,” Weaver said. “It makes the process progressively harder as time goes on. I fear there will come a point in time where it is too hard for farmers.”
Gourama discussed the importance of researching food-borne illnesses and their causes, but also stressed the importance of funding this research.
“We must improve detection methods to determine where contamination is coming from,” Gourama said. “Researching this issue takes money, but it is harder to get funding due to the economy.”
Zanecosky stressed the importance of collaboration between the agricultural industry and academia.
“In order to stay in this business, you have to be on the cutting edge,” Zanecosky said. “Academia is the cutting edge.”
Snyder stressed the need for assistance from the legislature to keep food safe and agriculture profitable.
“There are four things that the legislature can do to assist farmers,” Snyder said. “Provide access to capital and quality insurance; clear, flexible and consistent regulations; tax code adjustments, and public support.”
# # #
August 16, 2011
Harrisburg, August 16, 2011 – State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Democratic chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs, has asked federal regulators for an explanation of the delay in the recent recall of contaminated turkey products until consumers were sickened and died.
“It is dumbfounding to learn that no action was taken until this month, when federal officials knew at least as early as March that turkey processed at the plant in question repeatedly tested positive for Salmonella,” said Schwank (D-Berks). “This is a common, antibiotic-resistant strain that we know poses unacceptable risks of sickness and death. It is just mind-boggling that federal regulators cannot or will not step in before what we know can happen actually does.”
Schwank, who has a lengthy background as a county agricultural agent and educator, said she has asked for an explanation of the events, which reports say claimed at least one life, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal Food and Drug Administration.
“It’s not clear yet why this happened, or what role states can play to prevent a repetition, but with Agriculture being the largest industry in Pennsylvania, we need to have answers to those questions for consumers and farmers alike,” Schwank said. “There are lives and livelihoods at stake here. This isn’t some academic game. It’s real life. If there is a role for states, we want to make sure we meet it.”
Schwank said she also is reaching out to Pennsylvania members in Congress to assist her in order to make sure the matter will not be ignored by the agencies.
# # #
August 15, 2011
HARRISBURG, Aug. 15, 2011 – Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) is calling for Senate Committee action on her legislation that would reduce the size of the Pennsylvania legislature by more than one third, from 253 to 163 members.
Schwank, the author of Senate Bill 1079, said change is necessary not just to reduce costs, but so that the legislature can respond more quickly and effectively to allow Pennsylvania to compete for business and growth.
“Our legislative framework is past its expiration date,” Schwank said. “A smaller legislature will cut costs and be able to respond more effectively in a world that moves at the speed of light instead of the speed of horses.”
Schwank noted that besides technological changes that have replaced physical presence as the essential means of communication, the speed at which developing events must be responded to has been slashed from weeks and months to hours and minutes.
Schwank is reaching out to other senators who have introduced similar legislation to work together to get a bill before the full Senate, and has asked the chair of the Senate Committee on State Government, where the bills have been referred for review, to schedule a committee vote on them.
“These proposals have been mostly ignored for 20 years, but the Senate held a hearing on them within the last half-dozen years, and the House recently did likewise, “ she noted. “The winds of change are picking up, and Pennsylvanians deserve the opportunity to exercise their right to decide what the General Assembly should look like.”
August 10, 2011
Reading, August 10, 2011 – State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) joined with Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes (D- Phila. Montgomery) and local officials to discuss the recently passed 2011-2012 state budget and other economic issues affecting Pennsylvania and the region.
“Throughout the country and right here in Pennsylvania, we are facing serious economic challenges that will require us all to think innovatively on how to address these challenges,” Senator Schwank said. “I am glad that we had this opportunity to sit down with local officials to discuss their budgetary needs and how they can be addressed in a cost-effective, practical manner.
“There is no doubt that the economic downturn has had a great impact on this region, but if we work together to face the realities of the recently passed state budget, I am sure that we can find a way to weather this fiscal storm.”
Senator Hughes provided a detailed overview of the state budget and its impact on local governments, school districts and citizens. The senators also provided information on economic development resources and other programs available to local municipalities to assist them during the difficult economic times.
