by Christin Brown | February 9, 2016 | Minimum Wage, News Releases
HARRISBURG, Feb. 9, 2016 – Despite the financial challenges facing Pennsylvania due to Republican intransigence, the commonwealth’s leading advocate for a fairer minimum wage said she is pleased that Gov. Tom Wolf is calling for a $10.15 base hourly rate.
“The tunnel vision that has led Pennsylvania to a fiscal cliff has also prevented our frontline workers from receiving a pay raise for the past seven years,” Sen. Christine Tartaglione said following the governor’s annual budget address today.
“But $10.15 an hour is the best indication that our fight for a fair minimum wage will continue in earnest.”
Sen. Tartaglione led the charge to get Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $7.15 an hour in 2006. The state’s base hourly pay rate ticked up to its current level, $7.25 an hour, when the federal government approved that wage in 2009.
The Philadelphia Democrat’s current legislation, Senate Bill 195, move Pennsylvania’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10. Her Senate Bill 196 would hike the tipped minimum wage to 70 percent of the regular rate (or $3.95 an hour, based on a $10.10 minimum wage).
“More than a million workers will get a pay raise, countless employers will have more focused employees, and government subsidies will fall when the Republican leadership gets out of the way and finally allows a vote on proposals to increase the minimum wage,” Tartaglione said. “These increases are overdue. We must make this a priority.”
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Contact: Mark Shade
mshade@pasenate.com
by Christin Brown | January 27, 2016 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Jan. 27, 2016 – To bring greater awareness to certain health risks facing women, state Sens. Christine M. Tartaglione and Lisa Baker today dressed in red and ushered a resolution marking Feb. 5 as “National Wear Red Day” in Pennsylvania.
“Women are the caretakers in their families. They take care of their children, spouses and everyone around them. Unfortunately, they don’t take care of themselves,” Tartaglione said during floor remarks.
“Not only does heart disease claim the lives of more women than men each year but one women is killed every 80 seconds by cardiovascular disease, making it the most deadly of all diseases among women.”
Still, Sen. Tartaglione said just one-in-five American women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat.
The “Go Red For Women” campaign is designed to inspire women to make lifestyle changes, mobilize communities, and shape policies to save lives, the senator said.
“As part of the American Heart Association’s ‘Go Red Campaign,’ we are offering this resolution to ensure women understand the risks of heart disease. And, we are encouraging every female in this state to become more aware and proactive in maintaining their own cardiovascular health,” Sen. Tartaglione said.
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by Christin Brown | December 8, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Dec. 8, 2015 – Cutting edge robotic assistive technology designed to help people walk again gained an audience of leading state lawmakers today when Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione, representatives from the technology’s developer, and officials from Einstein Health Network’s MossRehab showcased the device.
The technology, Re-Walk, is a motorized exoskeleton that is helping people with paralysis to stand up, walk and regain a better quality of life. MossRehab’s Dr. Alberto Esquenazi has been working with Sen. Tartaglione and others with spinal injuries to use Re-Walk.
“Re-Walk has given me hope that I will one day be able to walk with its help,” Tartaglione said during the special demonstration. “I believe it will help many other people, too; especially members of our military who have been relegated to a wheelchair after suffering paralysis in battle.”
Sen. Tartaglione has practiced with Re-Walk but she did not demonstrate the technology today due to an ankle injury she suffered earlier this year.
“I am envisioning the day when I walk onto the Senate floor myself with the help of Re-Walk,” she said. “It’s also clear to me that this wonderful devise will return many Pennsylvanians to a way of life that is more familiar and independent.”
Re-Walk is an FDA-approved technology that can be used at home or work by individuals. It is also being used at rehabilitation facilities, like MossRehab.
According to its developers, Re-Walk is designed for “all-day walking” and even helps users go up and down stairs.
Sen. Randy Vulakovich (R-Allegheny) participated in today’s event.
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Contact: Mark Shade
mshade@pasenate.com
by Christin Brown | October 28, 2015 | News Releases
Harrisburg – October 28, 2015 – At the request of state Sen. Vince Hughes (D-Phila.), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a hearing on the devastating impact that the state’s 120-day budget impasse is having on schools across the state.
