Rep. Frank Burns reports that the Pa. Outdoor Corps is offering paid work experience, job training and educational opportunities to young people who complete recreation and conservation projects on Pennsylvania’s public lands. Read more
EBENSBURG, Nov. 30 – State Rep. Frank Burns and Cambria County Crime Stoppers are offering a reward up to $500 for information leading to an arrest of the person who broke Burns's office window at 119 S. Center St. According to police, early Saturday morning, around 2:13 a.m. someone was seen trying to break a window outside of Burns's office, before jumping into a nearby car, and fleeing down West Lloyd Street. The suspect is described as a white male, wearing a white shirt and carrying a black hoodie and the car he got into was reportedly a medium-to-small sized gray car. "I will not be intimidated by people with political agendas," Burns said. "Thankfully, this incident only involved property damage, but all crime should be taken seriously. Hopefully, this reward offer will help local law enforcement find the perpetrator so he can be punished." Burns said that the first pane of the office double pane window was broken and the second pane was cracked. Anyone with information about this incident should call Cambria County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-548-7500. Read more
EBENSBURG, Nov. 27 – As he’s voluntarily done every year, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, said he plans to once again donate the mandatory cost-of-living increase, or COLA, to local charities. “As a fiscally conservative representative who understands that our region is struggling and people are cutting back to make ends meet, I believe that the best use of this mandatory pay increase is to return it to the communities I serve,” Burns said. As prescribed by a law passed long before Burns was elected, state officials automatically receive a COLA increase, based on a cost-of-living index, effective Jan. 1. This year and in previous budget impasses, Burns also refused to accept a state paycheck until the annual state budget was finalized. He said that he’s traditionally gone without a paycheck as long as the state budget is unfinished, most notably during the nine-month impasse of 2015-16, as well as donated his automatic COLA to local charities, because of a strong belief that legislators should set an example. “I have always worked to put taxpayers first,” Burns said. “The legislature has a lot more work to do in order to make the state more accountable to taxpayers. Donating this mandatory increase is the right thing to do.” Read more
EBENSBURG, Nov. 17 – The state Department of Education has notified state Rep. Frank Burns, D- Cambria, that $100,000 in grants for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers will assist the Forest Hills and Central Cambria school districts. Burns said $60,000 is being awarded to the Adams Township Police Department, on behalf of the Forest Hills School District, while $40,000 is headed to the Central Cambria School District. Burns said the official notifications are expected to be sent today. “These state grants will help make schools safer, while providing a cost savings to local taxpayers,” Burns said. “I thank the Department of Education for these awards, and congratulate the recipients.” The money is coming from the Safe Schools School Police/Resource Officer Grant program. Applicants are eligible for a maximum individual grant of $60,000 for a School Resource Officer and $40,000 for a School Police Officer and the maximum amount per individual targeted grant is $20,000. Local police agencies and municipalities can apply and receive a grant but they must have prior consent of the governing board of the school to place school resource officers on the school’s premises. Read more
EBENSBURG, Nov. 13 – Remaining concerned about the facility’s future, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, has invited Gov. Tom Wolf to join a group of legislators on a tour of the Ebensburg State Center arranged by the Department of Human Services for 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 17. Several weeks ago, Burns made note of his prior visit to the facility when he vowed to fight proposed legislation that would close the center, which serves nearly 225 mentally and physically disabled adults and employs more than 700 caregivers. Burns said he was invited to participate in the Nov. 17 tour, which was arranged at the request of other legislators, since the facility is located in Burns’ 72 nd Legislative District. Burns said he plans to attend but thought it wise to invite the governor as well. Burns said he took this course of action because, “As I have recently discovered that legislation may not be required in order to close the Ebensburg State Center or other facilities like it, the last thing we want is to wake up one morning and be blindsided with news that it’s a done deal.” In his letter to Wolf, Burns said, “I believe this tour would provide you with valuable insights as to the special challenges faced by some of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents and their families … and I can assure you that getting a firsthand look at the needs of its residents and the dedication of its staff is a fundamental step any Read more
Here's the letter I sent Gov. Wolf, inviting him to join a tour of the Ebensburg State Center requested by other elected officials. Read more
EBENSBURG, Nov. 13 – State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, is hosting a $45-per-person bus trip to the state Capitol on Tuesday, Dec. 12 that includes tours of the Capitol and nearby governor’s residence, along with a visit to Hollywood Casino. The bus will make pickups in Richland and Ebensburg before 9 a.m. and will leave Harrisburg for the return trip around 7:30 p.m. Burns said interested residents must call his Portage office at (814) 736-7339 to ensure that seats are still available and make a reservation. The $45 cost includes round-trip transportation, lunch, the three aforementioned destinations, and a $35 casino voucher. “Many 72 nd Legislative District residents have come to enjoy my yearly holiday bus trip to the Capitol, especially the splendidly decorated Capitol Christmas tree and governor’s residence,” Burns said. “It puts us in the Christmas mood and I look forward to experiencing this heartwarming event with them once again.” Read more
