Latest news with #RickSiger
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania schools receive funding to install solar panels
(WHTM) – Six local schools were among the dozens that received a piece of the $22.6 million awarded Tuesday to install solar panels. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development announced the funding as part of the Solar for Schools Grant Program. The funds will allow schools to purchase and install solar panel equipment while, state officials say, helping reduce carbon emissions and create jobs. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Steelton-Highspire School District was awarded $446,363 to install high-efficiency solar panels. The project will also integrate renewable energy education into the district curriculum, providing hands-on STEM learning. Also in Dauphin County, Williams Valley School District High School received $500,000 for its 'solar for schools' project. Two schools in the Chambersburg Area School District also received funding through the grant. Scotland Elementary's solar project received $400,000 and Fayetteville Elementary's solar project received $291,814. Carlisle Area School District's Crestview Elementary School is receiving $252,000 and Newport High School's rooftop solar project is being awarded $348,816. 'Energy is one of the top expenses for schools, which is why investments in solar energy can help to maintain long-term financial stability and improve the quality of education they offer students,' said Secretary Rick Siger. 'Those savings can then be channeled into more resources for our teachers and students, and also create good-paying clean-energy jobs and job training opportunities.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DCED highlights need for funding to make housing more affordable, accessible
May 11—Rick Siger, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) secretary, this week highlighted the Gov. Josh Shapiro Administration's commitment to ensuring all Pennsylvanians have access to safe, affordable housing. Advancing that commitment with common sense solutions, Shapiro's 2025-26 budget proposal calls for significant investments to restore and modernize Pennsylvania's aging housing stock with a new $50 million statewide housing repair fund to help homeowners struggling to make needed repairs to their aging homes, he said. The budget also proposes $10 million to help first-time home buyers cover closing costs, as well as $1 million in dedicated funding to the State Planning Board to help municipalities with growth-oriented housing policies. "The Shapiro Administration understands that we must address the long-standing affordable housing crisis to build resilient regions and open doors of opportunity for every Pennsylvanian," Siger said. "We are committed to making real progress on affordable housing to get people into good homes, grow our economy and lift up the entire Commonwealth." Last September, the Shapiro signed an executive order to create Pennsylvania's first ever Housing Action Plan. Since then, the Shapiro Administration has collected feedback from thousands of Pennsylvanians and worked directly with developers, nonprofits, local governments and labor leaders to create a comprehensive, coordinated, statewide housing solution, a press release stated. The final housing plan will be coming in the next few months, but the administration identified six steps that can be addressed to begin to solve this problem that are included in the governor's 2025-26 budget proposal, the press release stated, including: —Investing $50 million to create a new statewide housing repair fund to help homeowners struggling to make needed repairs to their aging homes. —Investing $10 million to help first-time home buyers cover closing costs — putting a roof over their head and giving them a real chance to build generational wealth here in the Commonwealth. —Staffing up the State Planning Board, so it can help local communities fix their permitting, zoning and code enforcement issues and build more homes. —Creating an Interagency Council on Homelessness to improve support and coordination for homeless people in Pennsylvania. —Continuing the progress made last year by increasing Pennsylvania's largest and most flexible affordable housing tool — the PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) — by an additional $10 million to reach $110 million by the end of 2028. In the last two years, these funds have been used to begin construction on 2,000 new homes and apartments and repair another 3,200. —Sealing eviction records for people who were not actually evicted to help increase housing security and improve access to affordable housing and employment opportunities. State: Apply for Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program Members of the Shapiro Administration this week announced the deadline for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program has been extended to Dec. 31, 2025. The extension provides more time for eligible older Pennsylvanians, widows and widowers, and residents with disabilities to apply for rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2024. Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne and Department of Aging Acting Deputy Secretary Jonathan Bowman spoke about the recent impact of the PTRR program, explaining that last year the program delivered 522,434 rebates totaling $319.2 million to Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth. This was a major increase from the prior year — when 405,493 rebates totaling $192 million were distributed. So far this year, the Department of Revenue has received approximately 400,000 PTRR applications, outpacing the record number of applications received at this time last year. "We want to make sure that Pennsylvanians realize the impact the expansion of the PTRR program is making in every county throughout the Commonwealth," Browne said. "If you're eligible for the program, the extension of the filing deadline gives you more time to take advantage of a rebate that could make a big difference in your life." "Affordable housing remains the biggest concern for older adults across Pennsylvania. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is a powerful tool to help ease this burden for many older Pennsylvanians, allowing them to stay in their homes longer and thrive in their communities," said Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich. Laughlin bill modernizing slot machines moves forward Legislation sponsored by Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, to give Pennsylvania casinos greater operational flexibility this week cleared the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee. Senate Bill 666 eliminates the outdated statutory requirement that Category 1 and Category 2 casinos must operate a minimum of 1,500 slot machines, regardless of demand. Instead, it allows gaming operators to adjust the number of machines on their floors based on business needs — while still requiring regulatory approval for significant reductions. "Let's face it, the gaming landscape has changed dramatically since 2006," Laughlin said. "Competition is fierce, and rigid mandates no longer serve the industry or the public. This bill is about common sense and keeping our casinos competitive without sacrificing oversight or revenue." Laughlin emphasized that casinos are in the business of making money, and that excessive regulation and exorbitant tax rates put them at risk. "We cannot hamstring these businesses with inflexible laws that don't reflect today's market," he said. "Casinos provide thousands of family-sustaining jobs across Pennsylvania and contribute substantial gaming revenue to local communities. We cannot afford to see that disappear because of outdated