State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38
Update

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*Upcoming Events**

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My
office is now scheduling AARP Tax-Aide appointments!*

It's tax season
and the AARP Tax-Aide Program is up and running at the Shaler
Undercliff Fire Company and the Ross Township Community Center. This
program provides free tax preparation services to low- and
moderate-income taxpayers, with an emphasis on those 50 or older. To
schedule your free appointment, please call the office at
412-364-0469.

For more information, visit AARP Tax-Aide Allegheny
County, PA (taxaide-pittsburgh.com) [link 1].

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*In-Person
VSO Appointments Available!*

My office offers American Legion
Veterans Service Officer (VSO) appointments every 3rd Tuesday of the
month from 9 am - 1 pm! Appointments will rotate between my district
offices each month.

Upcoming Dates:

-
Tuesday, February 20,
Natrona Heights office, 1826 Union Avenue, Natrona Heights, PA
15065

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Tuesday, March 19, Ross Township office, 5000 McKnight
Road, Suite 405, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

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 (Ross)
724-224-2131 (Harrison). Appointments fill up quickly!

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*Good
News**

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*Whole
Home Repair Program Success*

Last week, elected officials from across
Allegheny County and the state joined together to learn about the
successes and lessons from the first year of the Whole Home Repairs
Program, which provides grants and forgivable loans to low-income
families and seniors to complete repairs on their homes. These repairs
focus on habitability and safety for residents.

I'm incredibly proud
of this Program and the work it has done in keeping families and
neighborhoods safe while creating jobs for local residents. I was
pleased to hear Governor Shapiro include additional state funding for
Whole Home Repairs in his 2024-25 Budget Address and I look forward to
advocating for more funding in the coming years!

Thank you to Kelly
and Mo Scatena and family for welcoming us to your beautiful home and
for sharing your story with all of us.

Democrats urge state
lawmakers to put new funding into Whole Home Repairs program -
Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com) [link 2]



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*Public
Sector OSHA*

Did you know that public sector employees who work for
government agencies in Pennsylvania aren't protected by Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards? Under OSHA,
employers are required to provide a workplace free from recognized
hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause, death or serious
physical harm to employees.

In 2020, state and local public sector
employers reported an injury rate 44% higher than private sector
workers who are covered by OSHA. This week, I stood with my colleagues
and members of our public sector unions to advocate for the Senate to
pass Public Sector OSHA legislation. This legislation has already
passed the House of Representatives, so it is now up to the Senate to
send this legislation to the Governor and protect all Pennsylvania
workers.


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*2024-25
Budget Address*

The 2024-25 Budget Season kicked off this week with
the Annual Governor's Budget Address. Due to necessary repairs being
made in the House Chamber, members of the House of Representatives and
Senate gathered for the first time ever in the Main Rotunda to hear
Governor Josh Shapiro deliver his Budget Address. Thank you to all of
the Department of General Services employees who worked tirelessly to
ensure a seamless experience for everyone attending!

You can watch
the video of Gov. Shapiro's budget address, read proposed legislation,
and watch upcoming budget hearings on my website at
SenatorLindseyWilliams.com/budget [link 3]. Budget hearings begin on
Tuesday, February 20!

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*Legislative
Update**

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*It's
Time for Bold Action to Meet Our Obligation to Public School
Students*

February 7th marked the 1-year anniversary of the
Commonwealth Court decision [link 4] declaring what we already knew--
that we have been unconstitutionally underfunding and unfairly funding
our public school system for decades.

It is time to make an
aggressive down payment on fixing decades of unconstitutionality. What
we've called "historic investments" in education over the last few
years have barely kept up with inflation. It's time to start actually
getting down to what it means to fully invest in our public schools,
in everything from special ed, Career and Technical Education, pre-K,
all the way through to higher-ed.

I recently spoke to City & State PA
about the work that the Pennsylvania legislature has to do to fulfill
our constitutional obligation to provide a comprehensive, effective,
and contemporary education to all students, from pre-K through higher
ed.

