HARRISBURG, Jan. 8, 2013 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione, recently re-appointed as Democratic chair of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, said today she will use the position to push for changes in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage law in order to prevent working parents from sinking into poverty.
“This is the committee where I’m comfortable and this is the committee where I have had great experience and success,” she said. “Making sure there are jobs for everyone who wants to work and making sure those jobs pay enough to put food on the table have been my main focus in the Senate and that will remain the same.”
The last time Pennsylvania passed a minimum wage adjustment, in 2006, it came after six years of effort over three sessions and three different bills, Tartaglione said.
“Obviously it takes more than public support, it takes a great deal of communication with colleagues and a concerted effort by all of those who believe in fair wages,” she said. “We’ve done it before and we will do it again.”
In the most recent Senate session, Tartaglione introduced a bill that would have tied the state’s minimum wage to inflation, as ten other states have done. She tried to have language from the bill inserted in another wage bill being considered by the Labor and Industry Committee, but the amendment was tabled, rather than receiving a vote.
“Everyone knows that the public overwhelmingly supports fair wages,” she said. “In the states where minimum wage calculators were put before voters – even red states – they were approved overwhelmingly. It’s just a matter a getting past the special interests.”
Tartaglione was the author of the state’s last minimum wage bill, which raised the state’s lowest wage from $5.15 to $7.15 in several steps. Since then, the federal minimum wage was increased to $7.25.
After the last increase, Tartaglione said, Pennsylvania’s poverty rate took a steep decline, only to gradually increase to a 20-year-high in 2010.
“Paying minimum wages that don’t keep pace with inflation puts more burden on government services, like food stamps and child care,” Tartaglione said. “Putting and inflation index on our minimum wage would decrease that burden and create a predictable base for employers.”
In addition to the Labor and Industry Committee, Tartaglione has been appointed to the Senate Rules and Executive Nominations Committee where, as Democratic Caucus Secretary, she helps guide the administration’s nominations through the Senate confirmation process.
She has also been named to the Law and Justice and State Government committees.
HARRISBURG, 21 de diciembre de 2012 - La senadora estatal Christine M. Tartaglione asistió hoy a las ceremonias de homenaje a una promoción de "Hay algo increíblemente inspirador en estar en presencia de hombres y mujeres jóvenes a punto de embarcarse en una carrera de servicio público que requiere tanta dedicación y sacrificio", dijo. "Es un honor observar".
Mientras que el desgaste había creado cientos de vacantes de la Policía Estatal, los magros años presupuestarios de recesión proporcionaron poca o ninguna financiación para nuevas clases de cadetes, dijo Tartaglione. Sin embargo, después de más de tres años de esfuerzo, el proyecto de ley de Tartaglione para aumentar los ingresos de las clases de formación, mientras que la creación de un sistema más justo de distribución de multas aprobado por la legislatura y se convirtió en ley el verano pasado.
El proyecto de ley 237 del Senado recaudará hasta 4 millones de dólares para la formación de cadetes, mientras que los municipios que ofrezcan menos de 40 horas de cobertura policial local perderán la parte que les corresponde de las multas recaudadas en las identificaciones de tráfico de la Policía Estatal.
"Los recientes acontecimientos de Connecticut han dejado claro que invertir en el futuro de nuestra Policía Estatal es fundamental para la seguridad pública y la calidad de vida en Pensilvania", declaró Tartaglione. "No estábamos formando suficientes nuevos policías para cubrir las necesidades y, al mismo tiempo, algunos grandes municipios se estaban aprovechando de la Policía Estatal. Eso nos perjudicaba a todos".
Esta promoción de cadetes es la 134ª que se gradúa en la Academia de Policía Estatal de Hershey desde su inauguración en 1960.
HARRISBURG, Dec. 12, 2012 – Philadelphians who have had their electric service terminated should check into their eligibility for a state program that provides utility grants in crisis situations, state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione said today.
As part of Pennsylvania’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Department of Public Welfare has implemented the LIHEAP Crisis Exception Program. This program will provide grants for customers that have been terminated and have not been restored.
“For thousands of families, the effects of the recession linger and losing electric service in the winter can be life-threatening,” Tartaglione said. “Residents who have had their service terminated should consider applying for the crisis grants to help them get through tough times.”
According to the Department of Welfare, PECO will conditionally accept crisis exception grants for customers that are terminated and have arrearages under $4,000. Grant acceptance on customers with balances over $4,000 will be addressed on a case by case basis.
To apply for the LIHEAP Crisis Exception Grant, the customer must appear in person at the Philadelphia Assistance Office, 1348 W. Sedgley Avenue. The customer will be required to provide either a PECO Service Denial Letter, or a notice stating service has been terminated (less than 30 days old).
