PITTSBURGH, PA – October 18, 2024 – Today, Senator Jay Costa announces over $1.4M in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) awarded to Allegheny County.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is of especial importance to Senator Costa. He and Representative Dan Frankel fought to establish this program in the wake of the mass shooting at Tree of Life, during which a white supremacist murdered eleven Jewish worshippers. Signed into law in 2019, Act 83 directs PCCD to administer grants to nonprofit organizations who principally serve individuals, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics publication. This enormously successful program has delivered millions of dollars in security upgrades to nonprofits throughout Pennsylvania.
“I am proud to announce this round of nonprofit security grant funding to ensure our friends and neighbors can gather, pray, dance, study, and create community free from fear and danger,” said Senator Costa. “This year, we doubled the funding for this program so that even more organizations can benefit from increased safety as they carry out their crucial work. I look forward to continuing to deliver safe communities for every Pennsylvanian.”
Awardees that serve the constituents of the 43rd District include:
- Aleph Institute, Inc. – $25,000
- Bethel AME Church (Pittsburgh) – $24,780
- Bnai Emunoh Chabad Inc. – $75,000
- Chabad of Squirrel Hill Inc. – $25,000
- Congregation Beth Shalom – $25,000
- Congregation Dor Hadash – $12,000
- Congregation Kether Torah – $25,000
- Congregation Poale Zedeck – $75,000
- Council for Lutheran Campus Ministry in Greater Pittsburgh – $25,000
- Ethnan Temple Seventh-Day Adventist Church – $37,700
- First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh – $83,000
- Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh – $107,000
- Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh – $50,000
- Jewish Association on Aging – $12,000
- Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh – $150,000
- Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh – $150,000
- Latino Community Center – $25,000
- Lubavitch Center – $25,000
- Machon Schneerson Chabad – $150,000
- Rodef Shalom Congregation – $25,000
- Schenley Heights Community Development Program – $11,300
- Shaare Torah Congregation – $45,500
- Squirrel Hill Health Center – $25,000
- T of L, Inc. (The Tree of Life) – $80,093
- The Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh – $25,000
- The Rector, Wardens, and Vestrymen of Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church – $15,520
- Tzohar Arts – $25,000
- Yeshivath Achei Tmimim of Pittsburgh – $75,000
- Young Peoples Synagogue/Bohnai Yisrael – $13,200
- YWCA Greater Pittsburgh – $36,388
More information about these programs is available on the PCCD’s website.
Read about the Senate Democratic Caucus’s commitment to safe communities for every Pennsylvanian here.
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HARRISBURG, PA − October 17, 2024 − Yesterday, Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law Senate Bills 169 and 170 – now Act 107 and Act 108 of 2024 – to implement reforms needed to improve outcomes for youth, families, and communities, with a continued focus on protecting public safety.
Senate Bill 169 implements a requirement that courts hold a disposition review hearing at least every three months to make sure children placed outside the home are getting the care, treatment, and services they need, and to make sure children are returned home as soon as is appropriate. Senate Bill 170 creates an expungement process for juvenile records and requires that the Chief Juvenile Probation officer notify the court when records are eligible for expungement and request that the court initiate the expungement process.
Senator Jay Costa (D-43) and Senator Lisa Baker (R-20) co-chaired the Juvenile Justice Task Force, which produced a report in June of 212 containing 35 recommendations for reform. Of those reforms, Senate Bills 169 and 170 address recommendations 2, 5, 16, and 23.
“I am very happy that the Senate could work in a bipartisan way to get these bills over the finish line,” said Senator Costa. “The Juvenile Justice Task Force brought to light some unfortunate findings about the way we treat our young people in our legal system, and I am glad we are taking steps to reform our processes. I am hopeful that our work will lead to rehabilitation and a thriving future for these youths.”
“These reforms are designed to align our juvenile justice system with proven methods for improving youth outcomes and addressing significant gaps in current practices,” said Senator Baker, majority chair of the Judiciary Committee in the Senate. “By improving the law, we are taking important steps to give young people a true second chance.”
