HARRISBURG, June 26, 2017 — Lawmakers from the state Senate and House of Representatives, along with Wolf Administration officials and advocates, denounced the latest attempt in Washington to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act during a rally today at the State Capitol.
The lawmakers said the Republican-led efforts in Washington will have an immediate and devastating impact on Pennsylvanians’ health care and will add to an already-gaping budget deficit.
The so-called ‘Better Care Reconciliation Act’ is not better care, unless you’re part of the wealthy elite who will benefit financially from deep cuts to programs, service and critical care,” said Democratic Leader Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny). “This is an attack on the working poor, elderly, children and Pennsylvanians with disabilities and we will not stand for it. We speak out today because we care too deeply.
“Removing health care coverage for hard working families, senior citizens and children is sickening. This effort out of Washington to repeal a landmark and historic health care act isn’t just playing politics, it’s risking lives,” said state Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia), the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “The only people who make out in all of this are the wealthiest individuals in the nation. Repealing Obamacare will hurt the Pennsylvania budget but, more importantly, it will jeopardize critical coverage for our most vulnerable citizens.”
“When the Affordable Care Act came out, people could actually get coverage and care. We must not go back to where we were before,” said state Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. “Health care is a right of every citizen. Ensuring that individuals and families have access to affordable coverage is a reasonable right. This is part of what a just and humane society does.”
“Both plans coming out of Washington will be disastrous for folks who need, want and deserve coverage. The plans dole out tax cuts to the rich on the backs of the poor, the middle class and the elderly,” said state Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), the Democratic chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. “We must stand up collectively and let Congress know that these health care efforts will be devastating to folks across Pennsylvania.”
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Pennsylvania’s uninsured rate is at its lowest point in history, and uncompensated care costs have dropped dramatically, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
One million Pennsylvanians rely on the Affordable Care Act for health coverage, including 716,000 individuals who have benefitted from the state’s Medicaid expansion and another 400,000 who have health benefits through ACA’s health care marketplace.
Both the Senate and House proposals in Congress phase out Medicaid expansion and inflict deep cuts to Medicaid. The Republican proposals will shift the cost of health care to state governments, make private insurance more expensive for older adults and lower income populations, cuts insurance subsidies for low-income and middle-class Americans in order to provide tax cuts for the rich, and defund Planned Parenthood for a year.
The lawmakers encourage constituents to share their health care story on social media using the hashtag #PASpeaksOut
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HARRISBURG, June 21, 2017 — A bipartisan group of state senators and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel today unveiled legislation to establish a public charitable trust to help children impacted by the prison system and reverse the direction of youth who are on a path leading to incarceration in Pennsylvania.
The legislation, authored by state Sens. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia, Montgomery), Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Richard Alloway (R-Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, York), would create the “First Chance Trust Fund,” which would be used to create scholarships and provide grants to programs that benefit children of incarcerated loved ones and children facing challenges.
The trust fund would be administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and would be funded by private, tax‐deductible donations and a 1 percent surcharge on vendors that have a contract with the Department of Corrections exceeding $5 million. Other Pennsylvania agencies would also have the option to include a similar provision in their contracts. It would not require the use of taxpayer dollars.
The lawmakers, along with Secretary Wetzel, highlighted the importance of this legislation during a news conference today at the state Capitol.
“This legislation will give organizations the ability to provide children who face challenges with more educational opportunities to help them stay in school, give them a sense of stability and belonging, and protect them from going down the wrong path,” said Sen. Hughes, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “It’s a wise investment that will help children, families, and the community.”
“I am pleased to join my colleagues in introducing this important initiative aimed at providing our young people most at risk of dropping out of school or ending up incarcerated with scholarships and resources that may otherwise not be available to them in an effort to help ensure that they succeed both in school and later in life,” said Sen. Browne, Republican chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Initially, the trust fund is anticipated to generate $500,000 to $1 million on an annual basis. The fund would be targeted to regions that have statistically higher high school dropout rates and risks of incarceration.
The fund, which would be the first of its kind in the country, will enable youth who are predisposed to the criminal justice system to access programs they need to complete school and become healthy and productive members of society.
