State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38 Update

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*Sara
Innamorato, Allegheny County Executive!**

Congratulations to our
new Allegheny County Executive (ACE), Sara G. Innamorato [link 1], who
was sworn in on Tuesday! ACE Innamorato and I were elected to the
General Assembly at the same time, and she has been an amazing partner
here in our legislative districts and in Harrisburg. I am excited to
see what she has in store for our region and look forward to working
with her in her new role as she works to build an Allegheny County
that is truly for All.

But we can't do that without hearing from
you. Take a minute to fill out the Community Survey [link 2] and share
your thoughts, priorities, and ideas about how Allegheny County can be
a better place for us all.

As ACE Innamorato said in her inaugural
remarks, "Pittsburgh loves our traditions. I love them too. You won't
find anyone more enthusiastic than me about fries on salads and cookie
tables. But nothing about loving tradition means you have to fear
change. Embracing new ideas is what makes us better. Welcoming new
communities is what makes us stronger. Being open to a better path -
and being willing to imagine it, to design it, and to make it real -
that's what will make us the best place to live in America - for
*everyone*."

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*Upcoming
Events**

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*Monthly
Community Office Hours*

We have community office hours at the
Kingsley Association this Friday, January 5th from 10am - 3pm. My
staff is ready to help you with:

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Senior Photo Connect
Cards

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PennDOT Forms

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Unclaimed Property Searches

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Voter Registration

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Free Notary Services

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Connections to
Resources

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And much more!

Stop by to see a Constituent
Relations Specialist - no appointment necessary!

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*Veterans
Service Officer Appointments are Back!*

I am happy to announce that
our office will be offering American Legion Veterans Service Officer
(VSO) appointments again! A VSO will be available every 3rd Tuesday of
the month from 9 am - 1 pm, alternating between our Ross Township
office (5000 McKnight Road, Suite 405) and our Harrison Township
office (1826 Union Avenue).

Whether you have a question or just
need a fresh review of the benefits you've earned, call or email our
office to schedule a one-on-one appointment:
412-364-0469,
724-224-2131, or [email protected] [link
3].

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*Legislative
Update**

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*New
Water Infrastructure Grants Awarded!*

I'm proud to announce that
communities across Senate District 38 received over $7 million in
grant funding for clean water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure
projects!

This funding was made possible thanks to the federal
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). In 2021, Senator Maria Collett [link
4], Senator Katie Muth [link 5], and I introduced legislation [link 6]
to ensure Pennsylvania invested in these kinds of projects with ARPA
funding. Thanks to this legislation, Pennsylvania allocated $320
million to ensure the continued safety and maintenance of our
infrastructure.

The impact of the climate crisis is real, and we
need real, substantive investments in our aging water infrastructure
systems to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access to clean and
safe water. I will continue to fight for more funding for these
projects because there is more work to do!

You can learn more about
these programs at Programs and Funding - PA Department of Community &
Economic Development [link 7].

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[link 8]

*Social Security COLA Exclusions Extended for PACE/PACENET
*

I was proud to vote for SB 607 [link 9] in the Senate last year
so that the 20,000 Pennsylvania seniors who currently use PACE or
PACENET could maintain their prescription medication benefits in spite
of Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) this year.

The
Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly (PACE) program and
the Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly Needs
Enhancement Tier (PACENET) programs were created in 1984 and are
funded by revenue from the Pennsylvania Lottery. These programs make
prescriptions affordable for Pennsylvania seniors, many of whom
require multiple medications for chronic conditions. Exempting the
annual COLA from income calculations allows seniors to maintain their
eligibility for these life-saving prescription benefits.

To learn
more about the PACE and PACENET programs or to apply, go to PACE
Program [link 10].

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[link 11]

*The PA Statewide Digital Equity Plan Needs Your
Input!*

This Monday, January 8th, at 12pm is the deadline to
provide your comments on the Pennsylvania Broadband Development
Authority (PBDA) [link 12]'s draft of the Statewide Digital Equity
Plan. Digital equity means that every Pennsylvanian can access
reliable and affordable high-speed internet to participate in
education, healthcare, employment, and today's economy. Input on this
plan is crucial to ensure that the PBDA hears and incorporates the
needs and experiences of people across the state.

Learn more and
submit your comments at Digital Equity (DE) Act - PA Department of
Community & Economic Development [link 13]!

*News from
PHEAA*

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*2024-25 FAFSA Soft Launch*

The new and streamlined
2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form [link
15] was launched on December 31, 2023. This new online form will be
available for a short period of time to monitor and improve its
performance and allow families to get a head start on the process for
NEXT year. All forms and information submitted during the soft launch
will be saved if families need more time to complete the application.
Below are some changes to look for:

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IRS Data Exchange to link
tax information to applications.

