My Agriculture Innovation Bill Passes House, Celebrating Pride Month, Fairly Funding Public Education & more! Read more
HARRISBURG, June 18 – Grant totaling nearly $120,000 have been awarded to several fire companies serving rural areas in the 82 nd Legislative District for equipment upgrades and general support, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, announced today. The special grant awards were made possible by federal American Rescue Plan dollars through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development. The awards and amounts are as follows: Beech Creek Blanchard Fire - $20,000. Boalsburg Fire Co. - $20,000. Citizens Hook and Ladder in Milesburg - $20,000. Howard Fire Co. - $20,000. Pine Glen Fire Co. - $20,000. Snow Shoe Fire Co. - $20,000. “These additional grant dollars will help boost our local volunteer fire companies’ capabilities, allowing for the purchase of new equipment, training, and improvements to facilities,” Takac said. “This substantial financial support is not just a recognition of their unwavering service, but a testament to the critical role they play in safeguarding our homes and families. “I am always very happy to help support these heroes so that they can continue their life-saving work with the best equipment and training available." Read more
HARRISBURG, June 14 – Funding totaling nearly $400,000 has been awarded to entities with a focus on ensuring residents in Centre County have access to safe, affordable housing, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, announced today. The groups and amounts are as follows: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Centre County– $200,000. State College Community Land Trust-$100,000. The HOME Foundation-$65,000. Centre County Government– $30,000. “Investing in affordable housing is not just about building homes; it's about building communities, strengthening economies, and opening doors to opportunities for everyone,” Takac said. “Young families, older adults, and workers who are the backbone of our economy should not struggle to find a place they can afford and call home. “I remain committed to ensuring that every individual and family has access to safe, affordable, and dignified housing. We must continue to work tirelessly to break down the barriers to affordable housing and make the American dream an achievable reality for all.” The funding was awarded through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund. PHARE was established by Act 105 of 2010 (the "PHARE Act") to provide the mechanism by which certain allocated state or federal funds, as well as funds from other outside sources, would be used to assist Read more
This week, I proudly joined colleagues in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in passing H.B. 2370, a critical first step in the multi-year process of repairing the broken, inadequate and unconstitutional system of funding public education in our Commonwealth. Our plan would make critical and long overdue investments to begin to level the playing field without taking one dime from any district. It also would allow local schools to keep $530 million in local tax dollars and provide over $1 billion in tax relief for overburdened taxpayers. And it would do all of this without a tax increase. This plan delivers for every student in Centre County. In the upcoming school year, districts that serve Centre County students would receive nearly $4.5 million in new funding, including almost $300,000 in tax relief for Bald Eagle Area School District. And by reforming excessive payments to underperforming, unaccountable cyber charter schools - who today receive FAR more than they actually need - our districts would be able to keep $4 million of YOUR tax dollars, while still allowing for school choice. That would be a total of nearly $8.5 million in funding this year to improve our schools, again ?????????????? ?? ?????? ???????????????? . Despite much misinformation and even deception, H.B. 2370 is a reasonable, responsible and sustainable path to ensure full and adequate funding for all. It Read more
HARRISBURG, June 11 – Recognizing the ongoing need to invest in Pennsylvania agriculture, the Pennsylvania House passed H.B. 2310 today, according to the legislation’s prime sponsor, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre. Takac said the bill, which cleared the House with bipartisan support , would provide farmers and agribusinesses with grant opportunities, via a newly created Agriculture Innovation Fund , to adopt innovative new technologies that will help increase efficiency and productivity while also promoting sustainability and environmental benefits. Takac said the bill aims to offer grants to farmers and agribusinesses through the establishment of an Agriculture Innovation Fund. The fund is designed to facilitate the adoption of emerging new technologies and integration of the latest research and best practices in PA agriculture, which is the Commonwealth’s top industry and a key pillar of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s economic development plan. Takac further emphasized that the legislation is crafted to provide clear program guidelines while also ensuring that the definition of innovation remains broad enough to be inclusive and responsive going forward. The initiative is intended not only to enable Pennsylvania's farmers to integrate the latest technology and best practices, while also to prepare for future advancements as the pace of innovation and research continues to accelerate. Read more
Memorial Day Events in Centre County | Senior Fair/Scam Seminar Recap & more! Read more
HARRISBURG, June 3 – In a move that would help propel Pennsylvania agriculture into the future, the Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee cleared H.B. 2310 , according to the legislation’s sponsor, state Rep. Paul Takac. Takac said the bill, which was reported out of the House committee with bipartisan support , would provide farmers and agribusinesses with grant opportunities, via a newly created Agriculture Innovation Fund, to adopt new technologies, increase efficiency, and promote sustainability and environmental benefits. Takac emphasized that this legislation strikes a balance between creating clear guidelines and not defining innovation too narrowly. This program would allow Pennsylvania farmers to adopt new technology and best practices now, with a keen eye toward the future as rapidly developing technologies become more readily available and accessible. “Pennsylvania farmers and food processors have a long history of embracing new technologies and best practices to both improve their conservation stewardship and create resiliency in their businesses. What were once revolutionary practices - such as no-till planting and cover crops - are now widely adopted and benefit both farms and the environment,” Takac said. “In an era where agricultural research and innovation is rapidly accelerating - including the use of drones, augmented reality and even artificial Read more
