October 16, 2012
HARRISBURG, October 16, 2012 – Speaking on the Senate floor, State Senator Jim Brewster today honored fallen Marine Lieutenant Colonel Christopher “Otis” Raible.
An Irwin native, Lt. Col. Raible died last month during an attack in Afghanistan. Brewster and his Senate colleagues unanimously approved a condolence resolution honoring him.
“Lieutenant Colonel Raible’s heroic death reminds us all that we have thousands of service men and women in harm’s way, defending the freedoms we all cherish,” Brewster said in his Senate Floor speech. “It also underscores the quality and caliber of people we have in our military – and of the ultimate sacrifice that these heroes make.”
Pointing to Lt. Col. Raible’s success at Norwin High School, Carnegie Mellon University and as a U.S. Marine aviator, Brewster added that Raible had a “bright and promising future before him.”
Raible, 40, was leader of the marine Attack Squadron 211. He died during an assault on Camp Bastion.
The Senate resolution expresses condolences to Raible’s wife, Donella, their three children, and his parents, Alvin and Kim Raible.
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October 15, 2012
McKeesport, October 15, 2012 – State Senator Jim Brewster is teaming up with the Pennsylvania Treasury Department to host free webinars titled “Saving for College with the PA 529 College Savings Program” on Monday, October 22 at 7 p.m. and Wednesday, October 24 at noon.
“Finding the means to fund a college education is one of the biggest challenges facing families in these tough economic times,” Brewster said. “This webinar is aimed at helping families get a better understanding of savings options.”
The Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Program offers two plans and many investment options that have helped over 150,000 families of all income levels afford college.
Brewster said those who sign up for the webinar will:
- learn about the tax benefits of 529 plans;
- find out how your savings affect financial aid;
- get tips on how to set savings goals; and
- have your questions answered by program experts.
Space is limited, so Brewster is urging parents to sign up now. The October 22 webinar will go from 7 to 7:30 p.m. You can register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/381997054
The October 24 webinar will go from noon to 12:30 p.m. and the registration link is https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/482298286
Those who sign up for the saving plan online www.PA529.com can save the $50 enrollment fee. Brewster said they can enroll for free through December by using the Promo Code: Brewster
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October 9, 2012
McKeesport, Oct. 9, 2012 — State Sen. Jim Brewster and the Forbes Regional Hospital will host a free Senior Wellness and Safety Expo on Friday, October 12 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the McKeesport Palisades (100 Fifth Avenue, McKeesport, PA 15132).
“This free event will feature screenings, services, information, refreshments and door prizes,” Brewster said. “I encourage seniors to stop by and get some good information and screenings.”
Brewster added that free flu shots will be provided to Medicare part B subscribers and $25 for others. Seniors should bring their insurance card.
Some of the many services and screenings include: hearing screenings and blood pressure, pulse oximetry, pulmonary function, bone density screening, visual acuity and balance screening.
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October 2, 2012
HARRISBURG, October 2, 2012 – Sen. Jim Brewster issued the following statement in response to today’s Commonwealth Court Ruling that delayed implementation of Pennsylvania’s new Voter ID law.
“I salute Judge Simpson for his measured decision that will protect eligible voters from being disenfranchised.
Regardless of whether or not one thinks this photo ID requirement is necessary, it is obvious that the Corbett Administration is not prepared to fully implement the law in time for next month’s election.
Administration officials have provided a steady stream of misleading, faulty and confusing information on the new law. They have muddled the process even further by changing the eligibility rules and procedures numerous times, the latest just a week ago.
By delaying implementation of the law, the judge today assured that eligible voters can exercise their right to vote and that our poll workers can do their jobs without the pressures of enforcing a new complicated photo ID system while lines of people seeking to vote for president back up around the block.”
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September 27, 2012
The expanded use of student testing to determine student and school performance, district distress and teacher proficiency is the wrong approach at the wrong time.
Instead of relying on a deficient student testing system that is neither a fair evaluator of student and school performance nor an indicator of school district distress and teaching quality, Pennsylvania needs a fair, responsible student testing system that truly reflects performance in the classroom.
The stakes are high. Taxpayers need to fully understand that the state Department of Education holds immense power and can categorize a school district as non or underperforming. This characterization could have a wide-ranging negative effect, not only for the school district itself, but also for the communities that are part of the district.
How can local mayors and council market their communities as a good place to live and raise a family when their school district has been identified as non or underperforming? This designation starts the vicious cycle of where a school district cannot attract residents or businesses to add to the tax base. The district then struggles to make ends meet or heal because the state’s designation has tarnished its marketability.