If, the customer’s service was terminated less than 30 days ago, and they are requesting a notice to apply for the grant; the County Assistance Office will accept the Post Termination Notice left at the property as proof of termination. Customers will be asked to provide the following:
Proof of income for the past 30 days for all members of the household
A bill for their primary heating source
Identification/Social Security information for all members of the household
If, the customer’s service was terminated more than 30 days ago, PECO will provide the customer with a Service Denial Letter or tell them to bring their post termination notice to the Assistance Office.
For more information on the Crisis Exception Grant Program, call 215-560-1583
HARRISBURG, Dec. 5, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione is asking Corbett administration officials why an international gambling company created a Delaware corporation to submit its bid to take over the Pennsylvania Lottery.
According to Delaware’s Department of State, Camelot Global Services PA LLC was created Nov. 13 with its headquarters located at 1209 North Orange St. in Wilmington, the same address as thousands of other large companies.
In a letter to Revenue Secretary Dan Meuser, Tartaglione expressed concern that, like many others, the Delaware entity created by Camelot could be a “shell” company used as part of a tax strategy.
“More than a year ago, in response to questions about the notorious Delaware Loophole, you assured my colleagues and I that the Department of Revenue was doing everything it could to ensure that companies doing business in Pennsylvania are paying their fair share of taxes,” Tartaglione wrote. “The building at 1209 N. Orange Street in Wilmington is home to more than 6,500 companies, yet has only has 35 parking spaces.”
Tartaglione has been the legislature’s chief proponent of closing the “Delaware Loophole,” a tax avoidance strategy uncovered by several state lawsuits against large corporations. The loophole has proven so expansive that the governments of Switzerland and Luxembourg – both targets of U.S. tax scrutiny – have complained.
Tartaglione is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 679, which would require “combined reporting” for businesses in Pennsylvania, closing the loophole.
In her letter to Meuser, Tartaglione said she was seeking the answers to three questions as the administration goes over Camelot’s proposal:
Why did Camelot Global Services create a new Delaware subsidiary to submit its bid for Pennsylvania’s lottery system?
What is the department’s estimate of the corporate taxes that will be paid by Camelot Global Services PA LLC?
How many people are currently employed by Camelot Global Services PA LLC and how many of them work in the corporate headquarters at 1209 N. Orange St., Wilmington, Delaware?
HARRISBURG, 29 de noviembre de 2012 - La senadora estatal Christine M. Tartaglione elogió hoy el compromiso expresado recientemente por el gobernador Corbett de reducir la larga lista de espera de adultos con discapacidad intelectual que necesitan servicios basados en la comunidad.
Tartaglione reaccionaba así a los comentarios realizados durante la visita del gobernador a Vision for Equality, en Filadelfia, según informó el Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Me anima que podamos estar viendo un cambio de dirección de la administración que anteriormente había apuntado a programas para Pennsylvanians vulnerables durante el recorte presupuestario", dijo Tartaglione. "Daríamos la bienvenida al gobernador a unirse a nosotros en el esfuerzo de crear oportunidades para cada Pennsylvanian que está dispuesto a trabajar a pesar de los desafíos que enfrentan."
Miles de adultos con discapacidad intelectual se han quedado parados en la lista de espera de Pensilvania para recibir servicios de formación laboral, atención personal y terapia una vez superados los 21 años.
Durante su visita de ayer, Corbett expresó el objetivo de encontrar el dinero para "erradicar la lista de espera", según el Inquirer.
"Durante los dos últimos años, los residentes vulnerables de Pensilvania han soportado la carga de los graves recortes presupuestarios y la reducción de los servicios", dijo Tartaglione. "Mis colegas y yo hemos ofrecido algunas buenas sugerencias sobre cómo podemos reajustar las prioridades para financiar estos servicios, pero no hemos obtenido ningún apoyo de la administración. Parece que eso podría cambiar".
HARRISBURG, Nov. 28, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today called on the Corbett administration to quickly begin implementation of the recommendations of the Pennsylvania Task Force on Child Protection.
“Some of the recommendations can be done without legislation and those should be done as soon as possible,” Tartaglione said. “This can’t be one of those reports accepted with praise only to sit on a shelf for a year.”
Staffing for ChildLine, a 24-hour hotline for abuse reports, should be increased right away, Tartaglione said. The task force report said that 8 percent of calls are dropped.
“It doesn’t do any good to expand the number of people who are required to report child abuse if there’s no one on the other end of the line,” she said.
Tartaglione praised the task force for addressing the definition of “child abuse” to move away from degree of pain as a threshold.