“Children deserve a chance to grow and thrive and dream about what the future holds,” said Costa, the Senate Democratic Leader. “These programs – programs that recognize the potential that lives within each child, each family and each community are evidence of the opportunity we have to make a difference. When we invest in our kids and focus on their future, everyone wins.”
“I am very pleased to join with Governor Wolf, Secretary Wetzel, and fellow legislators to take this major step in providing youth with the tools that they need to succeed,” Sen. Alloway said. “This trust fund, which is unique in the nation, will provide targeted grants and scholarships at no cost to taxpayers. This program will be a model for states across the country and I am excited to play a part in assisting our neediest of youth.”
Children continue to enter the justice system at alarming rates. Additionally, there are more than 81,000 Pennsylvania children with a parent in prison, and approximately 65 percent of Pennsylvania state inmates have at least one child, according to the Department of Corrections.
The absence — which some psychologists have compared to the death of a parent — through the formative years can have deleterious effects on a child. Dealing with the emotional, social and economic consequences of that loss can trigger behavioral problems, lead to trouble in school and the possibility of dropping out and continuing the cycle of crime.
“This legislation will be a game-changer for the many children with parents in Pennsylvania prisons,” said Secretary Wetzel. “We know that not finishing school is very often the first step in the downward spiral that leads to incarceration. We need to ensure that these vulnerable children instead have a ‘first chance’ to get the education, programs and support they need for success.”
Representatives and students from two organizations that work with at-risk children participated in the news conference and highlighted the benefits of investing in programs that are providing children with a “first chance.”
POPS (Pain of the Prison System) the Club, located at Steelton-Highspire High School, offers students who have been impacted by the pain of the prison system — those with incarcerated loved ones and those who have been incarcerated themselves — with community and emotional support, as well as opportunities to publish the writings and artwork they create through the club.
“Any initiative that places an emphasis on our youth is critical to the future success of our world. Programs such as POPS shed a light on incarceration and the struggles associated with children and families when a loved one goes to prison,” said POPS art teacher Jennifer Morrison. “POPS breaks the stigma and gives children an opportunity to heal, learn and grow from the experience through creative writing and visual arts. By creating ways to fund programs like this we can ensure that students who may face a hardship do not become defined by their circumstances.”
Amachi Pittsburgh provides children impacted by incarceration and children facing challenges with a different path by establishing the consistent presence of loving, caring mentors. The initiative partners with secular and faith-based organizations working together to provide mentoring to children.
“Tens of thousands of young people in Pennsylvania will go to bed tonight while one of their parents goes to bed in prison. And many are worried whether they will also end up behind bars in the future,” said Anna Hollis, executive director of Amachi Pittsburgh. “This groundbreaking legislation provides an innovative vehicle for children impacted by parental incarceration to have a viable first chance at a bright future, and for that, Amachi Pittsburgh commends Secretary Wetzel and our bipartisan state senators for advancing such a monumental effort.”
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Harrisburg – February 1, 2017 – State Senate Democrats said that Gov. Tom Wolf should call a special session of the General Assembly to ensure that legislation that results in significant property tax relief or total elimination is passed and signed into law this session.
At a news conference today at the state Capitol, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said taxpayers of Pennsylvania have waited too long for relief from escalating tax bills.
“We believe there should be a full, complete and transparent discussion of any and all tax relief or elimination proposals,” Costa said. “A special session provides the kind of platform that is needed for citizens and lawmakers to understand specifics about each proposal.”
Leading the call for the special session, state Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) said, “Relief from property tax needs to be addressed without delay.”
In the letter to the governor, the Democrats stated, “Our taxpayers have waited far too long for action on this important issue. They want lawmakers to set aside partisan agendas and enact a significant property tax reform or elimination measure–NOW.”
Working families are struggling to pay mortgages and save for college for their children while seniors have to scrape resources together to make ends meet; property taxes add to their burden, the letter said.
Boscola, who has been a long-time advocate of property tax elimination and relief, said that “my goal is to pass legislation that will eliminate the property tax and replace it with a better system to fund public education. Our homeowners deserve it and our children need it.”
Another strong proponent of calling the special session is Senate Democratic Whip Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia/Delaware).
