Guzman wants to allow undocumented individuals to obtain a legal driver's license to make it easier for them to support and provide for their families without endangering others lives and putting themselves at risk. Read more
READING, Dec. 8 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced the awarding of a $375,000 grant to support SAFE Berks’s initiative of combating violence against women. The grant was awarded through the STOP Violence Against Women Statewide Grant Funding Program and administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. “Tragically, incidences of domestic violence against women continue to plague our community,” Guzman said. “These heartbreaking situations require immediate intervention, and this grant award will assist SAFE Berks in implementing the support these women need to overcome this trauma. “Breaking the vicious cycle of domestic abuse by providing the necessary tools and support to empower these women is vital in combating, and eventually ending, domestic abuse. SAFE Berks does great work for our community by providing a safe haven for these women to take proactive steps to remove themselves and their loved ones from these awful situations.” The grant will be utilized to continue a cross-system, collaborative response to violence against women crimes in the county. The intent of the project is to maintain specialized units in law enforcement and prosecution and direct services to victims of violence against women crimes in the county. For more information, contact Guzman’s office at 610-376-1529. Read more
READING, Dec. 6 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced the awarding of $2.25 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding for the ongoing rehabilitation project of Reading’s Medical Arts Building. The project will involve construction of a two-story addition to the adjacent vacant lot. Exterior renovations will include masonry and window repair and roof replacement. Interior rehabilitation work will include modernization of ground-floor retail space, lobby restoration, utility improvements, and the addition of 35 residential apartments. The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is a grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects. “This ongoing rehabilitation project for this historic building is yet another example of taking existing structures and repurposing them for today’s use,” Guzman said. “Investing in the necessary upgrades for these historic structures allows the vibrant past of this city to be blended with Reading’s incredibly bright future. “While I am given the honor of representing the 127th Legislative District, I will continue being a zealous advocate and fight for every resource available as we continue investing in the future of the great City of Reading. I look forward to the day where all of these envisioned projects evolve from Read more
READING, Dec. 3 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced the awarding of $7.5 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding for construction of new facilities and an overhaul of FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. The project will involve construction of a three-story structure at FirstEnergy Stadium for the home and visiting clubhouses, women's locker room, batting tunnels, weight room, team laundry, equipment storage, an indoor event space and other enhancements. The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is a grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects. “ Like the pinstripes on their jerseys, the Reading Phillies are stitched into the fabric of our community ,” Guzman said. “ Generations of families have made it a tradition to visit this historic ballpark and root for their home team. I am so grateful this tradition and the memories that come with it will remain steadfast here in Reading .” Guzman was instrumental in securing the funding to keep the Reading Phillies in Baseball Town through collaborative measures with influential leaders that put the project in motion. Guzman went onto say, “I have such fond memories of coming to see the Reading Phillies play at this historic ballpark. The passion this Read more
READING, Dec. 3 – Sen. Judy Schwank, Rep. Mark Rozzi and Rep. Manny Guzman, all D-Berks, applauded today’s awarding of $7.5 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding by Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget in support of the construction of new facilities at FirstEnergy Stadium. In December of 2020, Major League Baseball contracted and consolidated its affiliations with minor league baseball franchises. Reading was offered a license, which maintained its affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies MLB franchise. As part of the new Minor League Baseball license agreements, improvements must be made to stadium facilities at all minor league baseball venues within the next two years. Improvements needed at FirstEnergy Stadium include, among other things, the construction of home and away team clubhouses and new player practice and training facilities. “Losing the Reading Fightin Phils was never an option and keeping the team in Reading has been one of my top economic development priorities,” Schwank said. “Officials from the state, county and local level were all on the same page and acted quickly and with urgency to find funding. We really worked together, and across party lines, to get this done. The R-Phils have a storied history in Berks County as the longest-running minor league affiliate in professional baseball. People who grew up going to games now take their own kids to the ballpark. We would have Read more
READING, Dec. 1 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced the awarding of a $238,062 grant to support the Reading Salvation Army’s initiative of implementing trauma-informed group sessions to support children and their families affected by gun violence. This grant was awarded through the Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program and administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. “Gun violence continues to plague our streets and has caused unimaginable suffering for those that have experienced this trauma firsthand,” Guzman said. “This grant award will help our community take a more proactive approach in preventing and ultimately ceasing gun violence. Having personally experienced the great things the Salvation Army has done for our community here in Reading, I know this money will be put to good use.” Guzman went onto say, “While this influx of money is a step in the right direction to continue addressing the gun violence epidemic, it does not go far enough. We need concreate legislative action in Harrisburg that will play a substantial role in reducing the destruction that gun violence has caused in our community. I look forward to bringing these initiatives to the forefront with my colleagues in Harrisburg with the objective of saving as many lives as possible.” The Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program provides grants to address community violence Read more
