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For Immediate
Release
9/19/11
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news conference
Senators Unveil Flood Relief Package
HARRISBURG -- In response to the heavy flooding caused by
tropical storms Irene and Lee earlier this month, five senators today announced
that they will introduce a comprehensive, bipartisan legislative package aimed
at bringing relief to those affected by the disaster.
Senators John Gordner, R- Berwick, Lisa Baker, R-Lehman
Township, Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township,
and John Blake, D-Archbald, unveiled the seven-piece package at a news
conference today at the state capitol that combines financial assistance,
infrastructure funding and tax breaks for affected areas.
"Our goal is to provide financial assistance to communities
affected by flooding and provide the resources to ensure that the recovery
effort will take place as quickly as possible" said Gordner. "We've all toured
our flooded communities and we have seen how hard-hit they have been by these
storms."
Baker, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committee, said she is also planning to conduct several committee hearings on
issues ranging from creating a state disaster assistance fund to the utilities'
response to prolonged power outages after Hurricane Irene.
"We have a bipartisan commitment to helping our residents and local officials
get back on their feet," Baker said. "There is widespread damage so we need to
have a good plan in place to jumpstart our recovery effort."
Among the bills announced today are measures to:
- Establish a restricted account
in the State Treasury to provide additional state grant monies to individuals
and families based on income eligibility and damage losses.
- Authorize $250 million for the
state share of flood-related highway and bridge rehabilitation projects.
- Allow local taxing bodies to
abate real estate taxes for properties substantially affected by the flood.
- Authorize a county-by-county
list of highway, bridge, flood control and hazard mitigation projects that need
rehabilitation.
- Give the Secretary of
Education the authority to waive certain requirements for public and non-public
schools that were substantially affected by the flood.
"People in my district have lost their homes, their
livelihoods and even a few have lost their lives, as a result of this catastrophic
flood," said Yaw. "This legislative package is a lifeline for those
individuals, families, business owners and municipal governments who are in dire
need of assistance."
"Regardless of political party or municipal boundaries, the
flood victims in northeastern and central Pennsylvania desperately need our
help," Yudichak said. "This package of bills begins the process for Pennsylvania
to supplement the aid provided by the federal government and will provide
valuable resources to those heavily impacted by the flooding."
"The amount of damage caused and the number of lives
affected by this catastrophe is really disheartening," Blake said, who serves as
the Democratic chair of the Senate Local Government Committee. "I knew, and my
colleagues knew, that we needed to step up for those families and businesses
that lost so much in this flooding event."
Attachments:
CONTACT:
Carol Milligan
Senate Republican Communications
(717) 787-6725
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