“Addressing property tax relief or elimination needs to be a top priority, but is critical that we look at all the plans closely and find common ground,” Williams said. “A special session will force the General Assembly to focus on the issue, act assertively and come forward with a proposal that is balanced and equitable.
“Our property taxpayers have waited long enough.”
Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Sen. Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) endorsed the call for a special session.
“The issue of property taxes has been a top priority for Pennsylvanians, many of whom have seen significant tax increases over the past few years,” Hughes said. “This special session would serve as an opportunity to thoroughly examine how we can provide the sustainable property tax relief that Pennsylvanians want and deserve while ensuring that our school districts are still properly funded.”
Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna) said that a special session will allow lawmakers to fashion a plan that strikes a balance between property tax relief and reliable state support for public education.
“For many Pennsylvanians – particularly our seniors and lower income property owners – there is a very real school property tax crisis. I remain committed to a responsible solution that can significantly reduce and, if possible, eliminate the property tax burden on these lower income property owners,” Blake said. “I believe strongly that a special session on property tax reform can finally allow the legislature to strike the appropriate balance between property tax relief and the assurance of sufficient, predictable and reliable state financial support for public education.”
Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) said he hoped a special session will spur lawmakers to act.
“For too long our taxpayers have watched while the General Assembly has tried to deal with reducing property taxes,” Brewster said. “There are many plans now being drafted or considered and lawmakers need to come together on a plan that provided real relief or elimination. Taxpayers have waited too long.
“A special session is an excellent forum for all plans to be discussed, including the plan to totally eliminate property taxes.”
Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) said that there are several approaches to address tax reform, but lawmakers need to be thoughtful about how tax elimination impacts schools.
“If we’re going to get serious about providing property tax relief or elimination, we must do it thoughtfully. We certainly can’t hastily approve an elimination plan at the expense of our public schools,” Street said. “There are several approaches to addressing property taxes, so a special session would provide us with a clearer path toward true relief.”
Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks), who has long been an advocate of property tax elimination, said school property tax is a complicated issue.
“One large source of revenue for school funding must be replaced with multiple other sources, and we must do this fairly and uniformly,” Schwank said. “Let’s use this special session to strike a balance between relieving the heavy burden property owners face, while also providing our schools with a reliable source of investment.”
Sen. Art Haywood (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) said that property tax reform is a complex issue, but one that must be addressed.
“Property taxes remain an important issue to address. I still maintain that the appropriate solution will prove complex. We must dedicate time and effort to ensure the solution is successful,” Haywood said.
“The property tax is no longer sustainable as the sole source of funding for public education. It is high time for us to come together in the spirit of bipartisanship to develop and enact new and lasting solutions to the ongoing burden of rising property taxes on Pennsylvania homeowners,” Sen. Andy Dinniman (D-Chester) who serves as minority chair of the Senate Education Committee said. “This is a process that must involve both school districts and direct input from taxpayers and homeowners.”
The governor is empowered to call a special session of the General Assembly under the provisions of Article II, Section 4 and Article IV, Section 12 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
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Harrisburg, July 10, 2016 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) released the following comments in support of Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement that he was allowing the state budget bill (Senate Bill 1073) to become law without his signature.
The governor said that he will continue working on a bipartisan revenue package to fund the $31.53 billion state spending plan for Fiscal 2016-17. The spending measure that cleared the Senate with a bipartisan 47 to 3 vote includes $200 million in new dollars for basic education, $20 million more for special education and additional fund for early childhood education.
Sen. Jay Costa:
“In letting the budget become law and keeping the dollars flowing for key programs, the governor is appropriately moving the state forward. The state spending plan is solid budget that includes new funds for basic education, special education, early childhood education and dollars for opioid treatment. Work must continue on a bipartisan basis to find the resources and revenues that are needed to fund these key initiatives.”
Sen. Vincent J. Hughes:
“The state budget was developed in a bipartisan way and it passed both chambers with overwhelming bipartisan support. While we all have differing priorities, I am pleased that the measure will go into effect so important social service programs and funding initiatives are not interrupted. Revenues are tight and choices hard, but we must continue working in a bipartisan way to find sustainable revenues and balance the state spending plan.”
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