“For young people in the juvenile justice system to succeed, it is critical that there are supports and pathways to help with the transition into adulthood and to allow these individuals to lead productive lives,” said Senator Santarsiero, minority chair of the Judiciary Committee in the Senate. “I want to thank Senators Baker and Costa for their roles as co-chairs of the Juvenile Justice Task Force and their work to find meaningful ways to improve outcomes for youth exiting the juvenile justice system.”
Senate Bills 169 and 170 secured the support of the Pennsylvania District Attorney Association, Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, Governor Shapiro’s Administration, Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police, Office of Victim Advocate, ACLU-PA, and many other organizations.
Learn more about the Juvenile Justice Task Force here.
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PITTSBURGH, PA – October 16, 2024 – Today, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) held a Board Meeting to award loan and grant funding for the latest round of applicants.
“The delivery of safe, clean, lead-free drinking water is absolutely crucial,” said Senator Costa. “I am very proud to have secured funding for projects that will ensure our water is potable and not harmful to our children. I look forward to seeing these projects get underway for our friends and neighbors in Allegheny and Wilkinsburg.”
In the 43rd Senatorial District, the two recipients of PENNVEST dollars are as follows:
Pennsylvania American Water Company was awarded a $1,891,056 loan and a $3,908,944 grant to replace 357 lead service lines. Three hundred of these lines represent replacement of the privately-owned portion of the lead service line, while 57 lines will be replaced on both the public and private portion.
Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority was awarded a $3,101,917 loan and a $6,798,083 grant for the removal and replacement of approximately 1,060 existing lead service lines on either the Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority or customer side of the water service lines with approximately 42,400 feet of new ¾-inch copper water service lines and 1,060 curb boxes. Also, any associated surface restoration will be included with the project.
Learn more about the PA Senate Democrats’ commitment to thriving communities for every Pennsylvanian here.
HARRISBURG, PA – October 15, 2024 − Today, the Commonwealth Court denied two of the three lawsuits filed by the PA Senate Democrats in defense of Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne. Since the Senate Republicans passed SR 334, forcing Pat Browne to disclose sensitive taxpayer data or else be detained by the Sergeant at Arms, Senate Democrats filed suit to affirm Secretary Browne’s decision to follow the law and withhold identifying information about private citizens.
In response, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa issues the following statement:
“I am disappointed by these results, but maintain our resolve that Secretary Browne is following the law as it is written,” said Senator Costa. “The Senate of Pennsylvania has taken the extraordinary step of passing a resolution attempting to hold the Secretary in contempt. The facts of this moment are notably distinguishable from those of the case referenced in the court’s decisions. If or when the Senate tries to hold the Revenue Secretary in contempt, we will assuredly renew our efforts to have this subpoena thrown out on the merits.”
View Senator Costa’s remarks on the floor regarding SR 334 here.
PITTSBURGH, PA – October 10, 2024 – Today, the PA Broadband Development Authority met to award grants from the Multipurpose Community Facilities Program. The Facilities Program offered $45 million in competitive grants to community anchor institutions and units of local government for community projects to construct, acquire, or improve facilities that are, or will be open to the public and will directly enable work, education, and health monitoring at the respective facility.
“I am delighted to be announcing these grant dollars to benefit Pittsburgh and Allegheny County,” said Senator Costa. “These projects will continue to empower communities by improving the spaces where people gather, learn, and seek care. I look forward to seeing these undertakings come to fruition as we go forward.”
In the 43rd Senatorial District, the three recipients of MCFP dollars are:
- Latino Community Center was awarded $1,631,198.80 to expand the Latino Community Center of Allegheny County. The project entails renovations to the Community Center facilities.
- Primary Care Health Services, Inc. was awarded $2,000,000 for the PCHS Wilford A. Payne Medical Center. A new 44,000 square-foot medical center and office building will be constructed on a surface parking lot adjacent to the current facility.
- Woodland Hills School District was awarded $500,000 to renovate Carnegie Free Library of Swissvale.
Learn more about the PA Senate Democrats’ commitment to thriving communities for every Pennsylvanian here.
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