Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) held a press briefing on Friday on supporting firefighters.
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00:00Good morning everyone, welcome to the city of Bethlehem and especially here at the Bethlehem
00:28Fire Department Memorial Fire Station Company 6. We have some fantastic people joining us today. With us today, Senator Boscola, Representative McNeil, Representative Samuelson, Representative O'Mara, Representative Schlossberg, Mayor Reynolds, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure,
00:56and Representatives from City Council. We have with us also Deputy State Fire Commissioner J.C. Todorski, Pennsylvania Professional Firefighter Association President Robert Brooks,
01:12but he'll always be Bobby to me and he just recently retired from the city of Bethlehem
01:18and our very own Bethlehem Local 735 President Lou Jimenez.
01:25But I would especially like to extend a warm welcome to Governor Shapiro.
01:31Governor, we are truly honored to have you here with us today.
01:34We're so relieved that you and your family are safe and we deeply appreciate you being here in Bethlehem after the attack on your home.
01:44What happened last weekend was absolutely outrageous.
01:48And we know we all feel grateful that the suspect has been arrested and will be brought to justice.
01:56The swift action of emergency personnel following the attack and the successful resolution of the emergency
02:02is a perfect example of the dedication and professionalism that brings us together today.
02:10The Bethlehem Fire Department has a long and proud history, serving this community for over a century.
02:16We are currently made up of 104 dedicated fire professionals and 27 life-saving paramedics.
02:25Under the leadership of Mayor Reynolds and support from City Council, we've made incredible strides in recent years.
02:33Their commitment of over $4 million has allowed us to purchase three ambulances, three fire engines,
02:41a water rescue boat, and five crucial support vehicles.
02:46We've also been fortunate to receive over $130,000 in state funding during that same time period,
02:54which has enabled us to purchase essential equipment such as a fast board, fire investigation equipment,
03:02a training mannequin, IV pumps, power saws, power fans, a bomb suit, and a new firefighting foam that does not contain PFAS chemicals.
03:16Looking ahead, Governor Shapiro's call for an additional $30 million in competitive grant funding for fire companies is absolutely vital.
03:25This funding will empower departments across the state to invest in equipment, recruit and retain our skilled firefighters,
03:35and, most importantly, fund much-needed cancer screenings.
03:40The reality is that firefighters face a significantly elevated risk of cancer.
03:46And the governor's proposed cancer screening funding is a critical step towards ensuring early detection
03:56and treatment for these brave first responders.
03:59And that's why I'm proud to introduce to you a true champion of firefighters across the Commonwealth,
04:06a leader who understands the challenges we face and is committed to providing the resources we need,
04:14Pennsylvania's Governor, Josh Shapiro.
04:16Thank you, Chief.
04:21Chief, thank you very much.
04:23It is an honor to be here at your firehouse.
04:27It's especially an honor to be here with the men that make up this great department.
04:33I want to thank you for the bravery and the commitment that you show each day to the good people of Bethlehem.
04:40We're thankful for your service, and we're thankful for the service of firefighters like them,
04:45and all across this great Commonwealth.
04:49We're also thankful for the people that support them.
04:51I'm mindful that I'm here in Bethlehem with my friend of probably 15 years at this point, Mayor Willie Reynolds.
04:59I want to say thank you to the mayor, and I hope that the mayor's mom, who's here, is listening,
05:05that you know he's one of the finest leaders in the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
05:11And you heard from the chief just a moment ago the commitment that the mayor and the councilwoman who is here as well,
05:18councilwoman who is here as well, have made to this department, have made to first responders,
05:25have made to law enforcement, is really second to none.
05:28And I want to thank them very, very much for the work that they do.
05:33I also want to thank a friend of all of you in this firehouse, and a friend of mine for many years,
05:39and someone who doesn't just go out fighting fires, as he has done over the last two decades,
05:46or someone probably who bust chops in the kitchen here at the hall,
05:51but someone who also knows how to put on a suit and walk the halls and the corridors of power in Harrisburg
05:57and get things done for firefighters every day.
06:01And that is our friend Bob Brooks.