The problem is this: Pennsylvania uses the results of the flawed testing for an increasing number of unorthodox purposes. And that’s not all.
Our current student performance testing costs way too much, is administered by an out-of-state company and is unfair to teachers, schools, students and communities. The testing results may spur forced public school mergers, increased local school taxes and the sickening of fiscally healthy schools.
Pennsylvania relies heavily on a system of student testing that has been panned by the education community as ineffective. Using unreliable student testing for performance evaluations is a simplistic approach that blames rather than repairs.
Schools administer the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests to evaluate student proficiency. These will soon be succeeded by Keystone Exams for high school juniors.
The tests are administered and processed through a Minnesota company that has a contract through 2014. They will process the Keystone Exams once that test replaces the PSSA for some grade level testing. The cost for the tests this year will top $50 million.
NCLB (No Child Left Behind) requires that students achieve 100 percent proficiency in reading and math by 2014. The target for students to reach in 2012 is 78 percent proficiency or advanced in math and 81 percent proficiency in reading. The targets for 2011 were 67 percent and 72 percent respectively.
In 2010-11, 73.5 percent of Pennsylvania students were advanced or proficient in reading. In math, Pennsylvania students scored 77.1 percent advanced or proficient. To date, 31 states have opted out of the NCLB because the goals are unattainable.
I have spoken to many professional educators. They believe the PSSA tests fail to account for socio-economic, environmental, economic disparities and cultural differences. No responsible educator believes schools can reach that federal performance benchmark in 2014.
Districts have resorted to teaching to the test in a desperate effort to make yearly performance benchmarks. This takes away a teacher’s ability to use their individual skills and creativity to meet the needs of students.
What’s worse is that the new distressed school and expanded voucher-like tax credit laws use test results as gauges of school achievement. Student test scores are factored into the determination of whether a school is failing and where a student goes for an education.
This isn’t the only problem that school districts are confronting. More than 70 percent of districts have increased their local taxes since education funding was slashed in Gov. Corbett’s state budgets.
Pennsylvania needs a responsible system to ascertain the performance of teachers and the performance of schools and students. The dependence on an unsound evaluation system based on student test scores should not be the tipping point for a school or its students.
I will be introducing a resolution to create a non-partisan commission composed of stakeholders such as administrators, teachers, parents and students that will be able to craft a reasonable, responsible and fair student performance assessment system.
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September 27, 2012
Harrisburg – September 27, 2012 – PHEAA’s guide to student financial aid is now available online, according to state Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland). The guide can be accessed at PHEAA.org.
“Students and families continue to struggle to pay for college costs and need all the help they can get to access financial aid,” Brewster said. “With so many now using the internet to gather information, it is important that PHEAA have a comprehensive guide online.”
According to Brewster, PHEAA’s interactive Pennsylvania Student Aid Guide can be found on PHEAA’s website under the College Planning section. The Spanish language version of the guide will be available online in October.
The McKeesport lawmaker said that the comprehensive guide is a valuable resource where families can go to learn more about financial aid that may be available. The information online includes detail about the state grant program, work-study and the new Pennsylvania Targeted Industry program.
PHEAA’s guide can also help students, parents and families create a budget that estimates annual expenses. This is critically important in light of a recent report of the PEW Foundation that found that about one out of five, or nearly 20 percent, of the nation’s households owed student debt in 2010.
The PEW report indicated that the debt was more than double the share two decades earlier and was a significant rise from the 15 percent owed from just prior to the Great Recession. The survey also indicated that college enrollment has increased sharply during the Great Recession and tepid economic recovery. A record 40 percent of all households headed by someone younger than age 35 owe such debt, by far the highest share among any age group.
“It’s important for students, parents and families to explore every avenue available to find free or low cost financing of college costs,” Brewster said. “PHEAA’s online guide provides quick, authoritative and reliable information and is a tool that can be used effectively.”
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September 26, 2012
McKeesport – September 26, 2012 – Sen. Jim Brewster today announced that his staff will be holding October office hours at outreach offices in numerous locations.
“This schedule helps accommodate constituents and allows my staff to meet face to face with more people to get a better understanding of local issues and problems,” Brewster said. “Holding these outreach hours saves many people a trip and brings quality service to my constituents.”
