Statewide, PA − June 11, 2021 — As the projected state budget surplus surged to $3 billion and more than $7 billion in federal aid remains idled by inaction, Senate & House Democrats gathered in front of local schools across Pennsylvania on Friday to call for immediate release of funds to end the scourge of toxic and dilapidated school buildings in Pennsylvania.
Elected officials and local leaders in four different regions of the commonwealth talked about how widespread health and safety concerns affect school districts large and small across the commonwealth, where school infrastructure has caused illness and even death to those who are forced to occupy them every day.
“We are here to put an end to the excuses,” state Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia, Montgomery said outside the century-old Overbrook High School where students go without water in science labs and duck pieces falling from the auditorium ceiling. “It’s budget season and the annual excuses that have kept our children trapped in toxic schools are as old and worn as the schools themselves. Enough. We have the resources to end this embarrassment right now.”
Democrats are seeking immediate investment in schools across the Pennsylvania, one of only 22 states that has failed to remove lead from school drinking water and where infrastructure has been rated C- by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, who spoke from Kelly Primary School in Wilkinsburg, said indiscriminate boundaries should not play a role in school quality.
“Something as simple and arbitrary as a zip code determines the quality of buildings and facilities a student will have to learn in,” he said. “This isn’t right and it’s not equitable, but this year we have the opportunity to level the playing field. With $7 billion in federal funding and a $3 billion surplus, we can address aging infrastructure in every district in this state that needs it.”
Senate Democrats and Gov. Tom Wolf have been urging the General Assembly for years to protect students, teachers and staff with investments in our schools that would also create thousands of jobs. Still, news outlets continue to report lead in drinking water, asbestos pollution, and even carbon monoxide dangers in Pennsylvania schools.
Sen. Carolyn Comitta, a member of the Senate Education Committee who spoke said investment of surplus and American Rescue Plan funding would be benefit both students and local economies.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to attend school in a classroom that is a safe, healthy, and productive environment for learning,” she said. With significant ARP funding, we now have a golden opportunity to upgrade Pennsylvania’s school facilities and address problems like mold, asbestos, and lead that are hazardous to the health of students, young people, and teachers. We can fix our educational facilities, create jobs, and prioritize the recovery of both our economy and our schools in the process.”
Under the state constitution, Pennsylvania’s annual budget must be passed by June 30.
“The renovation of schools has been deferred for far too long,” said Sen. Art Haywood, who represents schools in both Philadelphia and Montgomery counties. Now is the time to clear the asbestos, mold, lead, and water. We must fix poor ventilation and other hazardous conditions.”
Sen. Tim Kearney gathered community leaders outside Penn Wood High School in Lansdowne.
“We cannot send our children into schools with overcrowded classrooms and broken heating, and expect them to thrive,” he said. “How can students succeed when their schools are failing? Thanks to a historic investment from the American Rescue Plan, we have a real opportunity to deliver on our promise to Pennsylvania’s children by giving schools the resources they need.”
Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, who represents Southwest Philadelphia and parts of Delaware County, said students exposed to the neglect of their schools can have that reflected in their performance.
“We must invest money that is readily into school buildings across Pennsylvania. It is appalling that we continue to allow students to sit in classrooms, walk hallways, and drink from water fountains that may be contaminated with lead, asbestos, and numerous other dangerous toxins,” he said. “How can we expect students to care about their education if they don’t feel like we are committing and investing to them and their learning environment? We need to fund our facilities and invest now in the students of Pennsylvania.”
Sen. John Kane, who spent decades as a union plumber, said he has seen first-hand the materials once used routinely on large building projects.
“I’m from the construction industry – I spent four decades there,” he said. “There are materials in these buildings that we have learned are dangerous and need to be replaced. And the longer we go without doing that, the more we’re putting our students, our teachers, and our school administrators at risk. It’s that simple. It’s time we all do our jobs to right this wrong.”
Sen. Sharif Street, whose North Philadelphia district is one of the least wealthy in Pennsylvania, said education funding is at the root of economic disparity.
“There has never been a better opportunity to fully and equally fund education in Pennsylvania. With $3 Billion in unprecedented budget surpluses, there is no greater priority than making sure our kids have the resources they need to succeed in rural and urban districts,” he said. “Property taxes, new business and even where people choose to start a family are all linked to education funding. Investing in our students will allow us to grow our economy, population and the next the next generation of Pennsylvania.”
Sen. Nikil Saval, also representing portions of Philadelphia, highlighted the opportunity presented by this year’s budget.
