HARRISBURG, PA − June 12, 2018 − The Pennsylvania Senate Democrats voted unanimously against a Senator Aument amendment to create judicial districts, as part of the redistricting reform bill, Senate Bill 22.
Ultimately, the amendment passed by a partisan vote of 31 to 18, with several Republicans voting against it as well.
Senate Bill 22 was intended to create an independent commission for the redistricting process, to prevent gerrymandering and ensure fair, competitive elections. The irony and hypocrisy of the amendment from Senator Aument is that its purpose is to gerrymander the court system. It would create commission-drawn districts for judges – instead of statewide elections, as they are now.
“This amendment hijacked a well-intentioned bill to restore public faith in government,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. (D-Allegheny). “The Republicans who voted for it are doing so in retaliation for the Supreme Court’s recent decision on their gerrymandered maps from 2010. It would ensure a Republican majority on the court, while the advocates and supporters of Senate Bill 22 have been pursuing fair elections. The Republicans in the Senate who voted for this amendment are complicit in working aginst the goals of Senate Bill 22.”
“Senator Aument’s amendment is a poison pill to many in our caucus, and we have heard the same from good government organizations including Fair Districts PA, Committee of 70 and the League of Women Voters,” Senator Costa continued.
“Here we are: bamboozled, run amok, led astray, taken down one path and led to another,” said Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia). “The gerrymandering we were supposed to be addressing in 22 has turned into creating gerrymandering in the election of judges.”
“This is not the time or place for this amendment,” said Senator Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh), the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 22, during floor debate. “Without consensus or further vetting, it is wrong to attach this controversial amendment to Senate Bill 22. Unlike Senate Bill 22, there have been no hearings on this issue, and we have not heard from experts. There have been no working groups or analysis as to why this proposal could be better than what we have now. Please colleagues, do not let this bill be hijacked.”
“This [amendment] does not make us a stronger Commonwealth, this divides us,” said Senator Anthony H. Williams, the Democratic chair of the State Government Committee.
Senate Bill 22 is expected to be voted on final passage, in its amended form, on Wednesday, June 13.
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Harrisburg – June 13, 2017 – Committed to positioning Pennsylvania as a leader in the battle against global climate change, Sens. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) and Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia/Delaware), along with Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto today outlined legislation to support the continuation of the Obama Clean Power Plan.
“The recent actions of President Trump to dismiss the realities of climate change and abandon the Paris climate accord will be felt from Pennsylvania to Paris,” Costa said. “We have a moral and ethical responsibility as elected officials to do the right thing, at the right time for the right reasons.
“Ensuring a healthy future for our children IS the right reason — and the time is now.”
Legislation being introduced by Costa, Fontana and Williams would ensure that Pennsylvania continue to fulfill its responsibility in fighting global climate change, meet commitments under the Paris climate accord and attains the goals set forth in the Obama Clean Power Plan.
Under the Clean Power Plan, Pennsylvania was required to reduce its emissions by 29 million tons, or 24 percent below 2012 levels by 2030. Pennsylvania is well-positioned to meet this target given its current transition from coal generation and growing investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The legislation would require the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to revisit the plan it was pursuing just months ago for submission to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Rather than submit the plan to the EPA, the bill would require the DEP to submit it to the General Assembly for final approval and subsequent implementation statewide.
Fontana again called on the president to reconsider his decision and the impact it will have for generations to come, after using Pittsburgh as an example in his announcement to leave the Paris accord.
“Again, I urge President Trump to visit Pittsburgh and meet with city and business leaders to get a better understanding of our city’s transformation from a gritty industrial town to a thriving and economically diverse metropolis,” Fontana said. “They can also explain to him how the Paris Agreement would strengthen Pittsburgh, our region and our country.”
Williams said that the president’s decision to leave the Paris agreement will have significant local impact.
“The Paris climate accord should not be a partisan issue and removing the United States from the agreement was a mistake,” Williams said. “The impact of this decision has significant local impact. Children in the city and suburbs, those with asthma and other breathing disorders, low income families and others will be deeply affected because of the change in the climate.
