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Dear Friends, Hello! Thank you for subscribing to my E-newsletter. I am honored to serve the 23rd Senate District and look forward to working with you toward building a better future for Pennsylvania! This E-newsletter serves to keep you updated on what is happening throughout Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga and Union counties and what I am doing as your state senator in Harrisburg. I hope that you will find this E-newsletter helpful, and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. Gene Yaw
Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program Assistance
My office is available to assist you with processing Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program forms! Call 570-322-6457 (Williamsport) or 570-724-5231 (Wellsboro) to schedule an appointment. In the News…City & State – A Q&A with state Sen. Gene Yaw, chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. I had a great conversation with City & State about goals for the committee in 2024, the state of the commonwealth’s energy infrastructure, RGGI, and my legislation to create an Independent Energy Office in Pennsylvania. Read more HERE…. Tune in! Recently, I sat down with WGAL for their “In Focus” weekly program to discuss my legislation to tax and regulate skill games in Pennsylvania. Our conversation will air this Saturday, March 2nd at 7 p.m. and will be available on WGAL’s website shortly after. On the Road…
This week, I had the pleasure of honoring Northeast Bradford High School athletes for their recent PIAA District IV championships. The Junior/Senior High School Boys’ Cross Country Team, the Junior/Senior High School Girls’ Volleyball Team, and the Junior/Senior High School Girls’ Cross Country Team, along with their coaches in attendance, were presented with congratulatory citations. Gracelyn Laudermilch was also honored for her 2023 Individual Girls’ Cross Country, District IV championship title. It is so encouraging to see what these young athletes have accomplished. Congratulations!
It was great to have Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding in Bradford County to kick off Pennsylvania’s maple tapping season! Sec. Redding visited Dewy Meadows Farm in Warren Center, to celebrate the maple syrup industry. Pennsylvania is the nation’s 5th largest producer of pure maple syrup, producing nearly 200,000 gallons per year worth $5.4 million. Dewy Meadows Maple, a Pennsylvania Century Farm, has been passed down through generations of the Andrew and Sally Dewing family, who have made maple syrup and sugar there for more than a century.
On Friday, the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) held their Region 7 meeting in Towanda, Bradford County. Region 7 also encompasses Tioga and Sullivan Counties in the 23rd District. Attendees participated in a great discussion about issues that affect our counties and how local officials can work together to accomplish our region’s goals. March Consumer Financial Protection Events Announced
Education and outreach staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) will be hosting and participating in numerous presentations for groups of senior citizens, service providers and the public throughout the month of March to promote financial capability and provide investor education. Events being held in the 23rd District include –
Senate Begins Review of Proposed State Budget
The Senate Appropriations Committee began public hearings last week on the proposed 2024-25 state budget. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget plan would increase state spending by more than $3.2 billion, or about 7.1% above the current year’s budget. Projections indicate it will be all but impossible to balance budgets in the next five years without deep spending cuts and massive tax increases. Among the highlights: The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) hearing focused on the commonwealth’s ongoing structural deficit and future financial standing. The IFO’s projected revenues for 2024-25 are $825 million lower than those from the Shapiro administration. Additionally, the IFO director projected the current fund balance and Rainy Day Fund – the state’s emergency savings account – would both run out in 2026-27 under the governor’s budget. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) budget hearing included questions about how the new governance model for PASSHE and community colleges would be structured and when the transition would happen. Unfortunately, very little information was available. PASSHE’s chancellor was not included in the work group planning the merger, which caused concerns. At the Department of Corrections and Pennsylvania Parole Board budget hearing, the committee sought an explanation for Shapiro’s new funding for the department totaling $229 million, which is $74 million more than the department requested. This followed the department overspending its 2023-24 budget by $100 million. The need to curb excessive spending on overtime was also discussed. At the Department of Community and Economic Development budget hearing, the committee asked about the negative impacts of Pennsylvania’s burdensome permit process and tax penalties on startup businesses that don’t turn an immediate profit. Members also discussed the governor’s Main Street Matters program, which he wants to fund at more than four times the amount of a similar program that already exists. Thursday’s hearings include the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Find the hearings schedule, livestreams of budget hearings, daily recaps and video from prior hearings at PASenateGOP.com. Free Webinars Provide Helpful Financial Aid Info
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is holding free webinars to assist college-bound students and their families with navigating the financial aid process. Speakers will discuss planning for higher education financing, comparing financial aid offers and understanding the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Register to attend the one-hour webinars, which run through July. Help is Available for Struggling Veterans
Like anyone, veterans and their families can face unexpected circumstances that impose financial burdens. To help veterans who are facing challenging times, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs administers the Veterans Temporary Assistance (VTA) Program. The VTA provides temporary financial assistance of up to $1,600 in a 12-month period to veterans or their surviving spouses who reside in Pennsylvania for food, shelter, fuel and clothing. Learn more about how to qualify and apply. Mental Health Treatment is Available for Farmers
Pennsylvania farmers and farm families live a stressful way of life, often filled with uncertainty. Rural areas have fewer therapists, and the work on a farm never stops. While the circumstances farmers experience are unique, there is help available for those dealing with loneliness, sadness, stress or depression. Professional treatment for mental health is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through the free AgriStress HelpLine. Call or text a health care professional at 833-897-2474.
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