by Christin Brown | Marzo 18, 2011 | News Releases
Philadelphia, Marzo 18, 2011 — The Philadelphia Senate Delegation today held a discussion on the impact of the governor’s proposed 2011-12 budget plan on the Philadelphia region.
The senators, along with representatives from the mayor’s office, School District of Philadelphia, Temple and Cheney universities, and the Delaware Valley Healthcare Council of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), talked about the consequences of the proposed budget cuts during a roundtable discussion at Temple University, which is slated to receive a 52 percent cut in state funding under the governor’s plan.
“We knew the governor would make cuts, but I think we were all surprised how deep the cuts were, especially to education,” said Kitchen (D-3rd dist.). “Although we are still in trying times, this budget is unfairly balanced on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens and our students, from pre-kindergarten through college.
“We have gathered together to have a serious talk about the fallout from the governor’s proposal so that we as legislators can bring suggestions and alternatives back to Harrisburg,” she said. “This will have a big impact on many people, so we need to find any way to ease the pain.”
“It makes cuts to the most vulnerable and needy citizens among us,” added Sen. Larry Farnese (D-1st dist.). “This budget does not share the pain, and we are leaving money on the table.”
Sen. Tina Tartaglione said the governor’s plan to ask union employees to make sacrifices while cutting programs and services that employ these workers is detrimental to the health of the state’s recovering economy.
“At a time when our economy is still fragile, we depend on our workforce to help move us forward. Many of them are already working under tight budgets and juggling more responsibilities,” said Tartaglione (D-2nd dist.). “I don’t understand why hard-working union employees are being asked to make more sacrifices, while large corporations are spared any ounce of fiscal pain. The governor said his budget was all about ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ but all the union workers hear are ‘cuts, cuts, cuts.’”
Sen. LeAnna Washington also questioned the governor’s priorities. Corbett’s budget plan does not call for a severance tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas drillers.
“The governor does not have a moral right to give away our natural resources, then turn around and cut education and healthcare,” said Washington (D-4th dist.). “The people of Pennsylvania don’t understand, and don’t agree with these misplaced priorities.”
Sen. Vince Hughes said Pennsylvania’s ongoing successful education track record would be halted under the governor’s proposed cuts, including $550 million to basic education and $260 million to the Accountability Block Grant program, which funds all-day kindergarten in many school districts, including Philadelphia.
“We cannot retreat on Pennsylvania’s record of education success,” said Hughes (D-7th dist.), who is the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Investments during the past decade have transformed Pennsylvania into a national education leader. We are here today to learn from these leaders firsthand the full impact of the proposed cuts.”
Sen. Mike Stack added that the 10 percent in cuts to community colleges hurt Pennsylvania’s improving but still shaky economic climate.
“Our community colleges are offering students an opportunity to get a quality and affordable education. Many of them are working adults who are unemployed or looking to boost their job skills,” said Stack (D-5th dist.). “Cutting community college funding during such difficult economic times only hinders the state’s chance to boost our workforce. We should invest in our educational institutions, not punish them.”
Hughes also assailed the deep cuts to hospitals, which are already feeling fiscal pain as they try to heal those in physical pain.
“Hospitals are already struggling with decreased revenues and increased numbers of uninsured patients,” he said. “I don’t know how we can responsibly pass a state budget that eliminates their supplemental funding and still expect them to provide quality services to the people they serve.”
by Christin Brown | Marzo 1, 2011 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Marzo 1, 2011 – A bill designed to boost State Police training efforts while creating a fairer funding system passed a key Senate committee today, said state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione.
Senate Bill 237 will redirect millions of dollars collected in fines toward cadet training efforts, while municipalities that provide less than 40 hours of local police coverage would lose their share of fines collected through State Police traffic stops.
“Police coverage is increasingly complex and expensive,” Tartaglione said. “This bill will help ease the coverage complications and financial pressure on the State Police while creating a fairer funding system for all Pennsylvania taxpayers.”