'We have a lot of work to do": A Q&A on education with state Sen.
Lindsey Williams - City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)
[link 5]

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*Black
History Month*

February is Black History Month, and each week we will
feature individuals making history in Pittsburgh's artistic community
today and in its storied past. This week we are highlighting Billy
Strayhorn, the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty that bears his
name, and Staycee Pearl, who got her start at the Kelly Strayhorn
Theater.

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*The
Kelly Strayhorn Theater *

The Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST) is named
for two 20th century legends: Gene Kelly, famed dancer and East
Liberty native and Homewood-born jazz composer, Billy Strayhorn. Their
passionate, creative spirit and love of their craft still inspire
today's artists and programs. The theater's mission is to provide a
home for creative experimentation, community dialogue, and collective
action rooted in the liberation of Black and queer people. We are
incredibly lucky to have this cultural and artistic resource right
here in Senate District 38!

KST was founded over 20 years ago in the
old Regent Theater, the last of the nine 1950's era theaters in
Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood. The theater contributed to the
eventual transformation of East Liberty into the extraordinary arts
and entertainment destination it is today.

There are two KST venues,
both located on Penn Avenue. KST's Alloy Studios is a cultural hub at
the intersection of Friendship and East Liberty and the historic Kelly
Strayhorn Theater is located in the thriving business district of East
Liberty.

For information on KST history, events, classes, workshops,
and programs go to Kelly Strayhorn Theater | Pittsburgh, PA
(kelly-strayhorn.org) [link 6].

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Billy
Strayhorn *

Do you know about the close decades-long collaboration
between jazz-great Duke Ellington and Pittsburgh's own Billy
Strayhorn? Strayhorn was openly gay and preferred to remain behind the
scenes, which meant the general public did not know he composed dozens
of Ellington's most famous songs including "Take the 'A' Train," "Lush
Life," "Something to Live For," and "My Little Brown Book."They
collaborated so closely that musicologists find it hard to tell where
one's influence ends and the other's begins. Pittsburgh produced many
jazz legends and Billy Strayhorn is one of its hidden gems!

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*Staycee
Pearl*

Many Black Pittsburgh artists get their start at the Kelly
Strayhorn Theater (KST), including Choreographer Staycee Pearl. Her
Staycee Pearl Dance Project and SOY SOS [link 7] began as an informal
incubator for movement at KST and has grown into a dance company that
celebrates the full range of Black culture. Classes are held at KST's
Alloy Studios and you can see company performances here in Pittsburgh
and at venues across the country.

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*Child
& Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit Expanded*

Tax season is here
and families can expect a larger return thanks to the enactment of
Pennsylvania's Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit [link
8] last year. This expansion is expected to deliver critical relief to
roughly 210,000 families in PA. The expansion allows individuals to
claim 100% of the existing federal childcare tax credit on their 2023
Pennsylvania returns - a 60% increase over last year!

In 2022, the
first Pennsylvania Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit was passed with
a 30% match of the federal childcare tax credit ($180 to $360 for one
dependent, $315 to $630 for multiple dependents). The 2023 expansion
tripled the tax credit and was finalized in the state budget in
December, just in time for families to reap the benefit for this
year's tax season. Now families making $43,000 or less will receive a
maximum state credit of $1,050 for one child, and $2,100 for two
children. Families earning more than $43,000 will see a maximum tax
credit of $600 for one child, and $1,200 for two children.

To learn
more about the the tax credit expansion and if your family qualifies
go to:
Child and Dependent Care Credit (pa.gov) [link 9]



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*2024
Trout Stocking Schedule Available!*

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
Commission [link 10] has released the 2024 Adult Trout Stocking
Schedule! Check out when the local streams and lakes will be stocked
and plan your season accordingly here:
PFBC Adult Trout Stockings
(pa.gov) [link 11]

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*The
PA Fish and Boat Commission R3 Grant Program is Open!*

Calling all
river organizations! Applications are open for the PA Fish and Boat
Commission's Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R3) Grant
Program. This grant provides funding support for educational
opportunities that benefit anglers and boaters. The R3 grant will
reimburse qualifying organizations up to $25,000 for eligible expenses
for projects conducted from approximately July 1, 2024, through June
30, 2025.
The grant requires a minimum 25% match of total project
costs.

