Governor Wolf Says Infrastructure Plan Would Benefit North Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA—Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfe held a district tour on Friday of North Philadelphia with State Representative Malcom Kenyatta to tout his ambitious $4.5-billion Restore Pennsylvania infrastructure plan.

“Blight threatens residents’ health and safety, costs local governments for enforcement and maintenance, reduces property values and tax revenue, and makes communities less attractive for current residents,” said Gov. Wolf. “Some of these blighted properties have real potential but a lack of funding has prevented communities from large initiatives that would allow them to be redeveloped. Restore Pennsylvania is what our communities deserve to create a bright economic future for residents and businesses.”

Gov. Wolf announced earlier this year an ambitious infrastructure initiative funded by the monetization of a severance tax on natural gas extraction. The new Restore Pennsylvania plan would invest $4.5 billion over the next four years in significant high-impact projects throughout the commonwealth.

Restore Pennsylvania will increase resources for addressing blight by providing financial resources at the local level to establish land banks and acquire and demolish blighted buildings to create new development opportunities or provide new green space, the governor stated. The funding will be administered by entities established by the legislature as land banks or demolition funds.

“Throughout my district, specifically in communities like Fairhill, residents and businesses have felt the effects of blight and the impact of a lack of investment in our community,” said Rep. Kenyatta. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to show Gov. Wolf where reinvestment is needed most. His commitment to the Restore Pennsylvania initiative will bring economic development back to our district and others like it throughout the commonwealth.”

Encompassing new and expanded programs to address five priority infrastructure areas including high speed Internet access, storm preparedness and disaster recovery, downstream manufacturing, business development, and energy infrastructure, demolition, revitalization, and renewal, and transportation capital projects, Restore Pennsylvania projects will be driven by local input concerning community needs.

Projects identified by local stakeholders will be evaluated through a competitive process to ensure that high priority, high-impact projects are funded and needs across Pennsylvania are met, the governor stated.