The outreach offices will be open throughout October at the following locations:
Sen. Brewster has full-time district offices in Monroeville, One Monroeville Center, 3824 Northern Pike, Suite 350 (412) 380-2242; McKeesport, 201 Lysle Boulevard, Suite 100 (412) 664-5200; and New Kensington, New Kensington City Hall, 301 11th Street, Suite L (724) 334-1143.
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September 21, 2012
McKeesport – September 21, 2012 – Questioning the wisdom of the expanded use of standardized testing to determine student and school performance, school district distress and teacher proficiency, state Sen. Jim Brewster today called for a complete review and upgrade of the current system to better reflect real performance in the classroom.
“Pennsylvania is doubling down on the application of flawed student testing that costs way too much, is administered by an out-of-state company, and is unfairly used to evaluate teachers and schools,” Brewster said (D-McKeesport). “The test results may also result in forced public school mergers, increased local school taxes and the sickening of fiscally healthy schools.
More than 70 percent of school districts have increased their local taxes since education funding was slashed in Gov. Corbett’s state budgets.”
Brewster said that it was the wrong approach to be so heavily reliant on a system of student testing that has been panned by the education community as an ineffective tool to measure student performance.
“Using unreliable student testing for student, school or teacher evaluations is a simplistic approach that blames rather than repairs,” Brewster said.
According to Brewster, the adherence to testing to evaluate student and school performance was the product of former President George W. Bush’s federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB). After rounds of underfunding and plenty of confusion and controversy, schools administer the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests to evaluate student proficiency. These will soon be succeeded by Keystone Exams. To date, 31 states have opted out of the NCLB because the goals are unattainable.
The tests are administered and processed through a Minnesota company that has a contract for the PSSA test through 2014 and will process the Keystone Exams once that test replaces the PSSA. The Keystone Exams contract runs from 2009 through 2015 and will cost $200 million. The costs for the tests this year top $50 million.
NCLB requires that students achieve 100 percent proficiency in reading and math by 2014. In 2010-11, 73.5 percent of Pennsylvania students were advanced or proficient in reading. In math, Pennsylvania students scored 77.1 percent advanced or proficient.
Brewster said that he has spoken to many professional administrators, teachers and students from the education community about the tests and their applicability. He said that in the view of many educators the tests fail to account for socio-economic, environmental, economic disparities and cultural differences.
Additionally, according to Brewster, districts have taken to teaching to the test as a means to ensure that they make yearly performance benchmarks. This takes away a teachers ability to use their individual skills and their creativity to meet the needs of the students.
“The student evaluation system is unfair and skewed. Meanwhile, the gap between resource-rich schools and those struggling financially continues to widen,” Brewster said.
Brewster pointed to the new distressed school and expanded voucher-like tax credit laws that use test results as gauges of school achievement as examples of the expanded use of testing. Student test scores are also factored into the determination of whether a school is failing.
“We need a responsible system to ascertain the performance of teachers and the performance of schools and students,” Brewster said. “The dependence on an unsound evaluation system based on student test scores should not be the tipping point for a school or its students.”
Brewster said the stakes are too high and taxpayers need to understand that the state Department of Education is able to categorize a school district as non or underperforming. According to Brewster, that characterization has the potential to have a wide-ranging negative effect not only on for the school district itself but also for the communities that are part of the school district.
“How can local mayors and council market their communities when their school district has been identified as non or underperforming based on an evaluation system that in my opinion does not take into consideration all the factors necessary to educate our students?” Brewster questioned.
Brewster said that he plans to introduce a resolution to create a non-partisan commission composed of stakeholders such as administrators, teachers, parents and students to craft a reasonable, responsible and fair student performance assessment system.
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September 11, 2012
McKeesport, September 11, 2012 – State Sen. Jim Brewster today said families can save $50 by enrolling online in the college savings program operated by the state treasurer’s office this month.
“Through the end of September, the PA 529 GSP plan is offering free enrollment for those who open a new account online this month — saving families the $50 enrollment fee,” Brewster said. “The program is a good way to help families afford the cost of a college education.”
To open or contribute to an account, visit www.PA529.com or call 1-800-440-4000. Constituents may use the code “Brewster” when they enroll online in the PA 529 GSP to waive the $50 enrollment fee.
Have questions about saving for college?
Get answers from Treasury experts.
Monday, October 22, 2012 – 7:00pm – 7:30pm
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/381997054
ednesday, October 24, 2012 – 12:00pm – 12:30pm
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/482298286
Sign up for a free webinar.
— Learn about the tax benefits of 529 plans.
— Find out how your savings affect financial aid.
— Get tips on how to set savings goals.
— Have your questions answered by program experts.
