PathWays PA Policy Blog

Federal Updates LIHEAP / SNAP JOINT VENTURE ON SUPER COMMITTEE TABLE OF CUTS . (News has come out this weekend suggesting that the Super Committee may have hit an impasse. However, until such news is definite, we must continue to reach out to them in support of programs that families rely on to stay secure throughout the year. The Super Committee is coming close to their deadline. Many proposals are being floated, including one that would limit states’ ability to coordinate the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and SNAP benefits (food stamps). This “Heat and Eat” program allows many states, including Pennsylvania , to coordinate SNAP and LIHEAP in recognition of the fact that too many struggling Americans face an impossible choice between paying for food or paying for energy. But Heat and Eat programs are under the threat of a $4 billion cut – meaning that many households will be left making tough choices in the coming winter months. As the Supe...

In recognition of the 10th anniversary of the enactment of the Educational Improvement Tax, supporters rallied behind the Capitol. They were joined by several legislators and PDE Secretary Tomalis to touts the successes of the EITC and to call for enactment of further school choice in the form of SB 1. The House Professional Licensure Committee conducted a public hearing on HB 646. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery), amends Act 48 of 1993 gives the 29 licensing boards and commissions under the Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs to expunge a disciplinary record of a licensee upon written application to the board or commission. The expungement would only apply to minor violations. The Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants testified in support of the legislation. The Department of Revenue released an analysis showing that companies engaged in and related to natural gas drilling activities in Pennsylvania have paid more than $...

From our friends at AmeriCorps Alums . This weekend, the House passed H.R. 1, legislation that would make deep cuts in government spending for the rest of the fiscal year. The measure – which eliminates AmeriCorps -- passed 235-189 . After hearing the news that AmeriCorps was being threatened, AmeriCorps alum Caleb Jonas decided he had to do something. From a coffee shop in Massachusetts, Caleb created a petition asking Congress to "Save AmeriCorps.” Caleb’s inspiring alumni action has already been signed by 40,000+ Americans -- without significant promotion from any major organization. Until now. Your signature will help AmeriCorps Alums and Caleb reach his goal of 85,000 signatures -- one signature for every AmeriCorps member currently serving their country. DEADLINE: Thursday, 5 p.m. The House vote is just one step in the legislative process. The bill has been sent to the Senate for their consideration, and the Senate and the President will have opportunities to shape...

Over the weekend, the House cut $60 billion from the remaining budget for the fiscal year, according to The New York Times .   Since the Senate is not expected to follow suit, Congress only has four days next week to come up with a bill to fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year.  If no agreement is reached, the government could enter a shutdown in early March. Hundreds of amendments were included in the bill, and The New York Times offers an amendment tracker to view key votes.  Here is a breakdown of some of the key amendments: Elimination of financing for Planned Parenthood Prohibition of the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases Prohibition of financing for health care law Prohibition of financing to enforce the insurance mandate Restoration of financing for special education Reduction of EPA financing by $8.5 million Among amendments that were rejected was a restoration of $50 million in LIHEAP funding and a reduction of Amtrak...

The United Way of Pennsylvania , The Southeastern Pennsylvania Budget Coalition , and many other organizations are circulating a survey to gauge the impact of state budget cuts to organizations across Pennsylvania. Please take a moment to answer this short, 12 question survey about the impact of cuts on your organization !

If you're like me, you may have already broken some of your New Year's resolutions (perhaps I can exercise every day once I get over this cold :) ), but there are resolutions out there which are easy to keep.  Please take a look at the ideas below to help inspire yourself to commit to advocacy in the New Year (and thanks to the National Coalition for Literacy's 11 Ways to Recommit to Advocacy , which inspired me!) Remember what inspires you : 2010 was a hard year for many advocates, especially as we dealt with budget deficits , program cuts , and increased waiting lists for those in need.  2011 promises more challenges with new legislators coming into office and new budget cuts looming, but it can also be an opportunity.  Take a moment to remember why advocacy is important to you, whether it is a sense of justice, a personal story , or a client's success, and share that story with legislators and with friends.  And if 2011 starts getting you down, continue remembe...

