Newsroom
Sen. Fontana Pleased with Governor’s Budget Investment Priorities
Harrisburg, February 7, 2017 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today provided the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2017-18 state budget proposal: “This is a lean budget for lean times. “In the face of a daunting deficit, the governor’s...
Fontana Statement on Closing of SCI-Pittsburgh
Brookline – January 26, 2017 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) issued the following statement in response to today’s state Department of Corrections decision to close SCI-Pittsburgh: “I’m very disappointed in the Department of Corrections decision -- as well...
Fontana Bill Would Require a Public Hearing Before a State Prison Closure
Harrisburg – January 25, 2017 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today introduced legislation that would require the Department of Corrections to hold a local public hearing before it could close a prison. “Closing prisons will drastically impact prison...
Fontana Speaks Out at Harrisburg Senate Hearing to Save SCI-Pittsburgh
Harrisburg – January 23, 2017 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today spoke out at a joint Capitol hearing to save SCI-Pittsburgh from closing. The hearing was jointly held this morning by the Senate’s respective judiciary and policy committees. Lawmakers heard testimony from Corrections Department administrators, county prosecutors and others.
Senate Democrats Question State Prison Closings
Harrisburg – January 18, 2016 – Opposed to the potential closure of correctional institutions across Pennsylvania, Sens. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), John Blake (D-Lackawanna) and John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) have spearheaded local meetings to examine the impact of...
Fontana Tours SCI-Pittsburgh and Meets with Prison Officials on Possible Closing
Brookline – January 17, 2017 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today toured SCI-Pittsburgh and met with prison workers and officials on the facility’s possible closing. The 24-acre SCI-Pittsburgh facility on the city’s North Side is one of five prisons...
Fontana Writes Letter Objecting to Possible SCI-Pittsburgh Closing
Brookline – January 9, 2017 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today sent a letter to state Secretary of Corrections John E. Wetzel and Gov. Tom Wolf objecting to the possible closure of the state prison in Pittsburgh. Citing a state budget shortfall, the...
Fontana Issues Statement on Potential Prison Closures
Harrisburg – January 6, 2017 − Following the governor’s announcement today that he is considering closing the state Correctional Institute in Pittsburgh by June, state Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) released the following statement. “Decisions of this...
Fontana Announces $3.7 Million in State Funding for Eight Local Transportation Projects
BROOKLINE, December 6, 2016 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today announced $3.724 million in state grant funds for eight Allegheny County transportation projects. “This funding will help local planners make our transportation system more modern, efficient...
Sen. Fontana Announces State Funds for Three Local Projects
HARRISBURG, November 23, 2016 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced a total of $4.5 million in state grant funds for three Allegheny County projects. “These funds will be used for land development, revitalization and as economic generators in our region,”...
Fontana Re-elected to Serve as Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman
Harrisburg, November 16, 2016 – State Senate Democrats today unanimously re-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...
Senate Hearing in Pittsburgh Focuses on Fontana’s Early Voting Proposal
Pittsburgh – November 2, 2016 – At the request of state Senator Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing in Pittsburgh today on Fontana’s legislation that would allow early voting. “My legislation (Senate Bill 255) would...
Fontana Announces State Funds for Lawrenceville Tech Center
HARRISBURG, October 28, 2016 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced a $1 million state grant for site development at the Regional Industrial Development Corporation’s 14-acre Lawrenceville Technology Center. “These Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program...
Fontana Announces State Funds for Three Local Projects
HARRISBURG, October 24, 2016 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced a total of $1.4 million in state grant and loan funds for three Allegheny County projects. “This state support will help supplement local efforts to improve, redevelop and move the ball forward...
Gas Drillers Need to Work With our Communities, Not Against Them
Op-Ed by Senator Wayne Fontana I was disappointed to hear that the Marcellus Shale Coalition is already scurrying into court in an attempt to overturn parts of Pennsylvania’s new gas drilling regulations. The industry needs to understand that our people are entitled...
Fontana Lauds Progress of Lower Hill District Infrastructure Work
Pittsburgh, October 7, 2016 -- State Senator Wayne D. Fontana (D-Brookline) today served as master of ribbon cutting ceremonies as officials and community leaders marked the opening of the new connector streets in the city’s lower Hill District. “Reconstructing these...
Fontana Announces $5 Million in State Grant Funds for Two Local Projects
Brookline – Sept. 30, 2016 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced state grant funding for two projects in Pittsburgh. “I am pleased that state dollars will supplement these local economic development and community resource efforts,” Fontana said. “I will...
Fontana Details Steady Progress of Beechview Rail Project
Beechview, September 9, 2016 –State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today said he is pleased with the progress of the Red Line rail project in Beechview and confident it will reopen for riders on Sept. 25 as scheduled. “I have worked and remained in touch with county and local...
Joint Legislative Hearing in Pittsburgh Focuses on Eradicating Blight
Wilkinsburg, August 4, 2016 – At the request of state Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, a joint state Senate-House Democratic Policy Committee hearing was held today on efforts and resources to fight blight within our communities, including the successes and...
Fontana Measure to Mandate Online Posting of School Policies Becomes Law
Harrisburg, July 15, 2016 - Public school districts will soon be required to post additional policies and information on their websites under legislation sponsored by Sen. Wayne D. Fontana's (D-Allegheny) that was amended into the state's school code (House Bill...