or unnecessary mandates." Under Senate bill 666, casinos that wish to reduce their slot machine count by more than 2% must apply to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which will conduct a full review to ensure there is no negative impact on revenue, taxes, employment or surrounding communities. Senate Bill 666 now heads to the full Senate for consideration. Argall bills advance to address workforce crisis Legislation authored by Sen. Dave Argall, R-Pottsville, to encourage more employees to join the long-term care workforce was approved with bipartisan support by the Senate today. "Too many of our families, including mine, have faced the difficult decision of moving a parent or grandparent into a long-term care center," Argall said. "The professionals who make sure they are cared for are facing increasing challenges because of workforce shortages." Senate Bill 115 would allow individuals without a high school diploma or GED to take a skills competency examination to receive their long-term care employee certification. This bill was approved by a bipartisan vote of 47-3 by the Senate. It advances to the House of Representatives for consideration. Additional legislation authored by Argall to address the long-term care workforce crisis was approved by the Senate Education Committee. Senate Bill 114 would expand both the availability of long-term care training courses for nurse aides and the eligibility for individuals to take the nurse aide competency exam. The bill was approved by a vote of 7-4. It advances to the full Senate for consideration. The number of Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older is expected to double by the year 2040. Despite this sharp increase, labor statistics revealed that from 2019 to 2022, Pennsylvania saw a 14% decrease in long-term care professionals. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Business leaders brainstorm ways to grow Mercer County
GROVE CITY, Pa. (WKBN) – An economic summit with business leaders took place in Mercer County Thursday morning. The event is held every year by the Penn-Northwest Development Corporation. Speakers are discussing housing, education, manufacturing and healthcare, hoping to find ways to improve and grow. It's also a place for valuable discussions and networking opportunities. 'We're doing a really good job of marketing Mercer County as a great place to live, for people to move to — between remote work, our close proximity to Pittsburgh and the Mahoning Valley, Cleveland area. There's just no reason not to be here,' said Mercer County Commissioner Bill Finley. The keynote address was from Secretary Rick Siger from the Department of Community and Economic Development. All proceeds from this summit will benefit Penn-Northwest's Homegrown Initiative. Brian Oehlbeck contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania's economic development leader speaks in Orwigsburg
Schuylkill County is among many Pennsylvania communities moving in the right direction thanks to a combination of state funding and coordinated planning at the local and commonwealth levels, state Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger said during a visit to Orwigsburg on Tuesday. But more work needs to be done, said Siger, who presented highlights of the 10-year economic development strategy for Pennsylvania that he recently played a key role in devising. It is Pennsylvania's first such plan in nearly two decades. The strategy focuses on funding and planning for agriculture, energy, life sciences, manufacturing, and robotics and technology in an effort to support small businesses, spur innovation, and strengthen local communities, he said. 'This is a blueprint for action,' Siger said of the plan while speaking at the Orwigsburg Veterans Community Memorial Hall during a Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Siger was introduced by chamber president and CEO Robert S. Carl Jr., who pointed out that hall they were in was a great example of how the state and local governments can work together to improve communities. More than $700,000 from DCED was among the $2.65 million in grants that helped make the building what it is, combined with almost $900,000 in contributions from local businesses and donations, he said. 'This really is a team sport,' Siger agreed about economic development. Recent developments in Schuylkill he highlighted were the ribbon-cutting for the $100 million Hydro Extrusion expansion in Cressona, a $750,000 investment for a 75,000-foot spec building in Highridge Business Park, a $300 million expansion of EMD Electronics near Tamaqua, a $250,000 investment into the Tamaqua historic district and $1.6 million transferred into Tamaqua's Community Revitalization and Improvement Zone. * State Senator David Argall speaks during a Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce event at the Orwigsburg Veterans Community Memorial Hall, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger speaks during a Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce event at the Orwigsburg Veterans Community Memorial Hall, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger speaks during a Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce event at the Orwigsburg Veterans Community Memorial Hall, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger speaks during a Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce event at the Orwigsburg Veterans Community Memorial Hall, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * State Representative Jamie Barton speaks during a Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce event at the Orwigsburg Veterans Community Memorial Hall, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Show Caption 1 of 5 State Senator David Argall speaks during a Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce event at the Orwigsburg Veterans Community Memorial Hall, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Expand Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2025-26 state budget plan includes proposed funding for the economic development strategy Siger helped create, including: * A $500 million investment statewide for site development work over three years, including $125 million in the upcoming fiscal year. * A $20 million investment for the Main Street Matters program to support small businesses and commercial corridors. * Creation of the $10 million AdvancePA tax credit to create jobs. * Increased funding for marketing to attract and retain businesses, support companies, train new workers and help veterans establish and grow small businesses. * A $50 million investment in the PA Innovation Fund to foster life science and technology-related businesses. * Funding to help plan and orchestrate the nation's 250th anniversary in Pennsylvania. The plan also includes a housing action to address the state's aging housing stock, its varying zoning ordinances and administration of housing programs across the state, Siger said. 'Pennsylvania has really old housing,' he said, an issue that is critical for the state to address. Counties like Schuylkill, he said, could therefore benefit from the opportunities the plan provides. 'Housing is a moral imperative,' he said, calling it an economic necessity in attracting and keeping employers. The proposed budget was drafted by Shapiro, a Democrat, and still needs to pass a legislature in which the House has a slight Democrat majority, and the Senate is led by Republicans. So Siger said he knows the budget could undergo changes before final passage. But the need for economic development is something both parties agree on, he said, and he is optimistic that the initiatives and funding outlined in his strategy will go through. 'They are bipartisan, commonsense solutions,' he said.
