June 8, 2022
JUNE 8, 2022 – HARRISBURG – Today, Senator Marty Flynn (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) announced $2,003,461 in state funding through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to be awarded to Pennsylvania’s 22nd Senatorial District.
“I’m very happy that the PCCD made this sizable and necessary investment in Northeast Pennsylvania. This funding will be used in a variety of areas – mental health resources, child advocacy centers, treatment programs, and more,” Senator Flynn said, “all with the express purpose of addressing some of the most important issues facing our communities.”
The grant applications were submitted to and reviewed by the PCCD’s Children’s Advocacy Center Advisory Committee (CACAC), which advises the Commission on the development and promotion of programs and projects related to children’s advocacy centers and multidisciplinary investigative teams; the County Adult Probation and Parole Advisory Committee (CAPPAC), which serves in an advisory capacity to the PCCD and develops funding plans for county adult probation and parole departments; and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee (JJDPC), the official juvenile justice planning, coordinating, and policy-setting body for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The grants awarded to Senator Flynn’s district are:
CACAC Endowment Act Funds
- Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania (for medical services for child abuse victims in NEPA) – $99,995
- Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania (for medical services for child victims of sexual abuse) – $99,995
- Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania (CAC/NEPA Project Safe and Smart) – $258,201
- Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center (Intake Coordinator position) – $99,962
CAPPAC 2022-2023 Intermediate Punishment Treatment Funds
- Lackawanna County Commissioners (for 2022-2033 Intermediate Punishment Treatment programs) – $419,996
- Luzerne County Chief Executive Officer (for Luzerne County IP Treatment Program) – $135,000
CAPPAC County Adult Probation and Parole Funds
- Lackawanna County – $255,352
- Luzerne County – $314,160
- Monroe County – $170,800
JJDPC State Violence and Delinquency Prevention Funds
- Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania (for mental health services for youth in NEPA) – $150,000
The PCCD provides leadership in system-wide coordination and in building collaboration among public servants and private citizens representing all aspects of the criminal and juvenile justice systems and victim services by initiating and financially supporting justice-related programs put forth by practitioners and experts in the justice system.
April 22, 2022
Scranton, PA – April 22, 2022 – Today, Senator Marty Flynn announced seven Lackawanna County projects that received a total of $9.15 million in funding through grants from Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) is a Commonwealth grant program for the acquisition and construction of economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
“Each of these projects will improve Northeast Pennsylvania in a unique way,” Senator Flynn said, “but they all share the same thing in common – they’re geared towards building a better future. It’s incredibly important that we invest in education, that we bring jobs to the district, and that we look out for local businesses. With this state funding, we’re checking all of those boxes.”
The county projects that received funding are:
- 517 Bogart Project II – Slocum Hollow (Scranton) – $1,000,000 – The project will renovate three historically significant vacant commercial buildings into a vibrant commercial hub of restaurants, commercial establishments, outdoor space, rooftop venue, and residential space. The project will renovate 30,000 square feet of interior space to be developed with over fifty percent commercial use.
- Scranton-Lackawanna Human Development Agency – Pre-K Center Phase 2 (Scranton) – $500,000 – The project, Phase II, will renovate and build out the Pre-K Center. This includes building envelope, expanding classroom capacity, safety measures, HVAC, and electrical. Once closing and deed recording takes place, formal documentation will be provided. It will address the immediate need for expanded classroom capacity and assist essential workers with educational daycare offerings.
- Triboro Industrial Park Development (Olyphant) – $3,000,000 – The project represents the first phase in a two-phase endeavor to develop this strategically located property. This phase focuses on preparing the eastern portion of the property for surface and building improvements, and will involve activities such as earthwork/excavation, clearing, utility relocation, mine mitigation, erosion and sedimentation control, and storm water ponds preparation.
- Aim Higher Program at Scranton Preparatory School (Scranton) – $750,000 – Project will renovate Scranton Prep for a suitable learning space, including: Exterior Repointing and Miscellaneous Repairs, Resurfacing and/or Replacing Gymnasium Floors, First floor Computer Lab Room Upgrades, Fourth Floor HVAC and Lighting, Fourth Floor Classroom and Office Upgrades, Professional Services -Architectural, HVAC, Electrical, Construction Management.
