“Our back is against the wall,” she said. “Southeast Pennsylvania brings in 40 percent of the revenue for the state, and SEPTA – mass transit – it’s our backbone.” Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Education: Keystone Grant for Public Library Facilities Who May Apply: Grant applications are required to be submitted by a municipality on behalf of the project library. Use: Planning, acquisition, development, construction, or rehabilitation of a public library. Funds: Funding is available through the Keystone Recreation, Park, and Conservation Fund. This grant program is a dollar-for-dollar match, and the maximum grant award is $750,000. There is no minimum grant award. Application Deadline: October 10, 2025 More information: PDE Website Department of Environmental Protection: Coastal Zone Grant Program Who May Apply: An authority, incorporated non-profit organization, a political subdivision, or an educational institution with a project within the Delaware estuary coastal Zone or the Lake Erie Coastal Zone. Use: To protect and enhance coastal resources in this Commonwealth. Funds: Application Deadline: October 14, 2025 More information: DEP Website Department of Environmental Protection: Driving PA Forward Initiative: Pennsylvania Freight Innovations in Transportation (PA-FIT) Grant Program Who May Apply: Businesses, non-profits, state, local or tribal government agencies, air quality or transportation organizations, metropolitan or rural/regional planning organizations, or federal government agencies. Use: To Read more
I am working hard to continue to advocate, negotiate and fund SEPTA adequately. In early August, the House - including my YES vote – sent the Senate a new omnibus transportation bill (our 5th in the past 2 years) which includes safety, security, cleanliness and oversight requirements – things Republican state Senators representing southeastern PA have said publicly are needed to fund SEPTA. It also includes funding for roads and bridges across the state – without raising taxes. Read more
“For years I’ve listened to my honorable Republican colleagues disparage southeast PA, our communities, our diversity, our schools, our mass transit and our quote-unquote out-of-control spending without offering any meaningful solutions or compromise that is responsible or economically effective,” Shusterman says. “We here are the driver of the economic engine of the entire state.” Read more
“You know, we fund the roads and bridges that rural PA uses for transportation,” said Rep. Shusterman in an interview, “And we’ve been on board with that — it’s been a sense of pride.”“But we need to be able to keep enough of that funding to ensure that our own mass transit runs so our regional economy can continue to drive the state economy. We are not OK with our tax dollars going to the rest of the state while we make transit cuts. That is why I created the legislation.” Read more
Ms. Shusterman is correct that, for all practical purposes, Pennsylvania’s urbanized regions, even with all their flaws, significantly economically subsidize its rural communities. This isn’t just a Pennsylvania issue, nor is it only a 21st century issue — though recent consolidation of economic power has worsened it. Dense developments almost by definition punch above their weight economically: The dynamism produced by having so many people, institutions, corporations and so on all in one place is a force-multiplier for economic activity. Read more
In response, state Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester, has made a (mostly) tongue-in-cheek proposal to sequester Pennsylvania tax dollars by economic region, with generally poorer rural counties supporting themselves and generally richer urban counties supporting themselves. The clear message (or threat): Rural Pennsylvania would shrivel up even further were it not for the economic dynamism provided by the state’s urban centers. If rural representatives don’t want to support urban necessities, they can go it alone. Read more
State Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester, believes southeastern Pennsylvania should make decisions with its own state tax revenue if rural Republican legislators won’t fully fund SEPTA.“We are not okay with our tax dollars going to the rest of the state while we face those cuts,” Shusterman told WHYY News. Read more
“I believe the current system for collecting state income, property, sales and corporate taxes does not do enough to provide financial stability at the local level,” Shusterman said. “We need a different approach to address the constant funding disparities in our communities and help residents see the direct impacts of their hard-earned tax dollars. I have been listening to my Republican colleagues for years. I understand they do not want to invest in Southeastern PA, so this is a solution that honors those goals, whereby each region funds their own schools, roads, police and other projects.” Read more