“While many of the budget dispute points remain unresolved, what is clear is that the consequences of this impasse are far-reaching,” said Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton), who chairs the committee. “This hearing gives lawmakers a sense of how schools are handling the funding shortfall, and what problems they’ll face if this stalemate continues to drag on.”
Hughes added, “A growing number of schools have been cornered into borrowing money and taking out credit lines just to keep their doors open. Hopefully, this hearing’s focus on this worsening statewide financial crisis will encourage greater urgency, cooperation and compromise in the ongoing budget negotiations.”
During the hearing, state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale testified that at least 27 school districts have taken out loans totaling more than $431 million. He projected that interest payments will total $30 million if the stalemate reaches mid-November.
Those who testified decried how the impasse has harmed students, depleted reserves and how taxpayers will be needlessly saddled with paying the interest on the growing number of loans and credit lines that schools are obtaining to keep their doors open.
Erie Public Schools Superintendent Jay Badams lamented that his district will need to borrow $30 million just to get through January.
“That’s $114,000 in wasted interest money that could have been used for so many badly needed educational expenses,” Badams said.
Dr. Joseph Roy, who serves as superintendent of the Bethlehem Area School District in Northampton County, added that “choices at the state level continue to hammer school districts.” He said the diversion of funds to charter and cyber schools and a “punitive” approach to public education has blown up school expenditures.
Dr. Rula Skezas, who serves as superintendent of the McKeesport Area School District in Allegheny County, noted that even if the district receives its proposed funding it would still fall short of what it received during the 2011 school year. She said McKeesport has taken out a $5 million line of credit to make it to December. She said the district has already eliminated 110 staff positions to try and make ends meet.
Hughes, who serves as Democratic chair of the Appropriations Committee, said public, charter and private schools are already reeling from years of being underfunded. He noted that the Philadelphia School District has already borrowed $275 million during the impasse. Fran Burns, who serves as chief operating officer for the School District of Philadelphia, testified that the district has struggled to contend with a “structural deficit.”
Lamenting the impact on local working families who fund schools through property taxes, Boscola pointed toward an educational survey conducted earlier this year showing that nearly 75 percent of districts were planning to impose property tax hikes, 30 percent were planning on making additional program cuts, and 41 percent were making more staff cuts. She said the state has withheld approximately $3 billion in school funds since the budget impasse began in July.
Joining Boscola and Hughes at the Capitol committee hearing were Senators John Blake (D-Lackawanna), Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny), Andrew Dinniman (D-Montgomery), Christine Tartaglione (D-Phila.) and Sean Wiley (D-Erie),
Those testifying included:
- The Honorable Eugene DePasquale
Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Fran Burns
Chief Operating Officer, School District of Philadelphia
- Joseph Gorham
Superintendent of Schools, Carbondale Area School District
- Dr. Joseph Roy
Superintendent of Schools, Bethlehem Area School District
- Dr. Jay D. Badams
Superintendent, Erie Public Schools
- Dr. Rula S. Skezas
Superintendent, McKeesport Area School District
- Marjorie Neff
Chair, School Reform Commission
- Anthony Pirrello
CEO, Montessori Regional Charter School of Erie, and Vice President of Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools
- Matt Przywara
Member, PASBO
Chief Financial and Operations Officer, School District of Lancaster
- Bill LaCoff
President, Pennsylvania School Boards Association
- Susan Gobreski
Education Voters of Pennsylvania
- Dr. Pearl English
School Nurse, School District of Philadelphia
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by Christin Brown | October 21, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Oct. 21, 2015 – Following up on her promise to force a vote on her bill to increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today submitted her discharge petition on Senate Bill 195.
Tartaglione said she planned to introduce the petition during a Sept. 30 press conference. However, she delayed that course of action after Republican lawmakers said they would work with her on the bill.
“But there has been no alternative solution, and there has been little movement since then,” Tartaglione said today. “So, today, I told the full Senate I am formally submitting my discharge petition on my Senate Bill 195 to increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $10.10.”
The discharge petition gives the Senate 10 legislative days to consider Sen. Tartaglione’s request. SB 195 has been in the Senate Labor & Industry Committee since Jan. 28.
“We must, as a body, act on this proposal now. We must, for the wellbeing of Pennsylvania businesses and workers and taxpayers, act on this proposal now. We’ve waited too long,” Tartaglione said. “Pennsylvania is becoming third world while our neighbors and many other states move to raise hourly compensation to more appropriate levels.”
