Tartaglione Invites Nature Lovers and Conservationists to Apply Now for New Pennsylvania Grants

Tartaglione Invites Nature Lovers and Conservationists to Apply Now for New Pennsylvania Grants

The Bureau of Recreation and Conservation can provide funding and technical assistance to plan, acquire, develop, protect, and restore natural resources.

HARRISBURG, PA, January 22, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) today invited Pennsylvania’s nature lovers and conservationists to apply for the latest series of grants being offered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).

The department’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation will be accepting applications now through April 10 for grant funding and technical assistance to help plan, acquire, and develop parks, recreation facilities, and trails. Grants may also be used to benefit critical conservation areas and watersheds, or to support many of the commonwealth’s conservation, recreation, and heritage partners.

“One of the greatest gifts we can present to our children and grandchildren is a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “This is more than a goal. It’s an essential responsibility that we can fulfill by working together as a community with contributions from the public and private sectors; professionals and volunteers; city dwellers, suburbanites, and those who live in Pennsylvania’s vast and beautiful rural counties.”

The Pennsylvania Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2014-19 (www.paoutdoorrecplan.com) identifies outdoor recreation priorities, strategies, and actions for the state. The bureau has identified additional priorities including community parks and recreation, land conservation and watershed protection, watershed restoration and rivers implementation, and trails development and rehabilitation.

Bureau staff is available to help prospective applicants develop competitive applications. Applicants are encouraged to register for either or both of two upcoming webinars on Jan. 30 and Feb. 27 via www.dcnr.pa.gov (follow the “Events” link and search the keyword “grants.”) More information on other grant programs is also available via the DCNR website.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at William.Kenny@pasenate.com.

Tartaglione Says Revenue Package that includes AVI Fix Helps Philadelphia, Provides Fiscal Stability

School Code Changes Will Hurt Teachers

Harrisburg – July 27, 2017 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) said today that the bipartisan revenue package adopted by the state Senate would fix the Actual Value Initiative (AVI) for Philadelphia and is a vast improvement, but new provisions impacting collective bargaining rights for teachers is an affront to labor unions that would cause irreparable harm.

These elements were part of a broad range of legislation considered by the Senate today. Without the approved revenue package, the $31.9 billion General Fund budget approved by the General Assembly in late June would not be balanced.

The revenue package backfills the $2.2 billion revenue deficit, makes significant changes that would aid Philadelphia and prevents a credit downgrade that would impact all taxpayers in Pennsylvania. The tax bill includes, for the first time, a Marcellus Shale energy extraction tax valued at $108 million.

“The changes in the Senate’s version of the Fiscal Code (House Bill 453) would fix the AVI for Philadelphia, which is important to my district and the entire city,” Tartaglione said. “The language would set the market value, cap future increases and prevent the loss of $270 million in state aid to the School District of Philadelphia over five years.”

The AVI fix language would set the maximum market value of property at $47 billion, then cap future increases based on the total increase for all districts. This would limit the amount of increase and help avoid large spikes, Tartaglione noted.

While the AVI change would be a win for Philadelphia, Tartaglione said the new language added to the school code impacting teacher collective bargaining rights is an egregious attack that would harm teachers and impair contract negotiations.

“The provisions added to the school code would allow for teachers to be laid off for economic reasons, refuse to consider seniority rights as it relates to layoffs, and prohibit collective bargaining agreements from dealing with economic-based layoffs,” Tartaglione said. “These are egregious provisions that would hurt labor negotiations and impact the ability of school districts and teachers to reach fair and equitable contract agreements.”

Tartaglione said the changes in the school code would be an overreach that would take away rights of labor unions to bargain fairly.

“It would break down collective bargaining and put teachers at a complete disadvantage,” Tartaglione said. “Plus, it would allow school districts to discharge teachers for economic reasons, which would give way too much discretion to school districts without due process.”

The revenue package, which would include changes to the Fiscal Code, Tax Code, School Code, Administrative Code and Human Services Code, was sent to the state House of Representatives for approval.

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Tartaglione Says Education Investments Highlight Budget Plan

Harrisburg – June 29, 2016 – State Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) said today that increased investments in basic and higher education were critical aspects of the state spending plan that was approved by the Senate today.

The legislation – Senate Bill 1073 – represents a $31.53 billion General Fund budget proposal. The measure passed the Senate 47 to 3. Tartaglione supported the proposal.

The revised budget proposal now returns to the state House for consideration.

Tartaglione’s comments about the passage of the state spending plan follow:

“There are significant fiscal challenges this year and revenues are scarce, so it is important to recognize the new investments in education. The state spending plan includes $250 million more for basic education, special education, Pre-K and Head Start and increases funding for higher education.

“The state budget plan that passed the Senate today stretched dollars to cover increased mandated expenses such as debt service payments, pension costs and corrections. The plan helps maintain human services initiatives and social safety net programs.

“I am pleased that this budget invests more in education and provides additional resources for schools.”

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