ERIE, Dec. 10 – Three grants totaling $90,000 will enhance security and prevent sexual assault at Mercyhurst University, Gannon University and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, state Reps. Bob Merski and Pat Harkins announced today. The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the three schools are receiving grants of $30,000 each under the “It’s On Us” program to ensure students remain safe from the threat of sexual violence. “College campuses should be safe havens where students feel confident to pursue their hopes and dreams,” Merski said. “This new funding will help ensure that Erie campuses have the proper security in place to deter crime and allow students to thrive and learn.” Harkins said, “No student should ever have to worry about facing the threat of an assault on campus. Securing this funding is going to bring new resources to ensure students remain safe and, equally important, enjoy peace of mind.” The “It’s On Us” campaign is a national initiative to raise awareness about sexual assault; teaching participants that assault includes non-consensual sex, advising them on how to identify dangerous situations, empowering them to intervene, and urging them to create an environment of support for victims and survivors. Read more
Funds will help food bank with cold storage facilities Read more
ERIE, Dec. 9 – Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest PA has been awarded nearly $750,000 for upgrades, state Reps. Bob Merski and Pat Harkins, both D-Erie, announced today. The lawmakers said the funding will help the food bank expand its capacity for storing and transporting supplies. “No household should have to deal with the stress of food insecurity, especially during the holidays,” Merski said. “Securing this funding will ensure that Second Harvest Food Bank has the equipment it needs to store and transport plentiful supplies so that families have fewer worries about keeping nutritious food on the table.” Harkins said: “Second Harvest has always been a wonderful resource for our region. With so many residents still feeling the effects of the pandemic, it’s important for folks to know that the food bank is there for them and – thanks to this new funding – able to serve our community with expanded capacity.” The COVID-19 Food Bank Cold Storage Infrastructure Program allows Pennsylvania food banks to purchase, expand, or upgrade cold storage facilities to ensure that they can deliver fresh food to struggling families. Eligible purchases include refrigerators, coolers, freezers, refrigerator trailers and cargo vans, building expansions, and more. The grants are part of a package of $11.4 million in funding to food banks statewide. More information on the Read more
ERIE, Dec. 8 – The Erie County Historical Society, expERIEnce Children’s Museum, and Harborcreek Historical Society have been awarded more than $23,000 in state funding to help support their operations, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski, both D-Erie, announced today. The lawmakers said that funding from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission includes $12,003 to the Erie County Historical Society and $6,067 to the children’s museum under the Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program and $5,000 to the Harborcreek society under the Historical and Archival Records Grant Program. “Erie’s historical societies are the keepers of our region’s rich cultural heritage, and this new funding will support staff at the county historical society and Harborcreek in their efforts to preserve and chronicle our history in a way that keeps it alive for future generations.” Merski said, “The expERIEnce Children’s Museum is another unique place that brings learning to life by allowing kids to interact with hands-on displays and exhibits that stimulate the senses. The new grant funding to help support operations follows last week’s award of $5 million from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program for major expansions and improvements to the museum.” The funding is part of a package of nearly $2 million in grants awarded to 154 Read more
ERIE, Dec. 8 – Efforts to improve child abuse investigation and assist young victims will benefit from $447,000 in funding awarded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski announced today. The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the Children’s Advocacy Center in Erie will receive $47,000 in direct funding to continue its advocacy and support for abuse victims and will also benefit from an additional $400,000 awarded to the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania to help the state center provide individual CACs with training and technical support. “Our Children’s Advocacy Center here in Erie plays multiple critical roles, from being a voice for young abuse victims and assisting in investigations to providing a safe, supportive environment and resources to help kids heal,” Harkins said. “The new funding to the center will ensure that it has the resources to continue those crucial services.” Merski said: “In addition to the specific funding earmarked for our Erie center, the grant to the state center is great news because it will fund a team of experts in the field who can provide additional support. With changes in the law, an increase in child abuse referrals and the development of new, evidence-based techniques, our dedicated and talented professionals at the county level can benefit from that extra training and Read more
ERIE, Dec. 3 – A $5 million state grant will fund expansion and improvements to the expERIEnce Children’s Museum, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski announced today. The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the funding – supported through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program – will help fund a building addition, outdoor space and improvements to the existing structure. “Securing this funding is going to allow the museum to expand its footprint and also offer new outdoor spaces for open-air programs,” Harkins said. “With those additions, the museum will be able to accommodate more people and add additional exhibits and programs, making the experience even more exciting for young visitors.” Merski said, “It’s hard to overstate the importance of vivid, hands-on exhibits that stimulate kids’ senses and help them learn. Our children’s museum gives kids an amazing educational experience to complement what they learn in the classroom, and today’s funding is going to help ensure the museum has the capacity to expand those resources even further.” The lawmakers said that the three-story addition to the current facility includes site preparation, foundation and concrete slabs, structural steel, building envelope, interior walls, and ceilings, finishes, and mechanical and electrical systems. In addition, renovations include reworking of structural steel and the addition of energy Read more