Of the Northeast U.S. states with a minimum wage, Pennsylvania’s base hourly rate of $7.25 is the lowest paid to hourly workers.
Maryland’s minimum wage is $8.25 and is set to increase in stages to $10.10 by July 2018. New Jersey’s minimum wage is $8.38 but it is now indexed to the Consumer Price Index. New York’s base hourly rate is $8.75 and is going to $9 at the end of this year, while Gov. Andrew Cuomo is fighting for a $15 minimum. Ohio is paying $8.10 an hour and will pay more when the CPI is adjusted. West Virginia’s $8 minimum wage is set to hit $8.75 after Christmas. Finally, Delaware is paying $8.25.
“Do not let calamity-howling executives who make $10,000 a day tell you that a wage of $404 a week is going to hurt their bottom lines. It’s time to help Pennsylvania workers get a raise,” the senator said as she formally submitted her discharge petition.
Twenty-nine states and Washington D.C. pay more than the Pennsylvania/federal minimum of $7.25.
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by Christin Brown | October 20, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Oct. 20, 2015 – With some lawmakers wearing vision-distortion glasses and others using a wheelchair or a walker for the first time, decision-makers got the chance during state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s “Disabilities Day at the Capitol” to experience life as a person with disabilities.
The senator also won unanimous approval of a resolution making October “National Disability Employment Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania.
“We should be reminded that advancements in the cause of employment for the handicapped have required the sacrifice of generations of workers and their supporters,” Tartaglione said this afternoon during Senate floor remarks.
“While highlighting the importance of work in maintaining strong families and communities, we acknowledge those individuals who have overcome challenges to fulfill their career ambitions,” she said.
During the lawmaker’s “Disabilities Day” expo, where lawmakers could experience life as a person with disabilities, representatives from L&I Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services, Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia, PA Statewide Independent Living Council, Penn State University Extension, PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Susquehanna Service Dogs, Self Determination Housing Project of Pennsylvania, UniqueSource, and United Cerebral Palsy of Central Pennsylvania helped to drive home an important message.
“They are an example of the hundreds of support organizations across Pennsylvania that, everyday, help to make employment possible for people with disabilities and possible is the world to remember what’s necessary and good,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “We must encourage Pennsylvania’s labor force and its industries to create better strategies to work together in hiring, training and retaining our friends, neighbors and loved ones with disabilities.”
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by Christin Brown | October 19, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Oct. 19, 2015 – Despite inroads in breast cancer research, state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today said more needs to be done, and she urged the Pennsylvania Senate to approve her resolution making October “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” and Oct. 16 “National Mammography Day.”
The Senate approved Sen. Tartaglione’s resolution.
“Unfortunately, funding for research has stayed flat for the past 10 years and that translates into real-dollar funding cuts of 25 percent,” Tartaglione said during floor remarks. “So, I stand before you today in an effort to continue raising awareness and working to reduce its prevalence. “
Even though many women diagnosed with breast cancer have a 100 percent survival rate if their disease is diagnosed early, Tartaglione said there are too many women who fail to take action to get that diagnosis.
To help improve the rate of mammography, Tartaglione said part of her resolution is to make Oct. 16 “National Mammography Day” in Pennsylvania.
“In honor of the individuals who have lost their battles with breast cancer; for those who are currently living with it; for those who have survived it; for those who are impatient to find a cure; and, for all of their family members and friends, I offer this resolution recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and October 16 as National Mammography Day,” Sen. Tartaglione said.
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by Christin Brown | October 19, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Oct. 19, 2015 – To help decision makers better understand the needs of Pennsylvanians with disabilities, state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione will once again hold her “Disabilities Day at the Capitol.”
“I hold Disabilities Day to help people with disabilities find gainful employment, and to help employers without those same disabilities better understand what it’s like to have them,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “It also serves a good purpose by educating employers about the things they can do to help workers with disabilities be as productive as they expect.”
Joining the senator during her annual awareness event will be L&I Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services, Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia, PA Statewide Independent Living Council, Penn State University Extension, PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Susquehanna Service Dogs, Self Determination Housing Project of Pennsylvania, UniqueSource, and United Cerebral Palsy of Central Pennsylvania.
Media coverage is encouraged.