“The current standard is unreliable, especially when dealing with young children, whose ability communicate their feelings to a responsible adult or court is often limited,” she said.
The Task Force on Child Protection was formed after the arrest of former football coach Jerry Sandusky, whose years of child molestation continued even after allegations came forward.
“Clearly the penalties for failing to report and follow-up on a child abuse allegation are not sufficient to overcome other motives,” Tartaglione said. “That has to change and we have to make sure that we expand the reporting requirement to anyone who is responsible for the welfare of children.”
Some of the recommendations for staffing and reporting will require increased state funding, a challenge that has stifled previous “blue-ribbon” reports.
“It will be a test of priorities,” Tartaglione said. “There was a lot of tough talk after the scandal broke, but there is some question as to whether that talk will translate to action when the action requires money to be spent.”
HARRISBURG, Nov. 21, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione announced today that she is again hosting a “Toys for Tots” collection box in each of her two district offices.
“Through these years of difficult financial times, the people of Philadelphia have always found a way to help those less fortunate,” Tartaglione said. “Toys for Tots has become one of the great and traditional ways of doing that.”
The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community.
Since the program started in 1947, Marines have distributed more than 452 million toys to more than 209 million needy children
“Many of the people who stop by to drop off toys say they were once recipients of Toys for Tots,” Tartaglione said. “It shows the importance of this tradition to the community.”
Tartaglione is asking the community to bring new, unwrapped toys to the collection boxes at her district offices at 1061 Bridge Street and 127 W. Susquehanna Ave.. The offices are open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Coordinators pick up the toys and store them in central warehouses where the toys are sorted by age and gender.
At Christmas, coordinators, with the assistance of local social welfare agencies, church groups, and other local community agencies, distribute the toys to the needy children of the community. The toys will be collected until Diciembre 17.
HARRISBURG, Nov. 20, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione is urging US Air to settle long-stalled contract talks with its current workers before closing a merger with American Airlines.
In a letter to Douglas Parker, CEO of US Airlines Group, Tartaglione said pursuing a merger before settling with its own workers would make it more difficult to reach long-term stability.
“If a merger between U.S. Airways and American Airlines comes to fruition, we worry that your current labor problems will be compounded, making the ratification of new U.S. Airways’ labor contracts even more unlikely,” Tartaglione wrote. “This will put further distance between your employees and the new contracts they both desire and deserve.”
Three principle unions at US Air have been working without a new contract since the airline’s 2005 merger with America West, a period that has brought the airline record profits. US Air stock doubled in price this year.
In pursuit of a merger with American Airlines, which would create the world’s largest air carrier, US Air reached preemptory labor agreements with three of American’s unions in Abril, while its current labor force continues to seek an agreement.
“It concerns us that you were able to swiftly negotiate with another airline’s unions, while at the same time neglecting the mounting labor issues within your own organization,” Tartaglione wrote. “This leads us to believe that you place more of a priority on a merger than on the wellbeing of your own employees.”
Tartaglione, the Democratic Chair of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, was joined on the letter by state Rep. William Keller, the Democratic Chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee.
News outlets have reported that parties involved in a possible merger – the airlines, American’s creditors, and the unsecured creditor committee have met recently to negotiate the details.
US Air is a major employer in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to retain those jobs, including $264 million in lease concessions at Pittsburgh International Airport to help US Air emerge from bankruptcy in 2003.
HARRISBURG, NOVEMBER 14, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione, the first woman to ever be elected to a Senate Democratic caucus leadership post, was reelected today by her colleagues.
Tartaglione, now in her fifth term, is the Senate Democratic Caucus Secretary, a position that oversees the Senate handling of executive nominations that require Senate confirmation.
The news comes little over a week after Democrats picked up three seats in the Nov. 6 election to dramatically shift the balance in
“Once again I’m grateful to my colleagues for their confidence and support,” she said. “We have three very qualified new members and we are looking forward to using that mandate to stem the erosion of support for education, working families and job training. “
During the Senate session that officially ends Nov. 30, Republicans held a 30-20 seat majority which worked with the Corbett administration to eliminate health-care and job-training programs, slash the education budget and apply a “hands-off” administration to gas drilling.
HARRISBURG, Oct. 31, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today reminded voters that Pennsylvania officials have extended the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot.
“Hurricane Sandy forced a halt to most government services, putting pressure on last-minute absentee ballot applicants,” Tartaglione said. “The new deadline gives those affected by the storm and local election officials a chance to catch up.
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot for the upcoming General Election had been yesterday at 5 p.m. That deadline has been extended until 5 p.m.Jueves in Philadelphia and other counties affected by the storm.