- Glenmontage Commercial Development (Moosic) – $2,000,000 – As part of the Lackawanna County community revitalization effort, the Glenmontage Commercial Development Project involves the property acquisition of an existing improved commercial property and new construction of a 30,000 square-foot two-story office building. The site will include new parking of approximately 240 parking spots, associated landscaping, and underground stormwater retainage. The existing and new buildings will house many tenants.
- Keystone College Living Learning Educational Complex (La Plume) – $1,000,000 – Keystone College will construct a new 25,000 square foot Educational Facility that will feature new multi-focus educational center incorporating the Keystone College Oppenheim Children’s Center, an early childhood education provider; relocating the DePaul School, a private education institution, that provides a well-structured system of programs aimed at maximizing abilities and compensating for a students’ disabilities providing them with the skills necessary to succeed academically; and Keystone College Education Department into a new construction 25,000 square foot facility which will include lecture hall, curriculum labs, and virtual educational training lab.
- Maternal Health and Family Services (Scranton) – $900,000 – The project will renovate and fit out of a former retail space into a clinical and administrative site in order to expand and relocate MFHS’s Circle of Care clinic to a first-floor location at the Marketplace at Steamtown. The additional space will be used to expand capacity to deliver programs.
Administered by the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget, RACP grants focus on projects that have a wide regional impact and generate substantial increases of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity.
April 8, 2022
Scranton, PA – April 8, 2022 – Senator Marty Flynn has released a statement regarding the Scranton School District’s bus contract bidding process:
“What should have been a simple and public bidding process turned into yet another insult to the Scranton taxpayers because of smoke-filled backroom dealing between Krise Transportation and Scranton School District’s Chief Recovery Officer, Solicitor, and School Board.
I am calling for the immediate resignation of Chief Recovery Officer Dr. Candis Finan and calling on the school board to reconsider their relationship with Solicitor John Audi. Their disregard for the taxpayers of Scranton is evidence that they do not have our best interests at heart. The bus contract bidding fiasco and the $1.8 million I helped procure for the pay roll conversion tax would have saved the taxpayers close to $3 million. It appears every time the Scranton School District puts Dr. Candis Finan and Solicitor John Audi in charge of making decisions on behalf of the students, parents, and faculty, the only people they look out for are themselves.
On December 20th, it became clear based on the court proceedings that Dr. Finan and Mr. Audi negotiated in private about the bus contract and showed total disregard for the bidding process. They instructed business manager Patrick Laffey and School Board President Tara Yanni to sign the school bus contract, knowing full well that the bidding process was faulty.
Moreover, why didn’t they stop the discussions between Krise and the administration once an objection was filed? Why couldn’t the district provide the court with the cost of the Krise contract? This is a complete dereliction of duty.
As a result of what at this point can only be explained by incompetence on the part of the Administration and the School Board, I am asking that they have the Pennsylvania Department of Education step in and oversee the bidding process.
This is just another example of a long pattern of bid rigging that appears to favor personal relationships. This pattern must come to an end. There is no shortage of intelligent, qualified, and decent people in Scranton; why is the district set on listening to the advice of a solicitor and chief recovery officer who have time and again mishandled their jobs and misled the public and the administration?
I’m demanding transparency as to what happened. All emails, text messages, and documents obtained through discovery during the litigation must be made public immediately, so that the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the public have a clear picture of what exactly happened behind the scenes of this failed attempt to rig a bus contract.”
March 30, 2022
Scranton, PA – March 30, 2022 – Senator Marty Flynn is coordinating with St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Catholic Church of Scranton to provide much-needed medical supplies and protective military equipment to the people of Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian people have shown incredible bravery in the face of Russia’s unprovoked, violent invasion,” Senator Flynn said. “We want the people of Ukraine to know we stand with them in solidarity. It has to be more than just words, though; we have to act, we have to really help.”
Senator Flynn’s office will be collected medical supplies – including bandages, gauze, first aid kids, and over-the-counter pain medication – to send to Ukrainian refugees. In addition, Senator Flynn’s office will also be accepting helmets, body armor, bulletproof vests, boots, and other protective gear to assist Ukrainian military, fire fighters, police officers, and aid workers.