WHAT: Sen. Christine Tartaglione’s annual “Disabilities Day at the Capitol”
WHEN: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20
WHERE: Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg
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by Christin Brown | October 14, 2015 | News Releases
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 14, 2015 – Older Philadelphians and their family members will have the opportunity to learn about programs that can enrich their lives at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Oct. 15, at the Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School during state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s annual Senior Expo.
Representatives from various government agencies as well as public and private service providers will be available to discuss programs and services for older Philadelphians.
Attendees will get free health screenings, entertainment and refreshments.
Media coverage is encouraged.
WHAT: Sen. Christine Tartaglione’s annual Senior Expo
WHEN: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15
WHERE: Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School, 1100 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia
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by Christin Brown | October 7, 2015 | News Releases
Harrisburg – Oct. 7, 2015 – At a recent hearing of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, members learned first-hand about the impact of recent changes in the unemployment compensation system as it applied to seasonal workers, according to state Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia).
Tartaglione said the hearing, which was held on Oct. 6 at Philadelphia City Hall, included testimony from Kathy Manderino, the state secretary of the Department of Labor and Industry, AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale, representatives of various labor unions, legal services, law firms and employment consultants.
“The labor committee has held hearings on the effect of changes to the unemployment compensation system that involve how seasonal workers are treated,” Tartaglione said. “These hearings provide members with insight into how seasonal workers are now handled in the unemployment system as a result of changes that were recently signed into law.”
Tartaglione said that Act 6 and Act 60 alterations imposed changes in wage calculations for seasonal workers. As a result of Act 6 and Act 60 changes, she said that an estimated 48,000 workers are ineligible for unemployment compensation benefits.
The changes have created difficulties for workers who fail to earn more than 49.5 percent of their earnings outside of the high quarter by making them ineligible for unemployment compensation, the senator said.
“Act 6 and Act 60 changes are a hardship for seasonal workers, especially those who are employed in jobs where the work is highly concentrated in a quarter,” Tartaglione said. “I am hopeful that we can adjust the law to make it more equitable.”
The committee hearing in Philadelphia was the second one that was held concerning the impact of Act 6 and Act 60 changes. The first hearing was convened in Erie earlier this year.
Tartaglione said she expected to discuss this issue more over the next several weeks.
by Christin Brown | October 6, 2015 | News Releases
by Christin Brown | September 30, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Sept. 30, 2015 – Pennsylvania’s leading fighter for increasing the minimum wage today said she will introduce a discharge petition to force the state Senate to vote on her bill to finally increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour.
[hdvideo id=43]
Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione said her Senate Bill 195 has been in committee long enough and it’s clear that it will not be considered, despite overwhelming support for the increase.
“Two-hundred-and-forty-five days ago – my proposal to finally give a raise to the lowest paid of Pennsylvania’s workers – minimum wage earners – was referred to the Senate Labor and Industry Committee,” Tartaglione said during a news conference today with fellow Democratic senators, Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks), and staunch minimum wage advocates from the Sierra Club and Raise The Wage PA.
“I am introducing a discharge resolution today to get the Senate to vote on what has long been an unfair situation – and is becoming dire for those who are only earning $7.25 an hour.
“Every day there is a story about a city or state that has either voted to approve raising the minimum wage or is strongly considering an increase.
“Minimum wage efforts have become so successful that – in many cities – $10.10 is now cheap,” Tartaglione said. “But $10.10 is the number that Pennsylvania lawmakers need to approve.”
Of the Northeast U.S. states with a minimum wage, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage of $7.25 is the lowest paid to hourly workers.
Maryland’s minimum wage is $8.25 and is set to increase in stages to $10.10 by July 2018. New Jersey’s minimum wage is $8.38 but it is now indexed to the Consumer Price Index. New York’s base hourly rate is $8.75 and is going to $9 at the end of this year, while Gov. Andrew Cuomo is fighting for a $15 minimum. Ohio is paying $8.10 an hour and will pay more when the CPI is adjusted. West Virginia’s $8 minimum wage is set to hit $8.75 after Christmas. Finally, Delaware is paying $8.25.
In total, 29 states and Washington D.C. pay more than the Pennsylvania/federal minimum of $7.25.
Tartaglione noted opposition to raising the minimum wage, but said their claims are as trite and historically inaccurate as they have always been.