06:03Bob is a leader, obviously, for the firefighters, the leader for the firefighters across Pennsylvania,
06:09but he's known in this community as someone who has served ably for 20 years, all 20 here in Bethlehem.
06:14He recently retired, so now he's got more time available to bust our chops, I'm sure,
06:20but also more time to advocate for firefighters across Pennsylvania.
06:25And Bobby, we're thankful for your leadership.
06:27I'm joined today by several elected leaders who you'll hear from in just a moment,
06:32leaders from this community, including Representative McNeil and Representative Samuelson
06:38and Representative Schlossberg.
06:41We're also joined by a representative from Delaware County.
06:43I'll explain why in a moment, Representative O'Mara, and, of course, our senator, Lisa Bascola,
06:49who represents this community so ably.
06:53I've always known the greatness and the bravery of firefighters.
06:57A few days ago, my family and I witnessed that firsthand
07:01as we were forced out of the governor's residence at 2 o'clock in the morning
07:06as firefighters rushed in.
07:09I want you to think about that for a moment.
07:11As we were fleeing to safety, firefighters were rushing to danger.
07:17It's something I've always appreciated about our firefighters across Pennsylvania,
07:22but it's something I got the chance to witness firsthand.
07:25My family got the chance to witness firsthand just a few days ago.
07:30We are so grateful to the firefighters and first responders who rushed toward danger.
07:36We wouldn't be here today but for them.
07:40Yesterday, we had the opportunity to serve them lunch and say thank you
07:44and get the opportunity to talk with them privately,
07:47and just to say thank you to them and thank you to everyone across this commonwealth
07:53who puts on any sort of uniform to rush toward danger to keep the rest of us safe.
08:00I think that's particularly true here in Bethlehem,
08:03where these brave men and women rush toward danger every single day.
08:07This is a wonderful community, in part because of its leaders
08:12and those who put on the uniform to keep us safe,
08:16in part because you've got the greatest Main Street in all of America.
08:20Right, Mayor?
08:20We do.
08:22And I know Mayor Reynolds deserves a ton of credit for that.
08:27Here's a fun fact for all of you.
08:29My longtime Chief of Staff, Dana Fritz, who grew up in this community,
08:32her first job was on Main Street in Bethlehem.
08:36This is a wonderful place to work, a wonderful place to go and enjoy a meal.
08:41One of our craft breweries or any time you get the chance
08:45to walk down Main Street in Bethlehem, it is a good day.
08:49And I want to say to all of you,
08:51thanks for just making this a wonderful community, a safe community,
08:55a community where people have the opportunity to enjoy one another.
09:01You firefighters, though, I know are always there to keep that Main Street
09:06and the rest of the community safe.
09:08And you are there to have our backs and we to have yours.
09:12Throughout my entire career, I've always tried to stand by our firefighters.
09:17Last year, in the state budget that was passed with the help of every legislator
09:21who stands up here today, we invested $37.5 million in grants for equipment,
09:28training, facility upgrades, and operational costs to cover 2,500 local fire and EMS departments.
09:34You heard from the chief a moment ago how they've been able to deploy those grants
09:39to help keep the people of Bethlehem safe.
09:42Bethlehem Fire and EMS used their share of that funding to purchase new equipment
09:46and to help people who need rescuing, particularly in car crashes.
09:52In our first budget that we passed altogether,
09:55we also increased the surcharge on 9-1-1 to be able to invest more in our 9-1-1 operators,
10:02literally the folks who get that first call and have to dispatch police and fire and EMS.
10:08Last October, I was privileged to sign legislation, bipartisan legislation,
10:14expanding our workers' compensation to include PTSI for Pennsylvania's first responders
10:20and firefighters finally get what they are owed.
10:24The reason Representative O'Mara, a representative from Delaware County,
10:27is here is because she sponsored that legislation.
10:31You'll hear her family's personal story with PTSI.
10:35And Representative O'Mara, I want to thank you for your leadership.
10:38We appreciate you very much.
10:40I want you to know these are just a few examples of the steps we've taken
10:44to look out for our firefighters.
10:46This is not new to me or any of the elected leaders up here.
10:49We'll continue to have your back.
