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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link. |
Governor’s Proposed $53.26 Billion Budget More Than PA Can Afford
The 2026-27 state budget process began last week when Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his budget address before a joint session of the General Assembly.
His $53.26 billion proposal represents an increase of $2.72 billion, or 5.4%, over the current year’s spending. If you factor in the over $300 million in supplementals from last year’s budget, his proposal is actually a 6.2% increase in spending. With current law revenues projected to increase by just 1.9%, the governor is once again looking to balance his budget in part with a one-time revenue source by using nearly 60% ($4.58 billion) from the Rainy-Day Fund.
You can see my response here.
Rep. Tina Pickett and I also offered this statement about the budget plan.
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FFA: Where Community and Leadership Begin
The National FFA Organization began in the early 1900s and now is one of the largest organizations in the United States. It supports hundreds of thousands of student members across thousands of local chapters in all 50 states.
Here in Pennsylvania, there are nearly 150 chapters across the Commonwealth with thousands of members participating in competitive events, leadership conferences, and agricultural experiences. Locally, we are fortunate to have outstanding chapters that provide incredible opportunities for our youth. Whether you are a student looking to build real-life skills or an adult looking to volunteer and invest in our youth, I would encourage you to find a program near you.
I am always proud to be a part of the FFA Alumni Jacket programs in our area. These jackets represent pride, tradition and responsibility. I am honored to take part in this meaningful ceremony and to celebrate these young leaders who are already making a difference in their communities. Congratulations to our jacket recipients from Grand Canyon and Cowanesque Valley FFA chapters.
Grand Canyon FFA
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| Ava Cook |
Joseph Pelton |
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| Kyra Allen |
Daniel Dryden |
Cowanesque Valley FFA
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| Payzleigh Mack |
Jordan Mann |
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| Erik Phillips |
Jayson Siciliano |
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| Matthew Freeman |
Jalen Graves |
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| Clay Allen |
Landen Earl |
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| Westley Young |
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Girl Scouts Visit Harrisburg
I always appreciate it when students from our district visit while I’m in Harrisburg! I enjoyed my visit with the local Girls Scouts from Mansfield, who stopped in to visit while they were in Harrisburg for an advocacy day. Their excitement, great questions and eagerness to learn about government made the visit memorable.
If you or a school group would like to plan a visit to the Capitol, please contact my legislative assistant in Harrisburg, Jill Beatty, at jbeatty@pahousegop.com or 717-772-5371 to schedule a visit. You can learn a lot about touring the Capitol by clicking here.
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Thank a Farmer
I always love seeing our students get involved and take the time to give back to their communities – especially to the farmers who provide food for our tables. Recently, the Dairy Alliance celebrated Farm to School Month with a “Thank a Farmer” contest, and a local student from New Covenant Academy submitted a truly unique piece of artwork. Out of more the 1,400 entries nationwide, her design was selected as one of the winners.
Her artwork highlights both the creativity and hard work of the next generation, as well as the dairy farmers who inspire them every day. I was happy to honor Mallory Phelps with a certificate and celebrate all our farmers and the vital role they play in providing nutritious dairy products to our communities.
I was grateful for the opportunity to visit Mallory and her class, present her with a certificate, and take part in a thoughtful discussion about how people can work together to make their community better. Thank you to Mallory and entire class for their creativity, insight and commitment to making a positive difference.
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Veterans Service Officer Outreach in Troy
The Troy district office is hosting free veterans assistance hours on the second Thursday of each month to all veterans and their dependents. Call the Troy office at 570-297-3045 to schedule an appointment to speak with Bill McGovern, Veterans Service Officer from the American Legion. We are now scheduling appointments for Feb. 12.
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Need Tax Help?
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, provided by the United Way of Bradford County, is now accepting appointments for the upcoming tax season. The service is being offered at multiple locations across the county, including at my office in Troy.
The VITA program provides free tax help to individuals and families with a household income of $72,000 or less, veterans, people with disabilities, individuals over the age of 50, Native Americans or individuals who speak limited English. Please note that you only need to meet one of the requirements to qualify.
Appointments are required and may be made by calling 1-866-839-0442 or clicking here.
My office at 121 Canton St. in Troy will be offering assistance on Wednesdays from Feb. 1 through April 1.
In addition, services are also available at the following locations:
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Sayre: The Enterprise Center and Rep. Tina Pickett's office. |
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Towanda: Area Agency on Aging, Lackawanna College and United Way of Bradford County. |
Additionally, their drop-off is available at the United Way Headquarters in Sayre at the Enterprise Center during limited hours. Drop-offs, like other appointments, require an appointment and need a pick-up appointment scheduled two weeks after the drop off.
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Think Spring! Trout Stocking Schedule Available
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced its 2026 trout stocking schedule is now available online and on the FishBoatPA mobile app.
and on the FishBoatPA mobile app.
The PFBC will stock approximately 3.2 million adult trout in 684 streams and 130 lakes open to public angling. Stocking is set to begin the week of Feb. 16 in advance of the statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day on Saturday, March 28, and the statewide opening day of trout season on Saturday, April 4.
The 2026 adult trout stocking schedule is searchable by county; lists the waterways in alphabetical order; and indicates stocking dates, meeting locations for volunteers and the species of trout that will be stocked at each location.
Click here for additional details about stocking and visit www.fishandboat.com for information about fishing licenses and permits.
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Community Conservation Partnerships Program Now Accepting Grant Applications
Communities across Pennsylvania can now apply for state grants to fund parks, recreation and conservation projects, as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) opens its latest round of Community Conservation Partnerships Program funding. Applications are open now through April 30 at 4 p.m.
Eligible applicants include county and municipal governments, municipal agencies and nonprofit organizations. The grants fund projects such as park and recreation projects, conservation planning, trail planning, land and river conservation, community and streamside tree planting, and more.
Grant applications are only accepted through DCNR’s Grants Customer Service Portal.
Before starting an application, potential applicants should contact a regional advisor who serves the county where their project will be located. Contact information is available on the Regional Staff Assignment map (PDF).
Learn more here.
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Students Invited to Participate in Lyme Disease Awareness Campaign
Pennsylvania students in first through sixth grades are invited to enter the 2026 Lyme Art Contest by creating a short video or poster focusing on the theme: “Protect. Check. Remove.”
The annual contest helps students, Scout troops and community youth programs learn how to prevent Lyme disease by educating them about ticks, including where they live, how to prevent bites and how to remove ticks that do bite.
Pennsylvania has one of the highest annual counts of Lyme disease cases in the nation, which further emphasizes the importance of teaching children about tick awareness and prevention measures.
The deadline for entries is Friday, March 13. Click here for details.
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