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In this Update:
Join Me for My Veterans Appreciation Breakfast
On Friday, April 21st, I’ll be holding a veterans appreciation breakfast to honor all the veterans of the 49th Senatorial District. The breakfast will start at 8 a.m. in the Zem Zem Shrine Club, located at 2525 West 38th Street in Erie. Our keynote speaker for the event will be Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve. Seating will be limited, so please be sure to register before Friday, April 14. You can register, along with one guest, by calling 814-453-2515 or by going to my website, www.senatorlaughlin.com. I look forward to seeing all of you at the veterans breakfast on April 21st at the Zem Zem Shrine Club. This Week’s Hot Jobs in Erie County
Check out Erie County Hot Job listings at PA CareerLink. For more information on the postings below, type in the job number at: https://www.pacareerlink.pa.gov/jponline/ North East Marina Visit
On Tuesday morning, I met with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection at the North East Marina. Together we are trying to devise the best approach to dredge the marina basin and open the marina for the 2023 boating season. I know this facility’s importance to the North East Community and am paying attention to the calls and concerns I am hearing from my constituents and I will continue to share updates as they become available. PCN Call-in Show
This past week I was on Pennsylvania Cable Network’s Call-In Program with my colleague Sen. Maria Collett (D-12). During the hour-long program, we talked about the governor’s proposed 2023-24 state budget; adult-use marijuana legalization; crime concerns; education and school safety funding; school choice; the minimum wage; growing Pennsylvania’s working population; attracting and keeping people in Pennsylvania; inflation and the rising cost of everything; and getting things done in government. Senate Reviews Proposed State Budget
The Senate Appropriations Committee held the first of three weeks of public hearings about the proposed 2023-24 state budget. Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a $45.8 billion budget that would increase spending by $1.3 billion. Based on projections, it would nearly wipe out the state’s $5 billion Rainy Day Fund in five years. State Treasurer Stacy Garrity urged lawmakers to make greater investments in Pennsylvania’s Rainy Day Fund and reduce the structural deficit to improve the state’s credit rating. She testified that the commonwealth has a choice: spend modestly now or face a possible fiscal cliff as federal funds dry up and the Rainy Day Fund is depleted. Independent Fiscal Office Director Matthew Knittel confirmed that Pennsylvania joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative would mean hundreds of millions of dollars in new energy taxes. Higher electricity costs could be on the horizon if Shapiro advances a carbon tax. Find the hearings schedule, livestreams of budget hearings, daily recaps and video from prior hearings at PASenateGOP.com. Check the Status of Your Tax Refund
As families struggle with rising costs and inflation, many are anticipating their tax refund. Anyone who would like to check the status of a Pennsylvania Income Tax refund can do so by calling 1-888-PATAXES or clicking here. There is also an opportunity to verify your tax refund to expedite processing. Improving Access to Unemployment Compensation System
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry extended indefinitely a program that enhances Pennsylvanians’ access to the Unemployment Compensation (UC) system by offering in-person appointments to claimants. The program, now called UC Connect, offers in-person services for UC claimants who do not have proper technology, equipment or technical skills; individuals without access to home Internet or broadband; and individuals with limited-English proficiency. To schedule an appointment, claimants should contact a PA CareerLink® center directly. Share Your Feedback on PennDOT’s Winter Services
PennDOT is accepting winter services feedback through an online survey. The public can take the survey here through April 6. The 17-question survey asks how often respondents travel during poor weather, how they rate PennDOT’s winter service and how they rank snow-removal priorities. Respondents are also asked how they receive PennDOT roadway information and whether they use the state’s 511PA traveler information services. During the winter, https://511pa.com offers its standard traffic and incident information while adding PennDOT plow-truck locations, winter roadway conditions and other services. Veterans: Protect Your Pension
Veterans and their beneficiaries who are potentially eligible for VA pension benefits must beware of pension poaching. While pension poaching can impact any veteran, poachers primarily target older veterans. Pension poaching comes in several forms, from selling financial products of questionable value to charging a fee to restructure assets to make the veteran or beneficiary meet income eligibility criteria. Read about other pension poaching methods here. Avoid becoming a victim of pension poaching by never paying:
If you suspect or experience a scam or financial exploitation related to any veteran benefit, including a VA pension, file a report immediately with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Military and Veterans Affairs section by calling 717-783-1944, emailing PAvets@attorneygeneral.gov or filling out this online form.
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