“The challenges facing the people of Pennsylvania and the communities they reside in will be significant as a result of Governor Corbett’s budget,” said Hughes. “It is imperative that my colleagues and I in the legislature work closely with local officials to let them know what resources are currently available to them, as well as find new ways in moving these communities forward during fiscally challenging times.”
Schwank added that it will take compromise to get through the tough economic times facing the state.
“We must work together to find creative ways to support vital programs that our citizens depend upon,” Schwank said. “Working together will be imperative in these upcoming months. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the legislature, as well as local leaders and officials to address these fiscal issues.”
# # #
July 27, 2011
Reading, July 27, 2011 – Testifying today at a Public Utility Commission (PUC) public input hearing, state Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) expressed her concerns over the Pennsylvania American Water Company (PAWC) rate increase request.
The PAWC is requesting a 13.3 percent increase in Senator Schwank’s district. She said many of her constituents would struggle to pay such a huge rate hike.
“An average customer in my district, using 49,800 gallons of water annually would see their annual bill increase from $581.40 per year to $658.44 per year,” Schwank said. “That is an increase of $77 per year. While $77 may not seem like a lot, when considered cumulatively with the increases most of us are facing for other necessities of life – gas, electric, insurance premiums, property taxes – this increase is significant.”
Senator Schwank said that this is especially true for seniors, the unemployed and others on fixed incomes.
“Every increase in the bills of this vulnerable population stretches their already strained budgets to the limit,” Schwank said. “This proposed increase in water rates will exacerbate problems for seniors and many others struggling to make ends meet.”
Schwank added that local businesses will also feel the pain of the proposed increase, especially small businesses struggling to stay afloat in today’s difficult economic times.
“Businesses using 23,000 gallons of water per month could see their water bill jump to $242 per month from $207 if this rate increase is granted,” Schwank said. “While this may not force businesses to close, it would put them at competitive disadvantages, cause business owners to reevaluate their existing operations and give pause to new businesses that are considering moving to our area. This, in turn, could have detrimental consequences to Reading’s economic recovery.”
Schwank called on the PUC to carefully review and consider the testimony presented by consumers and experts during the hearing, taking into account the significant impact the requested rate increases would have on all PAWC customers.
“It is important that all arguments – for and against – this proposed rate increase be considered,” Schwank said. “Only then can the commission render a decision that is just, reasonable and fair for all parties involved.”
# # #
June 28, 2011
Harrisburg, June 28, 2011 – State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) said she voted against the 2011-2012 state budget passed today by the Senate because of its failure to support vital programs for education, job growth and the environment.
“We could have done better with this budget to build for the future and to offer hope to our citizens, and especially to our youth, that a better day will come,” Schwank said. “We left that part of the job, the real purpose of a budget, undone.”
Schwank said that even in the face of difficult financial challenges that required cost cutting, a better job of strategically allocating resources was required.
“Where are the allocations to educating the workforce for the future, the economic development programs that small businesses and major industries rely on to help grow and create jobs, and for land-use planning so local governments can accommodate business growth,” she asked. “In an effort to spread the pain, we might have made it worse than it needed to be.”
Schwank, a former Berks County commissioner and director of the advocacy group 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, voted against the budget worked out in recent days by the governor and Republican majorities in the state Senate and House of Representatives.
She said numerous opportunities to improve the budget were missed by keeping Democrats out of the discussions until the budget literally was ready to be voted on.
“As far as I know, Democrats and Republicans both come to Harrisburg with the same goal to serve the people of Pennsylvania,” she said. “The process used to deliver this budget seems to have forgotten the real reason we are here.”
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June 26, 2011
Appropriation Would Have Resembled State Funding Level for 2010-11
Harrisburg, June 26, 2011 – In an effort to cushion the 19 percent budget cut to Penn State University funding, Senator Judy Schwank today offered an amendment that would restore Penn State funding to state funding levels for 2010-11. The amendment was rejected by Senate Republicans.
“With the threat of higher tuition costs, elimination of research programs, and faculty layoffs, it was imperative that we try to alleviate some of the burdens facing Penn State University and our other state-related universities,” Senator Schwank said. “While the House Republicans have made very modest funding restorations to these institutions, the funding is not nearly enough.”
Senator Schwank’s amendment would have federalized inmate healthcare to free up dollars to adequately fund Penn State University and the Agriculture Research and Extension program, which receives funding as a part of Penn State’s College of Agriculture Sciences.