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READING, Nov. 16 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced the awarding of a $600,000 grant poised to enhance and propel road projects with a focus on bicyclist and pedestrian safety in the 127th Legislative District. This grant was awarded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Multimodal Transportation Fund Program. “I am extremely grateful for this much-needed investment that seeks to make our roadways in the City of Reading safer for everyone who utilizes them,” Guzman said. “Oftentimes when we think of enhancing our roadways, we think strictly in terms of vehicular traffic; however, this grant award will be utilized to seamlessly integrate vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.” Guzman went onto say, “Investments such as these will enhance the overall quality of life for all who reside in this great city. I look forward to bringing more available state resources home to the 127th Legislative District so we can see more projects such as this turn into a reality.” The Multimodal Transportation Fund, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of the commonwealth. The most recent round of awards from this fund totaled $84.4 million and has been spread out across a majority of the counties in Pennsylvania. Read more
READING, Nov. 16 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, will be partnering with the local chapter of the Salvation Army in Reading to conduct its annual turkey giveaway and kettle bell kickoff. This initiative will begin at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23 and will include distributing more than 500 turkeys and other holiday items for families in need. This event will be held in the parking lot of the Salvation Army at 301 S. 5 th St. Reading, PA 19602. In addition, at 9:30 a.m. the Red Kettle campaign will kick off to provide meals, shelter, toys, clothing, and many other services during the year. “While the holiday season is a time to make memories that will last a lifetime, we must be cognizant that this time of the year can be stressful and difficult for the most vulnerable members of our community,” Guzman said. “I am elated to partner with our local Salvation Army to remind folks of the reason for the season and play a small role in uplifting the spirits of our community as a whole.” As a part of this event, Guzman and his staff will be on hand to answer any state-related questions constituents of the 127 th Legislative District may have such as information on rent rebates and LIHEAP. Read more
Ciresi and Guzman said they both view the restoration of a passenger rail service as the best way to alleviate this critical infrastructure issue and increase southeastern Pennsylvania’s economic growth. Read more
READING, Nov. 09 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced that Habitat for Humanity of Berks County was awarded $100,000 in tax credits to assist in ongoing revitalization project for the city of Reading. This funding was awarded through the Neighborhood Assistance Program, which supports nonprofits, businesses and resident projects in distressed areas or low-income neighborhoods. “These tax credits will be vital in honing and expanding upon the Habitat for Humanity of Berks County’s overall mission of assisting our most vulnerable neighbors in maintaining and securing safe, stable housing,” Guzman said. “As a community, we need to be cognizant that uplifting our neighbors through these initiatives will have positive ripple effects that will be felt for years to come.” The Habitat for Humanity of Berks County has created a six-year strategy for housing development and neighborhood revitalization in the city of Reading, creating safe, affordable housing. They are currently in the third year of this strategy. Guzman went onto say, “Seeing these tax credits be utilized for such an important resource such as housing ensures our wonderful community continues to head in the right direction. As long as I am given the privilege of being the state representative for the 127 th Legislative District, I will continue fighting for every resource that will better and strengthen our Read more
Pennie is Pennsylvanian's insurance marketplace and provides individuals and families with the ability to shop for high-quality health care plans and easily apply for financial assistance. Read more
“It doesn’t matter how many folks were sent the incorrect information,” Guzman said, pointing out that races could be decided by just a handful of votes. “Even if one person was disenfranchised because they received the incorrect information — that’s one person too many.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 27 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, is planning to introduce legislation that would bring back in-person tollbooth jobs on the Pennsylvania Turnpike during peak hours to prevent motorists without an E-ZPass from riding toll free, which happened for about half of those motorists in 2020. “We lost more than $104 million in turnpike tolls last year due to a flawed, all-electronic tolling system. That is unacceptable,” Guzman said. “The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission laid off nearly 500 tollbooth workers and prematurely converted to an all-electronic system, resulting in this catastrophic loss. The commission needs to be held accountable.” Guzman is proposing a hybrid system that would bring back tollbooth workers during the road’s busiest hours so that the electronic system can be improved without incurring further revenue losses. “The benefits of a functioning all-electronic system are undeniable,” he said. “However, last year’s blunder demonstrated that the commission needs more time to develop a working system.” About 11 million trips without tolls occurred on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 2020, according to an internal turnpike report obtained by the Associated Press. After eliminating in-person toll collection last year, a 45% rate increase was implemented for non-E-ZPass drivers. E-ZPass tolls accounted for over $1 billion of the PTC’s $1.3 billion total tolls Read more