ERIE, Dec. 1 – A grant of more than $1.64 million to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office will fund measures to reduce gun violence, bolster law enforcement, and provide former offenders the supports and services needed to resume productive lives in the community, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski announced today. The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will fund resources over a 24-month period to help implement UnifiedErie’s Group/Gun Violence Reduction Strategy. “This grant is going to fund targeted intervention strategies, street outreach, and other programs that have proven to reduce violence and help former offenders transition back to productive lives,” Merski said. “All are investments in a safer, stronger community.” Harkins said, “The funding awarded today is going to support programs that give residents a greater voice in fighting crime, expand outreach to at-risk youth beyond the schools and into the neighborhoods, boost law enforcement’s ability to track and prosecute offenders, and connect former offenders with job resources and other supports to help them turn their lives around.” The grant is part of a package of $15.7 million in funding from PCCD to support local strategies to stop gun and group violence. More information about the grants is available here . Read more
Grants available to connect vets with jobs, remove barriers Read more
Burns worked with communities to bring funding to region Read more
ERIE, Nov. 18 – Help is still available through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, and state Reps. Bob Merski and Pat Harkins are urging residents who may be struggling with rent or utility payments to apply now. “With eviction protections no longer in place, it’s important for residents to remember that help is still available through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program,” Merski said. “The program can provide up to 18 months of assistance for past-due rent or utilities dating back to March 2020, or for future payments. It can also help with housing-related expenses such as relocation, security deposits, application fees, accrued late fees and attorney fees related to eviction proceedings. “But residents – especially those facing an imminent risk of eviction or utility shutoff – should not wait. Applying now may help prevent those circumstances and other major life disruptions.” Harkins said, “As we head into winter, I urge anyone who is having trouble paying rent or utilities to apply for emergency assistance. Help is available even if residents are living in subsidized or Section 8 housing, as long as those costs are not reimbursed through another program.” To qualify, a household must be responsible for paying rent and must meet the following criteria: One or more household members has qualified for unemployment benefits, had a decrease in Read more
Would add more veterans to licensing boards, among other measures Read more
ERIE, Nov. 9 – Tax credits totaling more than $2.8 million under the state Neighborhood Assistance Program will leverage investments in projects to improve life for Erie residents, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski announced today. The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the funding will leverage investments in a broad range of projects. “The best investments are the ones that generate greater opportunities for people," Merski said. “By fueling projects to renew distressed areas, educate youth, address hunger insecurity and boost job training, these tax credits promise to expand the resources residents need to thrive.” Harkins said, “This tax credit funding will provide an infusion of lifeblood into our communities, which are still working to recover from the pandemic. From removing blight and revitalizing neighborhoods to improving literacy and increasing affordable housing, they are going to create new opportunities for residents and small businesses to build back and flourish.” The lawmakers say the tax credits include: Erie Playhouse – $26,125. ServErie – $5,500. SSJ Neighborhood Network – $27,500 and $200,000. YMCA of Greater Erie – $12,375. Erie County Historical Society – $5,500. Erie Center for Arts and Technology – $55,000 and $132,500. Gannon Read more
ERIE, Nov. 4 – State Rep. Pat Harkins joined Gov. Tom Wolf in Erie today as the lawmakers pushed for passage of Harkins’ legislation to repair a critical safety issue that leaves Pennsylvania’s public employees unprotected in the workplace. Harkins, D-Erie, said he is encouraged by renewed attention generated by the governor’s recent executive order, which urges lawmakers to pass H.B. 1976 . Also known as the Jake Schwab Worker Safety Bill, the legislation would give Pennsylvania’s public employees the same protections enjoyed by the state’s private-sector workers. “Pennsylvania’s public employees – police, firefighters, teachers, corrections officers, transportation workers and others – are every bit as committed to doing their jobs and providing for their families as the state’s private-sector employees,” Harkins said. “But there is one glaring difference: unlike private-sector employees, who are protected by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the state’s public employees are left to fend for themselves because there are no regulations in place to keep them safe. “That lack of protection killed public transit mechanic Jake Schwab just days before Thanksgiving 2014, when the equipment he needed was unavailable at his job site, leading to a fatal explosion. It was seven years ago that Jake’s death spurred me to put this legislation in Read more