“We need a singular voice and vision on climate change because it is real and it has such a wide reach. Given the decision on the federal level, Pennsylvania lawmakers have little choice but to move forward on their own and fix the problem.”
Following the president’s decision, mayors from across the nation, including Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto joined forces and redoubled their collective efforts to combat climate change.
“Pittsburgh — and Pennsylvania — need to keep being leaders in fighting climate change, despite poor decision-making by the President. I want to thank Senators Costa, Fontana and Williams for their commitment to our planet, and to future generations of Pennsylvanians.”
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June 22, 2016 – State Senate Democratic Whip Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia/Delaware) today said that the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) has been devastated by recurring state budget cuts and that the state spending plan now under consideration needs to address agency funding shortfalls.
“The PHRC has an incredibly important job to do and it cannot function properly if its funding is slashed year in and year out,” Williams said today.
Williams was joined at a news conference at the Capitol by his Democratic colleague from Philadelphia Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), Senate Democratic leader Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), Democratic Appropriations Chair Sen. Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) other Democratic senators and advocates.
“The agency’s ability to ensure that civil rights protections are upheld has been compromised by chronic underfunding,” Tartaglione said. “We are here to request that additional funds be included in the appropriation for the commission so it has the resources to do its important work.”
The state appropriation for the PHRC has fallen from $10.6 million in 2008 to $8.7 million last year. The total agency budget was reduced from $14.1 million to $10 million over the same time span.
“Incredibly, at a time when we should be doing more to protect civil rights, the agency dedicated to this purpose has had to dramatically cut staff and is under pressure to close cases without proper investigation,” Williams said.
The lawmakers are seeking an additional $2 million in state funding in this budget to bolster operations at the PHRC.
“I am pleased that my Senate Democratic colleagues and those representatives that have been touched by the work of the PHRC have come out today to support the call for more funding,” Williams said. “It is important that those of us who are committed to preserving this agency as a protector of civil rights stay united and put pressure on budget negotiators.”
Williams said that staffing at the commission is at a crisis point. According to the senator, the historical complement of investigators and professional staff has been just under 200 employees. Today, there are only 76 investigators and professionals to handle the agency’s responsibilities.
“Values like equality, service, integrity, excellence and teamwork were once associated with the commission and its operations,” Williams said. “The PHRC was once recognized as a preeminent protector of civil rights.
“We can get the agency back to that position of being a nationally-recognized leader, but it has to be funded properly.”
The call for more funding and for making systemic repairs at the commission follows media reports about upheaval at the agency over the last several years. Allegations of long-time staff being forced out, hostile working conditions and discriminatory hiring practices have been cited in news reports.
The operations of the commission were recently examined at a Senate State Government Committee hearing requested by Williams earlier this month.
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Harrisburg – Dec. 29, 2015 – Senate Democrats provided the following reaction to Gov. Tom Wolf’s line-item veto of a Republican budget plan. The governor released six months of emergency funding for schools and human service programs, or $23.39 billion of the House Republican’s original $30.3 billion proposal.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa’s (D-Allegheny) remarks follow:
“The governor’s action today will hopefully force House Republican lawmakers back to Harrisburg to finish work on a responsible spending plan. Legislators need to return to business and work toward the passage of the $30.8 billion budget framework agreement.
“The House Republican budget was $500 million out of balance. It does not address the $1.3 billion structural deficit that has hobbled state government and simply continued Corbett-type budgeting for another year. After the House Republicans walked away from a responsible budget plan last week, the governor had few options.
“The governor’s release of six-months of emergency funding for schools and human service programs pushes money to schools and programs that are confronted by serious financial challenges.”
Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Sen. Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) on the line-item veto:
“The purposeful decision of House Republicans to repeatedly stonewall the agreed-to framework budget has left Pennsylvania’s school system on the brink of collapse, so I applaud the governor’s decision to approve emergency funding for school districts throughout the commonwealth.
“Our schools have gone above the call of duty to keep their doors open. They cannot continue to do that, nor should we allow that to happen.