10:52To elucidate that point, I'll share with you that just days after I signed our last budget,
10:57which contained numerous investments for our firefighters, Bob Brooks came to see me.
11:03Bob and I talked about the need to do more for firefighters.
11:07That while the grant programs were good,
11:09they weren't tailored enough to meet the needs of all of the different fire departments across Pennsylvania.
11:14That we need to do more on recruitment.
11:16We need to do more on retention.
11:18We need to do more on cancer screenings.
11:21I made a commitment to him that day that we would come back in our next budget
11:25and our next legislative session and we would do more.
11:29And that's exactly what we're doing.
11:31I want you to know that it was the urging of your guy, Bobby Brooks,
11:35who put this new work into action.
11:38Contained in my budget, which I announced back in February and I know is supported by the lawmakers up here,
11:46we have a three-part plan for our firefighters to include everything we did before and these new things.
11:52First, to create a competitive $30 million funding stream for our fire companies
11:58on top of the existing $30 million that gets distributed to every fire company across Pennsylvania.
12:04These new competitive grants will help fire companies purchase equipment,
12:09recruit and retain firefighters and meet the unique needs of a Bethlehem
12:13or any other community across Pennsylvania.
12:16Second, we're creating a pilot program to help fire companies that want to collaborate more
12:21and share services to get more of the resources they need to be able to work together in their communities.
12:29And third, it builds on the progress we made last year when I signed that PTSI legislation into law
12:35to make sure that going forward, we ensure that annual cancer screenings for firefighters are covered at the state level.
12:45Firefighters expose themselves to toxic chemicals while on the job to keep us safe.
12:50We owe it to them to make sure they have peace of mind,
12:53to make sure they are getting this checkup every year.
12:59You know, Lori and I have been just unbelievably bolstered and strengthened
13:04by the prayers and support that we've received from so many across Pennsylvania.
13:09But we're mindful that we're not the only victims of fires across this commonwealth.
13:15And what I'd ask of every Pennsylvanian is, yes, continue your prayers and continue to share your warm wishes.
13:21We appreciate that. We're comforted by that.
13:24But I also want you to call your lawmakers and tell them that the best way you can help all of us in Pennsylvania,
13:30every victim of a fire, is to pass my budget and support our firefighters who need the support right now.
13:38To step up and show up here at Bethlehem or any other fire company,
13:43just shake the hands of a firefighter and say thank you.
13:46When they walk down the street, even in times that aren't dangerous,
13:51nod your head and thank them for their service.
13:53And of course, when you're fleeing danger and they are running toward it,
13:58acknowledge that, understand that, know that these are the people who make up the fabric of our community
14:03and respect them every single day, not just in times of tragedy.
14:10We appreciate the prayers, as I said, and we appreciate the extraordinary support
14:15that we have received from everyone in this community.
14:19And I appreciate the friendship of Bobby Brooks, who has done so much,
14:24not just for here in Bethlehem, but for firefighters all across Pennsylvania.
14:28And with that, it's my privilege to invite Bobby Brooks to say a few words.
14:32Bobby.
14:32Thank you all for being here.
14:48Thank you, Governor Shapiro, Chief Reich, also known as Michael, or Mike, to me forever.
14:55Right?
14:55If he can do it, I can do it.
14:56So I'll start with, I've been a firefighter for over 20 years and retired from this station.
15:04This is home, just a few weeks ago.
15:07These guys thought they could get rid of me, but it doesn't happen.
15:11I'm here today as the president of the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association,
15:16and we represent over 7,000 first responders.
15:20Every day, we are advocating on behalf of our brothers and sisters,
15:22whether it's in Harrisburg or Washington, D.C.,
15:26fighting to improve the safety and well-being of our members
15:29who show up 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.
15:33I've gotten to know Governor Shapiro pretty well over the years.
15:37He is not new to fighting for first responders.
15:40He was standing with us last year when we enacted the benefits
15:43for post-traumatic stress injuries that was sponsored by Representative Jen O'Mara,
15:48who is with us today, as you've heard.
15:49That was a long battle that required us to work in a bipartisan manner
15:54to get the job done, which we facilitated and got to happen.
