Author: Tiffany P

Regan Announces Nearly $5 Million in Grants for Projects in Cumberland and York Counties

Posted on

HARRISBURG – Sen. Mike Regan (R-31) today announced nearly $5 million in state grant funding has been awarded to projects in communities across the 31st Senate District.

“The funding made available through the Commonwealth Financing Authority will provide the support necessary to move forward with these important community projects,” Regan said. “These projects will make a positive impact on the residents who live in these communities and I look forward to their completion.”

Cumberland County communities will benefit from six grants totaling more than $2.5 million. Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) was awarded more than $36,000 to help Cumberland Valley Rails-to-Trails Council acquire land in Mechanicsburg Borough and Silver Spring Township. CAEDC also will receive more than $100,000 for Friends of the West Shore Theatre to pay for design costs associated with a rear addition to the theater. Hampden Township was awarded nearly $1 million to pay to rehabilitate the Hampden Pool. Mechanicsburg Borough will receive more than $675,000 for a streetscape project being implemented by the Downtown Mechanicsburg Partnership. New Cumberland Borough has been awarded nearly $50,000 to develop a comprehensive recreation, park and trail network plan for the borough. South Middleton Township Municipal Authority will receive $750,000 to construct a waterline extension on south Spring Garden Street in the township.

York County residents will benefit from five grants totaling more than $1.3 million. Franklintown Borough Municipal Authority was awarded more than $185,000 to develop an alternative water source within the borough. Lewisberry Borough will receive more than $240,000 to restore Walnut Lane. Newberry Township was awarded more than $250,000 to purchase training equipment, an automatic license plate reader and patrol vehicles for use by the police department. Northeastern York County Sewer Authority will receive $160,000 to close an effluent line in East Manchester Township. York County Economic Alliance was awarded nearly $750,000 on behalf of Leg Up Farm to pay for energy efficiency improvements and the installation of a solar photovoltaic system.

Funding for the projects is being provided through the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) Local Share Account (LSA) program, which uses gaming revenue to support projects in the public interest across the commonwealth.

The CFA was established in 2004 as an independent agency of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to administer the commonwealth’s economic stimulus packages.

The Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004 provides for the distribution of gaming revenue through the CFA and its LSA program.

One additional grant was approved through a separate CFA program.

York Railway Company was awarded $500,000 to construct railroad improvements at its Lincoln Yard Facility in York City.

Funding for this project is being delivered through the CFA Multimodal Transportation Fund grant program, which provides financial support for projects to encourage economic development and ensure a safe and reliable transportation system for commonwealth residents.

More information about Regan is available by visiting his website at www.SenatorMikeReganPa.com.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan
                                         717-787-8524

Regan, Senate Committee Advance State Police Commissioner Nomination

Posted on

HARRISBURG – The Senate Law and Justice Committee, chaired by Sen. Mike Regan (R-31), today advanced the nomination of Maj. Chris Paris to be the next commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).

Paris was nominated by Gov. Josh Shapiro and currently serves as the area commander for more than 20 northeastern counties in Pennsylvania with a complement of approximately 1,000 enlisted and civilian personnel.

“Major Paris has a wealth of experience in law enforcement and has worked his way up the chain of command,” said Regan, who served in law enforcement as the U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania prior to his entry into public service. “He began as a state trooper in a patrol unit and now stands poised to be the next commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police.”

Paris has served in his current role as one of four PSP area commanders since January 2022.

He began his service with PSP in November 1999 as a state trooper with Troop K and served in a patrol unit based in Skippack.

Paris began serving in June 2013 as a lieutenant and station commander with Troop R at the Blooming Grove barracks. He was in that position on Sept. 12, 2014, when the barracks came under attack by domestic terrorist Eric Frein. Paris served as station commander during the 48-day manhunt that ended in the eventual capture of Frein, who later was sentenced to death for the attack.

Paris advanced through the ranks of the PSP, becoming a captain with Troop R before advancing to major when he joined the Bureau of Integrity and Professional Standards. Paris again was promoted in January 2020 to lieutenant colonel when he became deputy commissioner of administration and professional responsibility, one of three deputy cabinet secretaries in former Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration who helped the former commissioner run the PSP.

Paris graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Scranton in 1998 before earning his law degree from Temple University in 2004.

“Major Paris has an impressive record of service during his more than 20 years with the Pennsylvania State Police,” Regan said. “As a strong backer of law enforcement, I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead the Pennsylvania State Police and look forward to working with him to support the men and women who serve our commonwealth as state troopers.”

The committee through a unanimous, bipartisan vote advanced Paris’s nomination, which now heads to the Senate Rules and Executive Nominations Committee.

More information about Regan is available by visiting his website at www.SenatorMikeReganPa.com.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan
                                  717-787-8524

Mandatory Death Sentence for Murdering a Police Officer

Posted on

By: Pennsylvania Senator Mike Regan

On Feb. 18, 2023, the life of a Temple University police officer was violently and deliberately taken by a young man who shot the officer multiple times in the face and torso. The perpetrator then proceeded to attempt to rob the officer and take his firearm. 

Officer Christopher David Fitzgerald, the son of two law enforcement officers, was just 31 years old. He left behind a wife and four children.

Unfortunately, in this commonwealth, we are seeing ever-increasing attacks on law enforcement. Just since the start of this year – in less than two months – there have been seven police officers shot and killed in the line of duty across our nation and three of those have been in Pennsylvania.  That is absolutely unacceptable.

