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Senator Saval Calls for Investment in Housing, Schools, and Public Infrastructures
City, facing criticism, says Washington Ave. pivot was a ‘matter of equity’
City officials sparked outrage Saturday when they reversed course on a planned “road diet” for one of the city’s most dangerous thoroughfares. But the transportation officials say the decision was meant to promote equity. Officials in Philadelphia’s Office of...
Port of Philadelphia gets second infusion of money for modernization
(The Center Square) – Gov. Tom Wolf gathered with state and local officials Friday to announce $265 million in funding for the Port of Philadelphia to “continue modernization efforts and improve regional stability.” “The port is an economic driver, not only in...
A sentence that never ends: How probation kept a Pennsylvania man locked up through the pandemic — even after his release date
Kevin has been in the system since he was a baby. His mother was unable to provide for him, so he was raised in foster care, and he spent his adolescence in a Philadelphia educational and treatment facility for young people with behavioral issues — a facility that...
Philadelphia’s port is getting a $246 million investment from the state, Gov. Wolf says
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday that the state will invest $246 million to help expand Philadelphia’s port, adding to the $300 million his administration committed to port development in late 2016. During the five years in between, five super post-Panamax...
Wolf Administration Announces Additional $246 Million Investment at Port of Philadelphia
“The port is an economic driver, not only in Philadelphia, but across the commonwealth,” said Gov. Wolf. “The port supports jobs, encourages trade, and builds connections that help businesses and communities across Pennsylvania thrive. This new $246 million investment...
Senator Saval Demands Fully Funded Public Schools
PA Dems call for ‘historic’ education funding, GOP doubts sustainability
Pennsylvania Democrats unveiled a plan for $3.75 billion in new spending on public education aimed in part at directing more money to the state’s poorest school districts, a proposal Republicans derided as unrealistic for its reliance on federal pandemic relief funds...
Joseph Fox Bookshop in Center City closing after 70 years, as neighborhood bookstores press on
The finale is near for longtime Center City staple Joseph Fox Bookshop, which is set to close at the end of January. Its shutdown aligns with a trend affecting many downtown retailers, but there’s a bright counterpoint: the recent rise of independent bookstores in...
After dropping early in the pandemic, jail populations are rising again | Wednesday Morning Coffee
After dipping in the early days of the pandemic, prison and jail populations across the country are already ticking upward, and have nearly rebounded to their pre-pandemic levels. That’s the conclusion of new research by the Prison Policy Initiative, which found that...
Four Facts about Electricity Costs & RGGI in Pennsylvania
Opponents of the Pennsylvania DEP's proposed CO2 Budget Trading Program, which would enable the Commonwealth to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, are mounting a disinformation campaign about the program's impact on electricity bills. This blog...
Proposed laws will help make housing safer, healthier and more accessible
State Sen. Nikil Saval (D, Philadelphia) proposed two new laws and one amendment to an existing law in 2021. All three focus on housing access for renters, and home repairs for low-income households. The Fair Chance Housing Act would amend the 1955 Pennsylvania Human...
Community College of Philadelphia receives $3 million Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program Grant
Community College of Philadelphia recently announced that it has received a $3 million Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant to make significant renovations and improvements to three buildings on the College’s main campus: the Winnet...
State Celebrates Federal ‘No Surprises’ Protections Against Medical Bills
Governor Tom Wolf Monday was joined by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID), stakeholders, and a consumer who has fallen victim to surprise billing to celebrate the upcoming implementation of the federal No Surprises Act on Jan. 1. The No Surprises Act will...
Gov. Wolf Celebrates Federal No Surprises Act and Increased Consumer Protections from Unexpected Medical Bills
Governor Tom Wolf today was joined by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID), stakeholders, and a consumer who has fallen victim to surprise billing to celebrate the upcoming implementation of the federal No Surprises Act on January 1, 2022. The No Surprises Act...
Philly’s lauded Eviction Diversion Program to stay in place through 2022
Philadelphia’s eviction diversion program will remain in place through the end of 2022. The nationally recognized initiative that was set to expire this month has reduced evictions by 75% compared to pre-pandemic levels. “We look forward to a new era that takes us out...
Pa. Senate approves bill reforming probation system, sends to House for consideration
Bipartisan legislation reforming Pennsylvania’s probation system passed the Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday, sending the bill to the House where a similar proposal previously died without a vote. The proposal, authored by Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Luzerne, would...
Senator Saval on the Importance of Advocacy in Protecting the Rights of LGBTQ Pennsylvanians
Statewide Nondiscrimination Legislation College Campus Visit: Bucks County Community College
Pennsylvania Senate moves to overhaul probation system
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s state Senate on Wednesday approved legislation to overhaul how probation is handled, in an effort to clamp down on people being stuck on an endless probation cycle or being sent back to jail for minor violations. The vote, 46-4,...