15:58But there is so much more work to do.
16:01In Pennsylvania, emergency management often begins at the local level
16:05where their first responders are fulfilling vital public safety roles.
16:09Many of the challenges we face are not new.
16:12There's a lack of volunteers, we all know, rising costs, lack of resources.
16:16We can't fund public safety one bank sale at a time.
16:21We need to make public safety a priority at budget time,
16:24which Governor Shapiro has clearly done.
16:27That's why we are pleased to be here to support Governor Shapiro's proposal
16:31for $30 million for competitive grants to fire companies
16:34to meet a variety of needs, including recruitment and retention.
16:38We'll talk about those.
16:39Equipment and general operating expenses.
16:44The fire protection supply chain has been negatively impacted in recent years.
16:49Private equity firms have been consolidating the manufacturers' reducing competition,
16:54hiking prices as the backlog of orders grow by years.
16:58Prices for ladder trucks have jumped from $750,000 to $900,000 in the mid-2010s
17:04to around $2 million today, while pumper trucks now often cost over $1 million.
17:12It can cost nearly $10,000 to outfit one firefighter with breathing apparatus,
17:19coat, pants, boots, gloves, helmets, and goggles.
17:22These additional grants are very much needed.
17:25We appreciate the Governor's proposal to keep first responders safe.
17:29I also want to thank him for his support in keeping first responders healthy.
17:32He also recognized that the nature of a job increases our likelihood of being diagnosed with many cancers,
17:39so he is fighting to provide cancer screenings for firefighters
17:42because early detection makes a significant difference in the treatment outcomes.
17:47And removing the PFAS, the forever chemicals, from our gear and from the foam is essential.
17:55Governor, thank you for visiting Bethlehem, a fire company number six.
17:59This is where I grew, I lived, and just retired from.
18:04This is home.
18:05And when I asked you to come to my house, you were obliged.
18:09Thanks, Amanda.
18:10Amanda's the key, right?
18:12So I'm glad you've been able to see my station, meet my crew.
18:16I'm grateful for our friendship.
18:18I appreciate your support and look forward to working with you for years to come.
18:21At this point, I would like to introduce the Honorable Mayor of Bethlehem, J. William Reynolds.
18:33Otherwise, no one's new.
18:37Thank you, Bob.
18:40And first, thank you for a distinguished career and everything you've done for firefighters.
18:44This is, once again, an honor, I think it was only a few weeks ago, Governor, that we saw you here.
18:50But a couple weeks ago, the Governor came here because to honor both our past,
18:56but talk about some of the things going on with the economics of the country.
19:00But the backbone of all of our success, the Main Street, the job creation, is public safety.
19:04And the backbone of why people want to live and invest in the city of Bethlehem
19:08is because we're the safest city in Pennsylvania, and we understand how to get things done.
19:13And a big part of that is working with our state and federal officials.
19:16And I need to thank you, Governor.
19:18And first, let me join the chorus of people sending out all of our prayers to Lori and Max and Sophia and everybody
19:23because, you know, people across this commonwealth really, really, really are shaken,
19:29but also caring about your family and what's happened.
19:32The path to success is a bipartisan one when you work together.
19:37Here in the city of Bethlehem, when we sit down and it's me and Chief Reich and our council people,
19:43and I know I want to give a shout-out, too, to Lou Jimenez, who is the local president of the union,
19:49who walks in, and he's a tireless advocate, and he usually walks out with most of his goals accomplished.
19:54But those are always calculations about what kind of support are we going to get from the state and the federal government.
19:59And Governor Shapiro has passed two bipartisan budgets that give the municipalities what they need.
20:08And that's easier said than done because it's not just about money.
20:11It's about understanding what a township needs or a borough needs or a city needs
20:15and what the people behind us need.
20:17We work really hard on the local level to be able to send more firefighters.
20:21Chief Reich talked about this.
20:23In the past five years, I think we've bought five new fire engines, over $5 million,
20:28with help from many of you, including our great friend, Mr. McClure, at the county.
20:33But that doesn't happen without cooperation.
20:36And that's what these investments are about.