Even with the extended deadline, time is short for those who can’t vote in person on Nov. 6, Tartaglione said.
“The deadline for turning in the ballot is still 5 p.m. Viernes, which is unchanged,” Tartaglione said. “Voters who apply for an absentee ballot should be prepared to fill it out and vote on the spot, rather than wait for the ballot to come in the mail.”
Absentee ballots can be obtained at City Hall, Room 142. Anyone with questions can call the city elections office at 215-686-3469.
Harrisburg — Octubre 30, 2012 – (9:20 a.m.) Gov. Tom Corbett provided additional details on how Pennsylvania is dealing with Hurricane Sandy earlier today at a briefing held at Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) headquarters. the briefing was carried live on local television.
Later today, the governor said he will be speaking with President Barack Obama and will be in contact with Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie of New York and New Jersey respectively, to determine if resources are able to be shared.
The center of former Hurricane Sandy is now over Chambersburg and the strength of the storm has diminished. There has been local flooding and reports of wind damage. Two deaths have been reported.
The governor said that 1.3 million Pennsylvanians are without power this morning. There are 603 people in shelters and that 48 shelters are operational. Thirty-eight counties have issued disaster declarations. PEMA is on level one status and 1,700 National Guard troops have been deployed.
SEPTA and Amtrak remain closed although speed restrictions on interstates have been lifted, except for I-90 and I-79 in northwestern Pennsylvania.
The storm dumped between 6-9 inches of snow in the Laurel Highlands and that western Pennsylvania will see additional impacts in Pennsylvania as the storm moves west then north.
Last night, the governor indicated that there would be an extension for submitting absentee ballot applications in those counties where the courthouses have been closed as a result of the storm. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the deadline for voters to request absentee ballots – originally 5 p.m. Martes – has been extended by up to two days, depending on how many days county offices were forced to close because of the storm.
Resources:
An excellent list of telephone numbers for utilities and other contact information was released yesterday and posted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Find out up-to-date information about Hurricane Sandy from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency on its website www.readypa.org or by calling 1-888-9-READYPA
Information about major state road closures is available by calling 511 or by www.511pa.com
Octubre 29, 2012 — (6 p.m.) Gov. Tom Corbett held briefing to update the status of Hurricane Sandy and its impact on Pennsylvania. The governor said that the storm had 90 mile per hour winds and was making landfall in New Jersey and expected to move west. The storm was moving at 28 miles per hour but would slow down over land.
The eye of the storm is expected to pass south of Harrisburg by 2 a.m turn north and pass State College by 2 p.m. tomorrow. It is expected to take a path over Philadelphia and will hug the southern border of Pennsylvania. The outer winds of the storm will reach Johnstown. The governor expected flooding to be significant in some portions of the state.
There are 58 evacuation centers that are able to handle 31,000 people. As of 6 p.m., 100,000 Pennsylvanians were without power. The governor said he was going to close the interstates near Philadelphia beginning at 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. There are currently 308 Pennsylvania residents in shelters as a result of the storm.
In response to a question from the media, the governor indicated that there would be an extension for submitting absentee ballot applications in those counties where the courthouses have been closed as a result of the storm. The extent of the extension would depend on the number of days that the courthouse was closed.
Resources:
An excellent list of telephone numbers for utilities and other contact information was released today and posted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Find out up-to-date information about Hurricane Sandy from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency on its website www.readypa.org or by calling 1-888-9-READYPA
Information about major state road closures is available by calling 511 or by www.511pa.com
Harrisburg - 19 de octubre de 2012 - Los líderes demócratas del Senado calificaron hoy el último informe de empleo de Pensilvania como "desafortunado, pero no sorprendente", dada la falta de interés en el aumento del desempleo por parte de la administración Corbett.
"Es una tendencia que debe invertirse inmediatamente", dijo el líder demócrata del Senado, Jay Costa. "La economía nacional y el panorama económico están mejorando, mientras que Pensilvania va en la otra dirección".
Por primera vez en seis años, la tasa de desempleo de Pensilvania es superior a la nacional, y el estado ha caído del séptimo al 38º puesto en creación de empleo. La tasa de desempleo del estado en septiembre fue del 8,2%, muy por encima de la media nacional del 7,8%.
"El resto de la nación está mostrando ganancias de empleo y recuperación económica y Pensilvania está económicamente a la inversa", dijo Hughes. "La respuesta de la administración es dar exenciones fiscales a las corporaciones ricas mientras recorta los programas que capacitan a la fuerza laboral de Pensilvania y mantienen a nuestros ciudadanos empleados".
La senadora Christine M. Tartaglione, Presidenta demócrata de la Comisión de Trabajo e Industria del Senado, afirmó que la tendencia del empleo es preocupante.
