PA Representative Joe Ciresi banner image

Dear Neighbor,

In this week’s email, you will find information about the upcoming MLK holiday, as well as:

PennDOT Route 422 updates
Pennie deadline
Property Tax/Rent Rebate season
America 250 scholarships + Financial aid webinars

Our office will be closed Monday in recognition of the federal holiday celebrating the life of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. For those searching for a local service project, several organizations have searchable listings here.

At the YWCA on King Street in Pottstown, students from the Hill School will be distributing diapers, socks, books, and period products from 11 a.m. to noon. A community soup kitchen will be open from 10 a.m. to noon.

College Financial Aid Webinars

Interested in attending college? Check out these helpful webinars.

College Scholarship Opportunities for PA students

To honor Pennsylvania’s long-standing commitment to education, the state commission planning America’s 250th anniversary will award $250,000 in scholarships to deserving Pennsylvania students attending in-state colleges next school year.

Any Pennsylvania high school senior planning to attend a PA college for 2026–27 is eligible to apply. Twenty-five scholarships of $10,000 each will be awarded by the America250PA commission.

Applications are due Jan. 31. More details can be found here.

The KCA Scholarship Award

The Keystone Contractors Association is committed to providing quality educational programs designed to enhance the success of the construction industry.

Its Keystone Contractors Association (KCA) Scholarship Program awards up to $10,000 yearly to a deserving student. The program’s goal is to provide the Pennsylvania construction industry with a diverse pool of highly qualified candidates to fulfill its employment needs in areas such as Project Managers, Project Engineers, Estimators and Field Supervisors. Assuming the recipient maintains career ambitions and excels in school, this scholarship is renewable up to three years.

Qualifications:

Applicants must be Pennsylvania residents.

Students with a construction degree focus must attend a Pennsylvania college, university or trade school.
Recipients pursue education and careers with the goal of building and strengthening Pennsylvania's communities, economy and infrastructure.

The scholarship is an investment in Pennsylvania’s workforce, our construction industry, and the next generation of leaders who will design, build, and maintain our buildings and homes.

The deadline for this year’s KCA Scholarship Program is March 1. To provide advice on applying and answer any questions that students may have, the KCA is hosting a virtual discussion at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 27. Head here for more details: KCA Scholarship Program Informational Session.

Rebate season has begun!

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate application period for rent or property taxes paid in 2025 (PTRR) officially started on Thursday. We accept walk-ins for this service, although appointments are encouraged. Give us a call at (484) 200-8265, especially if you have not applied before. We will explain the process and what is needed.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program supports homeowners and renters across Pennsylvania. This program provides a rebate ranging from $380 to $1,000 to eligible older adults and people with disabilities age 18 and older.

This program is supported by funds from the Pennsylvania Lottery and gaming.

The new income limit is $48,110 (with only half of Social Security income counting towards the limit).

Property owners: Bring proof of property taxes paid (stamped receipts from the tax office or mortgage statements showing the payments), as well as proof of income for 2025.

Renter: Signed rent certificate from your landlord, as well as proof of income for 2025.

Pennie’s Final Deadline Is Extended:

January 31st is the Last Day to Enroll in a Quality 2026 Health Plan

Pennie’s 2026 Open Enrollment deadline to enroll in 2026 health coverage has been extended to January 31.

Pennie, Pennsylvania’s official state-based health insurance marketplace, offers quality health plans for individuals and families who don’t have other coverage options. If you or someone you know does not currently have health coverage, now is the time to act. Visit pennie.com to explore your options to get enrolled.

You can enroll here: pennie.com.

PennDOT U.S. 422 M1B Construction Update: Winter 2025-26

Stage 3 Reconstruction Continues This Winter

Reconstruction continues this winter as Stage 3 progresses under PennDOT’s $83.6 million U.S. 422 Section M1B project to reconstruct and improve 2.1 miles of the highway in Lower Pottsgrove Township, Montgomery County.

After a traffic shift in October 2025, westbound U.S. 422 traffic is now traveling on the temporary median pavement constructed last fall. The shift allowed PennDOT’s contractor to begin demolition and reconstruction of the existing westbound pavement, shoulder, and bridges.

Last fall, crews removed the existing westbound asphalt, started concrete pavement removal, and began demolition of the westbound sections of the bridges carrying U.S. 422 over Porter Road and Sanatoga Road/Sanatoga Creek.

Work this winter will focus on building abutments and piers for the two replacement bridges, installing a new stormwater drainage system, sound wall construction, and highway sign upgrades along westbound U.S. 422.

Excavation for the new westbound travel lanes and shoulder has started and will continue throughout the winter.

Once the project is completed, the highway will have improved curve radii, shoulder widths, and vertical clearance that will enhance travel and safety for motorists.

Installation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) components — electronic message signs, and traffic cameras — included in the project is underway on roadways that feed traffic onto U.S. 422 and adjacent arterials at various locations. ITS work this fall will find crews working on Route 23 in Spring City, Phoenixville, and Valley Forge areas in Chester County.

Motorists will encounter regular off-peak daytime and overnight lane closures during Stage 3 construction.

Work on the project is scheduled to finish in early 2028.

Learn more at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/projects-near-you/district-6-projects/422-improvements/us-422-section-m1b-project