The Schwank amendment, along with other General Fund restorations would have restored Penn State funding to $318,072,000.
“Senate Democrats realize the importance of our state-related universities, this is why I have introduced this amendment,” Schwank said. “These institutions attract billions of federal and private research dollars that translate into new technologies and new jobs.
“We must not allow our distinguished institutions to suffer needlessly from severe budget cuts. While I realize that Pennsylvania is facing a sizable budget crisis that will require tightening the belt across the board, the needs of our learning institutions should not be ignored at this time.”
Senator Schwank added that as a former director of the Berks County Cooperative Extension Program, she recognizes the importance of adequately funding the Agriculture Research and Extension Program.
“The loss of these critical funds could potentially and irrevocably harm the agricultural industry in Pennsylvania, as well as diminish the College of Agricultural Science’s impact on agricultural research, Senator Schwank said. “By increasing funding to Penn State University, we will, in turn, do all that we can to protect our agricultural industry, ensure that agricultural research is allowed to flourish and maintain the safety of our food sources.”
# # #
June 23, 2011
Harrisburg, June 23, 2011 – A number of Berks County municipalities have received state grants totaling $62,772 for local recycling programs, according to state Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks).
“Recycling is a vital part of keeping our local communities clean and our environment safe,” Schwank said. “These funds will go a long way to help communities boost their recycling efforts, improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods and keep our air and our drinking and recreational water systems clean and healthy.”
The state’s Recycling Performance Grant Program provides incentive to help Pennsylvania communities increase recycling collection and promote economic growth through job creation and market expansion.
Grant funds were awarded to the following municipalities, based on the amount of materials recycled in 2009 and the municipality’s population:
- Berks County – $25,594 (2,789.5 tons recycled)
- West Reading Borough, Berks County – $19,497 (1,251.5 tons recycled)
- Kutztown Borough, Berks County – $5,071(428.5 tons recycled)
- Bally Borough, Berks County – $4,828 (182.4 tons recycled)
- Longswamp Township, Berks County – $3,460 (305.6 tons recycled)
- Bernville Borough, Berks County – $3,131 (130.9 tons recycled)
- Leesport Borough, Berks County – $1,191 (99.9 tons recycled)
The grants were awarded as a part of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Recycling Performance Grant Program.
# # #
June 22, 2011
Harrisburg, June 22, 2011 – State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) today introduced legislation to establish a general right to vote prior to scheduled Election Days.
“Voting is a right, and exercising it should not be a test of someone’s ability, commitment or simple good luck to get to the polling booth between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day,” Schwank said.
“Voters’ lives are every bit as demanding and complicated here as they are in the more than 30 states like California and Florida that already do what I am proposing, “ she said. “What works there ought to be given a chance here.”
Schwank’s legislation would provide for “No-Excuse” absentee voting, in which absentee ballots can be obtained without justification. She said using absentee voting processes already in place would be less costly than opening polls ahead of Election Day, as many states do.
Schwank, who served as Berks County Commissioner and executive director for the public advocacy organization 10,0000 Friends of Pennsylvania before being elected to the Senate, noted that absentee ballots have been allowed in Pennsylvania since the 1870s, but only when military, job or religious obligations, illness or infirmity prevent going to the polls.
“That was an innovative idea 140 years ago. But the complexities and demands of life today are quite different, so is the appreciation for the importance of universal voting,” Schwank said. “Many workers, particularly in service careers, routinely find themselves working unscheduled overtime or shifts, and last-minute interruptions that change plans happen to everyone. Meetings and doctor appointments you can reschedule, but not voting.
“We want to encourage Pennsylvanians to be interested and invested in our government, so let’s give them the same chance tens of millions of other Americans have. As important as transparency and accountability in government are, participation is really the spinach of democracy.”
Schwank’s legislation includes two bills: SB 1171 would amend the election code to extend absentee ballot processes to all voters; SB 1172 would amend the state Constitution to make clear that the processes could be extended to all voters.
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June 16, 2011
Reading, June 16, 2011– State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) joined with several law enforcement officials today to hold a gun safety event at her district office. The event was intended to promote safe handling and storing of personal firearms.
