READING, Oct. 21 – State Rep. Manuel Guzman issued the following statement today after 17,000 Spanish-speaking voters in Berks County were sent mail-in ballots with an instruction page telling voters their ballot didn’t need to be returned until Nov. 18 instead of the actual due date of Nov. 2. “People make mistakes, but when a mistake potentially silences the voices of tens of thousands of people, there must be more accountability than essentially shrugging one’s shoulders and saying, ‘My bad.’ We are talking about directly disenfranchising more than 17,000 potential voters in the fastest-growing group of citizens in Berks County – a number equaling more than 5% of the total voter turnout in the November 2020 election. If these people don’t get their votes counted due to this error, then the 2021 General Election numbers cannot be trusted, and we shatter the faith in elections of countless voters who will believe their vote simply doesn’t matter. “First things first, the county election board needs to do a massive public apology and education effort to personally reach out to every one of these voters and explain the error, and to reach out to every voter to remind them of the correct dates and how to submit their ballots so their voices are heard. “The people deserve answers. I am demanding an immediate full investigation into how this massive error could have happened – you don’t slip a Read more
READING, Sept. 29 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, will host a job fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30. Guzman’s job fair will consist of over 30 employers searching for qualified candidates to fill a host of open positions. This is Guzman’s latest event surrounding assisting individuals in the 127 th Legislative District in finding employment. Earlier this month, he hosted a virtual town hall consisting of a panel of experts that discussed the end of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment benefit program, along with resources and advice on helping individuals find a new career path. “ I am thrilled to host this job fair as more of our hard-working neighbors rejoin the work force. There will be plenty of employers on hand offering meaningful employment, great benefits and family-sustaining wages. I look forward to seeing all who are seeking work in attendance ,” Guzman said. The job fair will be held inside the Reading Recreational Center, 320 S. Third St. To protect everyone’s health and safety, COVID-19 safety guidelines will be in place. Additionally, Guzman and his staff will be there to assist with one's state-related questions. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 14 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, said he was heartbroken to learn of a wave of opioid overdoses, once of which resulted in a death, that plagued Reading Hospital this past weekend. In total, there were 70 reported cases of opioid overdoses and one death. “Opioid abuse has skyrocketed over the last several years and there appears to be no end in sight as this epidemic continues to devastate and beset our community, commonwealth and nation as a whole,” Guzman said. “Sadly, here in Pennsylvania, the Republican majority in Harrisburg specifically chose not to renew the emergency declaration surrounding the opioid epidemic as a result of their newfound constitutional powers.” Guzman went onto say, “It is no surprise we are continuously seeing opioids ravage our neighbors, family and friends, and as elected officials we should be doing everything in our power to provide individuals the resources to continue battling this disease. I implore my colleagues to address this serious issue and reinstate the emergency declaration as we prepare a return to session this fall.” Guzman reiterated that he will continue fighting the battle against the opioid epidemic and will work to bring home resources to help combat this public health crisis that continues to impact individuals struggling with this cruel disease. There are state resources available through the Read more
READING, Sept. 8 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced that two local organizations were awarded gun violence reduction grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. RIZE, a youth arts nonprofit organization, will receive $225,000 to support its RIZE Above Bars initiative that serves Reading children and youth with incarcerated parents, as well as other initiatives. Another group, The Village of Reading, will receive $195,023 to support community outreach programs, including the cost of a director, part-time assistant, two part-time violence interrupters and more. “It’s critical that we help organizations in their work to make our communities safer, and I was pleased to support these nonprofits in their applications for funding,” said Guzman. “These grants are great news and I look forward to seeing this funding help RIZE and the Village of Reading make a difference for our neighbors.” More information about the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is available here . Read more