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.
“Taxpayers in hundreds of cities foot the bill for most police services through local property taxes, while more than 1,500 municipalities pay nothing, and get money back,” Tartaglione said. “This puts strain on our most vulnerable communities and tough economic times make it worse.”
Senate Bill 237 would deny distribution of traffic-fine revenue from the Motor License Fund to any municipality that does not provide locally for at least 40 hours of coverage per week through its own force or a regional contract. An amendment inserted today exempts municipalities with fewer than 3,000 residents. It passed the Senate Transportation Committee today unanimously. The bill is expected to affect about 1,200 municipalities across Pennsylvania and steer more than $4 million toward State Police cadet training.
by Christin Brown | Febrero 23, 2011 | News Releases
La senadora estatal Christine M. Tartaglione habla de cerrar la "laguna de Delaware" como parte de un plan demócrata del Senado para mejorar el clima laboral de Pensilvania.
HARRISBURG, 23 de febrero de 2011 - La senadora estatal Christine M. Tartaglione moldeó hoy su esfuerzo de años para cerrar la "laguna de Delaware" en un plan demócrata más amplio del Senado para ayudar a las pequeñas empresas a competir, reducir las tasas de impuestos corporativos y hacer que los residentes de Pensilvania vuelvan a trabajar.
"A lo largo de los años hemos visto cómo los pequeños negocios de barrio eran sustituidos por megacorporaciones que sólo responden ante los accionistas", afirmó Tartaglione. "Mientras Wall St. ya se ha recuperado de la recesión, las calles del noreste de Filadelfia no lo han hecho. Reformando el sistema fiscal, formando a los trabajadores y dando un impulso a las pequeñas empresas, pretendemos asegurarnos de que la recuperación llegue a todas las familias trabajadoras."
En una rueda de prensa celebrada hoy en Harrisburg, los demócratas del Senado han esbozado un plan de seis puntos destinado a estimular la creación de miles de puestos de trabajo, recortar millones en gastos estatales y crear una mano de obra preparada para prosperar en la nueva economía.
El plan, denominado PA Works, se centra en seis áreas clave: la pequeña empresa, la formación de la mano de obra, las inversiones estatales críticas, la energía limpia, la inversión en infraestructuras y la reforma fiscal.
Tartaglione dijo que se centrará en lo que se ha convertido en un esfuerzo de ocho años para cerrar la "laguna de Delaware" y reducir el impuesto de sociedades neto del estado para permitir que las pequeñas empresas prosperen y crezcan. Casi tres cuartas partes de las empresas de Pensilvania no pagan impuesto de sociedades, en parte porque pueden crear filiales en Delaware que conceden licencias de logotipos, marcas, derechos de autor y otros activos "no tangibles" y, por tanto, no imponibles.
"Pensilvania lleva años de retraso en la actualización de las leyes fiscales para mantenerse al día con los trucos de contabilidad de las empresas", dijo. "Estas grandes cadenas llevan años matando a nuestras tiendas familiares y nosotros les hemos ayudado a hacerlo. Si alguna vez hubo un momento para reunir el coraje político para enfrentarse a los grupos de presión corporativos, ahora es el momento."
Además de cerrar la laguna fiscal, PA Works utiliza ideas innovadoras que estimularán la creación de empleo, promoverán un entorno favorable a las empresas y ampliarán las oportunidades de negocio.
El plan PA Works incluye:
Dar prioridad a las pequeñas empresas:
- Aumentar la flexibilidad del Fondo "Small Business First
- Animar a las entidades financieras a ser más agresivas en la concesión de préstamos a las pequeñas empresas
- Alivio normativo para fomentar la expansión
- Ampliar los incentivos fiscales
Formación real para trabajos reales
- Consolidar los programas de formación laboral bajo una única agencia estatal mediante la creación de un sistema integrado de "ventanilla única" de inversión en mano de obra y servicios educativos.
