State/County - Bensalem Township

Rep Hogan Introduces Tax Credit Measure for First Responsders

Published

3 years ago

July 13, 2023

Rep. Joe Hogan (R-Bucks) this month introduced legislation that would create a tax credit for firefighters and EMS personnel, to help recruit and retain their services in Pennsylvania.

“The pandemic, with its resulting shutdowns and civil unrest has had a disastrous impact on recruitment, as communities that rely on volunteers to fill these needs have experienced an unprecedented drop in recruitment,” Hogan said. “We should do anything we can to promote more recruitment into these professions, so our communities are able to keep their citizens safe.”

House Bill 1557 will give a $2,500 tax credit per year over three years to fire and EMS personnel who currently serve in Pennsylvania and those who to move our state to take up these positions.

https://www.facebook.com/RepHogan/videos/5841433549295681

“I am now proposing we provide the same tax relief to firefighters and emergency medical service personnel that we recently gave to teachers, police officers and nurses,” Hogan said, “Both provide lifesaving services and are critical to the standard of living that each Pennsylvanian should expect. Firefighters and EMS personnel are some of the most crucial workers in the , and we should do whatever we can to keep them in the state.”

Bristol Borough Fire Association President Steve Reeves when asked for comment about the measure said all levels of government should be investing in volunteer services.

“It’s paramount that our local, state and federal leaders invest in the volunteer fire service now. If not, each community will be paying for a paid service through increased taxes,” he said. Additionally ,… the community needs to support these organizations by volunteering. We provide free training that will provide each member with new and tangible skills.”

Since the 1970s, the ranks of volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania have dropped from 360,000 to fewer than 37,000, according to, Politics PA. More than a third of volunteers in small communities were over the age of 50 in 2020, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

The lack of volunteers and many firefighters “aging out” of the services combined with volunteer numbers continuing to plummet Pennsylvania residents will have to pay up for fire protection in a similar fashion to other civic services, PoliticsPA.com says.

The hope is of course the proposed tax credit will attract new first responder volunteers and employees.

House Bill 1557 now heads to the House Finance Committee for deliberation.

Fire chiefs from Bristol Borough and Bristol Township did not respond to requests for comment on Hogan’s Bill.

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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Bucks Republicans Announce Endorsed Candidates for 2026 Elections

Published

3 hours ago

March 12, 2026

staff

The Bucks County Republican Committee on Wednesday announced their recommended slate of candidates for the 2026 election.

Following a rigorous vetting process, committee members from across the country are supporting a team of proven leaders and dedicated newcomers. From defending our taxpayers to ensuring our neighborhoods remain safe, these candidates have the integrity and work ethic required to deliver results for our communities, said Chairwoman Pat Poprik.

“Our 2026 ticket represents the very best of Bucks County,” said Poprik. “We are united and ready to get to work.”

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦:

U.S. Congress: Brian Fitzpatrick

Credit: Bucks County Republican Committee

PA Senate: (Lower Bucks) Frank Farry

Credit: Bucks County Republican Committee

PA House: (Lower Bucks) Kristin Marcell, K.C. Tomlinson, Joe Hogan

Credit: Bucks County Republican Committee

Statewide: Stacy Garrity (Governor) & Jason Richey (Lt. Governor)

Credit: Bucks County Republican Committee

You can click here to get involved and learn more about the endorsed candidates

The Primary Election will be held Tuesday May 19 with the General Election scheduled for November 3.

Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Fmr Bucks County Resident, Trump Voter Convicted of Voter Fraud

Published

4 hours ago

March 12, 2026

Jeff Bohen

Earlier this month federal prosecutors announced a Bethlehem man was convicted of election fraud by a federal jury for voting twice in the 2020 presidential election

United States Attorney David Metcalf announced Matthew Laiss, 32, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was convicted at trial on March 3 of election fraud offenses in connection with the 2020 presidential election.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Laiss was charged by indictment in September of last year with one count of voting more than once in a federal election and one count of voter fraud and was convicted on both charges.

According to court filings, from at least October 2012 until about August 2020, Laiss resided in, and was lawfully registered to vote in, Ottsville, Pennsylvania, a municipality located in Bucks County. In or around August 2020, Laiss moved his primary residence from Ottsville, to Frostproof, Florida. The same month, he applied for and obtained a Florida driver’s license and registered to vote in Florida.

In or about October 2020, the Bucks County Board of Elections mailed a ballot for the November 2020 general election to the Laiss’ former address in Ottsville, Pennsylvania, where his parents continued to reside.

As proven at trial, on or about October 31, 2020, Laiss filled out and returned the Pennsylvania mail-in ballot, casting a vote for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States of America, prosecutors say.

Then, according to investigators, on or about November 3, 2020, Laiss went to a polling location in or around Frostproof, Florida, and voted in the 2020 general election, casting a vote for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States of America.

According to a Penn Capital-Star report, the double voting was uncovered with the help of a multistate voter roll maintenance program called ERIC, which was the target of conservative attacks in the years after the 2020 election.

Numerous conservative-run states left ERIC between the 2020 and 2024 election, including Florida, where Laiss was double-registered, the report says

Pennsylvania remains an ERIC member state, even though legislation has been authored by Republicans at the state level to withdraw from the program, according to state records.

This “…conviction reinforces a simple principle: our elections must be fair, secure, and lawful, ” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Casting a ballot in more than one jurisdiction undermines public trust and dilutes the votes of others. Our office will continue to protect the integrity of federal elections and hold accountable those who violate the law.”

Laiss is scheduled to be sentenced June 10, 2026, and faces a maximum possible sentence of five years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $10,000 to $250,000 fine, for each of the charges on which he was convicted.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of State, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Dubnoff.

Editor’s Note: Mr Laiss in myriad of media reports publicly declared his support and votes for President Trump in the 2020 Elections

Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Construction Planned for Thurs.-Fri. Nights on I-95N in NE Philadelphia

Published

7 hours ago

March 12, 2026

staff

PennDOT announced that construction activities will occur at night Thursday on northbound I-95 in Northeast Philadelphia.

Motorists are advised of the following travel restriction:

Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13, from 7:00 PM to 5:00 AM the following morning, a lane closure will be in place on northbound I-95 between the Castor Avenue and Betsy Ross Bridge interchanges for sheet pile installation.

All scheduled activities are weather permitting. Motorists are advised to allow extra time for traveling on northbound I-95 because backups and delays will occur.

The sheet piles will help support the embankment during northbound reconstruction of I-95 between Wheatsheaf Lane and Margaret Street as part of PennDOT’s $355.3 million I-95/BR3 project.