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Expanded access to Federal
Pell Grants.

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Updated student aid calculations.

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Parents
and students will need their own StudentAid.gov Account with their own
FSA ID to complete the 2024-25 FAFSA.

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Family members may not
create accounts on one another's behalf.

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To create your
Account, go to Create Account | Federal Student Aid [link 16].

If
you have questions about the 2024-25 FAFSA, the Pennsylvania Higher
Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) [link 17] is offering their first
webinar on the new application on Wednesday, February 21 from 6-7 pm.
To sign up, go to Financial Aid Webinars (pheaa.org) [link 18].
Visit Our Toolkit Helps you Complete the FAFSA | PHEAA [link 19] for
additional information on the entire financial aid process.

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*January PHEAA Webinars*

Join the Pennsylvania Higher
Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) [link 21] for one of their January
webinars below to learn more about the financial aid process and the
assistance available as you and your family prepare for higher
education.

*Borrowing for Education - Which Loan is Right for
Me?
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*Thursday January 11, 6:30 pm & Thursday, January 25,
Noon*

I've found the schools I'd like to attend and after filing
the FAFSA, State Grant Form, Scholarships and researching higher
education costs and calculating the funding gap, I see that education
loans are a necessity, but where do I go from here? What loan programs
are available? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the
various types? Join Suzanne Sparrow and Daniel Wray of the
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) for a 1 hour
webinar to review the different borrowing options and answer your
questions..

*Deep Dive Into Credit Related to Education
Funding*

*Tuesday, January 9, Noon & Tuesday, January 23, 6:30
pm*

For most families, borrowing for education is part of the
equation and can be confusing as families look for the best options to
fit their needs.
Join Dan Wray and Suzanne Sparrow of Pennsylvania
Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) for a 1 hour webinar to
increase your financial literacy and knowledge on the process of
credit, how to maintain or improve ratings, and comparison points to
help make informed and affordable education borrowing decisions.

To
register for one of both of these webinars, click here [link
22].

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[link 23]

*Private Student Loan Debt Management*

In October, the
federal student loan payment pause ended and many borrowers are
wrestling with fitting payments back into their budgets. If you or
someone you know is struggling to pay your student loans, you should
contact the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) to
see if a PA Forward Refinance Loan [link 24] is right for you.
Refinancing helps manage student loan debt, including private student
loans, many of which have high or variable interest rates. PA Forward
Refinance loans offer competitive fixed rates to make payments
manageable and predictable.

PHEAA's refinance option allows
borrowers in repayment to consolidate multiple loans into one loan,
with one lender, and one monthly payment. Refinancing usually lowers
payments and fixes interest rates while providing flexible repayment
terms. There are no prepayment penalties and no application or
origination fees as well.

To learn more about a PA Forward
Refinance Loan and to apply, visit www.pheaa.org/refi [link 25] or
call 1-800-PA-FORWD.

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*DCNR Internships*

Attention college students! Apply
now for an internship with the Pennsylvania Department of Natural
Resources [link 27] (DCNR). There are positions with Pennsylvania's
state parks and forests, the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, the DCNR
main office in Harrisburg, and more!

Opportunities are still being
added, so keep checking and apply here [link 28].

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[link 29]

*Recycle your Christmas Tree at a County Park!*

The
Allegheny County Parks Department is once again offering its annual
Christmas Tree Recycling Program. Residents may drop off Christmas
trees from Tuesday, December 26, 2023, through Sunday, January 14,
2024, at all nine County parks from 8:00 am until dusk. All lights,
decorations, tinsel, and stands must be removed from trees prior to
drop-off. Trees will be mulched and used in the county parks. Last
year over 3000 trees were received, recycled, and used for mulch
throughout the park system's 12,000+ acres!

See the list of
drop-off locations above or online at Christmas Tree Recycling Program
- Allegheny County, PA [link 30].

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*Winter Safety Tips*

Snow is in the forecast this weekend! Winter
weather creates many challenges, whether you are walking or driving.
The key to staying safe during the winter is to be prepared, dress
warmly, and follow the safe tips above for walking and
driving.

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As
always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have
by phone at 412-364-0469 [link 31] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
32] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 33]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams

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Contact
Information:

Website:
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Office Location:
District
Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone:
412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928
Monday ? Friday 9-5

Harrison
Office
1826 Union Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone:
724-224-2131
Fax: 724-224-2145
Monday ? Thursday 9-5

Harrisburg
Office
366 Capitol Building
Senate Box 203038
Harrisburg, PA
17120-3038
Phone: 717-787-6538
Fax: 717-787-8625
By appointment
only


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