- Redirigir los recursos federales para crear un programa de formación en el puesto de trabajo inspirado en Georgia Works
- Programa de Trabajo Compartido para aliviar la tensión de la UC (Modelo de Trabajo Compartido de Missouri)
- Becas de formación para trabajadores ecológicos
Financiar lo que funciona, arreglar lo que no:
- Recapitalizar Business In Our Sites para crear nuevos terrenos listos para el desarrollo
- Crear un nuevo fondo específico para programas de inversión clave
- Reorientar el programa de bonificaciones fiscales a la creación de empleo
- Dar prioridad a los incentivos MBE y WBE
- Devolver a los contribuyentes el éxito de sus inversiones
Energía limpia:
- Ampliar los programas de inversión en edificios ecológicos
- Promulgar el plan de perforación de Marcellus Shale
- Reforzar la sinergia entre las universidades y las inversiones privadas en energía
- Animar a los municipios más pequeños y a las comunidades rurales a invertir en eficiencia energética
- Garantizar más contratos a las empresas proveedoras de AP
Reforma de la fiscalidad empresarial
- Reducir el CNI al 7,5% cerrando la laguna de la DE
- Aumentar el factor único de ventas y el límite máximo de NOL para las empresas de AP a domicilio
- Explorar otras opciones fiscales para crear un sistema tributario empresarial moderno y justo
Inversión en infraestructuras:
- Buscar alternativas de transporte como asociaciones público-privadas, nuevas opciones de peaje y bonos como soluciones a corto plazo.
- Inversiones en agua y alcantarillado, como el CFA H2O terminado y las nuevas alternativas del Marcellus
- PUC supervisa los planes de nueva inversión
by Christin Brown | Febrero 15, 2011 | News Releases
At today’s Capitol news conference, state Sen. Christine Tartaglione joined union leaders and state legislators to unveil the AFL-CIO legislative agenda and discuss how to protect and create jobs in Pennsylvania.
Tartaglione, a member of the UFCW union, said that it is time for the legislature to push back against growing corporate influence and find ways to protect and grow the middle class. She said she introduced legislation in the Senate to close the Delaware Loophole because it is outrageous that the average working family in Pennsylvania pays more in state taxes than corporations doing business in the state.
by Christin Brown | Enero 24, 2011 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Enero 24, 2011 – – Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus joined House Democrats in the Capitol Rotunda today to stress the urgency of extending the state’s adultBasic health care program.
The adultBasic program currently provides benefits to more than 40,000 low-income, working Pennsylvanians. These individuals will lose their insurance and access to quality health care at the end of Febrero if a new funding source is not implemented.
AdultBasic was created by the legislature in 2001 with funding received through the National Tobacco Settlement Agreement. The program provides coverage for the basic health care needs of individuals between 19 and 64 years of age who do not have health insurance and meet certain eligibility and income requirements.
by Christin Brown | Enero 6, 2011 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, JAN. 6, 2011 — At a noontime ceremony in the state Capitol, State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione took the oath of office for her fifth term in the Pennsylvania Senate.
“I’m grateful to the people in my district who continue to put their trust in me as families face difficult times and look toward state leaders to work together for solutions,” she said. “It’s a challenge I’m ready to accept.”
Tartaglione, who was elected to Senate leadership in Noviembre, said a looming budget deficit tops the list of tasks facing a new governor and a legislature with many new faces.
“Experience and the ability to work with colleagues across the aisle will be critical in the next few months and years,” Tartaglione said. “The budget deficit we face will require sacrifice and careful, strategic restructuring of fiscal policy. The government should be lean, but not mean.”
As the legislature begins the new session, Tartaglione said she is planning to reintroduce legislation to close the Delaware Loophole, a now infamous corporate tax flaw that allows large corporations to shift tax burden to small businesses and individuals.
“Families and small businesses are stressed in this economy, while some large, multi-state retailers are able to take advantage of a loophole in Pennsylvania law not available to them in other states,” she said. “It’s not fair at any time, but in this economy it’s unthinkable.”