"El hecho de que nuestra tasa de desempleo sea superior a la media nacional es revelador", dijo. "La falta de planes integrales de empleo y desarrollo del gobernador no puede ser ignorada por más tiempo - necesitamos inversión en educación, transporte y programas de formación de mano de obra que pongan a los residentes de Pensilvania de vuelta al trabajo inmediatamente."
Los líderes demócratas pidieron a la administración Corbett para poner fin a más de un año de dilación en el transporte y los planes de creación de empleo y detalle a la legislatura lo que quiere en el camino de la legislación.
"Hay muchas buenas ideas para crear empleo", dijo Costa. "Cuando volvamos a la sesión deberíamos tener delante un plan detallado de transporte y empleo de la administración que cuente con el apoyo de empresas, sindicatos y funcionarios públicos de todo el estado. Ahora mismo, sólo estamos recibiendo silencio de la administración Corbett".
Entre los planes plasmados en la legislación figura uno de los demócratas del Senado, denominado "PA Works", cuyo objetivo es crear más de 80.000 nuevos puestos de trabajo.
PA Works utilizaría recursos estatales, movilizaría recursos privados y realizaría inversiones de capital críticas a largo plazo que crearían nuevas oportunidades de crecimiento y desarrollo futuros.
15 de octubre de 2012: El senador Tartaglione fue el anfitrión del Día de la Discapacidad del Senado 2012. Este evento proporcionó a todos los miembros y al personal la oportunidad de experimentar, de primera mano, lo que es tener diversas discapacidades. Sillas de ruedas, andadores, gafas que distorsionan la visión, lupas, dispositivos de sujeción para los brazos y auriculares antirruido estuvieron disponibles para ser probados, durante unos minutos o durante unas horas.
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HARRISBURG, Oct. 2, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today said a Commonwealth Court decision restores voting rights for thousands of Pennsylvanians, but can’t entirely fix a “costly mistake.”
“I’ve been confident all along that the courts would see the serious flaws and dubious reasoning behind voter ID,” Tartaglione said. Unfortunately, the ruling comes after the millions of dollars were wasted trying to get this done in time to affect the presidential election. The effort was a costly mistake and it comes at a time when we’re cutting back on help for families with disabled children and other important social services.
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson ordered state election officials to continue the “soft roll-out” of voter ID, similar to what took place in the spring primary. Voters will be asked for ID, but will not be required to present it to vote.
Tartaglione said a great deal of damage has already been done by the push to convince voters they need a certain type of photo ID to vote and efforts in the next few weeks should focus on clarifying the situation for voters.
“I hope the administration has a plan for trying to set the record straight for thousands of voters that were misinformed over the past few months,” she said. “It’s a mess that has to be cleaned up.”
Tartaglione said the issue has been a chief source of anxiety in her district which has a disproportionate number of affected voters.
“For months I’ve been hearing from frustrated seniors, students and others who didn’t know what the requirements were and the requirements kept changing,” she said.
HARRISBURG, Junio 30, 2012 – Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today released the following statement on today’s Commonwealth Court ruling:
“I’ve been confident all along that the courts would see the serious flaws and dubious reasoning behind voter ID.
With just over a month to go before the election, we have to switch our focus to making sure that people know they can vote just as they did in the primary and that their votes will be counted.
Unfortunately, the ruling comes after the millions of dollars were wasted trying to get this done in time to affect the presidential election. The effort was a costly mistake and it comes at a time when we’re cutting back on help for families with disabled children and other important social services.
For months I’ve been hearing from frustrated seniors, students and others who didn’t know what the requirements were and the requirements kept changing.
Now, I can tell them that they can express their frustration the way the Founders intended them to: by voting.”
HARRISBURG, Sept. 25, 2012 – The state Senate has unanimously passed a resolution, sponsored by Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione, designating Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 “Hispanic Heritage Month” in Pennsylvania.
The designation aligns the state with national Hispanic Heritage Month and recognizes the growing contributions of Hispanic Americans including profound success in business, government and military service.
“Hispanic businesses are growing at three times the national average,” Tartaglione said. “The emerging economic significance of the Hispanic community will be part of a stronger and more diverse future economy.”
Hispanic Heritage Month was first recognized in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan, who expanded upon Hispanic Heritage Week begun by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968.
The Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 timing of the designation is intended to coincide with the independence of five Latin American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatamala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
HARRISBURG, Sept. 21, 2012 – With confusion swirling about voting rights and the future of health care and hundreds of seniors turned out yesterday for Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s Senior Expo for answers to a wide variety of questions.
