In addition to his commitments to fiscal responsibility and economic development, Marty is a vocal advocate for rural health care and the needs of emergency medical services across the state, but especially in rural areas. He has successfully authored legislation twice to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for ambulance services and continues to fight for better access to training, more reasonable staffing requirements, direct pay and more.
Marty currently serves as a member of the advisory board of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. He previously served as a director of the Port Allegany Area Economic Development Corporation, as vice president of McKean County’s EMS council and as director of operations for the Port Area Ambulance Service. He formerly worked as a dispatcher at the 9-1-1 center in Smethport and as a part-time police officer for the Borough of Port Allegany.
A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science.
Marty resides in Turtlepoint and is a member of Saint Mary’s Church in Sartwell. He has three children: Matthew, Morgan and Mallory.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate Clinics Continue
It was great to stop by the Eldred Senior Center earlier this week for our Property Tax/Rent Rebate Clinic! I am pictured with, from left, Joyce Campbell, Ed Grimes, Sandy Smith, Gert Whipkey, Virginia Brewer and Senior Center Director Charlotte Schweikart. If you need assistance filing for your rebate, we have several clinics coming up next week, including:
No appointments are necessary to participate in these clinics, and there is no charge for assistance. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program benefits eligible residents 65 years and older; widows and widowers 50 years and older; and people with disabilities 18 years and older. This year’s income limit is $46,520 for both homeowners and renters; be sure to exclude 50% of Social Security or railroad retirement income. The maximum rebate is $1,000. Click here for the full schedule of clinics, as well as a detailed list of documentation needed to apply for the rebates. | |||||||||||||||||
| Fighting for Labor and Delivery Services in Our Region Late last week, UPMC officials announced they would be eliminating childbirth delivery services from UPMC Cole, forcing expectant mothers to travel all the way to Wellsboro to deliver their babies. This decision potentially puts the lives of expectant mothers and their babies at risk. Ending these services would mean no labor and delivery services available in a seven-county region of the state…a region where finances and transportation challenges would make it very difficult for many families-to-be to receive the care they need. Federal, state and local officials are working to meet with UPMC leaders to discuss the situation. In the meantime, if you’d like to make your opinions known on the subject, you may call UPMC Williamsport at 570-321-3170. | |||||||||||||||||
| Budget Hearings Highlight Need to Grow Pennsylvania’s Economy
House Republican members of the Appropriations Committee questioned officials with the Department of Community and Economic Development about the governor’s failure to support growth in the state’s energy industry in his 2025-26 state budget proposal. They also raised concerns about the proposed minimum wage hike and policies impacting broadband expansion. Members also questioned Department of Revenue officials about shortfalls in the current year’s budget and said our focus should be on expanding the tax base through growing the economy, rather than the governor’s plan to implement more taxes. The committee will continue its assessment of the governor’s proposed 2025-26 state spending plan next week at hearings with several major state departments, including Education, Agriculture, Environmental Protection, State, Labor and Industry, and more. The governor proposed a $51.47 billion budget earlier this month, representing a $3.57 billion, or 7.5%, increase over the current fiscal year. The proposed spending increase is significantly more than the anticipated $1.3 billion revenue increase. Budget hearings stream live at www.PABudget.com/livestreams. For a full schedule, along with video and highlights of each completed hearing, click here. | |||||||||||||||||
| Connecting Those in Need with Resources
In 2024 alone, PA 211 helped almost 1.9 million Pennsylvanians. • This included nearly 250,000 interactions with resource navigators via calls, texts and chats, and about 1.65 million searches using the PA 211 online database at pa211.org. • The 250,000 interactions resulted in almost 705,000 referrals. • The top needs in 2024 were housing, utilities and food. The PA 211 data demonstrates variability in needs in the Pennsylvania region. In addition to calling 211, the newly redesigned www.pa211.org makes it even easier for residents to search for local services by ZIP code or category, ensuring they receive accurate, timely and up-to-date information. | |||||||||||||||||
| Pay Attention to Your Heart Health!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. It notes one person dies every 33 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. In 2022, 702,880 people died from heart disease. That's the equivalent of one in every five deaths. To protect yourself, the CDC encourages people to choose healthy foods and drinks, keep a healthy weight, get regular physical activity and don’t smoke. People should also take charge of medical conditions that could increase their risk of heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes. | |||||||||||||||||
