Education Advocates Push Fontana ‘Nellie Bly’ Tuition Aid Program

HARRISBURG, June 15, 2021 – A diverse group of education advocates joined state Sen. Wayne Fontana today to urge passage of Fontana’s legislation to create the “Nellie Bly Scholarship Program” aimed at easing financial burdens to keep Pennsylvania students in...

Fontana Announces $3M for Home Ownership Efforts in Region

HARRISBURG, June 11, 2021 – Local organizations that help low-income homebuyers achieve their dream and help others stabilize their lives, will receive $3 million in state funding to advance their efforts, state Sen. Wayne D. Fontana announced today. “Home ownership...

Fontana: Local Fight Against Blight Gets $600K State Boost

HARRISBURG, May 25, 2021 – Local municipalities with projects to fight blight and stabilize communities will receive more than $600,000 in grants to fund their efforts, state Sen.Wayne Fontana announced today. “Many of our older communities are plagued with abandoned...

Pa Senate Democrats Introduce $6 Billion “New Deal for PA” plan

HARRISBURG – May 12, 2021 − The Pennsylvania Senate Democrats today proposed an aggressive $6 billion plan that provides the opportunity and tools that the citizens of PA can use to recover from the pandemic, according to Sen. Wayne Fontana “Our plan includes creating...

PA Senate Democrats Hold Policy Hearing on Legionella Prevention

Harrisburg – May 5, 2021 – At the request of Pennsylvania State Senators Wayne D. Fontana (D- Allegheny) and John Kane (D- Chester/Delaware), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual policy hearing on Legionella prevention in Pennsylvania and the...

Fontana Home-Ownership Initiative Cleared for Full-Senate Vote

HARRISBURG – April 28, 2021 – An initiative originally introduced by state Sens. Wayne Fontana and Bob Mensch to boost first-time home ownership has cleared a key committee and is headed again to the full Senate for a vote. The plan will allow individuals and...

Fontana Announces $1.2M for Community Projects

HARRISBURG, April 21, 2021 – Community projects in the 42nd Senate District will receive more than $1.2 million in state funds, Sen. Wayne Fontana announced today.  The money will go toward local improvement projects ranging from a pedestrian bridge and walking...

Fontana: Grant Will Boost Pedestrian Upgrades to Allegheny Circle

HARRISBURG, April 21, 2021 – Continued improvements to North Side’s Allegheny Circle will receive a state grant for pedestrian upgrades, state Sen. Wayne Fontana announced today. “A modern city is a walkable city and this grant will help bring that vision to Allegheny...

Fontana Announces $1.3 Million for Local Transportation Projects

Harrisburg, April 16, 2021 – A local rail freight project will receive nearly $1 million in funding from a state program aimed at improving transportation safety and efficiency, state Sen. Wayne Fontana announced today. A $929,771 grant from the Pennsylvania...

Sen. Fontana Re-elected Vice Chair of PHEAA Board

Harrisburg – February 18, 2021 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today was unanimously re-elected to serve as the vice chairman of the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). Created in 1963 by the state...

PA Senate Democrats Release Statement on Violent Protest in DC

Harrisburg, PA – January 6, 2021 – The PA Senate Democrats released the following statement on the violent protest today in the nation’s Capitol: The First Amendment is one of our most sacred. It is not political and it is not partisan. The rights to free speech,...

Fontana Bill Would Make Pennsylvania a Mail-in Ballot State

Pittsburgh, December 4, 2020 – Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today said he will reintroduce a bill that would change Pennsylvania’s voting system so that elections are conducted entirely by mail. “With the pandemic menacing the 2020 elections, I was pleased to see...

Fontana Re-elected to Serve as Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman

Harrisburg, November 19, 2020 – State Senate Democrats today unanimously re-elected state Senator Wayne D. Fontana (D-Brookline) to serve as Democratic Caucus chairman for the upcoming two-year legislative session. The caucus chairman sets the daily caucus agenda and...

PHEAA Virtual Financial Aid Webinar

On Monday, Nov. 16 I hosted a Virtual Financial Aid Webinar. I was joined by Amy Sawdey, the Higher Education Access Partner in Allegheny County for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), who gave a presentation, providing an early understanding...

Sen. Fontana Committed to Reforms at PHEAA After Auditor General Report

Harrisburg – October 2, 2020 – Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale released a follow-up audit yesterday to a 2008 Auditor General report of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) where Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D- Pittsburgh) sits on the...

Sen. Fontana Announces Over $3 Million for Local Arts/Cultural Outlets

Brookline, PA – September 15, 2020– Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today announced that 13 Allegheny County arts and cultural entities will receive a total of $3.08 million in state grant funds. “Knowing how the ongoing pandemic has harmed these important...

Sen. Fontana: State’s Covid-19 Stimulus Spending Needs Done Quickly

Harrisburg, April 29, 2020 – State Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today provided the following statement in support of the state Senate Democratic proposal for distributing Pennsylvania’s $3.9 billion in federal stimulus dollars. “It is crucial that we check...

Sen. Fontana’s Bill Would Make Pennsylvania a Mail-in Ballot state

Harrisburg, April 22, 2020 – Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today introduced a bill that would change Pennsylvania’s voting system so that all elections are conducted entirely by mail. “The pandemic has compromised the health and safety of our citizens, shaken our...

Sen. Fontana: Returning Workers too Soon is too Dangerous

Harrisburg, April 15, 2020 – Insisting that sound mitigation practices and indelible worker protections must be in place before re-opening additional Pennsylvania workplaces, state Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) today voted against Senate Bill 613, legislation he...