“The political season has brought with it some confusing advertising about seniors and health care and that’s been a problem for many people,” Tartaglione said. “Thrown on top of that is the uncertainty about voter ID, so this might have been the most important senior expo we’ve ever had.”
Tables lining the gymnasium at Excel Academy on Bustleton Avenue were manned by experts from government and private industry on topics ranging from foot wear to Medicare.
“There is a wealth of information at the expo, but there’s also a lot of fun. I get so see a lot of friendly faces that I haven’t seen since last year’s event,” Tartaglione said.
The Senior Expo has been a longstanding partnership between Tartaglione and students at Excel Academy. The students volunteer to set up the event, serve food, help seniors find their way around and take down more than 100 tables afterward.
“Bringing two very different generations for one big event really brings people together and gives them an appreciation of the city they share,” Tartaglione said. “It’s very touching to see the hugs and pats on the back among people separated by 50 years or more.”
HARRISBURG, Julio 27, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione has written a letter to Labor and Industry Secretary Julia Hearthway asking her to reverse and administration decision to furlough nearly 100 employees who process claims and investigate fraud.
“Not only will this result in joblessness for a substantial number of employees in an economy which has been slow to recover, but also, it will further diminish the quality of service provided by the department,” Tartaglione wrote.
The letter, co-signed by 15 Senate colleagues, came in response to an administration decision to close Philadelphia’s Unemployment Compensation Service Call Center and to consolidate the Claims and Field Operations divisions of the State Worker’ Insurance Fund. The decision eliminates the jobs of 75 workers in Philadelphia and 24 additional workers in Erie, Dauphin, Northumberland and Lackawanna counties.
Those workers process and investigate claims, ensuring prompt payment of benefits and detecting cases of fraud. This year, the administration led passage of a sweeping package of reforms that cut benefits to workers and targeted what it claimed was widespread fraud in unemployment claims.
“If there is widespread fraud, then it makes no sense to cut workers who investigate claims,” Tartaglione said. “These workers were already overwhelmed by record claims during the recession and slow recovery, and fewer of them means more frustration both for laid off workers and for employers who want claims investigated thoroughly.”
Full text of letter:
Dear Secretary Hearthway:
This letter serves to address the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s recent decision to close Philadelphia’s Unemployment Compensation Service Call Center and to consolidate the Claims and Field Operations divisions of the State Workers’ Insurance Fund.
With this decision, 75 employees have been furloughed in Philadelphia and a total of 24 employees have been furloughed in Erie, Dauphin, Northumberland and, primarily, Lackawanna counties. While the news of these layoffs is alarming, of greater concern is the Department’s failure to notify elected officials of its intentions to discharge workers prior to taking such action.
As Legislators and residents of this Commonwealth, we offer our utmost disapproval.
While we realize there have been fewer unemployment claims filed in recent months, and while we recognize the importance of efficiency within the Department, we neither understand nor support the rationale behind these decisions. The impact of closing an entire unemployment compensation call center and furloughing employees who investigate suspicious workers’ compensation claims will prove detrimental to the Commonwealth. Not only will this result in joblessness for a substantial number of employees in an economy which has been slow to recover, but also, it will further diminish the quality of service provided by the Department.
With unemployment rates remaining above pre-recession levels, thousands of individuals continue to rely upon unemployment to support themselves and their families. Currently, these claimants are reporting difficulties in gaining adequate unemployment compensation services, such as obtaining their initial benefit payments in accordance with federal standards and gaining telephone access to call center employees in a timely manner. Additionally, the current application and bi-weekly filing system is not user-friendly, requiring greater explanation and assistance from call center employees. It is reasonable to assume these problems will grow and compile further following the closure of Philadelphia’s call center, as there will be fewer employees to address claimants’ concerns.
Similarly, numerous employers and workers from across the state depend on SWIF for workers’ compensation insurance. To ensure the Fund does not pay false claims, the Department has teamed up with the Office of the Attorney General to fight fraud attempts. Just as the Department advocated for the passage of Act 60 of2012, which ramped up efforts to reduce the occurrence of fraud in unemployment compensation benefits paid to claimants, it is likely such efforts are underway in the restructuring of SWIF; yet, it seems unlikely that a reduction in the number of investigators within SWIF would result in greater efficiency and accuracy in identifying fraudulent behavior toward the Fund. As a result, while merging divisions and laying off workers may decrease the Department’s financial expenditures in the immediate future, less SWIF employees investigating possible fraudulent claims seems to hold the potential of becoming more costly for the Department in later years.
At this time, we ask that you reconsider your decision to furlough approximately 100 employees of the Department of Labor and Industry. The loss of employees at the Philadelphia call center and SWIF investigators from various locations throughout the state would surely be problematic and undesirable for the Department, employers and claimants now and in the future.
