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In this update:
How to Fund our Public Schools?The Basic Education Funding Commission held its 11th and final public hearing earlier this month. The commission has crisscrossed the state, hearing from dozens of local leaders, interest groups, and advocacy organizations about how we could more fairly fund our public schools, after the current system was declared unconstitutional by the PA Commonwealth Court. These deliberations have again brought the issue of our unfair, archaic system of school property taxes before the Senate and the House. This bipartisan commission will issue our findings and recommendations early next year. I would encourage you to share your opinions with the commission at this link. CRIZ Brings Record Investment to Tamaqua Redevelopment in 2022
Tamaqua’s City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ) had a record-breaking year, bringing almost $1.6 million to the community to support redevelopment. When I first drafted the “small town” amendment to the Senate’s CRIZ legislation, the goal was to help breathe new life into our smaller towns, and not reserve this valuable program solely for our largest cities, as had been originally proposed. Tamaqua ultimately earned the only non-city CRIZ designation in Pennsylvania and now, many of its oldest buildings are much improved from the days when I grew up in a “half a double” on Arlington Street in the 1960s and 70s. CRIZ funding has supported the opening of the Bischoff Inn and Child Development Inc., the expansion at the Boyer’s Food Market complex, and – coming soon – Gimbel Farms at the site of the former WHEEL Restaurant. Without the CRIZ and the hard work of so many members of the Tamaqua community, this transformation would not have been possible—and the benefits of the program continue for 30 years! I have also proposed legislation to require the Governor to allow more communities to apply for this designation. The current law allows, but does not require, the Department of Community and Economic Development to add two new CRIZ communities every year, but Governor Wolf, and now, Governor Shapiro, have refused to do so. The current program aids Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Tamaqua, but many other communities want to apply for CRIZ benefits. The key question in Tamaqua is this: Who will apply to be the next CRIZ success story in Tamaqua, restoring a property and creating new jobs? Transforming the Vacant Orwigsburg Orphanage into Apartments
This week, the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce hosted a mixer at the new apartments at 900 West Market Street in Orwigsburg. The building, once the St. Francis Orphanage, had been mostly vacant for many years – that is, until Bill Metzinger purchased it with an innovative vision to transform it. Now, it features 48 much-needed market-rate apartments, an event area, and more. This region is facing a serious housing shortage. We continue to hear from many employees and employers that they need more housing options in the area to prevent long, expensive commutes to new and existing jobs. Restoring unused buildings, like this one, is a perfect solution for everyone involved. A long-vacant building will again have a productive use and Orwigsburg will have a stronger local economy. Argall Report: Education Funding Reviewed at Hazleton Hearing
The December edition of my local TV program highlights a recent meeting in Hazleton of the Basic Education Funding Commission. There is no issue I hear about more from my constituents than our unfair, unconstitutional school funding system. I invited the commission to come to Hazleton – one of the largest and most challenged school districts in the entire state – so that we could hear first-hand about the unique issues faced by local teachers, students, parents, and taxpayers. During the hearing, I noted the challenges faced by students who speak English as their second language, injecting Spanish into my opening remarks to demonstrate how difficult it would be to learn complex math or science in a foreign language. Fernando Ramirez-Chiglinsky: Overcoming Obstacles
Yesterday, we had a special guest at my Mahanoy City office: Fernando Ramirez-Chiglinsky, an honors student at Shenandoah Valley, active member of the community, and a proud member of the Blue Devils Football and Track and Field squads. Fernando hopes to attend Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., which specializes in educating the deaf and hard of hearing. There Fernando plans to continue his education, focusing on business and finance and perhaps, to continue his football career for the Gallaudet Bisons. Every single day, Fernando overcomes obstacles most of us cannot even imagine. I wish him nothing but the best as he prepares for his future. Touring Blaschak Mining Site Near Eckley
Yesterday, Rep. Dane Watro, former House Speaker Keith McCall and I toured the Blaschak Anthracite mining site near Eckley. As always, it’s amazing to see their employees and their machinery at work – the giant scale of this mining operation, including their ongoing abandoned mine reclamation efforts, is very impressive. Pennsylvania Plagued by Organized Retail Theft
A recent study by Forbes ranked Pennsylvania as the fifth highest state for organized retail crime in the country. According to their research, for each person who lives in PA, over $430 of goods were stolen from businesses small and large in 2021. My bill to fight this crisis and hold these criminals accountable was passed by a strongly bipartisan vote of 46-4 in the Senate and is now being considered in the House. PennDOT is Hiring!
PennDOT is hiring! Visit their hiring event at 381 South Main St., Ashley, PA on Wednesday, December 6th from 1-5 p.m. |
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