The contributions made to PA 529 plans are tax deductible and when they are used for qualified education expenses are state and federal tax exempt.
“The PA 529 plan is a key financial tool that helps families plan ahead and manage college costs,” Brewster said. “It is worth adding that grandparents and friends can also contribute to a student’s education.”
Brewster, a longtime advocate of higher education funding, said investing in a PA 529 account is smart and forward-thinking. PA 529 contributions grow at the rate of tuition inflation. He said that if a family saves enough for a semester at a state system university today, there will be enough to pay for another semester at the school in the future – regardless of tuition increases in the future.
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August 24, 2012
McKeesport – August 24, 2012 – Sen. Jim Brewster today announced that his staff will be holding September office hours at outreach offices in numerous locations.
“This schedule helps accommodate constituents and allows my staff to meet face to face with more people to get a better understanding of local issues and problems,” Brewster said. “Holding these outreach hours saves many people a trip and brings quality service to my constituents.”
The outreach offices will be open throughout September at the following locations:
Sen. Brewster has full-time district offices in Monroeville, One Monroeville Center, 3824 Northern Pike, Suite 350 (412) 380-2242; McKeesport, 201 Lysle Boulevard, Suite 100 (412) 664-5200; and New Kensington, New Kensington City Hall, 301 11th Street, Suite L (724) 334-1143.
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August 3, 2012
McKeesport – August 1, 2012 – Sen. Jim Brewster today announced that his staff will be holding August office hours at outreach offices in numerous Westmoreland County and Allegheny County locations.
“This schedule helps accommodate constituents and allows my staff to meet face to face with more people to get a better understanding of local issues and problems,” Brewster said. “Holding these outreach hours saves many people a trip and brings quality service to my constituents.”
The outreach offices will be open throughout August at the following locations:
Sen. Brewster has full-time district offices in Monroeville, One Monroeville Center, 3824 Northern Pike, Suite 350 (412) 380-2242; McKeesport, 201 Lysle Boulevard, Suite 100 (412) 664-5200; and New Kensington, New Kensington City Hall, 301 11th Street, Suite L (724) 334-1143.
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July 5, 2012
McKeesport – July 5, 2012 – When the state Senate returns to session later this year it may have a second chance to pass legislation to stop the unfair property tax reassessments that have plagued property owners in Allegheny County, state Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) said today.
Stopping the property tax reassessments would have already been achieved had a bill passed the Senate late Saturday night with the moratorium language included. The measure likely would now be on the governor’s desk had the Senate Republicans not acted to remove the prohibition, Brewster said.
“I was extremely disappointed that language which would have imposed a moratorium to halt property tax reassessments in Allegheny County was removed at the last minute by Senate Republicans,” Brewster said. “The Republican claim was that the moratorium was unconstitutional.
“The Republicans control the process. The governor is a Republican and there are large Republican majorities in both the House and Senate. If they want to halt property tax reassessments that have hurt Allegheny County residents they could move quickly.”
The moratorium was removed by Senate Republicans in Appropriations Committee action. The bill was then passed by the Senate. The moratorium was then restored by the House later in the evening when it passed a previous version of the bill.
“Taxpayers in Allegheny County have faced court-ordered property reassessment while some other counties haven’t reassessed in generations,” Brewster said. “The reassessment is arbitrary and inequitable and has caused pain for homeowners.”
Brewster is planning to introduce legislation to prohibit reassessments and eliminate property taxes using a variation of the STOP plan.
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July 5, 2012
McKeesport – July 5, 2012 –Sen. Jim Brewster today announced that his staff will be holding July office hours at outreach offices in numerous Westmoreland County and Allegheny County locations.
“This schedule helps accommodate constituents and enables my staff to meet face to face with more people to get a better understanding of local issues and problems,” Brewster said. “Holding these outreach hours saves many people a trip and brings quality service to my constituents.”
The outreach offices will be open throughout July at the following locations:
•Arnold City Hall on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon
•Brackenridge Borough Building on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon
•Dravosburg Borough Building on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon
•Elizabeth Township Building on Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
•Lower Burrell City Hall on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon
•Pitcairn Borough Building on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon
•Plum Borough Building on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
•Rankin Borough Building on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon
•Tarentum Borough Building on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon
•Turtle Creek Borough Building on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon
•Washington Township Building on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
•Wilmerding Borough Building on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon
Brewster has full-time district offices in Monroeville, One Monroeville Center, 3824 Northern Pike, Suite 350 (412) 380-2242; McKeesport, 201 Lysle Boulevard, Suite 100 (412) 664-5200; and New Kensington, New Kensington City Hall, 301 11th Street, Suite L (724) 334-1143.