“Proper storage and handling of firearms, especially in homes with small children, is crucial,” Schwank said. “It is my hope that through this event and the information we provide here today, more gun owners can keep their families safe through proper gun storage.”
At the event, Sen. Schwank and Berks County District Attorney John Adams discussed the importance of properly securing guns with a gun lock.
“Too often we find ourselves investigating incidents where a gun accidentally discharged resulting in the loss of life or a limb,” Adams said. “These accidents could easily be prevented by the use of a gunlock.”
The chief county detective, Michael J. Gombar, provided a demonstration of how gunlocks work, and several other law enforcement officials discussed how important this effort is based on their experiences in their respective jurisdictions.
“Often firearm accidents in the home are the result of improper and unsecure firearm storage,” Schwank said. “This is risky and can result in the possibility of a child finding a loaded firearm and doing themselves or someone else serious bodily harm.”
Schwank added that when storing a firearm, owners should always:
- Make sure the gun is not loaded;
- Clean the gun properly;
- Use a trigger lock; and
- Store guns in a secure place away from children.
She added that the installation of gun locking devices is very important. Free gun locks were distributed to attendees at the event and are available free charge at Sen. Schwank’s District Office (1940 N. 13th St., Suite 232, Reading), the District Attorney’s Office in the County Services Center, and at various police stations around the county.
Gunlocks were provided by Project ChildSafe, a nationwide program whose purpose is to promote safe firearms handling and storage practices among all firearms owners through the distribution of key safety education messages and free gun locking devices.
“All citizens who own guns, especially if there are children in the home, should have a gun lock,” Schwank said. “Gun locks are a great way to prevent the tragedy of accidental shootings in the home. This will make it that much easier to keep your guns safe.”
Senator Schwank stated that with more children being home on summer break, it was an important time to hold an event like this.
Also participating in the event were Berks County First Assistant District Attorney M. Theresa Johnson, Reading Deputy Police Chief Mark Talbot, Sr., and Detective Joseph Brown, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 71.
# # #
June 14, 2011
Harrisburg, June 14, 2011– State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) hailed efforts today by the Senate Aging and Youth Committee to protect PACE and PACENET enrollees with legislation that would prevent their losing benefits because of cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to Social Security.
“We need to make sure that seniors can get the prescriptions they need,” said Schwank, a member of the committee. “This proposal will ensure that cost-of-living increases do not put them outside the income limits for PACE/PACENET, sometimes by as little as a few cents.”
The committee unanimously approved sending the bill, HB 463, to the full Senate for its consideration. It would impose a three-year moratorium against removals due to COLAs, and already has been passed in the House of Representatives.
The state Department of Aging projects that without the change about 9,000 people currently receiving PACENET would lose their benefits, while an estimated 21,000 people enrolled in PACE would have to move to PACENET, making them responsible for higher co-pays.
PACE/PACENET benefits are paid for by proceeds from the state Lottery.
“I hope the full Senate will swiftly act on this bill. We need to honor the state’s commitment to our seniors,” Schwank said. “Not being able to afford the prescriptions they need is an option no senior should have to face.”
# # #
June 13, 2011
Harrisburg, June 13, 2011– State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) has introduced legislation requiring the state to more efficiently pay for the costs of county children’s services agencies.
“The state has really been riding on counties’ shoulders to pay for the services to protect abused and dependent children,” Senator Schwank said. “It’s a method that is inefficient and unfair, and also unnecessary since we already have a better model for how to do it.
Schwank, who previously served two terms as Berks County Commissioner, said the need for her proposal, SB 1137, is reflected in the fact that it has an equal number of co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle representing counties in every section of the state.
Senator Schwank added that the state reimburses counties for the service costs now, but counties must first pay for the services and then often must wait months for the state reimbursements.
“The state is basically forcing counties to float a loan to it. It really is an unfunded mandate,” Senator Schwank said. “Unfortunately, it also makes the services more expensive because they typically are such a large portion of county budgets that counties themselves commonly have to take out tax anticipation loans to pay for them until they get the state reimbursements.”
Schwank said her legislation would substitute a process that is now used to pay for mental health services provided by counties. That requires that counties be paid at the start of each fiscal quarter for the services anticipated during it, with a final squaring up at the end of the fiscal year.