*The R3 deadline is March 1, 2024.*

More information about
the grant program, including the application, can be found on the PFBC
R3 grant program [link 12] page.

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*Boating
Safety Course Next Saturday*

Get a jump on the 2024 boating season by
enrolling in the PA Fish and Boat Commission's FREE Boating Safety
Education Certificate Course on Saturday, February 17, 2024, from 8:30
am - 4:30 pm at the Carnegie Science Center! See graphic above for
details.

You can read more about the course and register at: Event -
Basic Boating - February 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, PA (register-ed.com)
[link 13]

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*Upcoming
February and March PHEAA Webinars*

*Advanced Planning for Financing
Higher Education*

Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at Noon

Tuesday,
February 20, 202 at 6:30pm

The thought of Higher Education costs can
be overwhelming, but planning and identifying what you can do to help
lessen those costs is an important step. It's never too early or too
late to start understanding what those costs are and what is available
to help maintain, plan, and help you make affordable decisions. Join
Dan Wray and Suzanne Sparrow of PHEAA's PA Forward Private Loan
Program in a one-hour webinar to begin that process and become
prepared.

*Searching for Scholarships and Affording the
Balance*

Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 6:30pm

Thursday, February 22,
2024 at Noon

There are many ways to pay for education, and one
important step is to search and apply for Scholarships. More free
money equals less borrowing. This presentation will review the types
of options available, along with tips on applying. It will also offer
samples of fun scholarship options to get you started. We'll then
review what to do about the balances that might be left over in order
to make affordable higher education decisions. Join Suzanne Sparrow
and Daniel Wray of PHEAA's PA Forward Private Loan Program for an hour
of detailed information on this topic.

*Refinancing Education Debt -
is it right for me*

Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 6:30pm

Join us for
this informative one-hour webinar on refinancing education
debt.
Current or previous students of any age with student loans may
be overwhelmed with their current repayment options or are moving
closer to the repayment phase and wonder if refinance may be a better
solution.
PHEAA, represented by Dan Wray and Suzanne Sparrow of the PA
Forward Private Loan Program, will explain the pros and cons,
availability of programs and help those interested in understanding
more about this topic.

*Financial Aid Timeline - Financial Aid
Timeline - Know what to do when*

Thursday, March 7, 2024 at
Noon

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 6:30pm

This one-hour presentation
will provide the starting points and web resources for effective
research before, during and after your student makes post-secondary
decisions.
The journey will begin before high school and end in the
land of understanding choices.
One thing is certain - it's never too
early to start planning for a successful higher education
experience.
Join PHEAA's Suzanne Sparrow and Dan Wray of the PA
Forward Private Loan program as they guide you along the exciting, and
sometimes bumpy, road to planning for an affordable education.
Knowing
what to expect and to plan for it is the key, as Failing to plan, is
Planning to fail!

To register for any of these webinars to to:
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*You
may be Eligible for Allegheny County's Lead Safe Homes Program*


The Allegheny Lead Safe Homes Program, which offers qualifying
homeowners and renters in Allegheny County free lead-paint testing and
remediation, is looking for applicants to fill their queue for 2024!
See the graphic above for eligibility and application
information.

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*Street Skate in Etna*

Don't glide through winter without putting
Borough of Etna [link 15]'s Street Skate in your calendar. Sunday,
February 25th on Butler Street between 2pm-6pm. Free and open to
all!

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*Block
Captains Needed for Community Service Day in the East End*

The
Kingsley Association [link 16] is looking for volunteers to guide
different cleanup efforts around East Liberty and Larimer on Thursday,
March 7th. You can make a difference by volunteering to be a block
captain in your community!

Register at: March 7th Community Day! Sign
Up Form (office.com) [link 17].

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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 18] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
19] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 20]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams

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mailto:[email protected]

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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