Without an opportunity to converse in this matter with the Department and to review any relevant data that prompted the furloughing of these employees, we cannot and will not support the actions taken by the Department in this instance. If you wish to discuss this issue, please feel free to contact my office at (717)787-1141.
HARRISBURG, Julio 17, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today urged African-American homebuyers to contact the U.S. Department of Justice to see if they are qualified to receive part of a $125 million settlement with Wells Fargo.
“It’s terrible to find out that financial institutions are still considering race when evaluating lending applications,” Tartaglione said. “The multi-state settlement shows that such practices will not be tolerated and minority consumers can find protection under the law.”
Two years ago, the state human relations commission started an investigation to determine whether mortgage lending and foreclosure practices of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Wells Fargo Financial Pa. Inc. violated the Pa. Human Relations Act (PHRA) by targeting borrowers for discrimination based on their race.
The commission investigation was prompted by its statistical analysis of U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development statistics, conducted with HUD funding. The study revealed substantial disparities in pricing and foreclosure rates between African American and white borrowers.
The investigation resulted in a complaint alleging that Wells Fargo engaged in reverse redlining, the practice of targeting African American borrowers for high interest loans without regard for their ability to pay.
The Human Relations Commission estimates that more than 1,000 Philadelphians were victims of the practice.
Settlement of the complaint requires Wells Fargo to establish the $50 million new homebuyer assistance fund from which qualified buyers will receive up to $15,000 for down payments. An additional $2 million will be designated for African-American residents in the city of Philadelphia who originated home loans with Wells Fargo between Jan. 1, 2004 and Dec. 31, 2009.
Other funds will provide cash rebates for African American borrowers who might have qualified for prime loans, but received nonprime rates from Wells Fargo. A federal government designee will determine and notify potentially eligible
recipients.
Philadelphia area residents who believe they may be eligible for funds should email the U.S. Department of Justice at [email protected].
HARRISBURG, 30 de junio 2012 -Más de tres años después de que su primer proyecto de ley fue presentado,Senador Christine M. Tartaglione elogió hoy la aprobación de la Cámara de una medida que aumentará los ingresos para las clases de formación de la Policía Estatal, mientras que la creación de un sistema más justo de distribución de multas. El proyecto de ley 237 del Senado ha sido aprobado esta noche por una abrumadora mayoría y se dirige a la mesa del gobernador.
Se espera que el proyecto de ley recaude hasta 4 millones de dólares para la formación de cadetes, mientras que los municipios que proporcionen menos de 40 horas de cobertura policial local perderán su parte de las multas recaudadas a través de las paradas de tráfico de la Policía Estatal.
"Cada vez más municipios han puesto fin a la cobertura policial local para depender de la policía estatal", dijo Tartaglione. "No hemos estado entrenando suficientes nuevos policías para mantener el ritmo. La acción de la Cámara esta noche empieza a invertir esa tendencia".
Según la ley actual, la mitad de las multas de tráfico recaudadas por las patrullas de la policía estatal en un municipio local se devuelven al municipio a través de una fórmula del Fondo de Licencias de Motor, incluso si el municipio sólo depende del Estado para la protección policial.
El proyecto de ley 237 del Senado denegará la distribución de los ingresos por multas de tráfico del Fondo de Licencias de Circulación a cualquier municipio que no proporcione localmente al menos 40 horas de cobertura a la semana a través de su propia fuerza o de un contrato regional. Los municipios con menos de 3.000 habitantes están exentos.
El proyecto de ley, presentado por primera vez por Tartaglione en la sesión de 2009-10 como SB 225, fue aprobado por unanimidad por el Comité de Transporte del Senado hace más de un año. Se espera que afecte a unos 1.200 municipios de toda Pensilvania.
HARRISBURG, Junio 30, 2012 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today praised passage of a bill that will put more wheelchair-accessible taxis on the streets of Philadelphia.
House Bill 2390 expands the number of taxicab medallions issued by the Philadelphia Parking Authority to allow for a growing fleet of vehicles that can be used by riders who can remain in their wheelchairs.
“This bill takes a prudent and careful step toward making Philadelphia’s transportation system more accessible,” Tartaglione said. “It means progress that will be monitored and measured as it moves forward.”
Under the bill, the authority will issue 15 new taxicab medallions each year until the maximum number available expands from 1,600 to 1,750.
The bill also establishes a wheelchair-accessible taxicab driver training program for the city. A driver who completes the training will receive a $50 stipend for each full day of training attended or an amount that the authority decides on by order or regulation.