LORETTO, Nov. 6 – State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, collected donations for his annual food drive benefitting the Dorothy Day Center at St. Francis University. With the help of the community and the Penn Cambria School District, Burns filled two SUV’s and a van to capacity with donated food. “We started asking for donations last month,” Burns said. “People across the area really stepped up this year, including students and staff at Penn Cambria Middle and High Schools. We couldn’t have done it without them.” The Penn Cambria High School held a music concert last month and instead of asking for money at the door, they took food donations instead. The Dorothy Day Center explained how the organization relies on the kindness of others to help those in need, especially during the holiday season. “We have people who don’t make enough money to properly feed their family, and each year, we are so grateful to Representative Burns and his efforts to contribute to our cause,” said Dorothy Day Center Assistant Director Mary Adams. “Without his help with this food, we can’t do these special distributions.” Burns picked up donations at his offices in Ebensburg and Portage, as well as the Penn Cambria Middle School. “We like to do our part and make the holidays nice for everyone,” Burns said. Read more
The Altoona Mirror has endorsed passage of my bill that would stiffen penalties for fleeing the police whenever an officer or member of the public is killed or seriously injured. I thank them -- and agree with their position that, "Law-abiding state residents should demand nothing less." Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 26 – Citing its blatant favoritism toward big corporate casino interests, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, today voted against a hotly debated, 939-page gaming expansion bill pushed through the Republican-majority House with little time for thorough scrutiny. Burns said H.B. 271 wasn’t given to House members until Wednesday evening, giving rank-and-file members scant opportunity to dissect its voluminous contents. But from what could be ascertained on short notice, Burns said the bill fell short of gaining his approval because it didn’t include video poker for bars and clubs. “Once again, the legislature has sold out to corporate interest by choosing big casinos as the winners, leaving hardworking, small, mom-and-pop tavern owners behind. It’s a disgrace,” Burns said. “Video poker machine profits would have stayed in Pennsylvania and been spent here, having a multiplying effect on the economy. But setting up casinos to make even more money sends those profits to some corporate office that’s not in Pennsylvania.” Burns said the bill’s authorization of interactive gaming – called iGaming for short – for casinos basically puts a slot machine in everyone’s pocket via their smartphone, which means they can gamble anytime, anywhere. “That isn’t a wise or prudent expansion of gaming, and I fear its potential to harm those who are lonely, elderly or both,” Read more
EBENSBURG, Oct. 20 – State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, presented the 2nd Annual Charlie Vizzini Volunteerism Award to co-recipients Tiffany A. Jones and Conner C. Hagins, both of Johnstown, at a banquet last night. “These two young people exemplify the community-minded spirit found throughout the 72nd Legislative District and Cambria County,” Burns said. “It is an honor to recognize the many good works they unselfishly have performed over the years. Our communities are better because of their efforts.” Jones has been especially active in St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, where as a member of its Youth Group she’s volunteered to help people with yard work, painting, odd jobs and other home-related projects they cannot physically perform or afford. Jones has traveled to a remote part of Peru to deliver toiletries and other items to a village where they conducted a Bible School for youngsters. Her other volunteer activities include Relay for Life to fight cancer, packing boxes for a food pantry, helping with volunteer fire company bingo, and becoming a Junior Firefighter and auxiliary member. Jones has completed Emergency Management Technician training and is waiting to take the written half of the certification, before starting classes at Penn Highlands Community College this fall. Hagins started Cuddles for Kids more than a decade ago, and the nonprofit charity has donated 107,000 items worth an estimated $500,000 to Read more
EBENSBURG, Oct. 18 – Largely because of its heavy reliance on borrowing $1.5 billion against future tobacco settlement funds, state Rep. Frank Burns was a resounding “no” vote on Tuesday night’s revenue bill, which passed the House 102-88. Burns, D-Cambria, was one of 42 Democrats to vote against H.B. 542, citing his belief that large-scale borrowing, which has to be paid back with interest, doesn’t equate to sound fiscal management. “I don’t even own a credit card because I know the dangers in borrowing money to pay debt,” Burns said. “I’m in Harrisburg to represent the 72 nd Legislative District, and my constituents don’t want the state borrowing money that they, their children and their grandchildren will have to repay.” Further, Burns said the revenue bill – technically known as a tax code bill – also contains $85 million in tax hikes in obscure areas, such as fireworks sales and changes to the withholding of rent, royalty and other income paid to non-residents of Pennsylvania. “Even though Republicans handily control the legislature, with 121 votes in the House and 34 in the Senate, due to their own internal disagreements they have for months failed to deliver a plan to fund the budget they moved through the process back in June,” Burns said. “The Senate still needs to agree to what the House approved last night, which means it’s still not a done Read more