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July 3, 2012
McKEESPORT, July 3, 2012 — State Sen. Jim Brewster today issued the following statement about the state’s recently-enacted 2012-13 fiscal year budget:
“While I am pleased there are no tax increases, I voted against this budget because it fails to use the state’s resources responsibly, and needlessly hurts too many people.
Everyone knew that the state’s stagnant finances would necessitate additional cuts this year, but it seems the governor chose to balance this budget on the backs of working families, our children and vulnerable people while giving his corporate friends tax breaks. The governor did not maximize potential new revenue that would have mitigated some of the cuts. For example, closing the so-called Delaware corporate tax loophole and imposing a reasonable severance fee on gas drillers could have generated millions in revenue — without raising broad based taxes.
The Corbett Administration showed a lack of experience in preparing budgets. I was also disappointed by the continued lack of transparency. For a governor who campaigned on reform and making government more transparent, this budget was secretly crafted, negotiated and finalized behind closed doors exclusively by the governor and majority Republicans in the legislature.
I was also disappointed that the budget hands more tax breaks to huge corporations while making little investment in proven programs that would create jobs, help small businesses and stoke economic development.
In the end, this budget leaves our public schools out on a limb, will force local property taxes to go up and will further erode important programs and services people rely on.”
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June 14, 2012
Monroeville, June 14, 2012 — Education experts, labor leaders, area school administrators and school board members today laid out disastrous financial problems at a state Senate hearing on the impact of state public school funding cuts.
Held at Sen. Jim Brewster’s (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) request, the hearing was aimed at gaining a better understanding of how state funding cuts are impacting schools and taxpayers. Testimony was also offered on ways to raise additional revenues or establish greater school efficiencies.
[hdvideo id=15 ]
“Despite the proposed state subsidy restorations, area school boards continue to struggle with dire financial challenges that have resulted in curriculum cutbacks, teacher lay-offs and steep local property tax hikes,” Brewster said. “This discussion enabled local school officials and educational experts to weigh in on their funding challenges, and ways we can adequately and reliably fund our public schools.”
Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton/Lehigh/Monroe), who chairs the committee, added, “As we finalize the state’s budget in the days ahead, school funding will be one of more crucial and controversial issues. Gaining input from school board members and administrators across the state who are actually in the trenches struggling with funding shortfalls will be invaluable to us.”
In his testimony, Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D-Chester/Montgomery), who serves as Democratic chair of the Senate Education Committee, said the state now provides $352 million less for public schools than it did in fiscal 2008-09. He said less state support has translated into higher property taxes, an “onerous tax that takes no measure of true wealth or income.”
He added that the Corbett Administration’s school funding shortfalls are leading children from “the school door to the prison gate,” will fail to prepare our children for the new world economy and threaten to “destroy Pennsylvania’s ability to compete economically for decades into the future.”
All of the area superintendents and school board members who testified sharply criticized the Corbett Administration’s education policies. Many predicted that a growing number of schools would soon be facing deficits and on the brink of financial collapse. Many pointed to dwindling state subsidies, unfunded mandates and being cornered into annually hiking property taxes, furloughing teachers and cutting educational programs.
Michael Crossey, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, told the senators there are very few incentives for young people to go into the teaching profession these days because of the widespread funding uncertainty and lack of respect for teachers.
Boscola commended Brewster for his “unrelenting efforts to find additional revenue sources to supplement stagnant school subsidies.
Last year Brewster introduced legislation that would dedicate half of a 7 percent natural gas drilling fee for public school funding. The bill would generate $280 million annually, but majority Republicans have buried the proposal in a senate committee.
In both of his first two years in office, Gov. Corbett proposed steep educational funding cuts in his budget proposals. Last year, the governor proposed cutting $1.1 billion before the legislature restored $200 million. This year, the senate version of the budget bill would level fund public school funding by restoring an additional $100 million. Boscola predicted that this year’s budget will be finalized in the next week or two.
Brewster said many school districts cannot absorb huge state funding cuts with growing personnel costs, rising energy and physical plant costs and skyrocketing employee pension costs.
“While the Corbett Administration boasts about holding the line on state taxes, they have fostered a tax shifting shell game that leaves our schools, students and taxpayers out on a limb,” Brewster said. “Our kids deserve an opportunity for a good education, not some cut-rate abbreviated mishmash that does little more than sound good in right wing stump speeches.”