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May 25, 2011
Harrisburg, May 25, 2011 – Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) today introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to reduce the size of the Pennsylvania General Assembly by more than a third.
“The legislature has to be unleashed from the old way of thinking, which costs taxpayers millions of dollars more each year than is either appropriate or necessary,” said Senator Schwank, a former director of the non-profit advocacy group 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania and two-term Berks County Commissioner. “We have to move away from a structure that no longer makes sense and costs more than we need or can afford to pay.
“Modern technology allows people to remain in constant, even immediate contact with their legislators, and our legislative framework should reflect the fact that we don’t stay in touch by telegraph and horse buggies anymore.”
Senator Schwank’s bill, SB 1079, would cut 82 members from the House of Representatives, shrinking it to 121 members from 203. The Senate would lose 10 members, going to 40 Senators from 50 now.
Doing so would reduce the ratio of House members to Senators to 3:1 from 4:1, Senator Schwank said, noting that her proposal has bi-partisan support.
“The legislature has to be flexible enough to reflect legitimately local interests,” Senator Schwank said. “But it also must deal with the reality that today’s events impact communities of interest that are far broader than fixed municipal or legislative boundaries.”
# # #
May 25, 2011
Harrisburg, May 24, 2011 – Senator Judith L. Schwank applauded Senate approval today of truants legislation that was initiated by the late Senator Michael A. O’Pake.
“This was one of the last bills that Mike authored in his career,” Senator Schwank said. “I’m very happy that one of my earliest votes as his successor allowed me to successfully support its passage.
“It’s kind of a symbolic bridge, but it’s one that will offer real hope for people. I believe he would have appreciated that as much as I do.”
The legislation will allow persons whose driving privileges were suspended for truancy to regain them by returning to school and graduating, obtaining a G.E.D. diploma, or when they turn 21. Costs and fines related to the suspensions would need to be paid to regain driving privileges.
O’Pake drafted the legislation in his last term, at the request of Berks County court and school officials who said the six-month license suspension in Pennsylvania for violating mandatory school attendance laws means chronic truants often have suspensions for years after they graduate or clearly will not return to school.
As a result, they said, the suspensions are counter-productive and cause problems finding and keeping work, and contribute to other needless complications.
After O’Pake died on December 27, the bill was re-introduced on his behalf for the 2011-2012 legislative session by Senator Andy Dinniman (D-Chester).
“Senator O’Pake was a good friend and a great public servant, and I was honored to take over sponsorship of what turned out to be one of his last public policy initiatives in a long and distinguished career,” Dinniman said. “I now look forward to House members approving this bill and the governor signing it.”
The legislation now will go to the House of Representatives for its approval.
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May 18, 2011
Reading, May 18, 2011 – State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) today announced that she will be holding an open house at her district office this Thursday, May 19 from 2 to 7 p.m. The office is located at the Rockland Professional Center, 1940 North 13th Street, Suite 232, Reading, PA 19604.
“I am pleased to take this time to meet with my constituents from Berks County, who were so crucial to my election,” Senator Schwank said. “This open house will offer a great opportunity for the community to get acquainted with the services available to them at my district office and to discuss their issues and concerns. I look forward to meeting with you all.”
The senator and members of her staff will be on hand to go over the many services that are available to constituents. Some services include PennDOT assistance, birth and death certificates, assisting with and submitting forms and acting as liaison for individuals with state, local and federal issues.
Regular office hours will be Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The telephone number is 610-929-2151. The fax number is 610-929-2576.
Please visit www.senatorschwank.com for more information.
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May 11, 2011
Harrisburg, May 10, 2011 – State Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) today, welcomed Senate passage of a ban on the sale of bath salts being misused to mimic the effects of other illegal drugs.
“The Senate heard the urgent message that law enforcement and health officials have been sending us,” Senator Schwank said. “The speed with which this bill moved is amazing.”
Senator Schwank noted that one of her first acts after being sworn in to the Senate in April was to sign on as a co-sponsor to the proposal.
“By all accounts, these products are barely concealed behind a legitimate purpose, when the real reason people are buying them is to get high,” she said. “It is a high that evidently leads to very dangerous behavior. There is no way they should be sold over the counter as a general commercial product.”
