March 23, 2016
HARRISBURG, March 23, 2016 –State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today introduced legislation that would give home buyers the option of requesting that a home be tested to determine what level of lead is in the water. The Fontana bill (Senate Bill 1176) was part of a five-bill...
February 18, 2016
HARRISBURG, February 18, 2016 – 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...
February 10, 2016
HARRISBURG, February 10, 2016 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today provided the following statement on the state Senate’s attempted vote to remove Attorney General Kathleen Kane from office. The senate voted 29 to 19 in favor of recommending Kane’s removal. However,...
November 10, 2015
PITTSBURGH, November 10, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Brookline) today issued a statement in response to the audit report issued by state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale. The audit concludes that the state-imposed Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority...
September 18, 2015
Harrisburg, Sept. 18, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today gave the following statement after the party-line Senate vote in favor of the Republican’s so-called stopgap budget measure. Fontana voted against the legislation. “I’m disgusted by this...
September 15, 2015
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 15, 2015 – Calling Pittsburgh’s state-imposed Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) “unnecessary, redundant and a waste of taxpayer dollars,” State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced legislation that would disband the authority. “The ICA...
June 30, 2015
HARRISBURG, June 30, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today provided the following comment after the state Senate’s 30-19 party line vote for a Republican-sponsored 2015-16 fiscal year budget (House Bill 1192): “It’s disappointing that Republicans are advocating...
May 22, 2015
Harrisburg, May 22, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) has signed on to a “friend of the court” legal brief aimed at backing the state Attorney General’s lawsuit to enforce the Highmark-UPMC consent decree. The lawsuit would force the two sides into...
March 3, 2015
Harrisburg, March 3, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today provided the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2015-16 state budget proposal: “Any budget discussion must begin with the fact that the irresponsible policies of the past four...
February 12, 2015
Brookline – February 12, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today re-introduced legislation that would legalize, regulate and license transportation network companies (TNC) in Pennsylvania. Uber and Lyft, and other so-called ride-sharing service...
February 3, 2015
HARRISBURG, February 3, 2015 – In an effort to make his staff and local services more convenient and accessible for constituents, state Senator Wayne D. Fontana is opening two new mobile offices. “Redistricting has changed some of the communities I represent,” Fontana...
January 15, 2015
HARRISBURG, January 15, 2015 – State Senator Wayne Fontana has been named Democratic Chair of the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee. “I am pleased with this committee assignment and will use my position to help cities like Pittsburgh and its outlying...
January 6, 2015
HARRISBURG, January 6, 2015 – With family, friends and supporters on hand, State Senator Wayne Fontana took the oath of office today and pledged to continue fighting for jobs, economic investment and tax relief. First elected in 2005, the Brookline lawmaker ran...
December 3, 2014
Pittsburgh, December 3, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) issued the following statement after Corbett Administration officials today admitted that the state faces a nearly $ 2 billion budget shortfall: “Budgets are about choices and priorities. ...
November 12, 2014
Harrisburg, November 12, 2014 – State Senate Democrats today unanimously elected state Senator Wayne D. Fontana (D-Brookline) to serve as Democratic Caucus chairman for the coming two-year legislative session. The caucus chairman sets the daily caucus agenda and leads...
August 28, 2014
Harrisburg, August 28, 2014 – Urging the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) to grant ride-share companies Uber and Lyft permanent operating licenses, State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today testified that the businesses provide citizens more transportation options,...
July 24, 2014
Brookline – July 24, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today said he was pleased by the five-member Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) unanimous vote today to allow Uber and Lyft to continue providing so-called “ride-share” service in Allegheny County. Fontana, who...
July 8, 2014
Resolution calling for immediate PUC action also proposed Harrisburg – July 8, 2014 – Legislation that would provide a remedy to the Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) ruling that bars Uber and Lyft from offering ride-sharing transportation alternatives in Allegheny...
June 30, 2014
HARRISBURG, June 30, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today provided the following comment after the state Senate approved the 2014-15 fiscal year budget (House Bill 2328): “Apart from the usual misguided priorities, I’m alarmed that so-called fiscal conservatives...
June 27, 2014
HARRISBURG, June 27, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today issued the following statement in response to the announced Highmark-UPMC health insurance coverage agreement: “Today’s announcement is good step forward. It will help allay fears and preserve...
June 25, 2014
HARRISBURG, June 25, 2014 – The state Senate has unanimously approved legislation (House Bill 2072) that includes an amendment sponsored by Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) to rename a portion of Route 51 in Kennedy Township as the “Captain Sean M. Ruane Memorial...
June 20, 2014
HARRISBURG, June 20, 2014 – Speaking on the Senate floor, state Sen. Wayne D. Fontana gave the following remarks in tribute to the late legendary Steelers coach Chuck Noll: “Mr. President, I rise to offer this resolution that pays tribute to legendary Pittsburgh...
June 11, 2014
Recently, our city’s financial overseers released a five-year plan aimed toward greater stability. While I applaud the recovery officers’ ongoing effort toward a path of reasonable, financial sustainability for Pittsburgh, I have serious reservations about a provision...
June 3, 2014
HARRISBURG, June 3, 2014 – A state Senate committee today unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) that would give municipal governments the option of establishing policies and helping residents repair damaged sewer laterals....
June 2, 2014
As the fate of Pittsburgh’s treasured August Wilson Center for African American Culture inches closer to foreclosure, it is time to step back from this pitched battle between bidders, bankers and community authorities and examine amicable and innovative solutions. In...