“Pennsylvania’s financial situation remains an urgent one despite the governor’s action today. Members of the House GOP need to get back to Harrisburg as quickly as they left and approve the agreed-to framework 2015-2016 budget because this is short-term help. Schools will close if the leadership in this lone caucus continues its bad behavior.”
Senate Democratic Whip Sen. Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia/Delaware) provided the following statement on the governor’s action:
“The organizations that operate in the shadows of Pennsylvania life are closing their doors because of House Republicans are willfully and callously ignoring their plight.
“Our human service agencies needed a relief valve from the unfair financial burden being placed on them by one of the four legislative caucuses, and Gov. Wolf rightly gave it to them.”
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Contact: Stacey Witalec
Sen. Jay Costa
717-877-2997
switalec@pasenate.com
HARRISBURG, March 12, 2014 – State Senate Democrats today said they would save Pennsylvania taxpayers billions of dollars and solve the state’s pension problem if their proposal to further reform pension rules, refinance billions and help school districts avoid escalating payments is adopted.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny); the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna), Senate Whip Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia); the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Vince Hughes (D-Philadelphia); and Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia) unveiled the caucus’ proposal during a briefing with Capitol news correspondents.
With the State Employees’ Retirement System and the Public School Employees’ Retirement System drowning in a sea of underfunding approaching $50 billion, the Senate Democratic proposal would refinance $9 billion of that, further reform the state pension law to stop charter schools from receiving double-dip state reimbursements, and lower the collars on state and school district payments to provide short-term budget relief while also making it easier to manage future cost increases.
“The pension reform plan we are suggesting is smart and innovative. It saves money and creates a plausible responsible fiscal roadmap for the future,” Sen. Costa said. “Refinancing $9 billion in existing unfunded liabilities would decrease long-term payments by $24 billion. Over the next five years, it would save school districts $600 million and the commonwealth $1 billion.”
The Democratic Senators said they are making this proposal because it would avoid the dangers posed by Gov. Tom Corbett’s pension proposal, such as:
- $2 billion in additional payments over the next four years, including $550 million more in the 2015-’16 state budget
- $5 billion more in unfunded pension liabilities, and
- The camouflaging of increased future costs that could add millions more to the pension crisis.
Sen. Blake repeated the Democratic Caucus’ mantra that time is of the essence for these critical changes to happen.
“If we continue to delay our responsibility to fulfill our fiduciary requirement and deliver what has been promised in retirement to thousands of educators and public employees, it will be taxpayers, their children, and their children’s children who will have to pay the bill,” Blake said. “We cannot allow that to happen.
“The Corbett administration has already refinanced billions in debt to make a bad situation better when it floated nearly $4 billion in bonds to restore Pennsylvania’s unemployment compensation reserves in 2012. We must do the same with pensions,” the Lackawanna County Democrat said.
Senate Democratic Appropriations Chairman Vince Hughes urged bipartisan support for the caucus’ proposal.
“People from across the political spectrum are, and have been, educators and state employees. They are depending on us to fix this growing problem and this is the solution we need,” Hughes said. “Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly must work together to get this idea to the governor’s desk.”
Sen. Williams said he believes fiscally responsible lawmakers will especially like the proposal to eliminate the current practice that allows charter schools be reimbursed by the state for pension payments that are completely paid for by school districts.
“This has been a good deal for charter schools, but the set up is hurting school districts, taxpayers and students across the state,” Williams said. “Making this change will significantly reduce school district pension payments because it will eliminate the 50 percent reimbursement that charter schools now receive after districts pay the escalating pension bill.”
And, Sen. Farnese said it is important for the commonwealth to continue its defined benefits pension system because it requires financial professionals to manage contributions.
“Too many people who are approaching retirement don’t have the nest eggs to guarantee them the security and independence they need to do the things they dreamed of doing when they were working,” Farnese said. “Defined benefit pensions are still the most efficient way to save for retirement. Moving away from that system will only hurt the financial security of future generations.”
The National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Mass., issued a report in February indicating that half of the households where people are on the cusp of retirement (65 to 69 years old) have retirement accounts of $5,000 or less.
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