Joining Boscola, Brewster and Dinniman at the hearing were Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), and Senators Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), Vincent Hughes (D-Phila.), Rich Kasunic (D-Fayette/Somerset), and Tim Solobay (D-Washington).
Those who testified included: Senator Andrew Dinniman, Democratic Chairman of the Senate Education Committee;Michael J. Crossey, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA); Robert Pallone, president of the New Kensington-Arnold School District School Board; Richard P. Livingston, president of the Clairton City School District Board of Directors; Marilyn Messina, president of the Woodland Hills School District Board of Education; Dr. George Batterson, superintendent of the New Kensington-Arnold School District; Dr. Bart Rocco, superintendent of the Elizabeth-Forward School District; and Dr. Michael Panza, superintendent of the Sto-Rox School District
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June 11, 2012
May 31, 2012 – At Sen. Jim Brewster’s request, the state Senate Democratic Policy Committee will hold a hearing on education funding this Thursday, June 14 at 1 p.m. in council chambers of the Monroeville Municipal Building, 2700 Monroeville Blvd., Monroeville, PA 15146.
The lack of state funding and its negative impact on school districts remains a crucial issue as lawmakers finalize the 2012-13 state budget this month. The roundtable discussion will feature numerous Democratic senators along with area school officials and educational experts.
Those expected to testify include Sen. Andrew Dinniman, chairman of the Senate Democratic Education Committee; Michael Crossey, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, and officials from New Kensington-Arnold, Clairton, Woodland Hills, McKeesport and Sto-Rox school districts.
Your coverage is welcome and appreciated.
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May 31, 2012
McKeesport, May 31, 2012 – State Senator Jim Brewster today reminded people that he and his local staff stand ready to help people apply for the 2011 state Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program — for free.
Brewster said some businesses have solicited by mail that they will help seniors apply for the Lottery-funded property tax/rent rebate program – at a charge of up to $50.
“While these businesses can legally charge people to help them apply for a rebate, I want to remind seniors and others that there is no need to pay for such a service because my staff and I stand ready to provide that help for free,” Brewster said.
The Property Tax and Rent Rebate program benefits Pennsylvanians who are 65 years old and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older.
Brewster said he and his local district office staff can help constituents determine if they are eligible, and assist them in completing and filing their rebate application. For assistance or to obtain an application, contact any of the Senator’s District Offices:
- One Monroeville Center, 3824 Northern Pike, Suite 350, Monroeville (412) 380-2242;
- 201 Lysle Blvd., Suite 100, McKeesport (412) 664-5200; and
- New Kensington City Hall, 301 11th Street., Suite L (724) 334-1143
Forms can also be found on line at http://www.revenue.state.pa.us/ or by calling 1-888-222-9190.
“Again, I urge local seniors to not pay for something they can readily get for free,” Brewster said.
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May 29, 2012
McKeesport – May 29, 2012 –Sen. Jim Brewster today announced that his staff will be holding June office hours at outreach offices in numerous Allegheny County locations.
“This schedule helps accommodate constituents and enables my staff to meet face to face with more people to get a better understanding of local issues and problems,” Brewster said. “Holding these outreach hours saves many people a trip and brings quality service to my constituents.”
The outreach offices will be open throughout June at the following locations:
- Clairton Municipal Building at 551 Ravensburg Blvd. on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon through June 26;
- Duquesne City Hall, 12 South Second Street, on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. till noon through June 27;
- Glassport Borough Building, 440 Monongahela Ave., on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon through June 28; and
- Jim Brewster Community Center, Corner of Ohio and Brown Way, McKeesport, on Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. through June 28.
Brewster has full-time district offices in Monroeville, One Monroeville Center, 3824 Northern Pike, Suite 350 (412) 380-2242; McKeesport, 201 Lysle Boulevard, Suite 100 (412) 664-5200; and New Kensington, New Kensington City Hall, 301 11th Street, Suite L (724) 334-1143
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May 10, 2012
HARRISBURG, May 9, 2012 – State Sen. Jim Brewster provided the following comments after the Senate today voted 38 to 9 in favor of a revised version (Senate Bill 1466) of the 2012-13 state budget:
“While I hope we can do more to restore funds in the weeks ahead for important services and programs, this budget is a solid step in the right direction.
“With our improved economy brightening the state’s revenue picture, there is more room to restore funds that Gov. Corbett proposed cutting in his February budget proposal. While holding the line on taxes, this spending plan restores funding to our public schools, colleges and human service programs.
