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Community Corner

This Week in Harrisburg

Prioritizing Public Education

Public education remains our priority. The 2014-15 budget includes a record $10.5 billion in state funds for kindergarten through 12th-grade education for school districts across the Commonwealth. The investment is even higher than years when state tax dollars were supplemented with temporary federal stimulus funds – $500 million more than the combined total in 2010-11. 

In addition, we continue to look for ways to ensure our education system is spending efficiently. This often means reducing bureaucratic red tape and allowing local governments to make the best decisions for their schools. With this in mind, the education funding in the budget includes a $200 million Ready to Learn Block Grant that provides flexible funding to schools to direct toward their specific priorities.

The House is also working to address a backlog of school construction project reimbursements through a program known as PlanCon. The budget includes a $10 million increase for PlanCon projects, bringing the total appropriation to $306.2 million. 
  
Working to End Poverty

A new law was recently enacted that provides funding for programs that assist disadvantaged Pennsylvanians. Act 90 of 2014, which reauthorizes the Community Services Block Grant Act, is a federally funded program that provides money to local private and public nonprofit organizations that work to reduce or eliminate poverty. Under the law, the program will be in effect through 2017 with a minimum funding level for each community of $250,000, an increase of $150,000.

Organizations that provide job training, transportation and education, as well as advice on nutrition and drug and alcohol counseling, to low-income participants may qualify for grants under the program. Learn more here.
 
Applying for a Doe License

Doe license applications from Pennsylvania residents will be accepted by county treasurers beginning this Monday, July 14 (nonresidents can apply starting Monday, July 28). Applications must be mailed in the official pink envelope issued to hunters at the time they purchased their general hunting licenses. To find out how many licenses have been allocated to each of the state’s 23 wildlife management units, click here

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