Harrisburg Update

By MB -
PA capital 117-17As the Governor prepares to unveil his budget next week, state lawmakers seek changes for small businesses and elect a Pennsylvania businessman to their ranks.

Rep. Jack Wheatley (D-Allegheny) was joined by legislators and small business owners for a press conference last Friday to kick off the second annual Minority/Women/Disadvantaged/ Businesses Lobby Day. Rep. Wheatley said he will be reintroducing a legislative package that provides greater inclusion in state contracts for the businesses. “I was pleased the House passed this legislation 189-0 in the last session” he stated. “So we are here as part of the second annual Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Businesses Lobby Day to advocate for enacting these reforms into law. We all know that small businesses are the backbone of our economy and they should play a key role in our economic recovery.” Rep. Wheatley also moderated a round table discussion where several business owners addressed ways in which Pennsylvania can become a more inclusive environment.

Pennsylvania Budget Secretary Charles Zogby spoke at the Pennsylvania Press Club Luncheon Monday as the Press Club’s featured speaker. Sec. Zogby explained the magnitude of the fiscal challenge is unprecedented and called rumors of a $4 billion budget deficit “accurate.” He said the current fiscal year’s budget is approximately $26 billion, which is an increase of $6.8 billion since he was last in state government under the Ridge administration.

The Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee unanimously voted Tuesday morning to approve the confirmation of Alan Walker as head of the Department of Community and Economic Development. Walker, a Clearfield County businessman and former head of both the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the Pennsylvania Coal Association, now moves one step closer to being confirmed by the full Senate. At the same meeting the committee also voted on several bills and received testimony from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Sands Bethworks and others on the state of the Commonwealth’s problem gambling initiatives.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PathWays PA E-Newsletter: August 6, 2012

By -
Image
Federal Policy Updates  CONGRESS IN AGREEMENT TO WORK ON A 6-MONTH CONTINUING RESOLUTION Last week House and Senate leaders announced that a deal has been reached to pass a 6-month continuing resolution to fund the federal government through next spring. Details of the agreement have not yet been made public, but the continuing resolution will reportedly fund federal agencies at current spending levels. With both chambers of Congress on summer recess, a vote on the agreement will likely be held in September, before the end of the fiscal year. If this agreement is enacted it will ensure that the government will not be shutdown at the end of September when the current spending plan ends. HELP MOVE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT FORWARD The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) needs to be reauthorized to ensure the continuation of vital, life-saving programs and laws. It was the first piece of American legislation that recognized the pervasive nature of domestic violence,
Read more

Mini-Budget Update-Supporting the American Community Survey

By MB -
Image
(via The Census Project ) Next Tuesday, June 19 is an important date to mark on your calendar. The Congressional Joint Economic Committee is holding a public hearing on the economic impact of eliminating the American Community Survey (ACS) at 2:30 p.m., in Room 210 of the Canon House Office Building. Witnesses that will be speaking in opposition to the move to eliminate the ACS are Vincent Barabba, former director of the Census Bureau in two GOP administrations and Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Association of General Contractors and also representing the National Association of Business Economists. It is very important that we pack the congressional hearing room! If you cannot come, please urge your colleages to come. If you represent a non-DC organization contact your friends in Washington and urge them to attend. Also on Tuesday of next week some of our congressional supporters will be holding a noon press conference in the so-called House Triangle right outside the Cap
Read more

Overlooked and Undercounted: Struggling to Make Ends Meet in Pennsylvania

By -
Image
Census data tells us that 13% of Pennsylvania households live in poverty. In reality, even more households don’t have the income they need to reach self-sufficiency. One in four Pennsylvania households – over 846,000 – lack enough income to cover just the necessities. Since 1997, PathWays PA has worked with Dr. Diana Pearce and the University of Washington to calculate  The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania . Over the last 23 years,  The Self-Sufficiency Standard of Pennsylvania  has documented the continuing increase in the real cost of living, illuminating the economic crunch experienced by so many families today. Since 2010, PathWays PA and the University of Washington have also issued three versions of the  Overlooked and Undercounted  report, which looks at the number of households living above and below self-sufficiency. You can now use the interactive materials below to find out what it takes to be self-sufficient in your county. Click here  to read the 2020 O
Read more