As we mentioned a few weeks ago , nearly 43,000 adults in Pennsylvania may be losing their health insurance early next year when adultBasic, an affordable health care option for adults who have recently lost health coverage and meet certain income guidelines, runs out of money.  In addition to writing a letter to legislators in support of the program, there is also an opportunity to sign on to a letter asking the Governor-elect to take action on adultBasic.  People using the adultBasic system can also tell their stories to Athena Ford so that those stories can be shared with legislators and the news media. adultBasic is close to running out of money due to a cut in funding from the state Tobacco Settlement and lower-than-expected payment rates from insurance companies who fund the programs .  As The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, most adultBasic funding comes from the state's Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies, who in past years have contributed between $81.9 mill...

Federal Policy Update SENATE PASSES EXTENSION OF THE TANF BLOCK GRANT Right before heading out of town for Thanksgiving, the Senate took care of some important unfinished business, passing by unanimous consent a bill that included a one year extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, through September 30, 2011. The House is expected to approve this bill after it returns to session. The extension includes two new reporting requirements for states. Unfortunately, this extension does not include the TANF Emergency Fund , which assisted states that increased spending on subsidized jobs, basic assistance and short-term benefits during fiscal years 2009 and 2010. There is hope that Congress will add funding for the TANF Emergency Fund during the "lame duck" session. Please contact your Senators and thank them for taking action on such an important bill. Also, contact your Representative and urge him or her to move this bill forward as...

PathWays PA Special Announcements PathWays PA presents the First Annual Network for Strategic Asset Building (NSAB) Symposium on Financial Education and Asset Building in the Workplace How can you help your employees build assets to boost their financial stability during these challenging times? PathWays PA presents the First Annual Network for Strategic Asset Building (NSAB) Symposium on Financial Education & Asset Building in the Workplace on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010. This free symposium will be held in two locations. Attend the symposium at the location/time that is most convenient for you! Please click on the location below to register for the event: 8:30-11:00am at the United Way of Southeastern PA at 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103 or 2:00-4:30pm at the Drexelbrook Corporate Events Center at 4700 Drexelbrook Ave, Drexel Hill, PA 19026 . This unique Symposium will offer free or low-cost strategies employers can implement to boost the ...

Special Announcements Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces: Press Conference and Lobby Day Over 41% of workers in Philadelphia have no earned sick time, while 78% of restaurant and accommodation workers are forced to choose between going to work sick (or sending a child to school sick) and losing a day's pay or possibly their job. The Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces is holding a Press Conference and Lobby Day, complete with Lobby Training, to provide information for Philadelphia's City Council about the importance of earned sick time and to urge them to continue work on the Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (Bill No. 080474). WHEN: Tuesday, October 12th There will be a Lobby Training held at 123 S. Broad Street 8th Floor - Room 8B at 11:00 AM. Food will be provided The Press Conference will take place at 1:00 PM, in the Mayor's Reception Room in City Hall, with visits to City Council Members throughout the afternoon.. Come for ...

(from our friends at the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center) A severance tax bill is now going to the House floor for a vote today, September 28 . SB1155 sets a competitive tax rate and has no front-end exemptions. It is expected to raise $120 million in the first six months of 2011 and $326 million in Fiscal Year 2011-12. A vote is scheduled for 3 pm. Please contact your legislators right now! The final bill allocates the first $75 million in funds raised this fiscal year to the General Fund. $70 million will make up for Pennsylvania's reduced FMAP allocation , and $5 million will go to the Department of Labor and Industry for worker training. The legislation also includes an annual $10 million job tax credit. After the first $75 million this year and for all future years, funds are distributed as follows: 60% to the General Fund 40% to environmental programs and local governments SB 1155 will provide a stable source of new funds for health care, human services, and ...

