by Christin Brown | February 3, 2021 | News Releases
During his Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget Address, Governor Wolf discussed minimum wage, small business funding, job creation, and workforce development
Philadelphia, PA – February 3, 2021 – State Senator Christine Tartaglione released the following statement in response to the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget Address delivered today by Governor Tom Wolf during a joint session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly:
“I have long fought within the General Assembly for policies that improve the lives of Pennsylvania’s workers, their families, and their communities. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, these priorities are more important now than they have ever been. I applaud Governor Wolf for incorporating my agenda into the administration’s proposals, and for sharing my vision of a Commonwealth defined by equality and opportunity for all.
“With approximately 5 million Pennsylvanians having filed for unemployment benefits since March, we must focus on putting people back to work. I fully support the new round of small business assistance requested by the governor as well as his recommendation that Pennsylvania reinvest federal pandemic funding into remediating toxic materials in our schools. Projects like those will keep our school children safe and create good-paying jobs.
“The governor and I agree it is vital that Pennsylvania raise its minimum wage. The current rate, $7.25 an hour, amounts to a poverty wage. Raising the rate to $12 this year and $15 over the next six years will allow low-wage earners to work their way out of poverty while improving morale and productivity, and reducing their reliance on public assistance. As a result, my minimum wage legislation, SB 12, will also benefit employers, taxpayers, and our consumer economy. Importantly, it will help advance income equality for women and minorities.
“Our budget must serve the Commonwealth’s urgent job creation needs, but we must also look ahead and consider how we will help prepare Pennsylvanians for employment opportunities of the future. The governor’s proposed investment in a reformed workforce development system will enable Pennsylvanians to acquire marketable job skills and will help rebuild the middle class. And it will also help to remove the barriers to employment faced by many folks, such as transportation and childcare needs.
“Overall, I am very encouraged that Governor Wolf has prioritized sorely needed pandemic relief and recovery initiatives while reiterating his long-standing advocacy for the pro-worker and pro-family agenda that we share. I look forward to working with the administration and my legislative colleagues during the upcoming budget process to achieve these objectives.”
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or William.Kenny@pasenate.com.
por Christin Brown | 19 de octubre de 2012 | Comunicados de prensa
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 un montón de 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 legislativos 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.
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by Christin Brown | September 26, 2011 | News Releases
HARRISBURG – September 26 – State Senate Democrats today unveiled their revised job creation plan, called “PA Works Now,” which they claim would create 80,000 new jobs and leverage billions in private investment to generate jobs and economic activity.
State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said job creation is the number one priority for this fall’s session of the General Assembly. He added that the PA Works Now package does not require new broad based taxes, is fully paid for and does not put additional strain on the state General Fund.
“PA Works Now features a new investment vehicle called the Pennsylvania Investment Bank that will quickly pump $1.2 billion into the economy and create jobs,” Costa said. “Our goal is to jump start the economy and create new jobs in the shortest possible time.
“Job creation is the most important issue lawmakers must tackle this fall.”
The Democrats’ plan includes renewed investment in job-producing programs and public works such as water and sewer projects as well as money for new business investments. The plan also provides a new round of capital infusion for the state Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund and would establish Pennsylvania’s version of the successful “Georgia Works” on-the-job training program.
The Pennsylvania Investment Bank would target more than $1.2 billion for water and sewer system reconstruction, new business investment and other public works. The bank would capture funds generated from existing borrowing capacity. The bank would use $500 million in Commonwealth Finance Authority dollars plus a half-billion from PENNVEST (Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority).
The investment bank would also utilize $80 million in funds from a proposed Marcellus Shale tax or fee along with surplus state revenues. Democrats estimate that these sources would generate $180 million.
“There are so many workers who are looking for jobs and even more who are worried about what is next for them in this very difficult economic recovery,” Costa said. “Our comprehensive PA Works Now plan addresses job creation and presents an opportunity to move our economy forward.”
Democrats said action is needed now on their job creation plan because of the recent increase in unemployment. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate spiked by nearly a half percent from July to August – rising to 8.2 percent. Since May, the number of unemployed Pennsylvanians grew by 45,000.
Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) decried the alarming increase in unemployment and the inaction of both the Corbett Administration and Republican lawmakers who control floor action in both the state House and Senate.
“The Corbett Administration has failed to respond to the hardship in the labor market in any discernable way,” Hughes said. “The administration is either tone-deaf to the plight of the unemployed or focusing on political wedge issues that do not create jobs. They’ve produced no new jobs plan.
“The priorities of the administration are skewed,” Hughes said.
Hughes criticized Corbett and Republicans for focusing on changing the apportionment of electoral votes, English-only legislation and voter ID legislation. These issues interest only “politicos on the extreme political fringe of the Republican Party. These proposals do nothing to help our economy grow,” Hughes said.
“We are stuck debating issues that appeal to the political extreme at the expense of working families,” Hughes said. “Working men and women need jobs. They don’t need political talk. That is a sham and it’s a shame.”
Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) said the state has lost an opportunity to reverse negative economic trends. She noted that the recent business downturn has had a disproportionate impact on educators, women, minorities and Pennsylvania’s youth.
According to Schwank, the Corbett budget cuts have put several thousand educators or school staff out of work. The Berks county lawmaker said Senate Democrats will soon flesh-out a package of bills that would specifically help women, minorities and young people find jobs.
“Failing to take action now condemns those who have a difficulty getting jobs in a robust economy – women, minorities and our youth – to even deeper despair when the labor market contracts,” Schwank said. “Doing nothing on job creation is not an answer and it’s not fair. That’s why we need to work on a jobs plan like PA Works Now.”
Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe), who previously served as secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development, said PA Works Now would inject much-needed capital into business investment and job creation programs. He said doing so is essential toward generating economic activity and employment opportunities now.
“There is no question that our recovery from the recession is soft,” Blake said. “The state has a responsibility to incent private sector investment for job growth.”
Costa, Hughes, Schwank and Blake were joined by a host of Senate Democratic colleagues at the Capitol news conference.
Senate Democrats unveiled a previous version of PA Works earlier this year.
Senators who attended today’s news conference included Democratic Whip Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia), Caucus Chairman Richard Kasunic (D-Fayette/Somerset), Caucus Secretary Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), Caucus Administrator Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) and state Sens. Andy Dinniman (D-Chester), Daylin Leach (D-Delaware/Montgomery), John Yudichak (D-Luzerne/Monroe/Carbon) and Tim Solobay (D-Washington/Greene).
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