The bill, SB 1006, was introduced on April 28. It will now go the House of Representatives for its approval.
# # #
May 6, 2011
Harrisburg, May 6, 2011 – Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) today welcomed the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s decision to return enforcement authority of Marcellus Shale drilling operations to DEP field investigators.
Schwank, Democratic chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, on April 11 called on Corbett to have the authority restored after DEP took the unheard of step of ordering that all enforcement efforts would need approval by the Secretary.
Schwank noted that proper enforcement is an economic concern as well as an environmental one because the drilling is taking place primarily in rural and agricultural areas, and agriculture is the state’s most important industry.
“Where’s the profit in opening the gates of the gas fields wide open if it weakens, maybe permanently, our largest industry?” Schwank questioned. “We have to develop and keep a sensible long view.”
Schwank said that the reversal, announced Thursday, can help ease doubts that such concerns are getting the backseat to industry interests and contributors to the governor.
“It’s a hopeful sign that the administration recognized a mistake and changed course,” Schwank said. “We can’t permit the protection of resources to be brushed aside in the rush to reach the natural gas in the Marcellus Shale.
“Even the perception that there is a lack of real and vigilant enforcement can lead to short-cuts and rounded corners, and there is no room to doubt that would be bad.”
Schwank noted that on Thursday she visited drilling operations in Bradford County, and was favorably impressed.
However, she said the number of violations and accidents in the industry’s brief history and the pressure to quickly bring more wells on line raise dark echoes of the state’s long history of industrial ravages on landscapes and waterways that cannot be ignored.
# # #
Editor’s Note: Senator Schwank’s Letter to Gov. Tom Corbett follows:
April 11, 2011
Honorable Thomas Corbett
Governor
The Capitol
Harrisburg, PA
Dear Governor Corbett:
I am writing to respectfully ask that you rescind the recent directive by Acting Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Krancer that halts field regulatory enforcement of the natural gas industry in the Marcellus Shale region, and requires future enforcement proceedings to have his personal approval.
As you no doubt know, more than 1,400 Notices of Violations already have been issued against the industry. It goes without saying that this is a significant number in the short time for which the industry has been exploiting Marcellus Shale fields in the Commonwealth. As the industry continues to grow, and more and more drilling sites open in the Marcellus and other potential fields, the risk of increasing numbers of violations and harm will grow. Removing the authority of field officers handcuffs the wrong side and sends an unacceptable signal to drillers that they have a friend in Pennsylvania. Sadly, it tells communities and landowners that they are on their own.
The solution to allegations of enforcement inconsistency cannot be to turn the executive office of our environmental protection agency into a downfield blocker for industry violations, in the meantime dropping the ball on many other matters that require executive-level attention at DEP. This administration instead should do what any well-run business would do, and ensure that field personnel have proper training and supervision.
This move also deepens suspicion about the relationship between drilling interests and the administration, with implications about the impact of political donations and influence on public health and safety concerns that have not been seen since the days of the coal, rail and steel barons. Decades and billions of dollars in remediation efforts have not yet removed the deep scars that they left on our mountains and valleys.
We can have economic benefits and jobs without surrendering the people’s interests to multi-national corporations. The state Constitution that you swore earlier this year to uphold includes the provision that our natural resources are “the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.” I urge you to honor those words as sincerely as any others you may hear.
Give the natural gas drilling industry the same type of regulatory enforcement that every other industry faces, and untie DEP’s hands.
Sincerely,
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Dem. chair, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee
JLS:wc
CC: A/Secretary Krancer
May 6, 2011
Four Berks County local governments, including the Lyons Borough Municipal Authority, the City of Reading, Richmond Township, and Ruscombmanor Township, have been awarded state H2O Water and Sewer grants totaling $3.715 million by the Commonwealth Finance Authority, Senator Judith L. Schwank announced today.
According to Senator Schwank, the Lyons Borough Municipal Authority has been awarded a $1.715 million grant to support improvements and upgrades to the Authority’s wastewater treatment plant. Senator Schwank noted that the grant funding will help offset the $4 million upgrade cost of the Authority’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. In addition to allowing the authority to meet DEP plant discharge limits, the project will also accommodate the growth plans of East Penn Manufacturing, the authority’s largest customer and Berks County’s largest industrial employer. It is projected that the company will be able to add hundreds of good paying jobs when the treatment plant upgrade is complete.
