News Releases
Senate Democrats Press Corbett on Human Services Funding Failures
PITTSBURGH, January 30, 2014 – Flanked by people who have struggled due to state human services budget cuts, Senate Democrats today detailed their budget priorities and challenged Gov. Tom Corbett to produce a spending plan that is aligned with the needs of...
Costa Pleased that Court Strikes Voter ID Law
Harrisburg – Jan. 17, 2013 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) issued the following reaction to Commonwealth Court’s rejection of the controversial voter ID law. The law required all voters to produce approved photo identification prior to casting their...
Gov. Heeds Democratic Call to Drop Lottery Privatization Plan
Harrisburg – Dec. 30, 2013 – Gov. Tom Corbett’s decision to discontinue his attempt to privatize the state Lottery is good news for Pennsylvania taxpayers and it aligns with repeated Senate Democratic calls for him to drop the plan and stop wasting resources, Senate...
Sen. Costa Testifies at Healthy PA Hearing
The following are Sen. Costa's remarks at the Healthy PA hearing in Pittsburgh on Dec. 20: Thank you very much for providing me the opportunity to discuss Gov. Corbett’s Healthy PA plan. This is an important initiative and I am pleased to convey my thoughts about...
Costa Reacts to Supreme Court’s Decision Overturning Zoning Preemption of Drilling Law
Harrisburg – Dec. 19, 2013 – In a significant decision announced today, the state Supreme Court overturned portions of Act 13, a law that established an extraction fee and regulations regarding Marcellus shale drilling in Pennsylvania. Several members of the Senate...
Child Protection Legislative Package Clears Senate, Costa Says
Harrisburg – December 12, 2013 – A legislative package designed to help prevent child abuse and increase protections for children has now cleared the Senate and is headed to the governor for approval, according to Senate Democratic Leader, Sen. Jay Costa...
Grant Approved to Spur Development at Former Atom Smashers Site, Costa Says
Harrisburg – December 12, 2013 – The former Westinghouse Atom Smasher site that straddles Chalfant Borough and Forest Hills in Allegheny County will be the subject of an environmental site assessment funded by an $88,000 Industrial Sites Reuse Program (ISRP) grant,...
Senate Democrats Outline Billion Dollar Budget Savings and Revenue Plan
Harrisburg – December 10, 2013 – In advance of the governor’s planned mid-year budget briefing, state Senate Democrats today announced details of a plan to generate more than $1 billion in budget savings and revenues they say can be used to make key investments, avoid...
Senate Democrats Announce Legislative Plan for Veterans
Harrisburg – November 19, 2013 – At a Capitol news conference today, Senate Democrats outlined a comprehensive package of legislation designed to help veterans and their families deal with issues as they return to civilian life from military service. According to...
Senate Democrats Cite New IFO Report as Evidence of Corbett Leadership Failure
Democratic Leaders Outline Specific Revenue Initiatives Harrisburg – November 15, 2013 – On the heels of the Independent Fiscal Office’s (IFO) release of its budget outlook report suggesting that Pennsylvania is facing a structural deficit of $839 million next year,...
General Assembly Launches New Website
HARRISBURG – A completely revamped version of the General Assembly’s website was launched this morning to give the public better access to a wide array of legislative information, including bill text and history, votes in the Senate and the House, committee meetings...
Senate Democrats’ Small Games Plan Now Backed by Governor
Harrisburg – October 24, 2013 – State Senate Democrats said today they were pleased that Gov. Tom Corbett has now signaled his approval of their plan to direct revenues generated from small games of chance in taverns to the Lottery Fund. The Democratic plan would bolster lottery programs and create a potential funding source for a property tax freeze benefitting seniors.
Costa: Low Interest Loans Offer Economic and Environmental Benefits for Pittsburgh
Harrisburg – October 23, 2013 – More than $5 million in low-interest loans for sewer projects in the City of Pittsburgh were approved by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) today, according to state Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny.) “The new...
Costa: Failure to Adopt Mass Transit Plan has Economic, Public Safety Consequences
Harrisburg, October 10, 2013 – State Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), the Senate’s Democratic Leader, today released the following statement reminding his House and Senate colleagues that funding for mass transit needs to remain a top priority as discussions continue on...
