Mark your calendars and join me for the first of many town hall meetings. We’ll be getting together to discuss your thoughts and concerns on issues affecting you and all of Pennsylvania. Numerous community organizations will also be in attendance to answer your questions or provide valuable information about their programs and services. I hope you’ll be able to join us.
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Harrisburg, January 30, 2013 — Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Senate Democratic Education Chair Andy Dinniman (D-Chester) today released statements expressing their opposition to Governor Tom Corbett’s plan to privatize and expand the sale of wine, spirits and malt beverages throughout the commonwealth.
“It seems this governor is attempting to privatize everything from the state lottery to liquor stores,” said Costa. “The privatization of the Lottery represents a significant expansion of gambling without legislative authority. Now this is an equally disturbing expansion of liquor sales which has the potential to directly impact the health and safety of our residents.”
“I have long maintained that we do not need to be privatizing the operations of the Liquor Control Board (LCB),” Costa continued. “What we do need to do is modernize and support the ability of the LCB to operate in an environment where they can be more productive and generate more dollars within a regulated structure.”
“As important, we need to make certain that in the dispensing of alcohol we recognize our obligation to be very careful and very safe,” Costa said. “The LCB’s employees are well-trained and have always done an exceptional job in following the law to the fullest and providing access to products only to those who are of age. There is no motive that would drive them to act otherwise.”
Costa expressed concern with Governor Corbett’s decision to use revenues generated from the sale of the wholesale and retail system to fund school programs. “If we place our focus on modernizing the system, we can use the revenues that are generated for supplementing school funds. We should not pit the future of our children’s education against the expansion of liquor.”
Expressing disappointment in the governor’s proposal and how he planned to use the funds from privatization, Senator Andy Dinniman (D-Chester) raised several important questions about the impact of the plan on education.
“While our school districts are in crisis, with poorer districts on the cliff of fiscal distress and other districts cutting education programs because of pension obligations, what does the governor do?” Dinniman asked. “Does he use LCB sale funds to help poor schools survive, provide pension spike relief or property tax relief?
“No, he uses the funds to create supplemental education programs in four areas, after he made severe and crippling cuts in basic education funding.”
Dinniman concluded that as a result of the governor’s plan, “liquor stores will pop up on one corner while schools are closing on the other.”
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Harrisburg — January 11, 2012 — Senate Democrats today released statements expressing dismay and disgust at the actions of the Corbett Administration in announcing the notice of award as it relates to the private management agreement, (PMA), for the Pennsylvania Lottery.
“This is extremely disappointing and disturbing,” said Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny). “The action taken by the Corbett Administration was done without public input. Today’s decision has the potential to jeopardize senior programs and put taxpayers on the hook.”
“This has been a bizarre process that violates the public trust,” Costa continued. “There were no hearings, little opportunity to understand the proposed PMA and no scrutiny. The process was violated and the citizens of Pennsylvania were abused by this arbitrary action.”
Senator John Blake (D- Lackawanna), Democratic Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee pointed out the proposal needs legislative authorization and it demands legislative scrutiny.
“The process was culminated when the General Assembly was not in session and there was little public examination of the proposal,” Blake said. “This process wasn’t transparent — it was opaque. No one could see the end result except a small group of the governor’s inner circle.”
Expressing extreme disappointment on behalf of his constituents, Senator Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin) said the use of a secretive process would lead to the privatization of a significant state asset and is unprecedented. “This is not a proper way to alter generations of public policy and violated the public trust.”
“On a personal level, many of the affected employees are my constituents and have been treated with complete disregard,” Teplitz said. “The arrogance of this administration in the way this was handled is deplorable.”
“I am extremely disappointed in this administration’s decision to jam this deal through at the last minute prior to a key Senate Finance Committee hearing,” said Senator Matt Smith (D-Allegheny). “This shows a disturbing lack of transparency by the Corbett administration and hinders a meaningful dialogue regarding this multi-billion dollar deal. The Camelot plan certainly deserves a proper examination by the General Assembly and Pennsylvania taxpayers are entitled to further information.”
Senator John Wozniak (D-Cambria) echoed the sentiments of his colleagues related to the PMA. “There are many questions related to how this privatization effort impacts seniors and property tax relief related to gaming. The concerns of taxpayers should have been taken into consideration and questions answered before the governor took this action.”
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Harrisburg, December 18, 2012 – Acknowledging the escalating problems in economically-challenged communities across the state, Pennsylvania Senate Democrats today discussed their plans to address a wide range of problems impacting aging and distressed cities.
The “Growth, Progress & Sustainability” or GPS plan focuses on developing new policies that foster cooperation while addressing and strengthening the core of distressed communities.