20:38I don't know anybody that says they don't support public safety.
20:41And I think that Bob said it can't be one big sale at a time.
20:45It also can't be one side of the aisle at a time.
20:47And that's not a Republican or Democrat comment.
20:49It's like you need everybody to get behind these investments.
20:51And what's happened in the past couple years, and it doesn't matter if it's your main streets
20:55or your private sector or your school districts or public safety,
20:59we've seen bipartisan budgets that make investments.
21:02And the biggest thing about those investments are is it gives your local officials the confidence
21:07that you know the state's going to be there.
21:09A lot of times, we might not take the leap because we don't know what kind of cooperation
21:13and collaboration is going to come from our state officials.
21:15But Governor Shapiro is a leader in that way, listening to Bob.
21:19I always say Governor Shapiro's best quality is that he's the best listener I've ever seen.
21:22He doesn't forget anything.
21:24And when he sits down with Bob or anybody else throughout the state of Pennsylvania,
21:27he gets an idea in his head, and then it's how do we get a plan that, as we say around here,
21:31isn't about feeling like you're helping people, but it's about actually helping people.
21:35And that's what today is about.
21:37It's about the idea that a few people came out to help you and your family a few nights ago,
21:41and it's about you and your administration working with everybody behind us and in front of us
21:45wanting to help the great people of this commonwealth.
21:49And, Governor, I would just finish my comments by saying is, like,
21:52there's often a trust deficit in this country with people in the government
21:56because people say things and they don't follow up.
21:59One of the reasons why Bethlehem is getting on all these lists
22:01and we're seeing all this investment is because we keep our promises.
22:03But you keep your promises to the state of Pennsylvania.
22:06You said when you were campaigning, you've said this for years,
22:09I'm not going to forget about you guys.
22:10I'm going to keep coming to every corner of this state.
22:13And you do that.
22:14And we can't say thank you enough for that.
22:15So thank you, Governor.
22:18Yep.
22:21And I will now turn it over to one of our other tireless advocates for our community here in Bethlehem,
22:26Senator Lisa Bascola.
22:27Thank you, Willie.
22:32Governor, welcome home.
22:34It's good to be back.
22:35It's only been a week or so.
22:36I know.
22:37I actually think you're going to be eligible to vote here.
22:40I'm for you.
22:42No, I hope I get your vote.
22:44Anyway, I'm here just to say thank you to the governor for being here again.
22:49And, you know, just looking at what happened in the past week, you understand now how critical,
22:56I mean, a lot of people understand how critical it is for our firefighters and the thanks that
23:01we should be out there giving them.
23:03And I echo what every other person has said is, I can't go through my community without
23:08somebody asking how you and your family are doing.
23:11And especially about the children.
23:13There's something about your family and your children that people were, they were heartbroken
23:18to hear what happened.
23:19But they feel for you.
23:21They love you.
23:21And we all do.
23:23So with that, you know, they're talking about the grant money.
23:27And this is what I always say about Governor Shapiro.
23:31He has such common sense approaches to everything.
23:34It's the hallmark of his governorship up to this point.
23:37And this is just another example with another additional $30 million, you know, in a competitive
23:44grant program on top of the grants that we already give out there.
23:48I brought my helmet here today that I was giving to me about 15 years ago at this station
23:53because of a grant that I got for a ladder truck.
23:57And I just want to tell you thank you, firefighters, because, you know, we might get grants out there,
24:01but you were so kind to even put my district number on here.
24:04And I had to just show you that I've kept it to this point, that I value you too.
24:09And I just want to keep these grants going and going and going because I know how important,
24:14I know how expensive those trucks are and all equipment is.
24:18And then from a personal standpoint, my husband was a volunteer firefighter at CYCO when we lived
24:24down there.
24:25And, you know, he would go out at so many calls, but people think it's just responding to fires.
24:31And it's not just fire.
24:33My husband, I remember vividly on New Year's night, New Year's Eve night, there was an accident
24:39on a 78, and he's like, Lee, I got to go.
24:43And I'm like, well, wait, we're heading out to a party.
24:45It's a New Year's Eve party with our friends.
24:47And he goes, it's a big accident, got to go.