Senator Schwank also noted that the City of Reading will receive a $1 million grant to support the Fritz Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade Project. Senator Schwank pointed out that the City received a $5 million state H20 grant in 2009 to support Phase I of the Fritz Island Plant upgrade.
In addition, Senator Schwank said that Richmond Township will receive a $500,000 grant to support the Virginville Sewer Project. She also noted that Ruscombmanor Township will receive $500,000 to support the Breezy Corners Sewer Project.
“This state grant funding will help local officials address critical infrastructure needs and environmental issues and promote economic growth,” said Senator Schwank. “With literally hundreds of grant applications totaling billions of dollars submitted for H20 grant funding and only $172 million available this round, competition for this state aid was fierce.”
“I strongly advocated for these Berks County projects and am pleased these were approved,” concluded Senator Schwank.
April 21, 2011
Harrisburg, April 21, 2011 – State Senator Judy Schwank announced today that an additional 158 acres of Berks County farmland will be preserved through the purchase of conservation easements valued at $394,000. The funding was approved today by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board.
“These funds are a significant lifeline to many family farms throughout Pennsylvania,” Schwank said. “By preserving this farmland, these families will be able to continue building on the success of their agriculture efforts.”
According to Senator Schwank, a Preservation Board member, the following farms will be preserved:
- Bethany Children’s Home in Heidelberg Township will have 113.5 acres of farmland preserved.
- Terry and Sue Kunkel in Albany Township will have 44.1 acres of farmland preserved.
Senator Schwank added that, in Berks County, 627 farms consisting of 63,716 acres have been preserved. Berks has preserved more acreage of farmland than any other county in the state program.
“There is a wide array of agricultural products being grown in Berks County and agribusiness is an economic and employment driver in the region,” Schwank said. “Conservation easements are investments that ensure that area farms continue to flourish.”
The Agricultural Land Preservation Board is intended to permanently preserve large clusters of viable agricultural lands by acquiring agricultural conservation easements (ACE).
An ACE prevents the development of the land for any purpose besides productive agriculture. Statewide 4,157 farms totaling 450,525 acres have been preserved since the program’s inception.
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April 13, 2011
HARRISBURG, April 13, 2011 – State Senator Judy Schwank will serve as Democratic Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Democratic Leaders announced today.
Schwank, who was sworn in last week to complete the term of the late Senator Michael O’Pake, said the committee is an opportunity to continue to boost Pennsylvania’s largest industry.
“I am pleased to chair this very important committee,” Schwank said. “Agriculture is so very critical to Pennsylvania’s economy with approximately $6.1 billion in annual revenue. I will continue to foster initiatives that invest in agriculture and boost economic development and stability in Pennsylvania’s rural communities.”
Senator Schwank has a long history of agriculture experience. She received her B.S. and M.Ed. in agricultural education from Penn State University. Schwank then worked as a Berks County horticultural agent with the Penn State Cooperative Extension for 19 years, during which time she established the Master Gardener Program. In 1991, she became the first female director of the Berks County Cooperative Extension Program, a position she held until 1999. In January 2010, she was appointed Dean of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Delaware Valley College.
“In the midst of such financial difficulties, it is imperative that we continue to consider new and innovative ways to enhance agriculture in the state,” Schwank said. “It is also imperative that we continue to protect our food sources and our citizens with strict food inspection policies and regulations.”
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, (D-Allegheny), said Schwank brings a magnitude of knowledge and experience to the committee.
“Senator Schwank has had a long career in the agriculture industry which gives her a unique perspective into the needs of Pennsylvania,” Costa said. “Her leadership will help create new opportunities to boost agricultural economic development and ensure the protection of the health and safety of Pennsylvania citizens through smart food inspection policies.”
Schwank will also serve on the Senate Aging & Youth, Public Health & Welfare, Local Government and Intergovernmental Affairs committees.
“These diverse committee assignments will provide me added opportunities to assist the citizens of Berks County and throughout Pennsylvania,” Schwank said. “I am looking forward to the challenges of each committee.”
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