PathWays PA Policy Blog

From our friends at Moms Clean Air Force and Physicians for Social Responsibility : Join Moms Clean Air Force and Physicians for Social Responsibility at A Night Out for Children's Health Happy hour and light hors d'oeuvres   Tuesday, October 9, 2012 PHS Pop-Up Garden Walnut St. between 19th and 20th 5:30 - 7:00 PM Free and open to the public. RSVP to Gretchen Alfonso, galfonso@momscleanairforce.org

The latest state budget numbers were released earlier this afternoon .  This budget includes a spend number of $27.656 million, about $500,000 more than the Governor's budget earlier this year.  This budget may not be the final budget, but it gives some insight into where funding will go. The biggest news is the removal of the Human Services Block Grant, which had been under heavy scrutiny since its proposal by the Governor.  In February, Governor Corbett contended that creating a block grant would diminish the red tape counties face and provide them with savings as justification for his decision to cut 20% of the funding from the programs included. While the block grant has been removed, possibly in place of some new language around executive compensation , at least some of the budget cuts associated with the grant remain.   Several of the items covered under the grant, such as Mental Health Services and Homeless Assistance, have lower budgets than last year. U...

State Policy Updates $1 BILLION BUSINESS TAX CUT EXPECTED TO CUT SERVICES THAT HELP KIDS, FAMILIES: REACH LAWMAKERS ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK The first priority before the Pennsylvania House when lawmakers return to session next week is to vote on a bill that will cut corporate taxes by close to a billion dollars by the end of the decade, with no commitment from companies to put people back to work . Cutting these taxes will also encourage deep cuts to domestic violence services, education, adult literacy and food pantries due to lost revenue. Billed as a measure to close corporate tax loopholes, House Bill 2150 is paired with such big tax breaks for businesses that it will be a huge net revenue drain on the state for years to come. If you have feelings about this bill, you can send a Message to Lawmakers on Facebook and Twitter . Sample messages include: @Lawmaker Vote no on HB2150. Corporate tax cuts will hurt children and families. PA can’t afford a decade of deep #Pab...

State Call-to-Action for Public Education In February, Governor Corbett gave his Budget Address and cemented the $900 million dollar cuts he gave to public education funding.  These cuts have lead to increases in class size, the closure of school buildings, the elimination of successful programs such as full-day kindergarten and tutoring and the loss of many instructional and support staff, who teach and take care of students. On March 5, Education Voters of Pennsylvania will hold a Call-to-Action day to encourage individuals to share their thoughts on education cuts with legislators. To learn more and to participate, please visit http://www.educationvoterspa.org/index.php/site/news/call-to-action-for-public-education11/ . Funding for Emergency Mortgage Assistance The issue of the Homeowner’s Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) is becoming very prominent in Harrisburg and the news media at this time. The Governor’s budget includes no funding for HEMAP, a loan ...

YOU ARE INVITED TO A PAID SICK DAYS HAPPY HOUR! WHEN: Tuesday, January 10, 5PM-7PM WHERE: El Fuego,  723 Walnut Street ,  Philadelphia The  Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces   is hosting a Happy Hour at El Fuego, a restaurant which provides paid sick days to its employees, to celebrate the progress made on paid sick days and to provide the opportunity to learn more about this important issue. Light food will be provided. Over 40% of  Philadelphia  workers have no access to a single paid sick day, and many of those workers handle food or work with vulnerable populations. To RSVP please email kscully@pathwayspa.org or  click here .

Special Updates SAVE THE DATE FOR THE PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE ON WOMEN – OCTOBER 25 TH What: Pennsylvania Conference on Women Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St., Philadelphia When: October 25 th , 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 8 th Annual Pennsylvania Conference for Women will be held on October 25 th – and includes a stellar line-up of speakers including iconic activist Gloria Steinem, CARE USA president and CEO Dr. Helene Gayle and actress America Ferrera – among many, many others . The event brings together women from across the region for networking, skill building and community building, and includes such programming topics as personal development, social networking, career advancement and entrepreneurship. In addition, a small business boot camp will be held on October 24 th . For more information or to register, please visit their site . Federal Updates CENSUS SHOWS STARTLING LEVELS OF POVERTY The Census Bureau figures show som...

The Senate returned to session last week and the House returns this week. Marcellus Shale development continues to dominate the agenda, with Governor Tom Corbett announcing his support of a local impact fee and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announcing a major reorganization. “These organizational changes will enhance the department’s ability to protect Pennsylvania air, water and land, and also will result in a consistent and predictable regulatory system,” Department Secretary Krancer stated. “This is an installment of delivering what Governor Corbett promised during the campaign; and I, along with the governor, am committed to protecting the environment and public health for the future of all Pennsylvanians by strictly and vigorously enforcing our environmental laws.” DEP specifically elevated the status of the Bureau of Oil and Gas Management to address Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction. For more information, please click here .

SPECIAL EVENTS EVER SEEN CITY HALL WRAPPED IN THOUSANDS OF POSTCARDS? Neither have we. That's why you should join us on May 26 at 8 AM at City Hall. Come out and show your support as we wrap City Hall with the thousands of postcards of people like you who support passing this bill. Not to mention have fun doing something that's never been done before! To register please visit: http://earnedsickdayspostcards.eventbrite.com /. For more information about this event contact Jasmine Rivera of ACTION United at jmrivera@gm.slc.edu . Come be part of this historic event! JOIN OUR TWITTER RALLY AND BLOG CARNIVAL FOR PAID SICK DAYS IN PHILADELPHIA This week, MomsRising will be working with the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces to hold a "blog carnival" for paid sick days. What's a blog carnival? A blog carnival is a collection of blogposts on one topic. It brings together the latest research, analysis and personal reflection and stories to offer read...

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...

(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 ...

The Green Economy Post has just put up some good information about where to look for a green job beyond online green job boards. While finding green jobs may be tricky, the desire to enter these jobs is straightforward. Women especially can benefit from green job training, especially in "nontraditional" careers . The Green Economy Post is one of many resources for those looking into green employment. Do you have other resources for green jobs that you would suggest? Please let us know in the comments!

(This post is one of many linked to this year's Blog Action Day topic, climate change. To read more, visit the Blog Action Day Website , or look for #bad09 on Twitter .) Generally when I think of the impact of climate change, Pennsylvania is not the first place that comes to mind. After polar bears , penguins , and the impact climate change will have on poverty throughout the world , I might start wondering about the changes that will come to my daily life. But even here in Pennsylvania, the changes will be big. The Union of Concerned Scientists released a report last year noting that through climate change: Air quality in PA is likely to decrease, thereby increasing the prevalence of asthma, allergies, and other respiratory ailments. Yields of certain crops and dairy products will decrease. Certain species of hardwood trees and birdlife may disappear. Under best-case scenarios, Western PA will have a climate similar to today's climate in West Virginia and Ohio within 30 y...