“New, used, lightly used, expired – we’re accepting it. If it’s going to save someone’s life, we’re accepting it,” Senator Flynn said. “The Ukrainian people are in dire need of body armor of any kind. This is a situation where any amount of body armor could be the difference between life and death. These are the highest stakes imaginable, and we want to send as much aid as possible.”
Father Myron Myronyuk, pastor of St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 430 N. 7th Ave., Scranton, has been heavily involved in the efforts to send supplies to Ukraine, and is excited to be working with Senator Flynn towards such a personal cause. Father Myron, who has family in Ukraine, said he and members of his church have been working to get supplies to those who need them. Of the process, Father Myron said, “Every day, just collecting supplies, packing them, sending them. And praying.”
St. Vladimir’s will be working with Senator Flynn to get the supplies to Ukraine. “After learning of Father Myron’s work getting supplies to Ukraine and talking with him about the struggle Ukrainians are facing to protect themselves, I decided we had to something,” Senator Flynn said. “Every bit of aid helps, but I wanted to focus on sending protective equipment. I want to help keep the Ukrainian people safe. They’re fighting for their lives, and we’re in a position to make a potentially life-saving difference.”
Those looking to help can drop off donations at Senator Flynn’s offices in Scranton (409 N. Main Ave.), Eynon (307 Betty St.), or at Joyce Insurance in Pittston (409 N. Main St.). Donations are being accepted Monday-Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm.
March 10, 2022
Harrisburg, PA – March, 10, 2022 − Senator Marty Flynn is fighting to lower gas prices for Pennsylvanians by supporting the reduction of the state gas tax through the end of 2022. Senator Flynn realizes the financial strain the skyrocketing prices at the pump have had on Pennsylvanians who are already facing increased costs at the supermarket and for utilities due to supply chain issues brought upon by the pandemic and nationwide labor shortages. These factors, exacerbated by Russia’s horrific attack on Ukraine, have led to historically high prices for gas.
“Legislators from both sides of the aisle and from all levels of government need to work together and deliver for the people of Pennsylvania,” Senator Flynn said. “It’s all hands on deck. We need to get creative and find a solution to deal with this astronomical increase in gas prices.”
As the Democratic leader of the Senate Transportation Committee, Senator Marty Flynn is committed to negotiating with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and Governor Wolf to determine an appropriate policy to reduce prices at the pump while ensuring that the necessary revenue remains available to fund maintenance of roads, bridges, and crucial infrastructure projects.
“This will be my top priority right now,” Senator Flynn said. “Working class Pennsylvanians are hurting, and we have to act immediately to help the people we were elected to represent.”
February 7, 2022
HARRISBURG – February 7, 2022 – Today, the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee passed legislation introduced by Senator Marty Flynn (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) to update and improve the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s method of collecting and reporting on tolls.
The committee passed two bills, which will now make their way to the Senate floor. The first – Senate Bill 1051 – is part of Senator Flynn’s Turnpike Reform legislation package, and will require the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to submit an annual report to the General Assembly detailing the tolls that went collected and uncollected during the prior fiscal year. The Transportation Committee passed the bill unanimously.
“After the Transportation Committee met with members of the Turnpike Commission at a hearing in September to discuss the $104 million in uncollected tolls the prior year, I knew something had to be done,” Senator Flynn said. “We need to start holding the Turnpike Commission more accountable,” Senator Flynn said. “If they begin reporting to us instead of only reporting to themselves, maybe they’ll take the hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue more seriously.”
“As an organization, we strive to be as transparent as possible, and in the nine years I have served as Turnpike CEO, we have benefitted from a close working relationship with the Pennsylvania legislature. So further strengthening this interface is a positive step,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “We thank Senator Flynn and his colleagues for allowing us the opportunity to review and comment on this legislation.”
The second piece of legislation – Senate Bill 1053 – will give Pennsylvanians the option to use alternative electronic payment options, including payment applications such as Venmo, PayPal, CashApp, and Zelle, to pay their tolls. Current payment methods — E-Z Pass and Toll By Plate billing — will remain available to those paying their tolls.
“This is a great step in the right direction, and absolutely a win for the taxpayers of our state. We need to start thinking about the ways people pay for things now, and will be paying for things in the future, and get with the times. That begins today.”
Senate Bills 1051 and 1053 will now go to the full Senate for consideration.