24:50And I just was, you know, you're right, somebody could die at that roadway, and you got to go.
24:55And so I sat there and watched TV with the fireworks and stuff from other countries and
25:00all the things that work on New Year's Eve.
25:02But, you know, it just demonstrates that firefighters do a lot more.
25:06He would even go and pump out basements.
25:09Do you know that firefighters do that at times?
25:11I know volunteer firefighters do.
25:13They pump out basements when basements flood.
25:16And these are the things that some people really don't think about.
25:18And I remember even being out there on the roadway, you know, with the hats out and the
25:23buckets out asking for money.
25:25I would stand out there, and somebody would give me a dollar or two, and I know how much
25:30they made.
25:30And I'm like, oh, no, cough up 20 bucks.
25:33I'm not taking the one or two dollars.
25:35So they had me do that a lot on the roadways.
25:38Anyway, this is all about helping our firefighters and the budget that we're going to pass.
25:43I think this one's a no-brainer.
25:45I don't think we're going to have any argument about this one, Governor Shapiro.
25:48And you proposed it.
25:49It's common sense.
25:50It's going to work.
25:51And thank you, Fire Company 6, for this awesome helmet.
26:00I want to bring up members of our House delegation now who do great work in Harrisburg every day
26:06for the Lehigh Valley, starting with Representative Jeannie McNeil.
26:10Thank you, Governor.
26:11I'm happy to be here in Memorial Fire Station and also back to my hometown area, Bethlehem.
26:16I always look forward to coming back.
26:18I'm very happy to support your vision of $30 million in grant money to continue safety training
26:25and equipment, not only to keep all the firemen and firewomen safe, but also for our residents.
26:30And, again, like all of us said, my heart was broken with what happened with all of you.
26:36And I think about your children and your wife and you as you struggle with this.
26:39And I'm glad everything's okay.
26:41Thankful to all the firemen.
26:43So I look forward to standing with my colleagues and working with the governor to make sure this budget is passed
26:48so that we can get the funding that is so badly needed to keep the firefighters and their families
26:52and everyone else in the Commonwealth safe.
26:54And I'd like to introduce Jennifer O'Mara, who is a champion for firefighter safety,
26:59and I truly am honored every time to add my name to pieces of legislation she passes.
27:04Thank you, Governor.
27:07Still morning.
27:11Good morning, everyone.
27:12My name is Jen O'Mara, and I am a state rep from Delaware County.
27:16Most of you don't know me, but I was so grateful to Governor Shapiro and his team for inviting me today
27:23and really just want to echo what everyone is saying.
27:25We're so glad that you and your family are okay and so grateful to the first responders who responded that day
27:31and minimized the damage at really what is the People's House in Pennsylvania.
27:35When I received the invitation to come here today and saw that it was in Bethlehem,
27:39the first thing I did was text my good friend, Bob Brooks,
27:43who has been one of my partners in working on legislation in Harrisburg.
27:48He's bringing me back here in two weeks for the convention that state firefighters are holding here in Bethlehem,
27:54and I really would not have been able to accomplish what we did last October without Bob.
27:59So I got elected, and I'll be very brief, in 2018,
28:02and the reason I ran for office is because I was inspired by my dad's service.
28:06My dad was a firefighter in the Philadelphia Fire Department for 25 years,
28:10one of those people who ran into danger when everyone else was running away,
28:14and he was my idol, my hero, and he meant so much to me.
28:20When I was 13, tragically, my dad died by suicide,
28:2430 minutes after completing a shift with the Philadelphia Fire Department.
28:27As I grew older and became more aware of other first responders dealing with mental health issues,
28:34I decided to run for office and try to make my dad's legacy the paramount issue that I worked on in Harrisburg.
28:41And that is why since I got there in 2019 until, I think it was October 30, 2024,
28:47I was working on legislation to expand workers' comp for post-traumatic stress injury.
28:53I was so grateful that Governor Shapiro, under his leadership, helped advocate for us.
28:58We were able to get the bill finalized out of both chambers almost unanimously,
29:02pretty close to unanimously, and that bill will go into effect later this year.
