On the Issues

Philadelphia homeowners, make sure you don’t miss this opportunity to save $1000+ on your real estate taxes! Did you know that If you own your home, you are eligible for the Homestead Exemption on your Real Estate Tax? But you must act fast:  the deadline to apply is...

Friends, as you all know, there is so much at stake this election and the last thing you want is for your mail-in or absentee ballot to not be counted due to a mistake. However, it appears as though that could be the case for many unless you take action...

My team and I are once again hosting a free paper shredding event this Saturday, November 12. If you are looking for a way to securely get rid of documents that contain personal information like your social security, credit card, and bank account numbers, you don’t...

For my entire time in the legislature, expanding access to health insurance to the uninsured and underinsured has been a central focus of my work.   When we fully implemented the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion in 2015 with Governor Wolf, more than 1...

After years of our team pushing for investigations, accountability, and justice, state and federal leaders announce historic settlementFor years, my team and I have fought for people of color to have the right to make their American dream of owning a home come true....

$2.27 billion plan could construct thousands of new housing units across PAPhiladelphia has seen a housing boom, but it’s a bust for our middle-and -lower income neighbors.  Working families, including the essential workers who have been bearing the brunt of the...

Rates still lagging among children in our communities. Take this opportunity to protect them.Nearly two years into this pandemic and now a year after vaccines became available, low-income neighborhoods and communities of color are still lagging behind everyone in...

$3.75 billion would be the largest in education funding everThis week, along with House Democrats and education advocates, I announced a school budget plan that would represent the largest investment in public education in Pennsylvania history. The $3.75 billion...

Additional Funds Raise State Investment to $45M This week, I was joined in West Philadelphia by Gov. Tom Wolf, gun violence victims and violence prevention providers to announce a $15 million increase in funding to further support grassroots prevention efforts in...

ARP funds provide new help for those who need coverage, but a deadline looms.Pennie is Pennsylvania’s official destination for shopping for quality health insurance plans and accessing financial assistance.  If you are not covered through work or another...

We can expect 1.5 million jobs a year, new roads, clean water and a wider internet​President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris delivered this week on an important promise to make historic investments in American infrastructure that will take steps to mitigate...

ARP funds provide additional savings for budget minded consumersIf you, or someone you know, needs health insurance coverage, now is the time to take those important steps toward peace of mind and healthy savings.  For more than a decade, the Affordable Care Act...

State providing a ‘webinar’ to help applicants learn the process Pennsylvania has made great strides in getting people vaccinated to end the COVID-19 pandemic.  While two-thirds of the total population is at least partially vaccinated, communities of color are...

$7 billion sits in a vault while real need goes unmet across the stateThree months ago, shortly after the 2021-22 state budget was passed, I gathered allies and advocates at City Hall in Philadelphia to talk about where we thought the budget would fall short on its...

Join us this Saturday for an event filled with fun things to do and lots of help in preparing for the upcoming election. We’ll be promoting public safety, including some senior self-defense demonstrations, while also helping people defend their right to vote with some...

Pennsylvania’s current state budget contains more than $24 million to help community groups intervene in the surge of violence that has spread through our neighborhoods since the pandemic started.  However, with only two weeks to go before the application deadline,...

We continue to push for more help for these critical small businesses After concerted and coordinated effort with our House colleagues, image and hair care businesses that were hit hard by the pandemic will now be eligible for $20 million in relief funding if they...

Income Affected by Pandemic? Apply now. Don’t wait. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is available for renters of residential properties who are at risk of eviction or utility shutoffs due to hardship caused by COVID-19. Landlords can apply for assistance...

Hear about that and other topics on Wednesday Telephone Town HallAs we begin to emerge from the global pandemic, some are faring better than others and many questions remain for those who were hit hard over the past 16 months. The Biden Administration has stepped up...

PA hasn’t seen new minimum wage legislation in 15 years. On the 15th anniversary of the signing, state Senator Hughes and Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione marked the enactment of Pennsylvania’s last minimum wage legislation with a reenactment and rally with Gov. Tom Wolf...

Biden signs bipartisan bill into law, but struggles continueAfter Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, it took more than two years of bloody warfare for its goal of ending slavery in the United States was fully realized. By June...

The money is there. Is the courage?With a projected state budget surplus of more than $3 billion and more than $7 billion in federal aid idled by inaction, Senate & House Democrats gathered in front of local schools across Pennsylvania Friday to call for immediate...