HARRISBURG, September 10, 2012 – State Sen. Jay Costa said families can save $50 by enrolling online in the college savings program operated by the state treasurer’s office in September.
“From now through the end of September, the PA 529 GSP plan is offering free enrollment for all new accounts that are opened online this month, saving families the $50 enrollment fee,” Costa said. “Using this program helps families cope with the high cost of a college education.”
To open or contribute to an account, visit www.PA529.com or call 1-800-440-4000. Constituents may use the code “Jay Costa” when they enroll online in the PA 529 GSP to waive the $50 enrollment fee.
The contributions made to PA 529 plans are tax deductible and when they are used for qualified education expenses are state and federal tax exempt.
“The PA 529 plan is a key financial tool that helps families manage college costs. It may also be used grandparents and friends to contribute to a student’s education,” Costa said.
Costa (D-Allegheny), a longtime advocate of funding for higher education during his tenure in the Senate, said that investing in a PA 529 account is smart and forward-thinking. PA 529 contributions grow at the rate of tuition inflation. The lawmaker said that if a family saves enough for a semester at a state system university today, there will be enough to pay for another semester at the school in the future – regardless of tuition increases in the future.
Costa serves as the Senate Democratic Leader and is a member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Pittsburgh and the Community College of Allegheny County. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Duquesne University law school in Pittsburgh.
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Harrisburg – July 24, 2012 – Two pieces of legislation dealing with criminal sentencing and changes to Pennsylvania’s tax law authored by state Sen. Jay Costa were merged into other legislation, passed by the General Assembly and signed into law.
“I am pleased that the two pieces of legislation that I put together were included in broader legislative proposals and signed into law by the governor,” Costa (D-Allegheny) said.
Sen. Costa’s SB 519 was amended into a sweeping prison reform proposal that was enacted as Act 122. The provisions of the measure clarify the burglary statute as it relates to three-strike sentencing.
As a leading voice for changes in correction policy, Costa spoke repeatedly on the Senate floor about the need to adopt strong sentencing reforms as a way to reduce mounting corrections costs. The reforms included in Act 122 are expected to save taxpayers $251 million over the next five years.
“For many years I served on the state sentencing commission and as Democratic chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee so I know about the costs of incarceration and how taxpayers have to confront costs,” Costa said. “I’ve been a proponent of alternative sentencing measures and more cost-effective methods of dealing with non-violent offenders.
“My legislation clearly defines burglary and how this offense should be interpreted as a part of the sentencing process.”
Costa said the other piece of legislation was amended into the tax code. Costa’s proposal exempts the transfer of real estate between a step-parent and a step-child from realty transfer taxes. This measure was signed into law as Act 85.
“The inclusion of language from my legislation – SB 593 – in the tax code was the most efficient way of ensuring its passage this session,” he said.
Costa said that the sentencing reform was a key aspect of the budget and policy priorities outlined by Senate Democrats.
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Harrisburg – July 19, 2012 – A noted Pittsburgh attorney who is regularly recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer has been appointed to a three-year term on the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) by Senate Democratic Leader state Sen. Jay Costa (D-Forest Hills.)
Costa announced that he appointed Dennis A. Watson of the downtown firm Grogan Graffam, PC to serve on IRRC.
“Dennis Watson will be a terrific addition to IRRC and make a valued contribution to improving Pennsylvania government,” Costa said. “Dennis has a wealth of experience in a wide range of legal issues, is a seasoned litigator, dedicated professional and a person who is committed to public service.”
Costa forwarded Watson’s appointment to IRRC on July 16. IRRC is a state commission charged with the oversight and review of all proposed and existing rules promulgated by various state agencies, authorities, courts or municipal governmental.
“IRRC plays a key role in making sure that rules and regulations proposed by government are in the best interest of the public and that they are rational and reasonable,” Costa said. “With Dennis’ experience, he will quickly make his mark in ensuring that proposed rules hit the mark and have no unintended consequences.”
Watson currently serves as President of Grogan Graffam PC. He has been president since 1998 and has been a shareholder since 1983.
A former school director in the North Hills School District, Watson has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and received his law degree, cum laude in 1977 from the University of Pittsburgh. Watson’s practice includes complex commercial, construction, maritime insurance and personal injury cases.
“Dennis has been recognized by his peers and state and federal courts for his legal work,” Costa said. “He is also committed to his community and has served on a number of boards in West View.”