“What the naysayers contend about higher minimum wage rates are the same things that were said when FDR proposed the first minimum wage of 25-cents: ‘Do not let any calamity-howling executive with an income of $1,000 a day … tell you … that a wage of $11 a week is going to have a disastrous effect on all American industry’,” Tartaglione said.
“It’s time to help Pennsylvania workers get a raise. It’s time that the Senate vote now on my proposal to increase the minimum wage to $10.10, so they are getting my discharge resolution to get this done,” she said.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Vincent Hughes, Sens. Art Haywood, John Sabatina, Larry Farnese, Sean Wiley, Rep. DiGirolamo, and United Food & Commercial Workers 1776’s John Meyerson joined Sen. Tartaglione at today’s press conference.
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by Christin Brown | September 29, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Sept. 29, 2015 – The General Assembly’s leading minimum wage advocate will hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 30, in the Capitol Rotunda to explain how she plans to get Republicans to finally consider increasing the base hourly rate to $10.10.
Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione has proposed measures to move Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $10.10 but her bill has received no consideration since it was referred to the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.
Of the Northeast U.S. states with a minimum wage, Pennsylvania’s $7.25 is the lowest paid to hourly workers.
The senator will be joined by minimum wage advocates and other members of her Democratic caucus.
Media coverage is encouraged.
WHAT: Sen. Christine Tartaglione, colleagues, advocates to hold a press conference to outline her next step to gain consideration of her proposal to increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage
WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 30
WHERE: Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg
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by Christin Brown | September 17, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, Sept. 17, 2015 – To mark the 25th anniversary of the federal law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in many places, state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today won unanimous approval of a resolution.
The Americans with Disabilities Act came into being in 1990, and has been amended several times since then.
“Since its passage, the Americans with Disabilities Act has made important strides in all areas of life as we know it,” Tartaglione said during floor remarks “from curb cutouts to accessible hotels and medical facilities, to speech, hearing and visual aids at public events.
“With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with disabilities gained more options for leaving their homes to run errands or go to work. It opened greater job opportunities and security in the workplace, and it gave people the ability to become more active in their communities.”
Four federal agencies enforce ADA, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces regulations covering employment; the Department of Transportation, which enforces regulations governing transit; the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which enforces regulations covering telecommunication services; and the Department of Justice, which enforces regulations governing public accommodations and state and local government services.
“I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Tartaglione said. “I ask that they acknowledge the strength and resolve of disabled residents who have waited patiently for change and who have worked hard to overcome challenges.”
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by Christin Brown | September 11, 2015 | News Releases
Two more senior expos planned for October
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 11, 2015 – A multitude of Philadelphia area seniors and their caregivers collected helpful information, enjoyed being entertained and had free health screenings Thursday during state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s “Senior Expo 2015.”
The event, held for the third consecutive year at Mayfair Community Center, gave attendees a one-stop opportunity to learn about new and existing programs and services for older Philadelphians.
“It can be overwhelming for many people when the time comes to explore senior living options,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “My Senior Expo is designed to take the fear out of taking the next step, and doing what is necessary for older Philadelphians to better enjoy their golden years.”
Representatives from various government agencies, plus public- and private-service providers shared program information with Senior Expo visitors.
Free blood pressure and prescription drug screenings were also available.
Tartaglione is planning similar senior expos Oct. 1 (Philadelphia Protestant Home, 6500 Tabor Ave.) and Oct. 15 (Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School, 1100 E. Erie Ave). The Oct. 15 senior expo will be geared to the senator’s Spanish-speaking constituents.
Sen. Tartaglione’s Senior Expo 2015 is presented in partnership with North Philadelphia Health System, Temple Health, Shop Rite of Aramingo Avenue, and Keystone First.
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by Christin Brown | August 4, 2015 | News Releases
Erie, Aug. 4, 2015 – Today, the Senate Labor and Industry Committee held a public hearing to examine recent changes to unemployment compensation eligibility and potential negative impacts to seasonal workers. The meeting was convened at the request of Sen. Sean Wiley (D-49) who has long-advocated a forum for legislators to hear directly from the greater Erie community.
Under Act 60 of 2012, the General Assembly took measures to reduce a $4 billion debt to the federal government and address the long-term solvency of the unemployment compensation system. One significant adjustment modified how eligibility is calculated resulting in a disqualification for workers who earn 50.5 percent or more of their annual income in one quarter, where the previous threshold was 63 percent.