“Healthy communities, in which people of all ages have what they need to thrive, do not exist without healthy schools,” said Saval. “COVID has laid bare the dire conditions of school buildings throughout the state, but organizers, teachers, school administrators, parents, and children have fought long and hard to call attention to the urgent need to repair and update the crumbling infrastructure. We have an incredible opportunity, right now, to respond to their calls.”
The newest member of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus, Senator Marty Flynn, joined the press event from Scranton and represents portions of Lackawanna, Luzerne and Monroe counties.
“Now, more than ever, COVID-19 has shown the need for removing all known health hazards from our classrooms as well as providing proper ventilation systems. An unhealthy learning environment leads to overcrowded classrooms and long-term health issues for students and educators. Our six neighboring states all have existing programs to deal with health and safety hazards in their public school buildings. There is no reason Pennsylvanians can’t move to protect our students in the same way,” said Senator Marty Flynn. “In the past, opponents of fair funding have claimed that more money for broken schools means less money for other schools. The ARP funding eliminates that excuse. The money is there. We have an opportunity to do the right thing now.”
###
Pittsburgh, Pa. – June 10, 2021 − Senator Jay Costa today announced the award of $750,000 in state funding for local housing projects in Wilkinsburg and Hazelwood.
“These communities have incredible potential just waiting to be unlocked, and today’s awards will help rehabilitate and reimagine the real estate landscape while protecting its existing residents,” said Senator Costa.
Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation will receive $250,000 to expand and implement its Vacant Property Recovery Initiative, an effort to bring blighted and underutilized parcels back to productive use. The program will provide technical support and closing cost assistance for vacant residential property acquisition, recover vacant land through side lot acquisition and renewal, and perform owner-occupied rehab for existing housing.
The Hazelwood Initiative will receive $500,000 for development on Hazelwood Green. The proposal, part of Hazelwood Initiative’s “development without displacement” strategy, will develop 12 units of permanently affordable homeownership units using the City of Bridges Community Land Trust (CBCLT) model, and 19 units or permanently affordable rental units, the final phase of the 63-unit Hazelwood Affordable Rental Preservation Project.
This funding was approved by the Pennsylvania Housing & Finance Authority for the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) program. The funds come from Realty Transfer Taxes.
###
Pittsburgh, PA − June 10, 2021 − Senator Jay Costa today announced the award of more than $400,000 in Keystone Historic Preservation grants for the region on a variety of exciting projects.
“Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh are modern regions and have attracted many visitors and residents with its forward looking vision – but we are a world class place to live because of our rich past,” said Senator Costa. “The grants awarded today allow us to preserve our history and ensure that its lessons and landmarks shine for years to come.”
- The City of Pittsburgh was awarded $17,500 to update the National Register listing of the Manchester Historic District to reflect events related to civil rights and community development from the 50s and 60s.
- Rodef Shalom Congregation was awarded $13,085 for a feasibility landscaping design that will create natural physical security barriers recommended for the building’s safety by the Department of Homeland Security
- The Wilkinsburg Engagement Center was awarded $100,000 for a transition from sacred space to a civic space which will provide jobs, economic redevelopment, quality of life, and arts and culture.
- The Frick Art and Historical Center will make repairs to Clayton’s, the historic home of Henry Clay Frick and expand the lifespan of the important architectural elements with its award of $100,000.
- Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation will repair and restore #6 Cast House and Slag Flume at the National Historic Landmark Carrie Furnaces in Rankin/Swissvale with its $100,000 award.
- The Carnegie Library of Homestead will upgrade its fire protection systems with an award of $100,000.
The Keystone Historic Preservation Grant program is funded through the Keystone Recreation, Park & Conservation Fund. Over the program’s history, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission has supported 910 preservation projects through the vital funding for planning and construction.
###
HARRISBURG, June 8, 2021 – House and Senate Democrats and advocates for students from across the state joined Gov. Tom Wolf to call for investing half of the $3 billion in above-expected state revenue into improving schools for students statewide, and fully implementing the state’s Fair Funding Formula to make sure a child’s education isn’t determined by a zip code.
“It’s impossible to calculate how much we have lost as a state, as a society, thanks to inequitable funding leaving kids behind instead of growing their unlimited potential,” House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, said. “It’s time to make sure the playing field is level. It’s time to make sure a line drawn on a map decades ago isn’t a ticket to success for one child while being a ticket to struggle for another. We’ve had the tools, now we have the money. Let’s do this right.”