“As the budget negotiations wrap up in the weeks ahead, I hope we can provide additional monies for education, the social services block grant program, transportation and job creation.
“This budget is a reflection of a cooperative effort between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. All of us recognized the pain and devastation the governor’s proposed cuts would have caused and we will continue seeking ways to restore these funds.
“I will continue to fight for adequate school funding, property tax relief, college financial aid programs, economic development efforts and the community service programs that some of our most vulnerable citizens rely on.”
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May 7, 2012
Harrisburg – May 7, 2012 – In his testimony before the state Legislative Reapportionment Commission today, state Sen. Jim Brewster urged the commission to retain a state Senate seat based in the Greater Monongahela River Valley.
Brewster explained that as a result of its position as a critical manufacturing center for various industries, including the burgeoning Marcellus Shale industry, the Mon Valley is in the midst of a sustainable economic recovery.
“The Mon Valley has a unique community of interest based in its dynamic historical role,” Brewster said. “Keeping a seat in the region is about
retaining a voice for the region as it makes a turn around the economic corner.”
Brewster, who was elected to the Senate in a 2010 special election, is running unopposed for another term representing the 45th District. The district’s current configuration includes 37 communities in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.
The 45th District, now based in the Mon Valley, would have been moved to the Poconos in Northeastern Pennsylvania under the reapportionment plan rejected by the state Supreme Court on Jan. 25.
The court’s action forced the commission to act again and redraw the districts to reduce county and municipal splits. The revised preliminary plan was adopted by the commission on April 12 by a 4-1 vote. It retained the 45th District as an Allegheny County seat.
In his presentation, Brewster thanked the commission for its plan to keep the seat in the region, asserting that the Greater Mon Valley “stretches from the heart of the valley through eastern and southern suburbs and is composed of the children and grandchildren of former residents now spread out into neighboring communities.”
Brewster, the former mayor of McKeesport, said the region is an economic entity that is “bound together by a strong thread of working families.”
The Legislative Reapportionment Commission is established by the state constitution and formed every 10 years to draw new state Senate and House district lines to reflect population shifts. The commission is supposed to respect municipal boundaries and refrain from splitting counties or municipalities unless “absolutely necessary.”
Brewster argued that lines on the reapportionment map are able to be adjusted but “what cannot be changed is the character of the underlying communities and the people who are served by the districts that are drawn by the commission.”
Today’s public hearing is the second where members heard public reaction to the preliminary plan.
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April 30, 2012
HARRISBURG, April 30, 2012 — State Sen. Jim Brewster today announced a $ 37,700 state grant for the Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville.
“This state Career and Technical Education Equipment Grant will help the school prepare its students for the challenging and promising technical careers of the future,” Brewster said. “I am pleased that the Department of Education approved the school’s grant request and will continue to seek state dollars to supplement their efforts.”
Brewster said the state funds are aimed at improving career and technical education programs by raising the academic and technical proficiency of students. He said the technical proficiency goal is to ensure that students are trained on equipment that is found in an industry and to help students obtain, or be eligible to obtain, an industry credential.
To qualify for the grant, career and technical education programs must align with industry standards and credentials. He said the funds are used by the schools to purchase up-to-date instructional equipment to enhance career and technical education.
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April 26, 2012
McKeesport, April 26, 2012 – State Senator Jim Brewster has announced Keystones to Opportunity (KtO) grants totaling over $ 587,000 for two area school districts.
Brewster said the state Department of Education has approved proposals submitted by McKeesport Area School District for $529,260; and the New Kensington-Arnold School District for $58,000.
“I am pleased that these KtO grant dollars have been awarded to area schools,” Brewster said. “In these tough budget times, every supplemental dollar for education is a big help.”
The KtO grants are part of Pennsylvania’s award of $38 million through the federal Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program grant. State Education officials have identified three keystones to opportunity: 1) improving literacy learning outcomes and dramatically increasing reading achievement among students in danger of academic failure; 2) creating a culture of data-driven decision making by supporting implementation on Bernhardt’s Multiple Measures Data logic model at the state, regional and local levels; and 3) infusing digital technology and Universal Design for Learning that provides teachers with examples of how technology tools can provide multiple pathways to express and represent information.
Brewster said the state is committed to aligning literacy instruction and state initiatives to help schools strengthen local literacy initiatives, provide structure, and to support and provide tools for schools to use reliable data to guide instructional decision making in language and literacy.