“I understand the intent of Act 60, but unfortunately, workers in the greater Erie community who are at the mercy of the weather to do their jobs are disproportionately affected,” said Wiley.
Committee Chair Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) offered, “For some time now, reports have been coming in indicating that the latest round of reforms to the unemployment compensation law are adversely affecting seasonal workers. “The hearing offered some valuable information to help us determine the extent of the problem and the practicality and cost of potential remedies.”
“The unintended consequences of the changes made through Act 60, the disproportionate number of seasonal workers, and those who respond to emergencies – like Hurricane Sandy – require us to revisit these changes,” said Democratic Committee Chair Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia). “Unemployment benefits are a vital financial safety net for men and women who have lost their jobs. Making sure they don’t suffer further is why we have been working hard to rectify this issue.”
Wiley also offered, “I commend Sen. Baker for her leadership on this matter and willingness to hear from those in this community who are impacted. I hope that the testimony provided before the committee here today will be helpful in developing a potential remedy.”
Those providing testimony included representatives from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, National Federation of Independent Business, the Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades Council, Laborers’ International Union of North America, the American Council of Engineering Companies, Associated Pennsylvania Constructors, as well as local businesses and employees.
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by Christin Brown | July 9, 2015 | News Releases
PHILADELPHIA, July 9, 2015 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today issued the following statement as she remembered the life and work of former state Sen. Len Bodack, who died today at the age of 82:
“We represented people from opposite ends of Pennsylvania but we shared a passion for working on the issues that mattered – and still matter – for the people who elected us as their representatives in the Senate.
“Whether it was minimum wage, worker rights, or acting to improve the quality of life in our communities, Len showed me and others that if it needed to be done it should be done, and it should be done well.
“I am saddened to hear of his passing, but I will always remember our time together.
“My heartfelt condolences to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.”
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by Christin Brown | June 30, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, June 30, 2015 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today voted against the Republican state budget proposal for 2015-2016, saying it falls far short of the needed investments in education, workers and taxpayers.
“Many people believed we were heading in a new and better direction when the voters elected Tom Wolf to replace Tom Corbett,” Tartaglione said, “but the nightmare Corbett budget strategies continue.
“Voters overwhelmingly said they want someone who better understands the need to invest in our children and their education, to increase the minimum wage for people working in poverty, and to finally adopt an impactful property tax reform bill.
“Instead, we received a steamrolled Republican budget that looks too much like the past Corbett budgets, and all of Pennsylvania should shiver thinking about how this will continue to hold us back,” the senator said.
“I’ve heard Republican lawmakers say they, too, were granted a mandate because they increased their majorities in the House and Senate during the November election, but let me remind them that they merely enjoyed the fruits of their partisan redistricting efforts.
“This sham budget is not what Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians want or need,” Tartaglione said.
The Philly Democrat said the budget proposal heading to Gov. Wolf should include a significant natural gas extraction tax, a minimum wage increase to $10.10 an hour, liquor modernization (not a sell-off), less dependence on one-time budget tricks, and the restoration of the basic education funds that were siphoned away from school teachers and students for the past four years.
“Gov. Wolf has promised a veto, and I am waiting to see that happen,” Tartaglione said. “Once it does happen, House and Senate Democrats – who were blocked from contributing to this budget bill – will make sure a better job is done to be more equitable to Philadelphians and everyone in the commonwealth.”
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by Christin Brown | June 24, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, June 24, 2015 – In her ongoing work to include Pennsylvanians with disabilities in daily life, state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today won Senate passage of resolutions that will designate September as “National Spinal Cord Awareness Month” and Sept. 10 as “World Suicide Prevention Day” in the commonwealth.
During the month-long “National Spinal Cord Awareness Month,” Tartaglione said the designation is important to her because of the boating accident that changed her life, and because spinal cord injuries happen too frequently.
“Did you know that every 48 minutes, another person in the U.S. becomes paralyzed from a spinal cord injury?” Tartaglione asked fellow senators this afternoon. “Today, we have more Americans living with paralysis than ever before, and that number is growing exponentially as our veteran population expands.
“I ask that we take the necessary steps to ensure everyone gains access to the latest medical treatments and technologies because every individual with a spinal cord injury deserves the opportunity for a better quality of life,” she said.
