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| The Barb Wire |
| #Listrak\DateStampLong# |
The latest news from the State Capitol |
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Barb’s Weekly Update
On Monday, the House was in session, and I had several committee meetings and met with lobbying groups concerned about a late budget. In the evening, I attended the Newville Halloween Parade and helped judge the floats. It was a great crowd, and Scott Donato was the M.C., who did an excellent job. Thanks to all the organizers and participants.
On Tuesday, I attended a tri-state policy committee meeting on the viability of our electric grid (more details are below). We held a House Labor and Industry Committee voting meeting to pass legislation that pertained to unemployment compensation, but nothing budget related. After first break in session, I had a House Aging Committee meeting to discuss LIFE program (Living Independence For the Elderly), known nationally as PACE. Apparently, the national program mandates that LIFE be less expensive than a state’s managed care alternative (Community Health Choices); however, CDC allows signups twice a month while PACE can only by law allow a once-a-month signup. Most people don’t know that PACE or LIFE saves the state money and is less expensive. So, we need to call upon our national leaders to change the signup options for LIFE. After the voting session concluded, again, with no budget bills on the docket, I met with a PA NRA representative to discuss recent legislation.
On Wednesday, Senate Bill 9, the Senate’s Women in Sports Act bill was re-referred from the House Health Committee to the House Judiciary Committee, continuing the Democrat’s avoidance to call up the bill and vote on it. It has now been passed from the Education to Health to Judiciary committees.
However, a coalition of legislators who are dads called a press conference with amazing guest speakers to announce House Bill 1849, Dad’s Defending Daughters – a similar bill to the Save Women’s Sports Act (more information below). After the press conference, I discharged House Bill 158, which is another House version of the Save Women’s Sports Act that has been in the Education Committee for over 175 days.
We left on Wednesday knowing that discussions are finally happening on a budget; however, no budget bills were offered for a vote in the House. The House Democrat leadership is sitting on a Senate bill that is flat funded, which would fund the state; however, just like on the federal level, they won’t offer it up for a vote. The state treasurer has also offered $500 million in low-interest loans to backfill the shortfall in the interim, but there are entities that are not allowed to take state loans who are in desperate need. “Flat funded” means all line items get the same amount as in 2024. The House should be passing that bill and then working on a supplemental budget, OR, take up Rep. Seth Grove’s reconciliation budget he offered which would set a certain percentage of funding until the rest is agreed to.
Thursday morning, we held our annual Veterans Breakfast
Thank you to the great crowd that came out to honor our veterans! Col. Robert Kinney, U.S. Army, was our keynote speaker from the U.S. Army War College; Cpl. Leroy Welsh Jr., U.S. Marine Corp (Ret.) was our Quilt of Valor recipient, U.S. Army Col. Eric Albertson was our chaplain, and Chambersburg NJROTC was the Color Guard. There will be more opportunities in the coming weeks to honor our veterans.
Today, I will be holding a lengthy meeting with CPARC representatives regarding current policy and the need for change. Our most vulnerable constituents are pressed for housing, transportation and staff.
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Dads Defending Daughters
The first of its kind in the nation - legislation has been introduced on the subject of fairness in women’s sports from House Republican dads. These men are stepping up to the plate to protect their daughters from men and boys competing in their sports, Title IX fundamental protections and to protect their daughters’ personal safety. Division 1 swimmer Paula Scanlan and former NFL player Frank Murphy are just two of the inspiring speakers we heard at the press conference. Please click here to watch the press conference.
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Powering the Mid-Atlantic
Our House Republican Policy Committee this week welcomed lawmakers from Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia for the first-ever multi-state policy hearing focused on restoring energy affordability and reliability across the Mid-Atlantic region.
The message from energy advocates and the region’s lawmakers was clear: We urgently need coordinated, commonsense reforms to our energy policies to ensure the stability of our electric grid and bring down the cost of energy for our residents and businesses. That includes leaving the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, improving permitting for new energy projects, and ensuring new generation is up and running before older facilities are taken offline.
A representative from PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission organization serving 67 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia, outlined the challenges posed by accelerating energy demand, premature plant retirements and delays in new generation. He warned that, “without a significant course correction, the region could face a resource adequacy deficit by 2030 — or even sooner.” He emphasized that load growth from artificial intelligence, data centers and electrification is outpacing new generation and underscored the need for all resources — natural gas, coal, nuclear and renewables — to meet future demand.
We also heard testimony from Rob Jennings, American Petroleum Institute; Rachel Gleason, Pennsylvania Coal Alliance; Maddie Milam, Consumer Energy Alliance; and Elizabeth Stelle, Commonwealth Foundation.