HARRISBURG, Aug. 24 -- State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced that the LGBT Center of Greater Reading received $20,000 in funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Guzman said he was instrumental in securing the funding to expand on the mission of the LGBT Center of Greater Reading of creating, administering and providing services, advocacy and support to LGBTQ+ people in the greater Reading area. “I am thrilled to have played a role in securing this money for an organization that provides such important services for our LGBTQ+ community,” Guzman said. “Everyone deserves to have a place where they feel safe and empowered, while having access to advocacy and social outreach programs.” The LGBT Center of Greater Reading was founded in 2016 and recently was a recipient of the 2020 Guidestar Gold Seal of Transparency. "We are honored to receive a $20,000.00 grant from the Department of Human Services, and it comes at the perfect time," said Michelle Dech, executive director of the LGBT Center of Greater Reading. "In addition to providing essential items to those in crisis through our Rainbow Relief fund, we are looking forward to launching a weekly open food pantry and a weekly hot meal kitchen beginning in November. This funding will support building those vital community services." The LGBT Center recently announced Read more
The rhetoric surrounding the sanctity of our right to vote has been discussed in every information silo imaginable over the course of the last several years. I have heard from many of my constituents that they feel disoriented and exhausted from the constant barrage encompassing a right that simply cannot be taken for granted. Choosing who represents us at all levels of government is a privilege that has been denied to many, and while the thought of it being revoked from us seems too daunting to comprehend, we nonetheless have reached a critical juncture in our democracy. The perpetual fight to save our democracy will be taken to Washington, D.C this week as state legislators from throughout the country, along with voting rights advocates, will demand that the Senate and President Joe Biden act now to protect voting rights. State legislators will kick off the Week of Action on Tuesday, Aug. 3 with a “Recess Can Wait - Our Democracy Can’t” rally featuring a lineup of elected officials calling on Congress to put the August recess on hold until the “For the People Act” is passed. In conjunction with this rally, state legislators will also take part in a series of events and meetings with federal lawmakers throughout the week to underscore the urgent need to pass federal legislation protecting the right to vote before the end of summer and undo anti-voter state laws in time for the 2022 midterm elections. State legislatures Read more
HARRISBURG, Aug. 3 -- State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today is joining hundreds of fellow state legislators to urge the Senate and President Joe Biden to immediately pass the For the People Act . The coordinated Week of Action will begin with a “Recess Can Wait-Our Democracy Can’t” rally featuring a vast coalition of elected officials and voting rights activists calling on Congress to put the August recess on hold until the passage of the act aimed towards expanding voting rights. “We have reached a critical juncture in our democracy,” Guzman said. “The fundamental right of addressing our governmental grievances through the ballot box is being targeted through explicit voter suppression legislation propelled by extremist lawmakers in state legislatures across the country. Sadly, these tactics are targeting our communities of color and their ability to have their voices heard.” In Pennsylvania, the General Assembly passed H.B. 1300, which was viewed by many voting rights advocates as restricting voting access. This legislation was eventually vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf, although the primary sponsor, state Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, has already begun seeking co-sponsors for a similar bill aimed at changing the Election Code. “I will never stop advocating for voting laws that work for everyone and ensure free and fair elections”, Guzman said. Read more
READING, Aug. 2 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, today announced $400,000 in state grant funding has been awarded to the city of Reading for its downtown improvement project on the 800 block of Penn Street South Courtyard. Guzman contacted the Wolf administration with his strong support for the project and was instrumental in securing this Keystone Communities Program grant for the city. The grant will fund improvements being made to seating, paving, landscaping, drainage, lighting, parking, ADA and all courtyard walkway areas within the space site. Guzman said the 800 block of Penn Street in the heart of downtown Reading attracts both locals and visitors frequently and is highly walkable. It also is in the heart of his legislative district, just one block from his constituent service office at 645 Penn St. “Penn Street is our city’s main corridor and will be at the forefront of development now and in years to come,” Guzman said. “The existing courtyard in this project area is occupied by dozens of people at any given time throughout the day. “I am going after every possible state dollar available to bring back to my legislative district, and this grant is another small step in the right direction. I’m thrilled to see the state continue to invest vital development funds into areas of our city, like Penn Street, so they can continue to thrive.” The Keystone Read more