For “World Suicide Prevention Day,” Tartaglione said it’s important for people to learn more about suicide because 1,700 Pennsylvanians take their own lives every year.
“By taking part in this important event, all of us can help put an end to suicide,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “From government to health professionals, from interest groups to family, friends and co-workers; everyone plays an equally important role in suicide prevention.
“Working together, we can increase awareness and education, so that individuals at-risk of suicide are identified, treated and provided with the post-intervention services they need.”
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by Christin Brown | June 24, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, June 24, 2015 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione added her strong and enthusiastic support today to a new proposal that would eliminate school property taxes for millions of homeowners throughout Pennsylvania and significantly reduce many taxes in Philadelphia.
The Senate Democratic Caucus introduced the PA Home Rebate Plan today.
“Philadelphians and taxpayers throughout the commonwealth have been looking for a good tax-reduction plan like someone lost in a desert,” Tartaglione said following this morning’s news conference in the Capitol. “The PA Home Rebate Plan is more than a mirage; it promises to be a wellspring of long-term relief for over-taxed Pennsylvanians everywhere.”
Under PA Home Rebate, property taxpayers would be eligible for a 100 percent rebate of their school property tax bills up to $1,990, while renters would receive rebates of $500 if their income is less than $50,000. The rebates would be available annually.
In Philadelphia, funds will be used for the reduction of a mix of wage, sales and use, cigarette and property taxes.
“Not only does this sound good, the state’s Independent Fiscal Office has verified its positive impact,” the senator said.
The IFO said the total cost of the property tax rebate portion of the program is estimated to be $3.945 billion, and the cost of the rent rebate program will be $400 million.
The PA Home Rebate will be funded by a 0.78 percent increase in the Personal Income Tax, a 0.6 percent increase in the Sales and Use Tax, a $1-per-pack increase in the state cigarette tax, and a 40 percent tax on other tobacco products.
“Most school districts in Pennsylvania use state funds and rely heavily on the property tax to balance their books, but Philly heavily relies on wage and other taxes to pay for basic education,” Sen. Tartaglione said.
“PA Home Rebate includes a balanced distribution for our great city and it gives us the flexibility to reduce property, wage and cigarette taxes to finally deliver relief. “
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by Christin Brown | June 10, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, June 10, 2015 – Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement today that he is waiving fees for child abuse clearances and criminal background checks for volunteers working with children is receiving state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s approval.
The Wolf administration announced the change this afternoon, and also said there will be a drop in the cost of child abuse and criminal history record checks for all other applicants. The new fee will be $8 instead of $10.
“This is a good response to a problem that was created under good intentions,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “The legislature changed the way we monitor, report and prosecute child abuse and neglect cases following the Jerry Sandusky saga, but we went a little too far in who should pay for those background checks.
“Gov. Wolf did the right thing today by dropping the fee for volunteers and reducing it by 20 percent for all others.”
Beginning July 1, volunteers are required by Act 153 of 2014 to obtain background checks, including the Department of Human Services’ child abuse history clearance, and the criminal history record check by state police.
If someone is seeking employment to work with children and others, they will still be charged for the clearances, but at a reduced cost of $8. People who are volunteering will not have to pay for the inquiry.
More information about clearances required under the Child Protective Services Law can be found at www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov. Individuals seeking clearances can visit www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis to create an account and electronically apply for their child abuse clearance.
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by Christin Brown | June 9, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, June 9, 2015 – Before a sea of colored t-shirts donned by union apprentices, state Sen. Christine Tartaglione once again celebrated the 5th Annual Apprenticeship Awareness Day today in the Capitol Rotunda.
Known throughout Pennsylvania as a leading supporter of labor unions, Tartaglione said apprentices are learning great skills that will help turn around local and regional economies.
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“From our roads and bridges to our building structures, we have a lot of work to do if we want Pennsylvania to remain competitive nationally and globally,” Tartaglione said. “The apprentices, workers, coordinators and instructors standing with me here are the ones who are going to help us achieve this.
“They are the heartbeat of this commonwealth and they represent our future progress.”
Apprenticeship Awareness Day is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Apprentice Coordinators Association. Apprentice programs are operated by the Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council.