We are also seeing in this commonwealth a growing desire to lean into the criminal. To protect their rights. To make sure their family doesn’t suffer. But what about the victim’s rights and the victim’s family?  The gunman chose to sentence Officer Fitzgerald to death on a street in Philadelphia. Why should the gunman not receive the same sentence?

Current law in Pennsylvania provides for either the death penalty or life imprisonment for the first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, which is the intentional killing of an officer while in the performance of duty knowing the victim is a law enforcement officer.  I intend to introduce legislation to eliminate the option for life imprisonment.  There should be no debate upon conviction of such a heinous and selfish crime.

As a former member of law enforcement, I feel it is my obligation to offer this legislation.  It is my hope that taking this hardline approach will provide a proper deterrent to those who prey on and willfully murder the men and women who so bravely serve us. 

It is also my hope that Gov. Josh Shapiro – the former top law enforcement officer of the commonwealth when he was attorney general – will consider those lives, the lives of the men and women who serve and protect, over the lives of those who murder.

Just two days before the murder of Officer Fitzgerald the governor announced that he would continue the policy of former Gov. Tom Wolf and not issue any execution warrants during his term. He also called for the Legislature to abolish the death penalty saying, “the outcome is irreversible”.

The murder of an innocent life – and in this case, a police officer – at the hands of a criminal is irreversible.  It has devastating effects on families and on communities.

It is time we show our police officers and their loved ones that we as elected officials stand with them during one of the most violent periods in our commonwealth’s history.  Being a law enforcement officer today is more dangerous than ever before, and officers never know if they will return home at the end of the shift.  We must do our part to serve and protect those who serve and protect us through this much-needed and long overdue change to our criminal justice system.  

 

Senator Mike Regan represents Pennsylvania’s 31st Senatorial District covering parts of Cumberland and York Counties.

 

CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan, 717-787-8524

‘Voters Should Decide’ Says Regan While Supporting Constitutional Amendment Measures Approved by Senate

Posted on

HARRISBURG – State Sen. Mike Regan (R-31, Cumberland and York counties) today voted for legislation approved by the Senate that would allow Pennsylvania voters to decide the fate of three state constitutional amendments intended to strengthen state elections, overturn excessive regulations and give child sexual abuse victims access to justice.

“Voters should decide these issues through the state constitutional amendment process,” Regan said. “I trust the voters and believe they should have the final say on these issues.”

Senate Bill 1 would enable Pennsylvania voters to accept or reject three proposed state constitutional amendments.

The first proposed constitutional amendment would require Pennsylvania voters to provide a valid form of identification before casting their ballots in an election.

“People in the district I’m honored to represent and across our Commonwealth have been calling for enhanced election security,” Regan said. “We should allow the voters to decide if they’re willing to show a valid form of identification before voting in order to protect and defend the integrity of elections in Pennsylvania.”

The second proposed constitutional amendment would give Pennsylvanians a stronger voice in the state regulatory process by enabling their elected representatives to overturn excessive regulations enacted by the governor and agencies in his administration. The measure would enable the state Legislature through a majority vote to overturn administration regulations. A two-thirds vote currently is required for the Legislature to reject a regulation.

“Pennsylvania workers are missing out on good-paying jobs because unelected bureaucrats are enacting excessive regulations that push companies out of our Commonwealth or out of business,” Regan said. “This is a commonsense measure to make it easier for the Legislature to free Pennsylvanians from excessive and overreaching regulations.”

The third proposed constitutional amendment would enable victims of child sexual abuse to seek justice they may have been denied in the past. Current statute of limitations provisions prevent child sexual abuse victims from seeking justice after they turn 30 years old. The constitutional amendment would open a two-year window for victims of child sexual abuse to sue their abusers.

Prior to serving first in the state House and now in the state Senate, Regan previously served in the U.S. Marshal Service as the commander of the fugitive task force. Regan and his colleagues took many child predators off the street.

“In my prior life in law enforcement, I saw first-hand the carnage caused by child predators,” Regan said. “This constitutional amendment would give Pennsylvania voters the opportunity to decide whether child sexual abuse victims should have their day in court.”

Senate Bill 1 with all three constitutional amendment proposals now heads to the state House for consideration.

Residents are encouraged to follow Regan by visiting his website at www.SenatorMikeReganPa.com.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan
717-787-8524
bmclanahan@pasen.gov

Senator Regan Announces $2 Million in RACP Grants to Help Fund Cumberland County Projects

Posted on

(HARRISBURG, PA) – According to Senator Mike Regan (R-Cumberland/York) millions of Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) funding is being granted for projects to transform and redevelop areas and create jobs throughout Cumberland County.

Regan explained that RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.

“Today’s approval of $ 2 million will have a large impact on Cumberland County and the surrounding area to aid economic growth and will create over 100 jobs in Cumberland County,” said Regan.

The projects receiving funding in Cumberland County are:

Carlisle Sports Emporium Expansion, $1M

This project will provide for the renovation and expansion of the Carlisle Sports Emporium in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County. This project will increase the venue footprint to over 120,000 square feet and will create 101 new jobs in Cumberland County.

Hampden Pool Infrastructure Improvements, $500K

 This project will provide long overdue renovations to the Hampden Pool, including replacing aging infrastructure in and around the pool. The project will also provide for the addition of a family change room and other amenities to improve this community staple for its visitors.

Mayapple Exterior Expansion and Redevelopment, $500K

This project includes the demolition, site clearing, and construction of a new exterior pavilion structure at Mayapple in growing South Middleton Township as demand increases on this aging structure. The project will create new jobs in South Middleton Township and will provide a recreation space for residents and visitors to this community.


CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan, (717)-787-8524