“We’ve been fighting for fairly, equitably, adequately funded schools for years here in Harrisburg, and we were told that there wasn’t enough money, that we had deficits, that there wasn’t enough revenue – but we don’t have those problems this year,” Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, said. “Between the American Rescue Plan and the surplus we have, there is money for our schools and the time for excuses has past. Our students must be a priority statewide, and the budget is where we can show what we value. The PA Senate Democrats, and everyone here, value students and will fight for a budget that shows it.”
“We won’t tolerate two Pennsylvania’s, divided by wealth and separated by zip code,” Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Vince Hughes, D-Phila., said. “We now have the opportunity to unite behind safe and healthy classrooms for every student, every teacher and every school employee in this commonwealth. We won’t accept less.”
“Forcing local districts to rely on their own vastly different resources causes inequities, specifically when it comes to race,” House Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Bradford, D-Montgomery, said. “Overwhelmingly, school districts with the highest shares of students of color are in the category of getting less than their fair share. We now have a tremendous opportunity through which we can finally begin fairly funding Pennsylvania schools so that every child in every district has the tools they need and the opportunity they deserve to succeed.”
The Fair Funding Formula was signed into law by Wolf in 2016 and was designed to address inequities in school districts where municipal lines divided the tax base and ensured students would be left behind no matter how high property taxes are raised compared to districts with vigorous tax bases. In some communities, adjoining districts had the same tax rate but had a difference of thousands of dollars per student in expenditures. The problem is the Fair Funding Formula has only applied to new investments since its enactment. Last year just $700 million – 11% of total school spending – was distributed fairly. This plan would apply Fair Funding to all school spending and protect all districts from any cuts.
###
Harrisburg – June 2, 2021 – At the request of Senators Wayne Fontana (D- Allegheny), Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D- Allegheny), Jim Brewster (D- Allegheny/Westmoreland), and Lindsey Williams (D- Allegheny), the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual public hearing on how Pennsylvania can best improve care in nursing homes.
“The COVID-19 pandemic was a wakeup call for us all that certain aspects of our society are not equipped to quickly and efficiently respond to crisis, and that many sectors of our society that were already struggling suffered the greatest losses due to the pandemic,” Senator Costa said. “Our nursing homes care for some of the most vulnerable members of our society, and it is imperative that these care facilities are not only equipped to respond to crisis like pandemics, but that even in the best of times they are properly staffed and overseen.”
In her testimony today, Teresa Osborne, Manager of Advocacy & Outreach at AARP PA, said that with nearly 13,300 deaths of Pennsylvanians residing in long-long term care facilities, and with Pennsylvanians 50 and over accounting for 98% of all COVID-19 related deaths, the need for action on this issue is clear.
“Nursing homes during the pandemic struggled to maintain the health and safety of their residents, the health and safe staffing levels of their employees, and family and loved were almost completely shut out of the lives of residents in congregate care settings. We must ensure that nursing homes in the future are prepared for another health crisis, and that these facilities are operating efficiently and to the highest standards at all times,” Senator Fontana said.
Senator Lindsey Williams continued, “Our nursing home residents, their families, and their loved ones have been some of the hardest hit by COVID-19, but these problems don’t begin and end with the current pandemic. We need to do more to protect the health, safety, and emotional well-being of our seniors, and hearing directly from the people who are doing this work every day is a key part of creating legislative policy that will provide the supports needed to accomplish those goals.”
Keshia Williams, a CNA Nursing Home Worker and member of SEIU Healthcare, said today in her testimony that the residents she cares for in nursing homes almost daily become like family, and sometimes residents have no other family to support them – just her and her fellow CNAs and nurses. She said that makes it even harder to deal with the fact that the state only requires 2.7 hours of care for residents in a 24-hour period.
“For decades, we sounded the alarm on chronic and dangerous understaffing and unacceptable conditions for workers and residents. We made do with dwindling resources and demanded lifesaving reform, while the industry increasingly focused on the bottom line, and rampant, unchecked nursing home sales to irresponsible owners drove down standards,” Keshia Williams said.
Dennis Biondo, Allegheny County Executive Director of Kane Community Living Centers, said in his testimony that oversight of nursing home and community care centers is done through surveys by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. He said that this is, “not going to improve nursing home care,” because instead of creating meaningful change they are just a way to check off boxes.
