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Dear Neighbor,
The House was in session all week as we work toward the June 30 budget deadline, and we are now officially in crunch time. But it is important to remember that the budget process did not begin this week. It began in February, when Governor Shapiro delivered his budget address, and the House quickly passed legislation to start negotiations and move the process forward. Since then, the House has continued advancing the bills and budget components needed to build a responsible spending plan, holding hearings, engaging stakeholders, and doing the day-to-day work required to move Pennsylvania toward a finalized budget.
So far, the Senate, has not advanced any budget legislation. Once again, we are on a path toward a down-to-the-wire finish or potentially another late budget. This is not the first time we have found ourselves in this position, and it is deeply frustrating for the families, schools, and communities who depend on a prompt and responsible state budget. House Democrats remain committed to delivering an on-time, responsible spending plan, as we keep doing the work the people sent us here to do.
House passes HB 2632, bringing transparency and accountability to scholarship programs On Monday, the House passed House Bill 2632, a bill that brings transparency and accountability to Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program while expanding access for students most in need and ensuring that tax dollars are used effectively and efficiently. |
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Right now, Pennsylvania diverts $680 million in tax dollars every year into private school scholarships with almost no transparency. We do not know which corporations are taking the tax breaks, which schools receive the funding, which students benefit, or whether the program is effectively serving low-income students. HB 2632 creates accountability for the hundreds of millions of dollars flowing through Pennsylvania’s private scholarship tax credit programs.
For years, EITC scholarship money has been handed out with minimal public oversight, allowing wealthy donors and corporations to profit from tax credits, while working families and seniors face soaring property tax increases to make up the difference. HB 2632 would create much-needed oversight. |
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I support HB 2632 because I believe that if you have to pick up the difference for tax breaks, you have a right to know who those tax incentives are helping and whether the programs incentivized by the tax incentives are serving the students they claim to serve.
Correcting the record on what HB2632 does and does not do
Over the last week many constituents in the district have been inundated with deceptive text messages and email campaigns that preyed on the understandable concerns of families whose students or private and parochial schools are supported by EITC scholarship funds, including messages specifically targeting our local Catholic school communities. It was important to me that we swiftly correct the record. On Wednesday, I sent letters to Archbishop Nelson Pérez and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and to the leaders of Bishop Shanahan High School. Each letter outlines the facts about HB 2632 and addresses the inaccuracies that were shared with families. I asked each organization to please correct the record on misinformation sent to their followers and school communities, and I have invited them to reach out or meet with me if they have further questions about the bill.
Read my letter to Archbishop Pérez here.
Read my letter to Bishop Shanahan here.
I voted in support of HB 2632 because it closes those gaps and provides the oversight the public deserves. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
House Passes Legislation that would rein in Data Center Tax Breaks
On Thursday, by a vote of 197-5, the House passed legislation to repeal and eliminate the Sales and Use Tax Exemption for data centers.
I was an early cosponsor and supporter of this legislation (HB2198), which was introduced and championed by Environmental Committee Chair Rep. Greg Vitali, and I am thrilled to see it receive such overwhelming bipartisan support.
Chair Vitali has been a steadfast leader on environmental issues and an unwavering voice for justice throughout his tenure in the House. He is the very definition of someone who has come to Harrisburg to do this work with integrity and do it for the right reasons. His voice and his unrelenting advocacy will be missed, as he will retire from the House at the end of this session.
I believe Chair Vitali’s proposal to repeal the data center tax credit outright is the right thing to do. These billion-dollar corporations do not need tax breaks, and we should not be working to attract this energy-hungry and water-intensive industry to our communities.
I also have great respect for the work of my colleague Rep. Joe Webster, whose GRID legislation (HB2650) I also voted to support this week. Rep. Webster fought hard to make this legislation as strong as possible, and it would be a meaningful improvement over the data center tax break free-for-all we have today. His bill attaches meaningful conditions around energy costs, environmental protections, and community input where currently we have none, and it shortens the duration of the tax exemption from 25 years to 10 years.
GRID passed the House by a vote of 134-68, the day before our vote on Chair Vitali’s repeal bill. This legislation is not a substitute for repeal, but it’s a meaningful improvement over the free-for-all we have today, and I support any serious effort to rein in this industry’s blank check, even as I keep pushing for full repeal.
I voted against the expansion of the data center sales tax exemption in 2021 because then as now, it prioritized corporate profits over the public interest and failed to include any provisions to protect Pennsylvania communities.
