Visiting Mountain View High School
It was a pleasure to meet with a group of very bright youngsters at Mountain View High School. This group is organizing and hosting the 2020 Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils state conference. It's a big deal and I'm sure it will be a success!
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Touring Camp Freedom in Wayne County
I had the opportunity to meet with Matt Guedes (pictured above), executive director, and tour Camp Freedom in Wayne County. This camp provides hunting, fishing and outdoor adventure opportunities for disabled veterans and first responders. It is a very worthwhile mission and an awesome addition to our region! Thanks for all that you do Matt!
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Registration Now Open for Concealed Carry, Castle Doctrine Seminar
I want to invite all area residents to our upcoming Concealed Carry and Castle Doctrine Seminar, scheduled for Thursday, May 30, at the Clifford Township Firehall in Clifford. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the seminar will run from 6-8 p.m.
This seminar will feature Susquehanna County District Attorney Marion O’Malley and Susquehanna County Sheriff Lance Benedict who will discuss a variety of Second Amendment and gun safety topics.
Registration is required for this event as the venue space is limited. There is no fee to attend. To register, visit my website at RepFritz.com or call my Montrose district office at 570-278-3374.
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Good News for PA Budget, Taxpayers
We have some great economic news to report related to the state budget!
State revenue collections are more than $828 million ahead of estimates with two months to go in the current fiscal year. But that does not mean we should be spending it all.
House and Senate Republicans came together earlier this week to stress our intention to devote much of the additional funding to building up the state’s reserves for the next “rainy day” to help ensure we can weather the next economic slowdown.
Watch the press conference here.
The Commonwealth’s revenue growth is the result of pro-growth policies and our commitment to standing up for taxpayers – and standing against excessive taxes and spending proposed by the governor over the last several years.
We will continue that commitment through this year’s budget negotiations. A final 2019-20 state budget is due by June 30.
Find further details on Pennsylvania’s revenues here.
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Attention Veterans
Brian Stolarski, a service officer with the American Legion, visits both my Honesdale and Montrose district offices each month to provide claims, pension and benefits assistance for area veterans.
He visits the Honesdale office on the fourth Friday of each month and the Montrose office on the first Tuesday each month. Veterans need not be a member of the American Legion to use this service.
Brian will be in my Montrose district office on Tuesday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please call our office at 570-253-5533 for more information. He will also be in the Honesdale office on Friday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call the Honesdale office at 570-253-5533 or the Montrose office at 570-278-3374.
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Government Done Right – Pennsylvania Needs an Upgrade
House Republicans are devoting the month of May to giving our state government a long-overdue upgrade.
Having “government done right” means upgrading to a more effective and efficient government while providing core services. It means repealing out-of-date laws, reexamining the effectiveness of some state boards and commissions, and putting a stop to the red tape and overregulation that has tied the hands of job creators and hampered economic progress.
We kicked off the effort this week by passing House Bill 762 to require state agencies to designate a regulatory compliance officer to facilitate better understanding of new and existing regulations and boost compliance rates among affected businesses.
We also passed House Bill 509, which would boost transparency in the permitting process by requiring agencies to post information online and create an accessible tracking system for applicants to check the status of their applications.
Finally, we started a spring cleaning of sorts to get rid of some our most outdated, irrelevant laws. These include measures that regulate when things can or cannot happen on Sundays, such as movie times, baseball and football games and even playing music. Other laws we are working to repeal include antiquated sections of our Public School Code and the Scotland School for Veterans’ Children, which closed in 2009.
You can read more about what we are doing to improve Pennsylvania’s government here.
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Prevent Lyme: Check for Ticks
With May designated as Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Pennsylvania, individuals who spend time outdoors should check themselves for ticks and be aware of the symptoms of Lyme disease and other tick-related ailments.
The first line of defense against Lyme is to take precautions in the outdoors by using insect repellent with DEET, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, checking for – and promptly and properly removing – any ticks, and showering shortly after exposure.
If bitten, an individual should monitor the area for the next month. Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, a bull’s eye rash may appear, and other symptoms that can be mistaken for viral infections, such as influenza or infectious mononucleosis.
Pennsylvania has led the nation in confirmed cases of Lyme disease for three straight years.
Last year, a $500,000 grant was provided to East Stroudsburg University (ESU) to allow all Pennsylvania residents to have ticks (found on them or a family member) tested for free by the university. The Tick Lab is located within the Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute at ESU. Click here to access the Tick Lab website with all the details.
For tips about how to protect yourself from Lyme disease, click here.
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