Legislative Teamwork

Senator Joe Pittman, state Rep. Brian Smith and Rep. Jim Struzzi worked with local officials to secure grants totaling more than $2.7 million for six road, bridge, and airport improvement projects in Indiana and Jefferson Counties. The following investments were approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) recently for projects in their respective districts:

• Indiana County Commissioners – $996,000 to assist with Phase II of the multiphase Jimmy Stewart Airport (JSA) Improvement Project. The focus of the funding is construction of a new 12,000 sq. ft. hangar at the JSA facility in White Township. As part of the multiphase Jimmy Stewart Airport (JSA) Improvement Project, which has received multiple state grants, Indiana County Commissioners requested assistance with Phase II, consisting of the construction of a new hangar at the JSA facility in White Township. This new grant has been approved for the project, which will be used to build the new 12,000 sq. ft. hangar for aircrafts. The airport is currently out of hangar space and thus is limited in attracting new clients. Groundbreaking for the new hangar will take place this summer and will ultimately provide the JSA Authority and County Economic Development Team the capability to attract a charter service to the airport.

• Borough of Indiana – $500,000 to rehabilitate five bridges along the Marsh Run corridor in the borough.

• Center Township – $335,000 for resurfacing of eleven streets in Lucerne Mines.

Each legislator agreed that, “Addressing upkeep of vital local infrastructure such as bridge and road repair and transportation upgrades is how we believe constituents would prefer the hard-earned tax dollars they send to Harrisburg to be used. “While we’re making the grant announcement, our local government partners are the ones who deserve credit for initiating the grant process.”