GRID isn’t the finish line. It’s a floor, not a ceiling. I can support the guardrails it proposes while I keep advocating for full repeal. What I cannot support is the current free-for-all giveaway to billionaire corporations. Refusing to support any improvement because it isn’t total victory, leaves the current free-for-all fully intact.
What GRID doesn’t fix: it leaves the underlying tax credit in place for anyone who meets the certification bar. And it doesn’t address the projected cost to the state, which the administration puts at over $500 million a year by FY 2030-31.
Now that both Chair Vitali’s repeal bill and Rep. Webster’s GRID legislation have passed the House, their fate is in the hands of the Senate, specifically Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman. Public sentiment and bipartisan support, including near-unanimous support from the House for full repeal of the tax credits, make the desired outcome clear. Now Senator Joe Pittman has a responsibility to act.
For more information, Spotlight PA has a good overview of the conversation around these bills. |
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Please contact my district office at repotten@pahouse.net if you have questions or would like to share your thoughts on any legislative or state-related issue. |
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Celebrate Summer and the Semiquincentennial in Chester County
This summer provides an opportunity for our community to take part in America’s Semiquincentennial, a milestone that will bring international attention to our region. With major events like the MLB All-Star Game and the FIFA World Cup coming to Pennsylvania, visitors from around the world will get a glimpse of what makes Southeastern Pennsylvania such a remarkable place to live. Beyond the excitement of these events, our corner of the state stands out for its mix of history, natural beauty, and vibrant local communities. If you are looking for some ideas close to home, the Brandywine Valley website is a great place to start.
We are fortunate to live in an area where the story of our nation is still visible in the landscape around us. The fields and roads near the Battle of the Brandywine, the trails at Valley Forge, and the historic sites just outside Philadelphia remind us how much of America’s early history unfolded right here. The Semiquincentennial offers a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with that legacy and explore the places that helped shape our country. You can find events and resources through America250PA and America250Chesco.
There is so much to see and experience across our region, and summer is the perfect time to get out and enjoy it. |
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Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Period Extended
The 2026 Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Period has been extended through December 31, 2026. Rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2025 will be distributed beginning July 1, so submit your application now to get your rebate as soon as possible!
The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians ages 65 and older, widows and widowers ages 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older.
Please call or stop by my office to find out if you’re eligible and get assistance applying for your rebate. We’d be glad to answer any questions and set up an appointment to help you complete your application online!
For those who prefer to file by mail, paper applications are available in my office. |
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SEPTA Senior Key Cards and Card Renewals
If you have a SEPTA Senior Key Card that has expired or will expire within the next month, we can renew it in our district office. To renew your card before it expires, please stop by my district office, or call us to make an appointment.
My office can also process applications and take photos for new SEPTA Senior Key ID Cards, which allow seniors 65 and older to travel for free on all SEPTA Regional Rail and transit routes within Pennsylvania. Just stop by my district office and bring a form of ID with your date of birth on it, such as a PA driver’s license or non-driver ID, U.S. passport, or birth certificate. We’ll enter your information into SEPTA’s online system, take a quick photo, and then SEPTA will mail your new card to you directly. |
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2-1-1 Southeastern Pennsylvania: Health and Human Services
211 SEPA is part of the national 211 Call Centers initiative that seeks to provide health and human services for everyday needs and those in crisis situations.
2-1-1 works with county governments and provider agencies to ensure important local program information is easily accessible.
Visit 211sepa.org for more information. |
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Mental Health Resources: Call 9-8-8
Chester County residents experiencing mental-health-related crisis or distress can dial 9-8-8 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This system is designed to be a memorable and quick number that connects people in crisis to a trained mental health professional.
Chester County offers additional resources for those in crisis, including Chester County’s warm line, 1-866-846-2722, operated by Certified Peer Specialists, who are individuals in recovery with a lived experience of mental health challenges.
Chester County’s Teen Talk Line ensures seamless referral to Mobile Crisis for youth in need of immediate or higher-level support. The call line is 855-852-TEEN (8336), and the text line is 484-362-9515.
Visit the Department of Human Services website for more information about the 988 system and other state and local mental health resources.
If you or someone you love is in crisis, please don’t give up hope, and please know that you do not need to walk this path alone. We are here and we will do whatever we can to help. |
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My staff and I are here to help make state government work better for you! For assistance with the above programs or any other state-related services, please email repotten@pahouse.net, call 484-200-8259, contact us through my website, or visit my district office in Exton and let us know how we can help! |
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District Office 631 North Pottstown Pike |
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Pennsylvania State Capitol 34 East Wing PO Box 202155 (717) 783-5009 |
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