"The people of Schuylkill Township have been looking forward to these improvements for a long time,” Shusterman said. “Route 23 has been left neglected for far too long. I am relieved that these federal funds were secured and look forward to the people of Chester County benefiting from these safer roads at no additional cost to them." Read more
“I’d like to thank Speaker McClinton for giving me this opportunity to further serve my constituents and the Commonwealth,” said Shusterman. “The work of the BFTDA and its regional partner centers is critical to Pennsylvania’s economic development and the ongoing creation of quality job opportunities right here in PA. We must continue to ensure that we are investing in our future.” Read more
Today I joined my Chester County legislative colleagues in West Chester for a press conference on our fight to provide adequate funding for SEPTA. My House colleagues and I have voted FOUR times to properly fund SEPTA and roads and bridges – without raising taxes. We continue to wait on the Senate to come back to Harrisburg to put a transportation funding bill to a vote. Read more
“The Paoli-Thorndale line runs through my district, and it is the heartbeat of our community,” said state Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester. “I want to emphatically echo the voices of my neighbors who have shared with me that public transit is not a luxury, it is a lifeline. If transit stops, we all stop.” Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County: Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund Who May Apply: Municipalities, authorities, councils of government, non-profits and for-profit businesses in Allegheny County. Use: Economic development projects, infrastructure development projects, job training, community improvement projects, public safety projects, and public interest projects. Funds: Project budgets must be between $150,000 and $500,000. Application Deadline: August 22, 2025 More information: RAAC Website Department of Transportation: Rail Freight Transportation Grant Who May Apply: Redevelopment authorities, rail companies, and for profit businesses Use: Investments in rail structure to keep and/or boost economic development. Funds: $41 million in funding is available. Application Deadline: August 29, 2025 More information: PennDOT Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Endowment Act – Treatment Training Who May Apply: For-profit entity, non-profit entity, an entity affiliated with a CAC or MDIT (e.g., public agency or hospital), unit of local government, or schools including colleges and universities. Use: This funding is specifically for the training of persons who treat adult and/or child victims/survivors of child sexual abuse. Funds: A total of $250,000 in state Endowment Act funds is being announced to Read more
In June, my PA House colleagues and I voted YES on H.B. 1364 that delivers vital dollars to transit systems in all 67 counties in PA while also making record investments in rebuilding roads & bridges all across the commonwealth – without raising taxes. This marks the fourth time in the last two years that my House colleagues and I have voted to adequately fund mass transit, which has included adequate funding for SEPTA. Read more
“This change will allow the Pennsylvania Lottery to more effectively compete with other forms of entertainment and put the lottery on better financial footing,” Shusterman said. “Reducing the profit margin ensures the continued health of the lottery, helping our aging population maintain their independence and quality of life.” Read more
Shusterman’s three juvenile justice bills will make improvements to the Commonwealth’s juvenile detention system. The other two bills were passed by the House last week Read more
“Our children – all of our children - are our future. And that absolutely includes the children who go through our juvenile detention system,” said Shusterman. “As legislators, we are responsible for ensuring the support, development, and safety of young people who are placed in the custody of the Commonwealth. We must invest in these children to ensure they are equipped to have successful futures -- where they will participate in our economy and contribute meaningfully in their communities.” Read more
“This bill balances the need to protect children as well as parents involved in custody disputes,” Shusterman said. “Often, one party uses the modification process to harass the other party. This bill takes a step to protect people from having to incur the cost of responding to a serial filer that is using the legal system to abuse the other party.” Read more
My House colleagues and I continue to strongly advocate for adequate funding for SEPTA in the state budget. Negotiations continue. In June we passed a mass transit bill that would include SEPTA funding, money for roads and bridges (all without increasing taxes). This was the 4th time in 2.5 years our House leadership has sent funding bills for SEPTA to the Senate. SEPTA is crucial to our way of life and economy and I will continue to do everything I can to push for adequate funding. Read more
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