Upcoming Senior Fair | Advocating for Public Transit Funding | $1.5M Awarded to College Township Bike Path Project Read more
HARRISBURG, April 26 – Grant awards totaling nearly $886,721 have been awarded to schools throughout the 82 nd Legislative District to improve safety and mental health resources, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, announced today. The awards and the amounts are as follows: State College Area School District – $231,714. Keystone Central School District-$195,619. Bellefonte Area School District-$174,432. Bald Eagle Area School District – $154,131. Keystone Central CTC-$70,000. St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy-$50,000. Central Intermediate Unit 10 - $10,825. “In this era of unprecedented challenges, our commitment to the welfare of students and educators has never been stronger,” Takac said. “By prioritizing mental health and school safety, we are acknowledging the complex needs of our youth and dedicating ourselves to creating an environment where every child can thrive emotionally, socially, and intellectually. “Our message is clear: the safety and well-being of our students are paramount, and we will spare no expense to safeguard our future generations." More about the funding, which was awarded through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, is available here. This most recent round of funding completes the $155 million school safety grants program package appropriated in the bipartisan 2023-24 state budget Read more
HARRISBURG, April 25 – A $1.5 million grant will be earmarked for the construction of a shared use path in College Township, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, announced today. College Township was awarded the grant that will be utilized to construct a 10-foot shared use path running from the new sidewalk at Puddintown Road to an existing 8-foot path near Hastings Road in State College Borough on the property of Penn State University. This funding is in addition to the $500,000 recently awarded for the project from the Multimodal Transportation Fund administered by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, bringing a total of $2 million in state funding for the project. This approximately 1-mile path will fill a critical gap in the regional bicycle and pedestrian network, and will provide a safe, offset and continuous connection along East College Avenue, linking the existing College Township Bike Path, which parallels the Mount Nittany Expressway, with the existing paths and bike lanes on campus and in State College Borough. “This College Avenue project was originally conceived when I was still a member of College Township Council, so I am thrilled about this very substantial grant award to help make it a reality,” Takac said. “Enhancing the ability of pedestrians and bicyclists to navigate this very busy corridor in order to access the University Park campus and State College Borough will have a profound impact on Read more
HARRISBURG, April 10 – In a move that would help ensure a key piece of Centre County’s history is preserved, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved a bill yesterday that would transfer the Eagle Iron Works and Curtin Village from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to the Roland Curtin Foundation, according to the legislation’s sponsor, state Rep. Paul Takac. Takac said the bill, which passed the House unanimously, would help to promote and educate the public about a key time period in not only the history of Centre County, but also the history of Pennsylvania. “For over 100 years, the Eagle Iron Works served as a hub of the thriving nineteenth century iron production industry in central Pennsylvania as part of the famed Juniata Iron District. In the early 1800s this five-county region supplied over half of all the iron produced in Pennsylvania and nearly 20% in the entire United States,” Takac said. “This transfer will enable the Roland Curtin Foundation to invest in additional restoration work and to expand programming, especially as we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation.” In 1974, the restored 1850’s era mansion was opened to the public for tours under the direction of the non-profit Roland Curtin Foundation. Since that time, the foundation has welcomed thousands of visitors and hosted countless educational events. Read more
Grant Funding for College Twp Bike Path, PSU Advocacy Day, Supporting Veterans Read more
HARRISBURG, March 27 – Today, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers held a news conference at the Capitol touting legislation they’ve introduced to support Pennsylvania veterans exposed to the dangerous herbicide “Agent Orange” and other toxic chemicals during their service, and make March 29 Vietnam Veterans Day in Pennsylvania . This group of lawmakers includes state Reps. Paul Takac, D-Centre; Mike Cabell, R-Luzerne; Brian Munroe, D-Bucks; Dane Watro, R-Schuylkill/Luzerne; Tarik Khan, D-Phila.; Zachary Mako, R-Northampton/Lehigh; Chris Pielli, D-Chester; and Abby Major, R-Armstrong/Westmoreland. Both bills were introduced earlier this year. “We owe all those who have served our country, especially those who have been harmed as a result of their service, not only our profound respect and gratitude but an enduring commitment to serve and support them and their families. That, of course, includes Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to -- and at the time, unknowingly harmed by -- Agent Orange. As our understanding of the extent of the damage caused by that chemical exposure has grown and evolved, so have the programs and benefits available to those affected,” Takac said. “Since taking office, one of my areas of focus has been ensuring that veterans and their families are aware of and can more easily access all of the benefits and support available to them,” he said. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 26 – Two grant awards totaling $618,686 will help an ongoing road improvement project in Snow Shoe Township as well as the construction of a shared-use path in College Township, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, announced today. College Township was awarded a $500,000 grant that will be utilized to construct a shared-use path along East College Avenue from Puddintown Road to Hastings Road. In addition, Snow Shoe Township received a $118,688 grant for ongoing rehabilitation to Kato Road. “This much-needed influx in funding is threefold as it aims to improve roadways and shared-use paths to improve safety and access for vehicular, pedestrian and bike traffic along heavily used routes,” Takac said. “Proactive, strategic investments that strengthen Centre County’s infrastructure is a good-government initiative that appeals to everyone. I applaud this funding and look forward to seeing these projects become a reality. The East College Avenue project in particular is something that I was involved in as a member of College Township Council, and I am excited about much-needed improvements along this vital corridor to campus and the downtown area,” he added. Dustin Best, College Township Council chair, weighed in on the half million-dollar award for the township. “College Township is very pleased to be receiving this $500,000 Multimodal Transportation Fund grant award, which Read more
HARRISBURG, March 14 – State Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., today announced that he plans to introduce two bills to help address shortages of healthcare workers so that all Pennsylvanians can receive high-quality medical care. These bills would provide for the recruitment and retainment of nursing faculty members and health care preceptors. The first bill would establish the New Nursing Faculty Grant Program to provide grants of up to $10,000 per year for newly employed, full-time nursing faculty members. The second bill would establish the Pennsylvania Health Care Preceptor Deduction to incentivize qualified individuals to serve as preceptors for advanced practice nurses, physicians, physician assistants and registered nurses by providing a $1,000 tax deduction for doing do. “As a nurse practitioner, I know how important it is to keep our healthcare workforce supply strong,” Khan said. “Recruiting nursing faculty is often difficult, and healthcare preceptors are often hard to find. Our bill will help ensure critical support for both nursing faculty and healthcare professional preceptors.” The nursing faculty grant program is modeled after a Maryland program that was highly successful. The second bill would make Pennsylvania the sixth state to take action to incentivize medical professionals to enter preceptorships. Nearly 80,000 applicants across the nation were not Read more
HARRISBURG, March 8 – The availability of affordable housing in Centre County will receive a big boost thanks to grant awards totaling $827,476, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, announced today. The grants were awarded through the Pennsylvania Home Investment Partnerships Program, which is a federally funded program that provides municipalities with grant and loan assistance to expand and preserve the supply of decent and affordable housing for low- and very low-income Pennsylvanians. “The issue of safe and affordable housing has far-reaching implications and requires a strategic, pragmatic approach with the goal of ensuring that all residents have access to sustainable housing,” Takac said. “However, too many Centre County residents face being priced out of the local housing market or forced to live further away. This funding will support efforts to expand affordable housing options for those who need it.” The full list of recipients through this round of funding is available here. More information about the HOME program is available here. Read more
Protecting Consumers from Misleading Contracts, Boggs Twp PTRR Clinic a Success, Establishing Agent Orange Bipartisan Task Force Read more
The House Majority Policy Committee met Monday morning to gather testimony on what can be done to better protect Pennsylvanians from entering misleading, confusing contracts. Read more
$1.24M in Grants Awarded, Grant Writing Workshop Successful, District Office Open House Recap Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 21 – Today, state lawmakers introduced legislation that would create a task force on Agent Orange -- a blend of herbicides used during the Vietnam War. Agent Orange was banned when evidence of the harmful and sometimes deadly results of exposure to it began to emerge. Those who were exposed to Agent Orange are at risk of developing cancers, neurological and psychological conditions, and other long-term effects to the skin and heart. Exposure to Agent Orange can also cause reproductive health problems and birth defects in the children of veterans, including spina bifida, hip dysplasia, and congenital heart disease. The task force would comprise several members of military organizations and members of the PA House and PA Senate to investigate and form recommendations on how best to communicate with veterans affected by Agent Orange concerning the treatment options available to them. This bipartisan legislation was introduced by state Reps. Paul Takac, D-Centre; Mike Cabell, R-Luzerne; Brian Munroe, D-Bucks; Dane Watro, R-Schuylkill/Luzerne; Tarik Khan, D-Phila.; Zachary Mako, R-Northampton/Lehigh; Chris Pielli, D-Chester; and Abby Major, R-Armstrong/Westmoreland. “We owe all those who have served our country, especially those who have been harmed as a result of their service, not only our profound respect and gratitude but an enduring commitment to serve and support them and their families. That, Read more
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216 W. Hamilton AvenueState College, PA 16801-5218
P*: (814) 308-0569
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Snow Shoe Township Municipal Building 268 Old Side Rd. Clarence, PA, PA 16829-8009
Hours of Operation - 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month
Howard United Methodist Church 144 Main Street Howard, PA , PA 16841
Hours of Operation - 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Every Thursday
Milesburg United Methodist Church 301 Turnpike Street Milesburg, PA , PA 16853
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103 B East WingHarrisburg, PA 17120
P*: (717) 772-0750