Experts, Analysts Weigh-in on Comprehensive Senate Democratic Plan to Grow Jobs, Spark Economic Development, Help Veterans
SCRANTON, Oct. 8, 2013 – Venture capitalists, public policy experts and economic development analysts today debated the strategic elements of the Senate Democratic plan to grow jobs and foster business creation and expansion in Pennsylvania. Called “PA Works,” the...
Senate Democrats Comment on Corbett Health Plan
Harrisburg, September 16, 2013 – Senate Democrats issued the following joint statement in response to Gov. Tom Corbett’s announcement of his plan to reform the state’s Medicaid program. Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), Sen. Vincent J. Hughes...
Senate Democratic Caucus Pushes Governor to Take Urgent Steps to Expand CHIP
HARRISBURG, Aug. 20, 2013 – As more Pennsylvania children continue to drop from the rolls of the state’s landmark Children’s Health Insurance Program, a unified Senate Democratic Caucus urged the governor today to take immediate action to correct the problem. The...
Costa Disputes Corbett Administration on Philly Schools Deal
Harrisburg, August 13, 2013 – Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) today issued a statement disputing the Corbett administration contention that state funding earmarked for the Philadelphia School District was contingent on additional concessions from...
Sen. Jay Costa Statement on Death of former Gov. William W. Scranton
Harrisburg – July 29, 2013 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) released the following statement concerning the death of former Pennsylvania Gov. William Scranton. Gov. Scranton died Sunday in California. Scranton, who was elected as Governor of...
Senate Democrats Again Call for Gov. to End Lottery Privatization Plan
Harrisburg – July 19, 2013 – Citing yesterday’s announcement by the Pennsylvania Lottery of record sales and revenues for the 2012-13 Fiscal Year, Senate Democrats released a letter that was sent to Gov. Tom Corbett today asking that he immediately end plans to privatize the Lottery.
Costa: State Funding Aids Homestead Development
Harrisburg – July 15, 2013 – More than $1.1 million in state tax credits that will help finance a multi-phased development in Homestead have been approved by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), state Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said today. “This is...
Costa Applauds Medicaid Expansion Legislation as it Clears Senate
Harrisburg – June 30, 2013 – Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) released the following statement after the Senate passed Medicaid expansion language as a part of the Welfare Code legislation: “The expansion of Medicaid is a win for Pennsylvania. It...
Costa Votes in Support of Budget Plan
Harrisburg – June 30, 2013 – State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said that while he has reservations about the budget plan that was approved in the Senate today, he was willing to support the $28.375 spending plan because it includes positive...
Costa Hails Medicaid Expansion Legislation as it Clears Key Committee
Harrisburg – June 28, 2013 – Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said that he was ecstatic that Medicaid expansion language was included in legislation that cleared the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee today. The expansion language was...
Senate Democrats Call for Quickening the Pace of Reform at PSU
HARRISBURG – June 26, 2013 – At a Capitol news conference, Sens. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Andy Dinniman (D-Chester) and Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin) called for a more rapid pace of reform of the governing structure at Penn State and said the...
Costa Comments on Sen. McIlhinney Liquor Plan
Harrisburg – June 18, 2013 – State Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) issued the following statement on the liquor privatization plan offered by Sen. McIlhinney. “Senate Democrats are unified in support of modernization not privatization. “We believe that the system should...
Senate Democrats Praise Corbett’s Nominees for Supreme Court, Turnpike, LCB, PUC
HARRISBURG, June 13, 2013 – Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said Senate Democrats believe Gov. Tom Corbett has made excellent choices in selecting highly qualified, experienced, skilled and dedicated public servants as nominees to fill vacancies...
Costa Comments on Senate Passage of Transportation Bill
Harrisburg – June 5, 2013 – State Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of a signature transportation funding bill (Senate Bill 1). Once fully implemented, the measure would generate an additional $2.5 billion annually to...
Senate Democrats Budget Properly Funds Education, Job Creation, Social Services
Harrisburg, June 3, 2013– Senate Democrats today presented their version of a 2013-14 state budget which they say is a responsible alternative to the short-sighted and ill-advised spending plans offered by Gov. Tom Corbett and House Republicans. Senate Democratic...
$ 300 Million Education Common Core Mandate Threatens Graduation
Harrisburg, May 13, 2013 – A new unfunded education mandate now being quietly pursued by the Corbett administration will soon saddle school districts with a $ 300 million expense and threaten graduation for thousands of students across Pennsylvania, Senate Democrats said today at a Capitol news conference.