READING, July 28 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, has asked President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to terminate the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract at the Berks County Residential Center. Guzman said that the unprecedented move was needed because Harrisburg has been slow or ineffective in acting on behalf of families there. Guzman was joined in the letter by more than 50 state and local elected officials. In it , Guzman states that it has been nearly five months since the most previously detained families were freed to their loved ones and sponsors, adding that the facility must permanently end those egregious practices once and for all. “This is the first time in many years that the Berks County Residential Center has stood without detained immigrant families within its walls,” Guzman wrote. “We believe that this decision is only the first step toward ending family detention once and for all in this country. Incarcerating immigrants – whether they are families, children or single adults – is cruel, inhumane, abusive, unnecessary and immoral. “It is a violation not only of American civil liberties but also of international human rights.” The letter, signed by a vast coalition of state senators and representatives, makes an unwavering case against new plans to detain, process, incarcerate or subject immigrants to federal actions within the facility. “I am honored and Read more
HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Reps. Stephen Kinsey and Manuel Guzman today announced that they will soon introduce legislation that would mandate ammunition manufacturers to encode ammunition for retail sale with serial numbers, making the bullet a more useable piece of evidence for law enforcement to solve more crimes in the wake of increasing gun violence. The bill would also require manufacturers to provide the serial numbers to the Pennsylvania State Police, who would be responsible for keeping a database on all encoded ammunition sold in Pennsylvania and allow law enforcement to easily trace the ownership of any ammunition involved in a crime. “Our commonwealth has experienced an uptick in gun violence, and very few of these crimes have resulted in an arrest or conviction because all that’s left at the crime scene is a victim and spent shell-casings,” said Kinsey, D-Phila. “Our bill that would require every piece of ammunition sold in this state to be encoded with identifying serial numbers -- much like the guns they’re discharged from. It is time for us to keep track of these lethal weapons and ensure that we have the tools necessary to convict individuals who use their firearms for unlawful purposes.” “Police investigations involving firearms go cold over a lack of evidence too often,” said Guzman, D-Berks. “By encoding ammunition, we will provide a much-needed tool in the fight to reduce firearm Read more
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HARRISBURG, June 26 – State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, on Friday voted to pass a state budget that will bring $176,767,992 in vital basic, special, and Ready to Learn block grant education funding, including more than $6 million in “Level Up” funds that invest in the poorest school districts, back to Reading School District. “Investments in communities like the beautiful, burgeoning city of Reading will undoubtedly ripple beyond our city limits,” Guzman said. “And that is especially so when it comes to funding that will help our schools and invest in the children in our community and their education.” A new initiative called “Level Up,” through which $100 million will be allocated to each of the 100 poorest schools in Pennsylvania, will provide Reading School District with $6.5 million in funding. That’s on top of more than $150.7 million in Pennsylvania’s Basic Education Funding, more than $14.7 million in Special Education Funding and $4.7 million in Ready to Learn Block Grants. The Level Up money can be used to hire more educators, upgrade schools that were built more than a century ago and provide students and faculty with 21 st century technology. “The children in our community and their education must be a top priority,” Guzman said. “For too long, our schools haven’t received the funding they need to meet students’ needs. I Read more
Interest form for college students looking to intern with Rep. Guzman's office. Read more
"I remain committed to fighting for criminal justice reform and ending mass incarceration, and while much more work still needs to be done, I’m pleased to see that one of these grants will allow the Berks County Jail System to decrease its incarcerated population,” Rep. Guzman said. Read more
As a former member of the Reading School Board, I’m well aware of the inequities in funding schools such as Reading face. It’s a relief to see state funds going to a quality program that provides teachers and students with information they can use to improve and grow. Read more