Click here to watch the hearing.
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Election Day This Tuesday, My Office Closed
This Tuesday, Nov. 4, is Election Day! Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here to verify your polling place for in-person voting.
Voters who have chosen to vote by mail-in or civilian absentee ballot must have those ballots back to their county Board of Elections no later than 8 p.m. on election day.
If you choose to deliver it in person, you can only return your own ballot, not anyone else’s. And no one can deliver your ballot on your behalf unless you are a voter with a disability and have designated someone, in writing, to deliver your ballot, or if you need an emergency absentee ballot. Click here for more frequently asked questions about elections from the Department of State.
More information about voting is available at vote.pa.gov.
Please don’t skip your right to vote and to have your voice heard through the ballot box.
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More Property Tax Elimination Town Hall Feedback
I want to thank the majority of constituents who have expressed their thoughtful feedback regarding the listening tour on the alternative solution to fund schools through a tax shift, which would eliminate the fall school property tax permanently. Much of the feedback was positive. This bill is not ready for prime time this year, and the tour will continue throughout the state next year as well.
I want to address two statements we heard and respond for everyone’s information. There was a statement during the meeting that referenced the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) Sept. 8, 2025, analysis, which estimated a $6.6 billion statewide reduction in school funding. It is important to note that this analysis was a response to a static request that intentionally addressed only the impact of the proposed increase in the Personal Income Tax (PIT). The report did not include the additional revenue from the proposed Sales and Use Tax (SUT) increase, which is a key component to the bill. When both PIT and SUT increases are considered together, as outlined, the overall plan is anticipated to be revenue neutral.
Additionally, the bills establish a School District Emergency Fund with an initial $500 million appropriation from the General Fund ($250 million each for fiscal years 2027-28 and 2028-29), plus ongoing annual remittances of 0.25% of each district's budget. This fund serves as a safety net for supplemental funding in cases of unforeseen or exigent circumstances, including any short-term revenue losses, with applications reviewed by the independent School District Property Tax Elimination Appeals Board (Sections 9013 and 9014). Basic education funding allocations from the state remain unchanged (Section 9016), ensuring no cuts to core educational support.
Taxpayers can find the formulas for distributions in Sections 90A52 and 90A53, which outline the calculations for county and school district allocations. These provisions collectively provide a dollar-for-dollar replacement during the transition period and a stable, dedicated funding stream thereafter.
Second, contrary to the characterization as a “state power grab," House Bill 1649 and Senate Bill 962 are designed to keep taxing and funding authority local, empowering counties and school districts rather than centralizing it in Harrisburg. The bills require each county to levy the 2% SUT through a local ordinance, with public notice under the Local Tax Enabling Act, and each school district to levy the 1.88% PIT through a resolution, also with public notice (Section 90A11). School districts designate their own tax officers, who have powers under the Local Tax Enabling Act to collect and administer the PIT locally (Sections 90A32, 90A33, and 90A35).
Revenues from these local taxes are dedicated specifically to education and are distributed back to local school districts based on local metrics, such as average daily membership, rather than arbitrary decisions from state politicians (Sections 90A52 and 90A53). If a district receives excess funds beyond its approved budget, it must use them to reduce its Earned Income Tax rate or pay down debt—decisions made at the local level (Section 9015). The Appeals Board provides oversight and support but does not dictate budgets; it evaluates finances and approves supplemental funding only for specific needs, preserving local decision-making (Section 9012).
Finally, the bill also requires landlords to pass on property tax savings through rent reductions for tenants, including seniors in rental properties (Section 9017). Overall, this shift moves away from taxing homeownership—a fixed cost that hits seniors hard—and toward taxes tied to current economic activity, making the system fairer for those with limited or fixed incomes.
I will reiterate that no one will like everything in this bill. It is a compromise that is a solution to an unsustainable method of funding schools, as the current system is regressive and is particularly burdensome on our fastest-growing population, our seniors. Since this bill will not be called up in the near future, this will be the last I write about its impact in the newsletter; however, I do plan for a few telephone town halls, where constituents may still get questions answered and, of course, I will be responding to emails as well.
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Don’t Forget to ‘Fall Back’ Saturday Night
Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2. Be sure to turn your clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday night.
It’s also a good time to check or change the batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms in your home. In addition to regular battery changes, experts say the alarm devices should be replaced every 10 years to better ensure your safety.
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: 437 E North Street | Carlisle, PA 17013 | Phone: 717-249-1990 |
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| 427 Irvis Office Building | House Box 202199 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2199 | 717-772-2280 |
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