One member of the Panther Valley School Board has continued to attack me in your newspaper for months, accusing me of fighting against increased funding for local schools. This is simply NOT true.

Is it because he is a Democrat and I am a Republican in this high-stakes election year? Is he allowing himself to be used as a mouthpiece by pressure groups from outside our area, recycling talking points prepared in Philadelphia? I have no idea.

Here are a few facts regarding increases in school funding which I have supported through my votes in the Senate:

In 2021-22, Panther Valley received an increase of $729,853 (8.1 % increase) in Basic Education Funding. In 2022-23, Panther Valley received an increase of $2,250,531 in Basic Education Funding (23.1 % increase). And last year, Panther Valley received an increase of $1,943,482 in Basic Education Funding (16.2 % increase).

I met with members of the Panther Valley School Board in January to note my continuing efforts to seek additional support for all of the 20 local school districts which I am proud to represent.

Since I first became the State Senator for the entire PV region in December, 2022, it has received $3.9 million in new state funding for infrastructure, community revitalization, and community safety efforts. With my assistance, the PV communities just received the Blueprint Communities designation from the FHL Bank of Pittsburgh, to connect them to even more funding sources for their revitalization plans.

Years ago, when the Tamaqua Area School Board wanted my help in turning a vacant junior high into a new LCCC campus, they didn’t begin by attacking me in their meetings and in local newspapers. They reached out and ASKED for my help. With the help of a $5 million state grant, we worked together with the Morgan Foundation to turn that dream into a reality.

That’s how we can accomplish more for the people of this area, not by repeated, personal, and very false attacks.

Dave Argall

State Senator

29th District of Pennsylvania