Fiedler reacts to Solar for Schools bill signing ceremony
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler September 10, 2024 | 1:09 PM
HARRISBURG, Sept. 10 -- State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., issued the following statement on the ceremonial signing of the Solar for Schools Act on Monday:
“When I came into this job, I had spent a decade reporting in the city of Philadelphia. I covered much of what makes Philly a wonderful place to live. But I also had a front-row seat to its injustices, like our underfunded public schools.
“I had a 3-month-old and a toddler when I ran for office. I didn’t know as much as I do now about Harrisburg, but I did know I wanted to help kids get money for their schools and to make sure we were handing off a livable planet for the next generation.
“For years, and through many budget seasons, I worked with my colleagues in Harrisburg without much progress toward these goals. I knew we needed a different approach.
“So, we set out to do something that at the time seemed radical: bring together labor and environmental partners who are too often pit against each other in the Capitol. We quickly realized this wasn’t a crazy idea at all. By focusing on what unites us -- the desire for union jobs and climate action -- we were able to create a Blue-Green coalition that has developed a bold legislative agenda and a fierce determination to deliver.
“Solar for Schools was the product of our initial brainstorms. We knew we needed a bill that had potential to save schools money, deliver on clean energy, and create union jobs, all at once. I am so proud and so thankful that we’ve successfully passed it into law. It was no accident: the Blue-Green work is real, not talk, and this win is the product of hundreds of hours of work and organizing over a year and a half. But this win is the first of many. We have a long list of legislative priorities to accomplish.
“I’ve now been in office for 5 years. My kids are 9 and 7 years old. In the past year, we’ve secured historic funding for public schools, passed Solar for Schools, and forged a new path forward for Pennsylvania. I finally feel that after many years, we’ve built a coalition that can endure political challenges with creativity and courage, and that can deliver material wins for future generations. And that gives me hope.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro added:
“My Administration is taking action to ensure Pennsylvania remains an energy leader, reduce the price of our electricity bills, and create more jobs and opportunities for our businesses to grow and our workers to get ahead. The bipartisan Solar for Schools legislation that I signed into law will do all three by lowering energy bills for our schools and setting the stage for Pennsylvania to lead in a new industry that will reduce pollution while continuing to create good-paying jobs.
“Thanks to leaders like Representative Fiedler, schools will be able to cut costs and put resources where they belong – in the classroom and into initiatives that create more opportunities for our students. My administration looks forward to continuing to work with leaders in both parties to secure Pennsylvania’s energy future and invest in our children’s future.”