ERIE, Nov. 3 – A low-interest loan of $200,000 will help fund a project to bring a unique outdoor dining and entertainment venue to the Erie Bayfront, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski, both D-Erie, announced today. The lawmakers said the funding to Scott’s Bayfront Hotel LLC will finance construction and renovations for Oliver’s Beer Garden that will help visitors capture stunning waterfront views. “The loan to Scott’s Bayfront Hotel LLC is especially exciting because it is helping to fund a project that builds on the Bayfront’s natural beauty in a way that draws visitors, increases commercial activity and attracts additional investment in our region,” Harkins said. “Scott’s Bayfront will also retain 55 permanent full-time jobs as a result of the project.” Merski said, “Today’s funding to Scott’s Bayfront will help move this special dining and entertainment project one step further by funding renovations that include site development, paving, landscaping, outdoor pavilion, fire pits, tiling, plumbing and electrical work. I can’t wait to see this area take on new life as the renovations take shape.” The total project cost is $803,647. The loan was approved through the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission and is a seven-year, $200,000 loan at a 1.5% interest rate. The loan was approved Read more
State funding to help job seekers, increase access to employment opportunities Read more
ERIE, Oct. 26 – State grant funding of $11,876 will bring Erie pre-k students greater access to fresh foods and a chance to learn about the importance of agriculture, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski announced today. The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the funding to Early Connections Inc. – awarded by the state Department of Agriculture under the Pennsylvania Farm Bill’s Farm to School Program – can help the center shape healthy habits and stimulate interest in farming. “With so much cleverly advertised junk food around, it’s critical to make kids understand that there are healthy alternatives out there and that they have the power to make smarter choices,” Harkins said. “By providing access to local foods from Edinboro Farmers Market, this funding is going to help expose kids to those more nutritious options.” Merski said, “In addition to expanding access to nutritious foods, the grant to Early Connections will fund agriculturally focused children’s books and class programs and a field trip to a local maple syrup producer. By stimulating kids’ curiosity and teaching them that it can be empowering to grow their own food, we’re helping ensure a fresh crop of young minds dedicated to keeping urban agriculture thriving here in the region.” The grant is part of a package of funding to 47 projects designed to improve access to healthy local foods Read more
ERIE, Oct. 21 – State Rep. Pat Harkins, D-Erie, issued the following statement today in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s executive action urging passage of H.B. 1976 , Harkins’ workplace safety legislation, also known as the Jake Schwab Worker Safety Bill. “I was encouraged to hear Governor Wolf call on lawmakers to pass my worker safety bill and eliminate a gaping hole in protections for our state’s public workers. The men and women who make up Pennsylvania’s workforce give it their all – whether they work for public or private employers – to support their families and keep our communities running. “But shockingly, although they do the same work, only some of them are safe from workplace dangers. That’s because basic safety protections exist for private-sector workers only. Public employees – from police to corrections officers to public transit workers – are left to fend for themselves. “My bill is named for Jake Schwab, a public transit mechanic who died just days before Thanksgiving because the equipment he needed was unavailable at his job site, leading to an explosion. Unlike mechanics in private garages, Jake was not protected by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and Pennsylvania has no state plan imposing comparable standards to protect public employees. “It’s my hope that with renewed attention focused on this critically needed piece of legislation, the families Read more
State funding will help local projects go forward Read more
AMBRIDGE, Oct. 20 – State funding of more than $3.1 million will allow the city of Aliquippa to continue eliminating a potential lead risk in the city’s drinking water, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. Matzie said the new funding from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority will finance the second phase of a project to remove and replace lead service lines – work made necessary after testing revealed concerning lead levels in some residents’ drinking water. “After water sampling in 2020 showed lead in residents’ drinking water, replacing the system’s lead service lines with copper lines became an immediate priority,” Matzie said. “In spring, we secured initial funding to replace 184 lines. That was a step in the right direction, but more work remains to eliminate the threat to all residents. “Securing this additional $3 million will allow the water authority to replace 275 lead service lines, including the lines on the customers’ side. People need to be able to put concerns over the safety of their drinking water behind them, and this funding brings us one step closer to that.” Matzie said the funding to the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa includes a combination of $1.9 million in grant funding and a $1.2 million low-interest loan and that without it, residents would have faced an estimated 3% Read more
ERIE, Oct. 14 – Erie residents will soon have greater options for affordable rental housing, thanks to nearly $700,000 in federal tax credit funding awarded today, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski announced. The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the funding to GMA Development Group, LLC, for Royal Homes development sites in Erie will fund construction of 26 units. “Lack of affordable housing is a persistent problem for Pennsylvania’s low-income households, and too many families already spend more than half of their income on rent, leaving little left over for groceries, prescriptions and other necessities,” Harkins said. “Securing this funding will help expand housing options that give families livable options. It won’t solve our housing shortage overnight, but it’s a good start.” Merski said, “A stable, permanent place to call home is such an important foundation in life, but not all families have easy access to safe, affordable housing. The tax credits awarded today should help boost the supply of affordable rental units for Erie families.” The Low Income Housing Tax Credits are administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and were approved by the agency’s board. The funding is part of a package of $43.6 million awarded statewide for the construction of 1,974 affordable multifamily rental units. More information on the awards is Read more
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