Today, PathWays PA had the privilege of speaking at a meeting of the Delaware Valley Grantmakers to discuss the " perfect storm " of policy and economic issues that will be coming to a head by the end of this year.  Among those issues are the end of the Way to Work program , the lack of extensions for unemployment compensation , the need for adult literacy and Industry Partnerships , and the impact of domestic violence in Pennsylvania.  To learn more, please download our report !

( from our friends at the SEPA Budget Coalition and Better Choices for Pennsylvania ) As the Pennsylvania House and Senate come back into session, the House is making plans to debate a severance tax on natural gas.  The severance tax is necessary to make up for the reduced FMAP allocation and has already been included in this year's state budget . Without it, Pennsylvanians can expect at least $70 million in cuts this year alone in addition to the cuts that have already been made . In the future, the severance tax will play a major role in state budgets - if industry production estimates are accurate, the severance tax could be the 4th largest state revenue source.. House members are debating the structure of the tax. It is important that education, health and human service groups weigh in to remind our representatives that kids, seniors and people with disabilities should not be forgotten in this debate. We are asking you to support the following: A strong severance tax th...

Still Time to RSVP to PathWays PA’s Release of "Pennsylvania's Workforce: The Role of Community Colleges" PathWays PA is proud to announce a forum focused on the needs of Pennsylvania's workforce and the role community colleges can play within that workforce. The forum is based on a report from PathWays PA that examines the impact that community colleges and other workforce development can have on the earnings of Pennsylvanians. While many students enter college straight from high school, a growing number of students need access to higher education after they have already entered the workforce. "Pennsylvania's Workforce: The Role of Community Colleges" examines the needs of adult workers in Pennsylvania and the part that community colleges can play in serving those needs. In addition to discussing this report, participants will also have the opportunity to learn more about workforce development and community colleges from around the country. Vick...

Unemployment continues to exceed 9.3% throughout our state. How can we help the unemployed? One way to start would be to accept $273 million from the federal government in unemployment compensation (UC) funds. Pennsylvania has the opportunity to join 39 other states in making some simple changes to our UC law. These changes include allowing workers to collect unemployment if they have to leave their job to care for a loved one who is ill or to escape a domestic violence situation. They would also make it easier for recent graduates and seasonal workers to get unemployment when they lose their jobs. While the best solution for our economy is to help the unemployed find good jobs, this can be impossible in such a gloomy economy. Turning our backs on our fellow Pennsylvanians while they struggle to find work and make ends meet is not the solution. If you support modernizing Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation, please contact your legislators and/or your local news medi...

(updated 9/8/10- press conference to be rescheduled for later date) Can Pennsylvania Afford to Leave $273 Million on the Table? By modernizing unemployment insurance, Pennsylvania can receive $273 million from the federal government while supporting unemployed workers and families (and especially women) PHILADELPHIA - When Pennsylvania's lawmakers laid out a plan last week to close holes in the state budget, they did not discuss an opportunity to gain much needed revenue for the Commonwealth through changes that could be made with simple alterations to unemployment insurance. Yet one bill, HB 2400, would give the Commonwealth the opportunity to do just that. The changes would not only bring funding to Pennsylvania; they would also ensure that more workers and families who paid into the unemployment insurance system earn their fair share of compensation upon being laid off from their jobs. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included incentives to ...

Join PathWays PA on September 23 for "Pennsylvania's Workforce: The Role of Community Colleges" Please join us! Pennsylvania's Workforce: The Role of Community Colleges Featuring Carol Goertzel, President & CEO of PathWays PA Vickie Choitz, Senior Policy Analyst, CLASP Brandon Roberts , Working Poor Families Project September 23, 2 PM United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103-1294 RSVP here! PathWays PA is proud to announce a forum focused on the needs of Pennsylvania's workforce and the role community colleges can play within that workforce. The forum is based on a report from PathWays PA that examines the impact that community colleges and other workforce development can have on the earnings of Pennsylvanians. While many students enter college straight from high school, a growing number of students need access to higher education after they have already entered the workforce. "Pennsylvania...