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Rep. Kelly Tours Erie School District, Introduces Bill to Address Infrastructure Crisis
Jun 2, 2016 Issues: Education
Public Buildings Renewal Act is “win-win-win”
WATCH NEWS REPORTS: WICU | WJET
WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) – a member of the House Ways and Means Committee – visited three public schools in the City of Erie, Pennsylvania, yesterday to evaluate the schools’ ongoing infrastructure crisis and to discuss how his new legislation – the Public Buildings Renewal Act (H.R. 5361, also known as “the Renewal Act”) – can help resolve the situation. The bill would permit state and local governments to access private activity bonds (PABs) for the financing of critical construction and infrastructure projects for qualified public buildings such as schools, hospitals, court houses, universities, police stations, and prisons.
U.S. Congressman Mike Kelly toured three Erie Public Schools Wednesday, as part of his work on the Public Buildings Renewal Act.
Kelly made stops at Central Tech, Collegiate Academy and Lincoln Elementary School.
Kelly, who was escorted by a student guide at each stop, toured those schools because they are among the most in need of extensive maintenance and repair in the district.
Kelly introduced the Renewal Act this year, which could benefit the Erie School District – providing new ways to finance school building construction.
Kelly calls the bill, which he said has bipartisan support in Washington, a “win win win” situation.
“I mean win-win-win...for the private sector, win for the public sector and more than anything else it's a win for our kids," said Kelly. "[We are] encouraging the private sector and the public sector to come together to do the right thing for America's kids - that is not a political statement. That is a policy statement based on people! To any of my colleagues who put politics ahead of people - they need to get out of politics. We are going to show a way for private investors to team up with public assets and say 'we are going to make it better, we won't put a heavy burden at all on our taxpayers'.”
The bipartisan legislation is said to give state and local governments access to another stream of potential financing for critical construction and infrastructure projects, such as public schools, state colleges, post offices, libraries and courthouses.
It was a busy day for Congressman Mike Kelly as he traveled to three Erie county schools.
Kelly visited Central Tech, Collegiate Academy and Lincoln elementary to get a better look at the conditions of some Pennsylvania's schools.
Kelly has introduced Bill H.R. 5361, a bill that would amend the tax code to provide for tax-exempt financing of qualified government-owned buildings.
Under the bill, places such as schools, court houses, universities and other public buildings could receive funding to finance construction and infrastructure projects in ways that would create jobs and save taxpayer money.
Kelly said it would be a positive step for all.
The answer to crumbling school infrastructure is public-private partnerships that would help fund critical construction and infrastructure projects, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly said.
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Kelly met with school and district leaders at Central Career and Technical School, Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, Lincoln Elementary School and Wayne School and spoke about the necessity of the Public Buildings Renewal Act of 2016.
The bill, introduced by Kelly, would amend the tax code to provide for the tax-exempt financing for qualified government-owned buildings through private activity bonds, or PABs. PABs leverage private financing to fund public projects through the creation of public-private partnerships.
PABs already are used for transportation projects; Kelly's bill would expand eligibility beyond transportation projects to include qualified government-owned buildings, including schools.
"There's a lot of work to be done," Kelly said after a tour of Lincoln Elementary School that included a stop in a deteriorating auditorium with a stage that is also used as a gym and a cafeteria.
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The bill, H.R. 5361, would create $5 billion in PABs for eligible public buildings for states to access through the U.S. Treasury Department.
Erie schools Superintendent Jay Badams said he supports the bill.
Rep. Kelly with students at Lincoln Elementary School
(Photo courtesy of Erica Erwin, Erie Times-News)
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