READING, Oct. 22 — State Reps. Jennifer O’Mara, Manny Guzman and Mark Rozzi denounced Berks County commissioners’ colossal error disenfranchising Spanish speaking voters by providing the wrong return-by date on mail-in ballots with following statements: “The people deserve answers. I am demanding an immediate full investigation into how this massive error could have happened – you don’t slip a finger and type ’18’ when you mean to type ‘2.’ And, if this is more than an accident, we need to demand resignations. For my part I am working with state Democratic leadership to convene a Policy Committee hearing in Reading to get the facts we all need to restore public trust. The actions of right-wing extremists in Harrisburg and Washington D.C. show us how fragile our democracy truly is – we cannot afford to shatter democracy in Berks County,” Guzman said. “Voting is one of our most sacred rights in America, and if people are being told wrong information regarding elections – that’s voter suppression. This cannot be remedied by simply mailing a letter, the county commissioners need to be more open and proactive about correcting their mistake to ensure that every voice is heard on Election Day. The county commissioners’ failure to share accurate information is nothing but a veiled attempt at voter suppression, and Rep. Guzman and I will continue shedding light on this issue Read more
LIHEAP is a federally funded program administered by the Department of Human Services that provides assistance for home heating bills so Pennsylvanians can stay warm and safe during the winter months. Read more
READING, Oct. 21 – State Rep. Manuel Guzman issued the following statement today after 17,000 Spanish-speaking voters in Berks County were sent mail-in ballots with an instruction page telling voters their ballot didn’t need to be returned until Nov. 18 instead of the actual due date of Nov. 2. “People make mistakes, but when a mistake potentially silences the voices of tens of thousands of people, there must be more accountability than essentially shrugging one’s shoulders and saying, ‘My bad.’ We are talking about directly disenfranchising more than 17,000 potential voters in the fastest-growing group of citizens in Berks County – a number equaling more than 5% of the total voter turnout in the November 2020 election. If these people don’t get their votes counted due to this error, then the 2021 General Election numbers cannot be trusted, and we shatter the faith in elections of countless voters who will believe their vote simply doesn’t matter. “First things first, the county election board needs to do a massive public apology and education effort to personally reach out to every one of these voters and explain the error, and to reach out to every voter to remind them of the correct dates and how to submit their ballots so their voices are heard. “The people deserve answers. I am demanding an immediate full investigation into how this massive error could have happened – you don’t slip a Read more
READING, Sept. 29 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, will host a job fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30. Guzman’s job fair will consist of over 30 employers searching for qualified candidates to fill a host of open positions. This is Guzman’s latest event surrounding assisting individuals in the 127 th Legislative District in finding employment. Earlier this month, he hosted a virtual town hall consisting of a panel of experts that discussed the end of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment benefit program, along with resources and advice on helping individuals find a new career path. “ I am thrilled to host this job fair as more of our hard-working neighbors rejoin the work force. There will be plenty of employers on hand offering meaningful employment, great benefits and family-sustaining wages. I look forward to seeing all who are seeking work in attendance ,” Guzman said. The job fair will be held inside the Reading Recreational Center, 320 S. Third St. To protect everyone’s health and safety, COVID-19 safety guidelines will be in place. Additionally, Guzman and his staff will be there to assist with one's state-related questions. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 14 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, said he was heartbroken to learn of a wave of opioid overdoses, once of which resulted in a death, that plagued Reading Hospital this past weekend. In total, there were 70 reported cases of opioid overdoses and one death. “Opioid abuse has skyrocketed over the last several years and there appears to be no end in sight as this epidemic continues to devastate and beset our community, commonwealth and nation as a whole,” Guzman said. “Sadly, here in Pennsylvania, the Republican majority in Harrisburg specifically chose not to renew the emergency declaration surrounding the opioid epidemic as a result of their newfound constitutional powers.” Guzman went onto say, “It is no surprise we are continuously seeing opioids ravage our neighbors, family and friends, and as elected officials we should be doing everything in our power to provide individuals the resources to continue battling this disease. I implore my colleagues to address this serious issue and reinstate the emergency declaration as we prepare a return to session this fall.” Guzman reiterated that he will continue fighting the battle against the opioid epidemic and will work to bring home resources to help combat this public health crisis that continues to impact individuals struggling with this cruel disease. There are state resources available through the Read more
READING, Sept. 8 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced that two local organizations were awarded gun violence reduction grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. RIZE, a youth arts nonprofit organization, will receive $225,000 to support its RIZE Above Bars initiative that serves Reading children and youth with incarcerated parents, as well as other initiatives. Another group, The Village of Reading, will receive $195,023 to support community outreach programs, including the cost of a director, part-time assistant, two part-time violence interrupters and more. “It’s critical that we help organizations in their work to make our communities safer, and I was pleased to support these nonprofits in their applications for funding,” said Guzman. “These grants are great news and I look forward to seeing this funding help RIZE and the Village of Reading make a difference for our neighbors.” More information about the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is available here . Read more
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645 Penn St.5th FloorReading, PA 19601-3543
P*: (610) 376-1529
F*: (610) 378-4406
Hours of Operation - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The office has staff ready to assist you in Spanish and English.
115A East WingPO Box 202127 Harrisburg, PA 17120
P*: (717) 787-3525