Watson is a proctor in the Maritime Law Association, served as Special Master for Allegheny County and in the Western District of the U.S. District Court and has been a member of Pennsylvania’s Joint State Government Commission’s Advisory Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution.
IRRC was created by Act 181 of 1982.
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Harrisburg, July 6, 2012 – State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa said that the Senate Democratic appeal of the Legislative Reapportionment Commission Final Plan was filed with the Supreme Court today. (View Sen. Costa’s Statement)
Costa, on behalf of his caucus, is asking the court to review the map that was approved by the commission June 8 on a 4-1 vote, with Costa voting no. Costa (D-Allegheny) says the partisan map has far too many unnecessary county splits in violation of the Pennsylvania Constitution and that the commission failed to heed the guidance of the court’s opinion when it rejected the first gerrymandered map.
In January, the Supreme Court threw out the first version of the redistricting plan saying that the map contained far too many unnecessary splits. It remanded the plan back to the Legislative Reapportionment Commission for reconsideration.
Costa’s comments on the filing are as follows:
“The Senate Democrats filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court asking that the redistricting plan adopted in June by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission be overturned. The partisan map the commission approved contained far too many county splits, was drawn to explicitly help Republicans retain their Senate majority at the expense of citizens’ rights, and was adopted in violation of due process.
“During commission consideration of the final plan, I offered a specific amendment that would have significantly reduced the number of the county splits while holding the population deviation steady. Despite the value of reducing splits and hewing to Constitution, the commission rejected my amendment thus validating my position that the final map contained unnecessary splits and was flawed.
The final map does an injustice to Sen. Ferlo’s district without an opportunity for Sen. Ferlo’s constituency to comment and contains unnecessary splits in Beaver, Cumberland, Dauphin, Montgomery, Washington and Allegheny Counties, among others, that are for political reasons and not grounded in constitutional law. The plan should be reviewed closely and rejected because it puts us back to where we started – with a plan that is unconstitutional.”
→ Click here to view the appeals that have been filed.
Harrisburg – July 2, 2012 – Senate Democratic Leader, Sen. Jay Costa sent a letter today to Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley asking that he not call a special election in the 37th Senate District to replace Sen. John Pippy (R-Allegheny) who resigned over the weekend.
Costa (D-Allegheny) said that a special election would be costly and unwise.
“Holding an election a month or so before a regular election at a significant cost to the taxpayer is not ‘in the public interest,’ ” Costa wrote.
In the letter, Costa said that the estimated costs of a special election range between $200,000 to $400,000. Costa also noted that the Senate only had eight scheduled session days before the General Election.
Text of the Letter:
July 2, 2012
Dear Gov. Cawley:
On Saturday, June 30, 2012 Sen. John Pippy submitted his resignation as state Senator representing the 37th senatorial district. As you know, Sen. Pippy announced earlier that he was not seeking re-election for another term after years of honorable service. The voters of the 37th Senate District will elect a senator for a full, four-year term at the General Election on November 6, 2012.
I am respectfully requesting that a special election not be called due to the prohibitive cost to the taxpayers and the fact that the voters will select their new senator at the November 6th General Election. Under current law – Section 628 of the Election Code– you are not compelled to call a special election. In fact, the language of the code specifically says that “if the vacancy shall occur less than (7) months prior to the expiration of the term, a special election shall be held only if in the opinion of the presiding officer the election is in the public interest.”
Holding an election a month or so before a regular election at a significant cost to the taxpayer is not “in the public interest.” Given the pending General Election, taxpayer money would be wasted for no legitimate reason. The cost of a special election – estimates ranging between $200,000 and $400,000 borne by taxpayers – is too steep given Pennsylvania’s tight fiscal situation. A regularly scheduled election at no additional cost will occur within a few weeks.
The Senate has scheduled only eight session days before the General Election. Thus, the taxpayers would have to pay $25,000 to $50,000 per session day, for a Senator whose term would expire in a few months. I remind you that the taxpayers already were forced to incur these excessive costs when the special election in the 40th Senate District was scheduled in August, 2012, rather than on November 6, 2012, when the General Election is scheduled.
The scheduling of a special election in the district immediately prior to the General Election would be quite distracting to the Allegheny and Washington County Election Departments, which are currently involved in the preparations for the General Election. Needless to say, these preparations have been compounded by the new Voting ID Legislation. As you can appreciate, with so much taxpayer money at stake, and so few remaining session days in the Senate, it would be inappropriate to pursue a partisan objective, when the voters already are scheduled to select their new 37th District State Senator on November 6, 2012.
Thank you for your consideration.
