State Sen. Lisa Boscola

State Sen. Lisa Boscola and State Rep. Joe Emrick today announced state funding totaling $1,939,159 for projects in Northampton County through the Local Share Account Statewide. Boscola and Emrick said they were pleased to work with their colleagues in the Lehigh Valley legislative delegation in a bipartisan manner to secure the state funds, approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, for investment in the following projects:

Statewide Local Share Account (LSA)

• Bethlehem Township - $233,021 – Ambulance Remounting Project;

• Bethlehem Township – $75,699 - Firefighter Radios for the Nancy Run Fire Department;

• Bethlehem Township - $93,423 – Purchase of Police Patrol Car;

• Bethlehem Township - $118,041 – Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company Radio Equipment Purchase

• Lower Nazareth Township - $86,878 – Colonial Regional Police Vehicle;

• Nazareth Borough – $50,000 - Public Works Vehicle;

• Palmer Township - $250,000 – Bicycle Path Rehabilitation

• Palmer Township - $150,000 – Suburban EMS Stryker Xpedition Powered Stair Chair Purchases;

• Upper Nazareth Township – $138,000 - Public Works Bucket Truck;

• Upper Nazareth Township - $744,097 – UNT Radios for Police & Fire Departments.

Grants were approved today by the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The Local Share Account Programs were created through the PA Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (Act 2004-71), which provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) to support projects in the public interest within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Boscola announced Dec. 11 that a 31-acre crop farm owned by Kevin Brent and Denise M. and Brayden W. McEwen located in Lower Mount Bethel Township will be preserved as part of Pennsylvania’s nation leading Farmland Preservation Program. The total investment to preserve the farm is $230,944 with the Commonwealth investing $17,131 and Northampton County investing $213,812.

At its meeting today the State Agriculture Land Preservation Board voted to preserve an additional 2,354 acres on 27 farms in 13 counties across Pennsylvania, protecting them from future residential or commercial development. With today’s action, the Commonwealth’s Farmland Preservation Program has now protected 6,648 farms and 661,035 acres in 58 counties from future development across the Commonwealth. The program was created in 1988, when the voters of Pennsylvania overwhelmingly supported creating the Farmland Preservation Program.

State Rep. Jeane McNeill

State Rep. Jeanne McNeill announced today that more than $2 million in new grant funding from the statewide Local Share Account, and Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program is being awarded to multiple organizations for projects across Lehigh County. In McNeill’s district, grants include:

• $1 million to purchase an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle for use at the Lehigh Valley International Airport.

• $500,000 to purchase a paving machine to be used in Whitehall Township.

• $350,000 to construct a retaining wall in Catasauqua Borough.

• $250,000 to purchase a new pumper fire truck for use in Catasauqua Borough.

• $181,900 for Coplay Borough for a Pickleball Court project.

• $50,459 to purchase firefighting equipment to be used in Fountain Hill Borough.

• $39,572 to purchase two speed trailers for use in Catasauqua Borough.

• $20,230 for the Jefferson Street Recreation Center Study.

State Rep. Bob Freeman

Freeman welcomed Dec. 18 $1.85 million in state grants for safety, recreation and equipment improvements in his legislative district in Northampton County. Statewide Local Share Account grants, which are derived from the taxes paid by Pennsylvania casinos, were approved for the following projects:

• $375,568 to the city of Easton for safety improvements by renovating the northern intersections of Larry Holmes Drive and Spring Garden Street, Church Street and Northampton Street.

• $300,000 to Hellertown Borough to construct a pedestrian bridge and trail in Tumminello Park.

• $250,000 to Freemansburg Borough to complete the third phase of the construction of the borough’s Community & Cultural Center.

• $250,000 to Palmer Township to rehabilitate and enhance an aging bicycle path.

• $150,000 to improve the effectiveness of the Easton Police Department by constructing a secure, climate-proof site for evidence and property involved in criminal investigations.

• $150,000 to the Hellertown Borough Authority to install a solar panel array on a storage shed and to purchase a tractor and utility vehicle.

• $150,000 to Suburban Emergency Medical Services, to purchase powered stair chairs for ambulances.

State Rep. Steve Samuelson

State Rep. Steve Samuelson (D-Northampton) and State Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) announced that a $475,000 Statewide Local Share Account grant for New Bethany was awarded today by the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

The grant is in support of their Paving the Way campaign; an expansion of their facilities renovating over 18,500 square feet which will transform their Drop-In Center to a full service community resource. Executive Director Marc Rittle reports that their client roster has nearly doubled since before the pandemic, stretching resources well beyond capacity. The Center will offer a “Health Hub,” providing primary, mental and telehealth services, a Community Hygiene Center, seven day a week meal service and upgraded fresh grocery choices from their Food Pantry, dedicated training space for education, job and financial literacy, and by enhancing their office and case management space they will be able to double the number of people they can support annually. The grants were approved today by the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The Local Share Account Programs were created through the PA Racehorse Development and Gaming Act (Act 2004-71), which provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) to support projects in the public interest within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The grant was part of $4,509,727 in grant funding approved today for projects in the 18th Senatorial District through the Local Share Account Statewide program.

Samuelson and state Sen. Nick Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton, announced Dec. 18 that a $200,000 Statewide Local Share Account grant for Hanover Township was awarded today by the Commonwealth Financing Authority. This grant will go to the Hanover Township Volunteer Fire Co. and is in addition to a $92,581 grant announced May 20 to purchase 30 Motorola APX 8000 Portable Radios and 14 APX 8500 Mobile Radios, bringing the total state funding for the project to just under $300,000. This should allow for the completion of the project of upgrading and enhancing communication efforts of the command staff as they interact with agencies including the Northampton County Emergency Management Department and Pennsylvania State Police during emergencies they respond to, which include both Hanover Township and surrounding areas. The Local Share Account Programs were created through the PA Racehorse Development and Gaming Act (Act 2004-71), which provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the CFA to support projects in the public interest within Pennsylvania.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07)

Mackenzie, representing the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, introduced the Holiday Bonus Tax Relief Act of 2025 alongside Congressman Jared Moskowitz (FL-23). This bipartisan legislation would make up to $2,500 in holiday or end-of-year bonuses completely tax-free for American workers by exempting them from federal income tax. The bill aims to support working families during the holiday season by delivering targeted, inflation-adjusted tax relief. Specifically, it excludes up to $2,500 per employee of a qualified November, December, or January bonus from gross income, and includes strong safeguards to prevent misuse.

Key Provisions of the Holiday Bonus Tax Relief Act of 2025 include:

• Excludes up to $2,500 of a holiday or year-end bonus from federal income tax.

• Applies to bonuses paid in November, December, or January of the taxable year.

• Includes anti-abuse protections and authorizes the Treasury to issue guidance to prevent wage reclassification.

• Adjusts for inflation after 2026.

• Requires reporting of holiday bonuses on employee W-2s for transparency.

The legislation would take effect for bonuses paid on or after Nov. 1, 2025.

For the full bill, visit mackenzie.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/mackenzie.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/holiday-bonus-tax-relief-bill-text-59.pdf