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April 25, 2012
Harrisburg, April 25, 2012 – Springdale Borough is slated to receive more than $ 745,000 in state loan funds to rehabilitate a deteriorated storm sewer collection line, state Sen. Jim Brewster and state Rep. Frank Dermody jointly announced today.
The loan to Springdale was approved by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (Pennvest) this morning.
“The project involves the reconstruction of nearly 900 feet of storm sewer from the intersection of Butler Street and Lincoln Avenue to Riddle Run,” said Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland). “The current storm sewer system is experiencing difficulty and these funds will help the borough rehabilitate the line.”
Dermody (D-Allegheny), who serves as the Democratic Leader in the state House of Representatives, said the project is also an important safety upgrade for Springdale.
“Once the project is finished, the water quality in Riddle Run will improve and the deteriorated storm sewer pipes will be removed,” Dermody said. “The obsolete storm sewer pipes pose a potential safety issue for area residents.”
According to Pennvest, the existing storm water line has hydraulic issues due to aging.
“Pennvest does an important job by funding key infrastructure improvements in many communities throughout the state,” Brewster said. “Repairing storm sewers is a challenge for any municipality in the face of dwindling financial resources and the Pennvest funding stream provides options that may be used.”
Dermody said the project is expected to create 25 construction jobs and that all the expected workers will be from Pennsylvania.
“To create jobs we need to use various pools of capital in rehabilitating our infrastructure,” Dermody said. “Pennvest provides a cost-effective means of financing important local public works projects.”
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April 5, 2012
McKeesport, April 5, 2012 — Calling it a serious public safety issue, state Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) today said lawmakers must find a way to replace retiring state troopers.
“We cannot expect the state police to provide more service with significantly fewer troopers,” Brewster said. “Failing to solve this problem will compromise police protection, lead to unacceptable delays – and endanger people.”
Brewster said expected state police retirements in the coming years would reduce the number of troopers to 3,924 by 2015, or 765 fewer than the department’s authorized complement. Unless funds are provided to train new cadets, he said the problem will only worsen in future years.
In his 2012-13 budget address, Gov. Tom Corbett proposed freezing state police funding at this fiscal year’s level and only provided enough dollars to train 115 new troopers – only about a third of the number necessary to maintain adequate staffing levels.
Brewster said the state police average 150 retirements a year. He said there have already been 180 retirements this year, with still three months remaining in the fiscal year.
“While we all recognize that this is a difficult budget year, state police service is not an area we can skimp on,’ Brewster said. “The General Assembly needs to find a reliable and dedicated means to adequately fund the state police. A restructuring of the Marcellus Shale Extraction fee distribution could provide the necessary funds.”
Apart from the expected wave of retirements, Brewster said state police resources have already been stretched thin in recent years due to newly imposed state and federal mandated responsibilities. He added that the recession has also compelled a growing number of municipalities to disband their local departments and rely solely on the state police for primary police service.
According to state police statistics, troopers patrol 70 percent of Pennsylvania’s municipalities and 83 percent of the state’s land area.
“If we don’t adequately fund the state police, we will begin to see stations close down, response time suffer and unacceptable backlogs in many of the laboratory and specialized services the department provides,” Brewster said.
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March 23, 2012
McKeesport, March 23, 2012 – State Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) said today that more than $60,000 in state grant money is soon headed to his district through two separate awards.
Monroeville is set to receive a grant of $15,498 from the Recycling Performance Grant Program (Act 101) and Trafford Borough will be the recipient of $45,000 in grant monies from the Community Conservation Partnership Program (CCPP).
“It is imperative that local communities gain access to key state resources because the state budget is very tight and funds are scarce,” Brewster said. “These state dollars enable local municipalities to continue valuable programs and complete important local projects without burdening local taxpayers.”
Brewster said the funds for Trafford Borough will be used to develop an outdoor skate park facility at the BY Park. The project includes equipment, asphalt surfacing, fencing, benches and other improvements.
“The grant from CCPP that will help pay for the project in Trafford will augment other work that has already been done to rehabilitate BY Park and make it an even more valuable community asset,” Brewster said. “The park is heavily used and enjoyed by people of all ages and this project will add another park amenity that will be welcomed.”
The funds for Monroeville serve as an incentive to increase the amount of recycled materials that are recovered. The state grant is based on the population of Monroeville and the amount of recycled product. It is in addition to other funding streams allotted to maintain the recycling program.
The McKeesport lawmaker said that Act 101 is a comprehensive recycling law that has been very useful “as a means to reduce the amount of solid waste in landfills. The program also helps recover recyclable materials.”
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