STATE PROGRAMS NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries: Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities (Funding Source: Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund) Who May Apply : Local public libraries (state-aided). Must partner with a sponsoring municipality. Use : To plan, acquire, construct, or rehabilitate public library facilities including, but not limited to: ADA upgrades, new roof, replacement windows, energy efficient upgrades to HVAC systems, facility expansion and new construction. Funds : Funding limits not yet announced. Grants require a dollar-for-dollar match; match may include cash, in-kind contributions, federal funds, and other state funds. Letter of Interest : As soon as possible. Letters of interest are currently being accepted in anticipation of opening an application round this summer. The dates of the next application round are still being finalized. More Information : Click on https://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/libraries/subsidies-and-grants/pages/keystone-recreation-park-and-conservation-funds.aspx . Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: FY 2021 Gun Violence Reduction Grants (Funding Source: General Fund ) Who May Apply : Community-based organizations and local units of government across the Commonwealth with the highest rates of gun violence. Use : Projects that lead to immediate impacts. Read more
READING, May 26 – State Reps. Mark Rozzi and Manny Guzman announced today a state investment in affordable housing in Reading. According to the lawmakers, $200,000 in state Redevelopment Authority grant funding to help rehabilitate and sell properties will help address a shortage of affordable housing in Reading. "Rehabilitating Reading neighborhoods' is a priority," Reading Mayor Eddie Moran said. "We are equally committed to bringing economic development as to invest in our surroundings. With these funds, we can now invest comprehensively and adequately in communities that urgently need improvements. Public investment and partnerships are essential to continue making our city more livable, walkable, sustainable and affordable." $75,000 in Blight Remediation Program funds were awarded in the City of Reading's South of Penn area. The county will oversee rehabilitation on three properties they currently own. Once the three property renovations are completed, these affordable homes can be sold. The total project cost is $575,000 with Reading HOME Program providing $150,000, Wyomissing Foundation providing $100,000 and Customers Bank Loan providing $250,000 of matching funds. “Our focus is investment into people who want to live and work in Reading,” Guzman, D-Berks, said. “Housing insecurity and blight have been a concern for some time throughout many areas and they have only Read more
Send questions to RepGuzman@pahouse.net. Read more
READING, May 10 – State Rep. Manuel Guzman, D-Reading, and the Reading Redevelopment Authority showed the House Democratic Policy Committee how an infusion of investment could benefit Reading and how that success could be duplicated in communities across the state. Overcoming post-pandemic concerns for public safety was a point of concern from Reading Economic Development Director Jamal Abodalo. Alvernia University President John Loyack discussed the university’s renovation and small business incubator investments in Reading. “We have the potential to help lift people out of poverty with investments that would revitalize communities, encourage private investment and put people to work, said Policy Committee Chairman Ryan Bizzarro. “We must capitalize on federal funding to help people across the state recover from the hardships of the pandemic.” “Our PA Rescue Plan would get money to local businesses, working people and schools to help them recover and thrive as we make our way through the COVID-19 pandemic,” Guzman said. “In the absence of any plan on the part of the majority party in Harrisburg to direct federal pandemic relief funds to these areas, I am happy to welcome my colleagues to the heart of Reading’s Keystone Opportunity Zone so that we can show the public how the plan I am working to enact would improve cities like Reading and communities throughout the state.” The PA Rescue Plan proposes a $475 Read more
READING, May 6 – The media is invited to join Rep. Manny Guzman and the House Democratic Policy Committee for a tour of how the PA Rescue Plan would deliver for downtowns. The tour will begin at 1 p.m. Monday, May 10 at Reading City Hall, 815 Washington St., near the heart of Reading’s Keystone Opportunity Zone. Immediately following the tour at 2 p.m., the committee will host a media opportunity for press to discuss the PA Rescue Plan with legislators and participants. The PA Rescue Plan aims to ensure federal American Rescue Plan funding is invested for immediate impact and long-term success. Additional information about the plan is available at www.pahouse.com/parescueplan . READING, 6 de mayo – Se invita a los medios de comunicación a unirse al representante Manny Guzmán y al Democratic Policy Committee de la Cámara de Representantes para una gira sobre cómo el Plan de Rescate de Pennsylvania podría funcionar en los centros urbanos. El recorrido comenzará a la 1 p.m. el lunes 10 de mayo en Reading City Hall, 815 Washington St., cerca del corazón de la Zona de Oportunidades de Reading. Inmediatamente después de la gira a las 2 p.m., el comité presentará una oportunidad para que la prensa discuta el Plan de Rescate de la Pennsylvania con legisladores y participantes. El Plan de Rescate de PA tiene como objetivo garantizar que los fondos del Plan de Rescate Estadounidense Read more
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645 Penn St.5th FloorReading, PA 19601-3543
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