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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Budget Hearings Highlight Need to Grow Pennsylvania’s Economy
Concerns about significant revenue shortfalls and policies that inhibit economic growth in the Commonwealth were the focus of the first day of state budget hearings at the Capitol earlier this week.
I joined fellow members of the Appropriations Committee to question officials with the Department of Community and Economic Development about the governor’s failure to support growth in the state’s energy industry in his 2025-26 state budget proposal. I also raised concerns during my Q&A about the creation of new government programs and housing affordability. To listen to my comments from this hearing, please click here.
Later, we also questioned Department of Revenue officials about shortfalls in the current year’s budget and said our focus should be on expanding the tax base through growing the economy, rather than the governor’s plan to implement more taxes.
The committee will continue its assessment of the governor’s proposed 2025-26 state spending plan next week at hearings with several major state departments, including Education, Agriculture, Environmental Protection, State, Labor and Industry, and more.
The governor proposed a $51.47 billion budget earlier this month, representing a $3.57 billion, or 7.5%, increase over the current fiscal year. The proposed spending increase is significantly more than the anticipated $1.3 billion revenue increase.
Budget hearings stream live at www.PABudget.com/livestreams. For a full schedule, along with video and highlights of each completed hearing, click here.
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Monroe Elementary School Students Tour the Capitol
Amidst the busyness of state budget hearings, I got a chance to catch up with students from Monroe Elementary School on Wednesday! It's always great to see our future leaders in the halls of the statehouse.
To schedule a tour of our Capitol, please click here.
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Keep Up with Rep. Kutz
As your state representative, I am committed to serving you with transparency and accountability. I believe it’s essential for you to see firsthand how your government works and how we’re advocating for our community every day.
That’s why I’m excited to invite you to connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! On our social media pages, you’ll get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day operations of our office, including virtual tours, updates on legislative efforts, and the ways we’re working to address the issues that matter most to you.
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Report Potholes to PennDOT
‘Tis the season for potholes on our roads and bridges.
To help combat potholes and prevent them from becoming a danger to vehicles and drivers, you can report potholes on state-owned roads to PennDOT. Simply call 1-800-FIX-ROAD or click here to file a report online.
Be prepared to provide specific information to help crews find the pothole, including the name of the county and municipality in which it is located, name of the road, and the closest intersection.
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Connecting Those in Need with Resources
Do you know about the critical role PA 211 plays in helping Pennsylvanians connect with vital resources across the state and locally? From accessing housing and utility assistance to food assistance, mental health services or disaster support, PA 211 provides hundreds of thousands of residents a free, confidential and 24/7 lifeline to essential social services on which they can depend.
In 2024 alone, PA 211 helped almost 1.9 million Pennsylvanians.
• This included nearly 250,000 interactions with resource navigators via calls, texts and chats, and about 1.65 million searches using the PA 211 online database at pa211.org.
• The 250,000 interactions resulted in almost 705,000 referrals.
• The top needs in 2024 were housing, utilities and food. The PA 211 data demonstrates variability in needs in the Pennsylvania region.
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In addition to calling 211, the newly redesigned www.pa211.orgmakes it even easier for residents to search for local services by ZIP code or category, ensuring they receive accurate, timely and up-to-date information.
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Pay Attention to Your Heart Health!
February is American Heart Month, a time when all people are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. It notes one person dies every 33 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. In 2022, 702,880 people died from heart disease. That's the equivalent of one in every five deaths.
To protect yourself, the CDC encourages people to choose healthy foods and drinks, keep a healthy weight, get regular physical activity and don’t smoke. People should also take charge of medical conditions that could increase their risk of heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Learn more about heart disease and how to protect yourself here.
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