“The reality is instead of planning for growth and economic development, many cities are contemplating bankruptcy,” Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said. “We could no longer stand back and watch while the rich heritage of Pennsylvania erodes amid shrinking tax revenues and tax bases.”
Costa said the intention of the plan is to help transform communities and bring some much needed light to the end of the tunnel.
“Pennsylvania needs a new road map to help our cities and our towns,” said Senator John Wozniak (D-Cambria). “Communities are struggling – from Scranton to Harrisburg and Reading to Johnstown and all places in between. Today we’re presenting the GPS plan to serve as a foundation to address the issues and transform our cities and communities.”
Senate Democrats are committed to working with local leaders to further develop the GPS plan which highlights broad areas of legislative interest. The areas the Senate Democrats outlined are including:
According to Senate Democrats, many of the identified communities continue to face huge obstacles as each attempts to provide government services at a time when tax revenues and tax bases are shrinking. They said that they recognize no solution can be effective or lasting without addressing each of the interconnected parts outlined in the plan and understanding how they affect residents.
“Revitalizing our urban areas and strengthening surrounding communities requires we assess and understand their struggles,” said Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks). “Our focus needs to be squarely on quality of life for the families living in these areas. We owe it to them to ensure these issues are addressed and their needs met, as we move forward.”
Working with local governments, Senate Democrats acknowledged the need for vision, focus and commitment. This includes providing the tools communities need to help themselves before their circumstances become untenable, they said.
“We want public policy that is proactive, cooperative and supportive, not reactive, punitive and vindictive,” said Senator John Blake (D-Lackawanna). “We want to develop long-term, sustainable solutions that will enable these communities to rebuild and thrive.”
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Senate Hearing in Erie Focuses on Faltering Human Services Safety Net
Erie December 13, 2012 — Erie area human services providers today told a state Senate panel that the availability, quality and reliability of crucial services to disabled people are diminishing in the face of dwindling state financial support and questionable bureaucratic decisions in Harrisburg.
Bureaucratic decisions arbitrarily issued by the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) in Harrisburg have needlessly made disabled peoples lives more difficult, Wiley said. Rectifying these cuts in state support to Erie County cannot wait until next year. This needs to be addressed immediately.
The informal Senate committee roundtable discussion was held in Erie at the request of Senator-elect Sean Wiley (D-Erie).
Several panelists were critical of the Corbett Administration and DPW for shortchanging regional human services providers and implementing controversial new policies that will curtail county services that disabled and vulnerable people rely on.
Specifically, providers charged that DPWs new reimbursement rate formula will cut support for Eries regional providers by up to 17 percent. Pointing to how the departments formula now bundles Erie County wage data in with numerous rural counties across the state, Wiley noted that those who provide the very same services in other parts of Pennsylvania now receive a 13 percent higher reimbursement rate than their Erie counterparts.
The Erie lawmaker said he will work to obtain additional state financial support; require DPW to publicly disclose its new formula and data it used to determine the new rates; and press the department to include providers in talks on how the formula can be rectified.
Panelists also discussed the devastating impact of the states 10 percent budget cuts to county human service programs that serve disabled people and vulnerable children.
Bill Grove, who serves as chief executive officer for the Mental Health Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania, said DPWs policies have been fiscally irresponsible and will have dire consequences on disabled people. He noted how the Corbett Administration has cut support to programs that help disabled people live independent lives, even though hospitalization and institutionalization is three times more costly.
In northwestern Pennsylvania, If youre poor, youre going to get poorer, Grove said. If youre sick, youre going to get sicker.
Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton/Lehigh/Monroe), who chairs the Policy Committee, said many counties have struggled to maintain human service programs such as mental health, intellectual disabilities, child welfare, behavioral health, and home assistance following the 10 percent funding cut this year. Gov. Tom Corbett originally proposed a 20 percent cut.
The discussion also touched on DPWs controversial decision to replace the states 37 financial management service vendors with one firm, Public Consulting Groups Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL), based in Massachusetts. Boscola said she was concerned with how dedicated this out-of-state firm would be to the states disabled community.
I have never received a complaint from a human services provider about one of these 37 vendors, Boscola said. At a time when we are struggling to keep jobs in Pennsylvania and help our businesses survive, why is DPW ousting in-state businesses in favor of this cookie cutter approach?
Welfare Secretary Gary D. Alexander was invited to take part in the discussion, but refused.
Boscola, who also serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said it is imperative that this years budget discussions focus on protecting limited resources for disabled people, their families and the community.
Senators in attendance included Wiley, Boscola, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), and LeAnna Washington (D-Phila.). Others who took part in the informal roundtable discussion included:
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