PITTSBURGH, Jan. 5, 2011 — Sen. Costa dances with students and staff at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children’s 125th “birthday.” celebration. Learn more at wpsbc.org.
Sen. Costa dances with students and staff at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children’s 125th “birthday.” celebration. Learn more at www.wpsbc.org.
HARRISBURG, Dec. 20 – Democratic leaders from the state House and Senate joined together today to urge Governor Tom Corbett and leaders of the Republican-controlled legislature to end their extreme ideological crusade and to begin leading on the issues that matter to working, middle-class families.
As Pennsylvania’s economy continues to sputter, the Democratic leaders said Republicans have failed to make jobs a priority, choosing instead to focus on a right-wing agenda – from attacks on worker rights and wages to attempts to gain political advantage through gerrymandering and limiting the right to vote.
“Despite being well positioned to move forward after weathering the financial storm from the last recession, Pennsylvania continues to take on water, and that is a byproduct of the lack of direction,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny. “Most importantly, we’ve seen no leadership from the Republicans on jobs.”
Both the House and Senate Democratic caucuses have proposed comprehensive job-creation and economic development plans. The Corbett Administration and the Republican legislative caucuses have offered no comprehensive proposals to boost jobs and jumpstart Pennsylvania’s economy.
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House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody noted that 500,000 Pennsylvanians still remain unemployed. And, he said, the Corbett-Republican budget – which slashed public school funding by nearly $1 billion and decimated health care programs for seniors, individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable citizens – resulted in 21,000 jobs lost, including 14,000 public school positions.
“Governor Corbett and the Republicans in charge of the legislature haven’t just done nothing on jobs; they’ve actually made our job climate worse,” said Dermody, D-Allegheny. “They have failed, at every turn, to make working, middle-class families a priority. This has been a year of failure for the Republicans who control state government in Pennsylvania – failure on jobs, failure on transportation and failure to enact a fair tax on natural gas companies drilling in the Marcellus Shale. The list of failures goes on and on.”
The Democratic leaders’ comments came in response to Corbett’s mid-year budget briefing, in which the governor outlined a pessimistic outlook of budget revenues for the fiscal year. But Democrats noted that revenues are actually running ahead of last year’s numbers.
“Job creation must be our priority. The governor’s mid-year budget message is more of the same. It’s a repeat of the Republican message that less is more,” said Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Vincent J. Hughes, D-Philadelphia. “That’s the wrong approach. It’s reverse investment at a time when we should be investing more in our roads, bridges, mass transit and our workers.”
“The governor is making his case for another three-quarters-of-a-billion dollars in needlessly painful cuts to our children’s public schools and to critical health and safety programs next year,” said House Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Joe Markosek, D-Allegheny. “That is on top of the draconian cuts in this year’s budget. This is more than just a lack of leadership; it’s dangerous governing. It’s time to make working, middle-class families the top priority, and that starts with jobs. The question I ask Pennsylvanians is: ‘How long are you going to stand for this?’”
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Senate Democratic Leader Offers Plan Which Adheres to Constitutional Mandate
HARRISBURG, December 12, 2011 – – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) expressed disappointment with the final legislative redistricting plan which was passed by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission today by a 4-1 vote. An amendment introduced by Costa which proposed a more balanced plan was voted down 3-2 along party lines.
The Costa amendment represents a plan which more closely adheres to the constitutional directive to split counties, municipalities, and wards only when absolutely necessary.
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“The commission’s responsibility to keep communities whole wherever possible is one that needs to be taken seriously. Whether they testified in person or submitted their concerns to the commission in writing, people from across the state warned of the negative consequences that splitting townships and even wards could bring,” said Costa. “The number of splits in the Republican plan is a valid cause for concern. I could not in good conscience vote for this highly partisan plan. The best interests of voters are taking a backseat to political interests.”
The Costa amendment varies from the plan approved today in a number of ways:
“We went about this endeavor with the constitutionality and balance of this plan as the primary, motivating objective,” said Costa. “It is not fair to pursue political gain after so many constituents came forth with serious and valid concerns. I am unclear as to what extent public testimony was implemented in the final plan – if at all. Those people should be heard and their input used to create a balanced plan that respects the Pennsylvania Constitution.”
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HARRISBURG, December 7, 2011 – The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded a $350,000 state grant to Wilkins Township, state Sen. Jay Costa and state Rep. Paul Costa announced today.
The township will use the funds to design and construct a storm water collection system to prevent rain runoff from mixing with acid mine water, a problem that impacts several residences in the area of Highland Avenue near the municipal building.
According to the DEP, over a million Pennsylvania homes are built on top of abandoned mines. “Although mine subsidence is the most well-known issue for homeowners in Pennsylvania, acid mine drainage can also cause tremendous damage to a property,” Sen. Costa said.
Drainage flowing from or caused by surface mining, deep mining or coal refuse piles is typically highly acidic with elevated levels of dissolved metals.
“This grant will help Wilkins Township construct a collection system to address the acid mine water problem,” Rep. Costa said. “I’m pleased that the department has approved these much-needed funds for this major project.”
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Harrisburg, November 23, 2011 – Wrapping up the last of two public hearings on the Legislative Reapportionment Commission’s preliminary plan, testimony given to the commission today was overwhelmingly critical of the plan approved 3-2 along party lines.[audio:https://senatorcosta.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/reapportionment-last-hearing-costa-wrap.mp3|titles=reapportionment-last-hearing-costa-wrap]
Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) who is a member of the commission and voted against the preliminary plan issued the following statement:
“I am very proud of the people who traveled on a day where travel is not always convenient as folks prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday. They feel strongly, and I respect their efforts to be heard. The plan was, among other things, described today as ‘a failure in the name of political expediency’ and ‘an abomination’ — assessments with which, in some cases, I have to agree. I can only hope the pleas of those who testified do not fall on deaf ears. I certainly heard the frustration coming through loud and clear.
“Once criticized as ‘the consummate insiders’ game’ redistricting must be pursued in a fair and balanced way, particularly at a time when the public is growing more cynical and distrustful of their public officials.
“As witnessed by repeated testimony at two public hearings held at the Capitol, there are deep concerns about the partisan nature of the preliminary redistricting plan before the commission right now. The ease in which constituents can access their elected leaders has clearly taken a backseat to party interests.
“We will continue to lay out our exceptions to the plan and hope for a more fair, equitable and balanced product as a result.”
The window for public comment expires on November 30, 2011.
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HARRISBURG, November 15, 2011 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa was joined by former Gov. Ed Rendell at a capitol news conference to draw attention to a recent report that shows Pennsylvania is one of just a few states that made significant progress from 2003 to 2011 in all grades and subjects. [audio:https://senatorcosta.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/pa-school-achievement-costa-wrap.mp3|titles=pa-school-achievement-costa-wrap]
The National Assessment of Educational Progress – commonly known as “the nation’s report card” – also shows score gaps between higher- and lower-income students also narrowed from 2003 to 2011 in only four states. Pennsylvania was one of them.
Additionally, more Pittsburgh students scored in the proficient and advanced ranges for reading and math compared to four years ago — until they reached high school, where 11th-grade math scores declined for the second consecutive year. Pittsburgh students also made greater gains than students across Pennsylvania in all grades, except for 11th-grade math.
Costa said the test scores are proof that the targeted investment made by the legislature over the past eight years improved student performance in Pennsylvania and improved public schools.
Costa also expressed concerns that last year’s Republican budget that cut education by nearly $1 billion statewide will reverse these patterns of success and the positive momentum shown in public schools.