“By transforming the cab fleet over time, Philadelphia’s disabled community will have a chance to assess the changes and provide feedback,” Tartaglione said. “The transformation will be expensive and we have to make sure we do it right.”
The issue will be the subject of a hearing by the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee within six months, Tartaglione said.
HARRISBURG, Junio 29, 2012 – Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today released the following statement on the final 2012-13 budget:
“I commend the thousands of Pennsylvanians who took the time to come to Harrisburg over the past five months for their persistence and determination in moving this budget from where it started in Febrero to what was passed today.
I also want to thank some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for recognizing the governor’s proposal for what it was and understanding its potential impact on our most vulnerable citizens.
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Despite the efforts of citizens and the understanding of my colleagues, this budget fails the test put forth a half century ago by the writer Pearl S. Buck who said we ‘must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.
This budget, along with changes in the welfare code, allows our seniors to fear being deserted by the government they supported throughout their lives.
This budget takes its pain and payment from working families, minimum-wage workers, the nameless, the frail and the seniors who are struggling to live at home.
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This budget makes its promises and payments to the powerful, the privileged and the faceless corporations that live in mailboxes in Wilmington, Delaware.
Even as we claim to have no more money to spend, we are paying for those mailboxes in Delaware.
Our students are paying. Our homeowners are paying. Our college graduates are paying.
This budget lets the previous generation, and the next generation, pay the price for the politics of this generation.”
HARRISBURG, 12 de junio de 2012 -La senadora estatal Christine M. Tartaglione elogió hoy a los cientos de aprendices sindicales que llenan las escaleras de la Rotonda y les instó a ayudar a convencer a los legisladores para reconstruir la clase media. "Los aprendizajes a través del trabajo organizado no sólo preparan a los estudiantes para puestos de trabajo, sino que ayudan a asegurar que los puestos de trabajo puedan mantener a las familias y las comunidades", dijo. "Hablamos mucho en Harrisburg sobre la creación de puestos de trabajo, pero no se habla lo suficiente sobre si los puestos de trabajo que estamos creando mantendrán a las familias sin la necesidad de apoyo del gobierno".
El Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades Council organizó la concentración en el Capitolio, que atrajo a profesionales de todo el estado.
Tartaglione dijo a los trabajadores que, a pesar de los miles de puentes estructuralmente deficientes que salpican el estado y los cientos de kilómetros de carreteras obsoletas, muchos legisladores han perdido el valor de construir.
"Al mismo tiempo nos preguntamos por qué la economía tarda en recuperarse", dijo. "Así que, mientras estén aquí en Harrisburg y los legisladores les escuchen, intenten infundirles el valor de construir. Ya sabemos que tenemos gente formada y preparada para hacerlo".
Según el presidente del Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades Council, Frank Sirianni, Pensilvania cuenta actualmente con más de 8.000 aprendices en el sector de la construcción. Dijo que la tasa de graduación de estos programas es del 75% en el sector sindical, frente al 50% en el sector no sindical.
HARRISBURG, Junio 11, 2012 –After more than three years of effort,Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s bill to raise revenue for State Police training classes while creating a fairer fine-distribution system passed the Senate unanimously today.
Senate Bill 237 is expected to raise as much as $4 million for cadet training, while municipalities that provide less than 40 hours of local police coverage will lose their share of fines collected through State Police traffic stops.
“Public safety is a top priority for state and local government, and it’s expensive,” Tartaglione said. “We are not training enough new troopers to keep up with the need and at the same time some large municipalities are taking advantage of State Police. That’s affecting all of us.”
Según la ley actual, la mitad de las multas de tráfico recaudadas por las patrullas de la policía estatal en un municipio local se devuelven al municipio a través de una fórmula del Fondo de Licencias de Motor, incluso si el municipio sólo depende del Estado para la protección policial.
“Cities and small towns are struggling with the rising cost of police services, while more than 1,500 municipalities pay nothing, and get money back,” Tartaglione said. “This inequity has led to budget deficits and inadequate State Police staffing.”
El proyecto de ley 237 del Senado denegaría la distribución de los ingresos por multas de tráfico del Fondo de Licencias de Circulación a cualquier municipio que no proporcione localmente al menos 40 horas de cobertura a la semana a través de su propia fuerza o de un contrato regional. Los municipios con menos de 3.000 residentes están exentos.
El proyecto de ley, presentado por primera vez por Tartaglione en la sesión de 2009-10 como SB 225, fue aprobado por unanimidad por el Comité de Transporte del Senado hace más de un año. Se espera que afecte a unos 1.200 municipios de toda Pensilvania.
El Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades Council organizó la concentración en el Capitolio, que atrajo a profesionales de todo el estado.