EBENSBURG, Oct. 18 – Continuing his trend of securing state funding for vital infrastructure development, state Rep. Frank Burns today announced $10.57 million in low-interest loans for two huge projects in the 72 nd Legislative District. Burns, D-Cambria, said the Ebensburg Municipal Authority is getting $9 million for sanitary sewer improvements, including replacement of 60,500 feet of main line piping, while Reade Township will receive $1.57 million to replace 10,000 feet of water line and 420 residential meters. Burns said the awards were finalized today by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Authority, commonly known as Pennvest. “I thank the Pennvest board for continuing to support projects of this type, because such funding is crucial for these improvements to see the light of day,” Burns said. “The real beneficiaries are going to be the 3,148 people in Ebensburg and 1,746 residents of Reade Township whose sewer and water service, respectively, will be greatly enhanced.” Burns said that addressing his district’s outdated infrastructure has been one of his top priorities since taking office, and the $10.57 million announced today will be added to the long list of projects made possible by state funding during his tenure. Read more
EBENSBURG, Oct. 16 – Moved by the case of a 29-year-old patrolman who jumped a fence while chasing three armed robbery suspects, then fell 15 feet and died of a head injury, state Rep. Frank Burns wants to stiffen the penalties for those whose fleeing or attempt to elude law enforcement injures or kills an officer. Burns, D-Cambria, has introduced H.B. 1857 , which would raise the penalty for fleeing a police officer by motor vehicle from a second-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, while creating a new first-degree felony offense for seriously injuring or killing an officer while fleeing. Additionally, because not all suspects flee by vehicle, Burns’ bill would expand the offense of resisting arrest to include fleeing or eluding an officer no matter the mode of transportation – and make it a first-degree felony if doing so causes serious injury or death to the officer. “As a member of the Blue Lives Matter Caucus, I believe we need to do all we can to protect those who serve and protect us,” Burns said. “By increasing the penalties for resisting arrest, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, it is my hope that suspects will think twice before endangering these public servants.” Burns said he took up this cause after being contacted by the mother of John Wilding, the aforementioned patrolman for the Scranton Police Department who fell to his death in 2015 while pursuing suspects on foot after they crashed Read more
Fighting the proposed closure of the Ebensburg State Center, which provides specialized care for the severely disabled, and details for my annual Veterans Day Luncheon on Nov. 12 highlight my October newsletter. Read more
State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, is inviting our nation’s heroes to his annual Veterans Day Luncheon. Those wishing to attend must RSVP no later than Nov. 3. Read more
EBENSBURG, Oct. 4 – State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, reminds landowners that the state is making $1 million in grant money available for planting trees along streams to improve water quality, while another $250,000 is being expended for snowmobile/ATV trails and projects. Burns said applications are being taken now through Dec. 20 for these Community Conservation Partnership Program grants through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He urged anyone who needs help applying to contact his Ebensburg office at (814) 472-8021. “Pennsylvania has a goal of planting nearly 100,000 acres of streamside buffers by 2025, to improve water quality, slow down runoff and reduce sedimentation and fertilizer pollution,” Burns said. “Eligible snowmobile/ATV trail projects include acquisition, planning, development, rehabilitation or maintenance of designated routes on land for motorized recreation activities – including the purchase of related equipment.” Burns said individual landowners, businesses, nonprofit organizations, local governments and educational institutions are all eligible for the buffer grants, but must be prequalified. Information about how to prequalify is available online on the DCNR grant portal, available at https://www.grants.dcnr.state.pa.us/Dashboard/Grants . Funding for snowmobile/ATV projects is through the ATV Management Restricted Account and the Snowmobile Management Restricted Account, both Read more
EBENSBURG, Oct. 3 – In conjunction with the month-long food drive being held at his constituent service offices, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, will sponsor a food collection event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15 at the Ebensburg Walmart, 300 Walmart Drive. Burns and his staff will be collecting nonperishable food donations, which will be added to items collected throughout October at his four offices, located at: 535 Fairfield Ave., Johnstown (Lower Yoder Township). 119 S. Center St., Ebensburg. 112-A Munster Road, Portage. 405 Park Ave., Patton. "This is an opportunity for folks in the 72 nd Legislative District to help their neighbors who aren’t as fortunate,” Burns said. “All donations will be forwarded to an outreach center located at St. Francis University that is dedicated to serving local families who are in need.” Please call the Ebensburg office at (814) 472-8021 for more information. Read more
The idea on how to hold 'Big Pharma' accountable for its role in the opioid crisis is the featured item of my August newsletter. Read more
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535 Fairfield Ave.Johnstown (Lower Yoder Twp.), PA 15906-1803
P*: (814) 536-8400
F*: (814) 533-2368
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123 West High StreetEbensburg, PA 15931-1538
P*: (814) 472-8021
F*: (814) 472-1965
332 Main CapitolPO Box 202072Harrisburg, PA 17120-2072
P*: (717) 772-8056