“Pennsylvania Department of Health is charged with the licensure and regulation of nursing homes. The Department’s Office of Quality Assurance oversees this important regulatory oversight of monitoring compliance through surveys, commonly known to the public as facility inspections, to ensure that facilities are providing adequate resident care in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. This applies to federal law and regulation since, in addition to the department’s role as the state survey entity, it is also contracted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to serve as the federal survey entity for nursing homes,” Keara Klinepeter, PA Department of Health Executive Deputy Secretary, explained.
Klinepeter said that while survey regulation was required at the federal level in Pennsylvania, and in every state across the U.S., the PA Dept of Health saw during the COVID-19 pandemic the benefits of partnerships between hospitals and medical systems to PA nursing homes through the Regional Response Program funded by CARES Act money. Klinepeter said that efforts are already in place to continue this program through federal grant funding. This will allow nursing homes in Pennsylvania to continue training staff on appropriate public health practices related to pandemic response and beyond.
In response to inquiries about nursing home complaints and surveys that result from those, Klinepeter said that the Dept of Health saw an increase of 23% in surveys in 2020. These surveys also included surveys to inspect facilities use of infection control measures.
Georgia Goodman, Leading Age PA Director of Government Affairs, reiterated the importance of maintaining employee morale and providing adequate and well-paid staff to care for residents.
“Nursing facilities can’t simply raise their prices. Two out of three residents in nursing homes are paid for by the Medical Assistance Program- the government payor that is underfunding care by an average of $80 per resident per day for our members. We are urging support for the direct allocation of $396 million to nursing facilities using the same methodology the general assembly enacted in Act 24 of 2020 to help providers with a number of financial challenges brought on by the pandemic, but none more acute than staffing,” Goodman said.
Goodman also said that her organization was grateful to collaborate on Senate Bill 1268, which offered nurse aides hired temporarily during the pandemic a path to permanent registration on the Nurse Aide registry, and they are supportive of a number of current initiatives like Senate Bill 115 to allow Pennsylvania to participate in licensure reciprocity so that nurses from other states can assist with our state’s healthcare workforce shortages.
“It is despicable that the care of our senior population in Pennsylvania seems to be an afterthought to those in charge of the oversight and guidelines for care in nursing homes and community care facilities. Nursing home complaints, oversight regulations, and the need for safe staffing levels to provide adequate care were an issue before this pandemic. Now that we have seen over 10,000 nursing home residents die of COVID-19, it is clear that Pennsylvania needs immediate and forceful action to protect our seniors and those who live in community care settings,” Sen. Kate Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, said.
Below are all who participated in today’s hearing:
- Dennis Biondo, Allegheny County, Executive Director Kane Community Living Centers
- Keara Klinepeter, PA Department of Health, Executive Deputy Secretary
- Dean Owrey, Chief Financial Officer, Vincentian Collaborative System
- Georgia Goodman, Leading Age PA, Director of Government Affairs
- Keshia Williams, CNA, Nursing Home Worker, SEIU Healthcare
- Debbie Winn-Horvitz, President & CEO, Jewish Association on Aging
- Jennifer Costello, Chester County Department of Aging, Long-term Care Ombudsman
- Teresa Osborne, Manager of Advocacy & Outreach, AARP PA
Senators who also attended this hearing include Sen. Sharif Street (D- Philadelphia) and Sen. Maria Collett (D- Bucks/Montgomery).
The full recording of this roundtable, as well as the written testimony from participants, can be found at senatormuth.com/policy. A full recording of this hearing can also be found on the PA Senate Democratic Facebook page.
###
Pittsburgh, Pa.− May 25, 2021 − Today Senator Jay Costa announced $327,180 in state grants for blight projects in the 43rd senatorial district.
“Our district has many promising neighborhoods and communities that merely need a little help with remediation to restore their original shine,” said Senator Costa. “I was inspired to fight for the projects that won awards today because I believe in the potential of these areas. I look forward to watching them succeed.”
- Tri-COG Land Bank will receive $190,000 for its Woodland Hills School District Blight Remediation project
- The Borough of Braddock Hills will receive $74,880 for a remediation project that will demolish three vacant structures and replace the dangerous facilities with a welcoming green space
- The Borough of Forest Hills will receive $19,800 to demolish the building at 21 Marion Avenue and restore landscaping to prepare for a new residence to be constructed
- The City of Pittsburgh will receive $17,500 for a planning project that will address blight in Homewood. It will develop a new plan for the neighborhood
- Oakland Planning and Development Corporation will receive $25,000 for a planning project on five local properties
The projects are funded by Act 20 of 2019 created within the Commonwealth Financing Authority the Blight Remediation Program for blight remediation, including hazard mitigation, for local governments and authorities.
###
