Keystone Little League Visits State Capitol
         
         Earlier this week, I hosted members of Keystone Little League’s World Series team at the state Capitol, where they received formal recognition in both the House and Senate.
         I told my colleagues in the Senate that, while they showed remarkable poise on the field, it’s not the scores that this team will be remembered for. What they did for the community was amazing and they’ll have that for the rest of their lives.
         The group arrived at the Capitol at 10 a.m., greeted by photographers and joined by television cameras as they toured the Capitol and visited Rep. Mike Hanna’s office for lunch.
         As they made their way from the House side of the Capitol to the Senate, strangers snapped cell phone photos and Harrisburg residents asked to have their pictures taken with the team that captured the attention of more than 30,000 Facebook followers during their World Series run.
         The players were accorded the rare privilege of being seated on the floor of the Senate, rather than the visitor’s gallery, where they received Senate citations and heard short remarks from several members.
         They are very much in demand for public appearances, and it was an honor to have them here.  Just like everywhere they go, they impress with their poise.

      Walking Tours Put Communities in Spotlight

Cresson Mayor Pat Mulhern, borough council members and residents joined me for a Walking Tour of the borough.

Representing a Senate District that stretches nearly 100 miles from end to end means a lot of time in the car.  So I decided this year to slow down the pace to join local residents and elected officials for a series of “Walking Tours” through communities in the 35th District.
         Every small town has a unique character and features, but I’m finding that many face the same challenges.          Water and transportation infrastructure are at the top of the list, but the recession has left very little room in municipal budgets for expensive construction projects. Road and bridge repairs are needed in virtually every corner of the state. There are bridges that need to be replaced, congestion that needs to be addressed and highways that need to be finished.
         It’s hard to imagine a sustained economic recovery without adequate infrastructure.
        As the Democratic chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, I want to build on the cooperation between local and state government so we can make the available funding stretch as far as possible. 
         I will announce more Walking Tours this fall as we prepare to tackle the challenge of getting our roads ready for an economic recovery.

Flood Tax Should Be Used to Fix Flood Damage

Hundreds of Pennsylvania roads were washed out in recent flooding, but the Johnstown Flood Tax revenue is not available for flood relief.

          The recent flooding across the state has deepened our transportation funding crisis with hundreds of road closures and washouts breaking highway budgets.
          That’s why I’m drafting legislation to create a Disaster Relief Fund in Pennsylvania using a portion of the Johnstown Flood Tax.
          It’s time to recognize that natural disasters are a fact of life in Pennsylvania and we should be prepared. This will be a Real Rainy Day Fund that will allow us to act quickly the next time nature overwhelms local communities.
         My legislation will annually set aside 20 percent of revenue from the Johnstown Flood Tax for the creation of a statewide Disaster Relief Fund. 
          Using current revenue estimates, the fund would receive about $56 million per year.  If the fund balance reaches $250 million, any additional revenue would go directly to the state’s most critical road or bridge projects.
          The Johnstown Flood Tax was a good idea 75 years ago, but over time it was used to plug holes in the General Fund.  With more roads and buildings covering the land, the so-called ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ weather events are occurring with more frequency, and this legislation will recognize that.
         The legislation would require a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly to use the Disaster Relief Fund for any purpose other than direct relief.