29:07But supporting mental health, as we all know,
29:09is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to supporting our first responders.
29:13Fire departments need our help now more than ever to ensure that they have the resources they need
29:19for recruitment, for retention, for equipment.
29:22In the community that I live in, we have almost all volunteer firefighters,
29:26and they are struggling right now to make sure they have enough people to come to the job
29:30and that they have resources to support them.
29:34So that is why I was so grateful to see Governor Shapiro continue that fight with his budget proposal this year
29:39to not only add $30 million more to our grants,
29:43but to make sure that we are also working on health issues like cancer screenings.
29:48We lose first responders to suicide.
29:52We also are more likely to lose them to cancer,
29:54and I think addressing both of those issues is going to be critical.
29:58So I just want to thank you all for being here today.
30:01Thanks all of my colleagues who really have shown a dedication to first responders in Harrisburg,
30:06in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle,
30:09but the job is not finished until the budget is signed,
30:12so we will continue working until that happens.
30:19I'm going to take some questions.
30:22Before I do, I want to see if Representative Samuelson
30:24or Representative Schlossberg have anything they want to add.
30:27I'm good.
30:28Do you want to add?
30:28Okay.
30:29So now I've got to take questions?
30:30Okay.
30:31If there's any questions.
30:32The Harrisburg fire chief said that had the governor's mansion had sprinklers,
30:37a fire suppression system, it wouldn't have spread the way it did.
30:40Do you think there needs to be a change in Pennsylvania law to require sprinklers in residences?
30:45Well, as to sprinklers in the governor's residence,
30:48Secretary McNeil of the Department of General Services is working through that now,
30:53and he can give you an update as it specifically relates to the residents.
30:56Second, I think that's an issue that lawmakers, I know, have been looking at over a number of years.
31:03It's something we're going to look at even closer now
31:06and see if there can be some bipartisan consensus around responsible, common-sense action there.
31:12What are your thoughts about the layoffs at Mac, potentially?
31:15My thoughts on the layoffs at Mac?
31:18Deeply troubling.
31:19You know, Senator Bascola referenced that I was here in the Lehigh Valley a couple weeks ago
31:25talking about the tariffs and the tariff war that the president has started.
31:31My concern, as I outlined at the brewery that day, was really twofold.
31:35Number one, that costs are going to go up.
31:38And number two, that the private sector is going to keep capital in their pockets,
31:42meaning they're not going to invest in either their workforce or expanding their operations.
31:47This announcement by Mac is an example of how the tariffs are negatively impacting Pennsylvania.
31:54In fact, in the notice I received from Mac last night,
31:58they cited tariffs as one of the reasons for their need to lay off between 250 and 350 people or so.
32:07I think that's really unfortunate.
32:09I'm hopeful that the president will back off of this unilateral action on tariffs,
32:15create some calm in the marketplace as opposed to the chaos that exists now,
32:20and allow great private companies, iconic companies like Mac,
32:25to feel the comfort and the peace of mind to know that it's a safe time to invest in the future,
32:31whether in their product line or in their workers.
32:34Unfortunately, too many of them feel right now as a result of the chaos that the president's brought from these tariffs,
32:40now is the time to hold and not invest, and that's really unfortunate for the Lehigh Valley.
32:45Is there anything being done on the state level to kind of reassure companies like Mac
32:51to kind of just hunker down and wait for some resolution?
32:55Because I know that a lot of people are worried about economics, obviously, as a result.
33:00Myself and the Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development,
33:04Secretary Seiger, have been reaching out to businesses all across Pennsylvania.
33:08But let's be candid. There's only so much we can do to calm nerves in the markets or calm nerves with the private sector.
33:17As a result of the president's actions, there's real chaos out there in the economic marketplace.
33:24And there are no words that Secretary Seiger and I can share with a private company, Mac or otherwise,
33:29here in Pennsylvania that can calm those national and international worries until the president either backs off these tariffs
33:39or makes changes to them to give people comfort to know that it's a good time to invest.
33:45I fear that we're going to see more like this.
33:48We're going to see more rising prices, more layoffs, more companies not investing in the future.
33:53And that's bad for the Pennsylvania economy. It's bad for the economy of this country.
33:59Governor, given your announcement here today, was there anything that the fire department in Harrisburg did not have
34:05or any equipment that could have helped in their response to the situation?
34:08I'm not aware of any, but I think that's a question for the chief.
34:11They did not say to me that they needed some additional equipment in order to fight that fire.
34:17But the chief should speak for himself on that.
34:19Governor, on the topic of the upcoming state budget, are there any concerns about cuts at the federal level
34:26that could affect initiatives like grant programs for local fire departments?
34:32Yes. Cuts at the federal level could negatively impact this commonwealth and our fiscal position.
34:41Understand that when I announced my budget in February, we had a roughly $11, $12 billion surplus.
34:48A lot of other states around us who are dealing with deficits, we had a surplus.
34:53I proposed not only investing in things like education and public safety and economic development.
34:59I also proposed cutting taxes, frankly, cutting them more aggressively than even my Republican colleagues
35:04in Harrisburg had wanted to do because I want to spur on economic growth.
35:08I think it's further important to understand that the commonwealth receives significant amounts of funds from the federal government.
35:18And so if they cut those funds back, as they have in agriculture, as just one example, that makes it incredibly hard.
35:27It makes it harder for us to do our jobs to make the investments and provide the tax cuts that we want to be able to provide.
35:35Let me give you just one example.
35:37There's a lot of talk at the federal level of cuts to Medicaid.
35:41We'll see where it ultimately ends up, but it would seem to me that for them to be able to do the tax deal they want to do,
35:48it's going to be very hard to not have some impact on Medicaid.
35:53Understand that about $30 billion of what we spend on Medicaid, of roughly $50 billion or so, comes from the federal government.
36:01So if they make cuts to Medicaid, we can't make that up at the state level.
36:08And so people are going to be thrown off Medicaid.
36:11Folks won't have access to critical health care services.
36:15Take education.
36:16There's been talk about cutting the education spend from the federal level to the states.
36:20Much of that money goes directly to the school districts, not actually through the state budget.
36:27But we're looking to try and add about a billion dollars in new investment in our schools across Pennsylvania.
36:33And the federal government right now invests over a billion dollars.
36:37If any of that money is cut at the federal level, we're going to be clamoring to try and make those new investments
36:44at the same time federal money is being taken away and our school districts will suffer.
36:49Now, I think we've got to recognize these budgets are not passed at the federal level yet.
36:54So I don't want to be an alarmist.
36:56I'm just going based on what some of our congressmen and senators and the president has said.
37:01We'll see what their ultimate budget looks like.
37:04But to get to the heart of your question, any cuts at the federal level are going to make it way harder
37:10for us to make investments in education and safety and economic development and cut taxes for Pennsylvanians.
37:17Them pushing off the challenges at the federal level to the states or municipalities like the mayor has to run
37:24is only going to make lives much tougher here and budgets much tougher to pass.
37:29We've been successful at being able to pass budgets on a bipartisan basis.
37:33I want to be able to do that again.
37:35And I hope our federal partners aren't working against us in that process.
37:40Okay.
37:41Is there an estimate yet for how much it's going to cost to restore the governor's residence?
37:45The secretary of DGS can provide a full accounting for that.
37:49I do want to note that earlier today, all of the former living governors and first ladies
37:55issued a statement of support for Lori and me, and it was incredibly moving.
38:03They also are helping raise funds privately to help offset some of the costs of restoring
38:09and rebuilding the governor's residence.
38:12And that's just incredibly moving to Lori and I, that they would come together as a group.
38:16I don't recall, Schloss and I were talking about this, I don't recall a time when the former governors
38:22and first ladies came together in this manner.
38:25And for them to do that, to help a residence that they all lived in and worked in and made
38:30memories in is very, very special.
38:32And it will also be a help to the taxpayers.
38:35But as to the specifics of the breakdown of costs, Secretary McNeil can provide all of that
38:40to you once it's fully assessed.
38:41You said on June that you hadn't heard from a president this morning.
38:45Have you heard from him this morning?
38:46I have.
38:47Thank you all very much, okay?