While the pay for apprentices is somewhat less than that of “journeymen,” PACA says apprentices receive pay increases as they advance through their programs. Some increases happen every six months or every year.
The state Department of Labor and Industry says there are about 11,000 active apprenticeships in Pennsylvania; about 7,700 of those are in a construction-related trade.
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by Christin Brown | June 2, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, June 2, 2015 – The statewide foundation that helps Pennsylvanians with disabilities improve the quality of their lives with assistive technologies won the promise of Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today to work for a greater state investment in the organization.
The Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation provides low-interest loans to people with disabilities. Since its founding in 2002, the group has approved more than 2,500 lines of credit totaling more than $33 million. More than 200 people were approved for more than $1.3 million in loans in 2014.
“I know how important the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation is,” said Sen. Tartaglione, who was partially paralyzed in a 2003 boating accident.
“I know what a chair rail is. I know how important that lift is to give me that independence to help me get outside of my home. My freedom is something I could never fathom to lose,” she said.
PATF helps people of all ages, incomes and disabilities buy assistive technologies like adapted vehicles, wheelchairs, and home modifications – and pay back the money through one of two programs:
Assistive devices that cost more than $1,500 can be had with a 3.75 percent loan. If the cost is less, PATF offers a zero-percent mini-loan that carries a $20 monthly payment.
“This is one of my first budget requests because I know how important it is for PATF to continue providing the good services they have been providing for 13 years,” Tartaglione said.
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by Christin Brown | May 13, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, May 13, 2015 – With billions of retirement and tax dollars at stake, state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today blasted the new Senate Republican proposal for pension reform saying the unconstitutional bill has not been properly vetted by the public.
“We are $53 billion in arrears with our two public pension systems because of bad decisions that also were made behind closed doors,” Sen. Tartaglione said today. “Now we are rushing a proposal that promises to make improvements but really only threatens the Golden Years of state employees and teachers who have dedicated their lives to Pennsylvania and its residents.”
Tartaglione said it is wrong that Senate Bill 1 was coalesced behind closed doors as a more than 400-page piece of legislation that was then rushed to the Senate floor for a rubber stamp of a vote.
The veteran Democratic Philadelphia lawmaker voted against Senate Bill 1 yesterday when it was considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee, and she voted against it today when the full Senate brought it to the floor for consideration.
On top of the lack of transparency and breakneck speed in moving SB 1, Tartaglione said majority Republicans are forgetting that these kinds of proposals by states that are looking to save money on the backs of workers who are not at fault for their decisions have been deemed unconstitutional by those states’ supreme courts.
“Unconstitutional, in this case, means we are breaking a contract with state employees and teachers who have regularly made automatic monthly payments for their own retirement,” the senator said. “And they have been making those payments based on the terms of a legal agreement they and the commonwealth accepted together.
“One of the most egregious elements of this Republican proposal is how it would decimate the retirements of thousands of teachers – the very same teachers who taught many of the lawmakers who are now rushing to make bad, unjust and wrong decisions,” she said.
One analysis found that the total savings of SB 1 for the commonwealth would be $3.3 billion over the next 33 years; $2.6 billion for school districts.
“That so-called savings means state employees are going to lose a lot of money and peace of mind because of a bad bill that will deliver hardly any relief for our troubled pension systems,” Sen. Tartaglione said.
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by Christin Brown | May 5, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, May 5, 2015 – With mounting public pressure and a governor who has called for Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to be increased to $10.10 an hour, a committee co-chaired by Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione listened today as workers, employers and opponents discussed the issue during an informational hearing.
“Supporters clearly showed reasoned, real-world evidence for the increase,” Tartaglione said following the three-hour session before the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.
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Sen. Tartaglione has introduced a five-bill package that would up Pennsylvania’s base hourly rate from $7.25 to $10.10 in January, add an annual cost-of-living adjustment, and move the tipped minimum wage to 70 percent of the regular minimum.
Other lawmakers – Republican and Democratic – have also proposed increases. Today’s hearing, however, was to consider the plusses and minuses of increasing the minimum wage to something higher than the current poverty-level rate. No specific bills were discussed.
Following the hearing, Tartaglione held a press conference with some of the employers and workers who clearly demonstrated the need for an increase, and also showed how paying employees more helps them and their businesses.
The co-owner of Pittsburgh’s Bar Marco, Robert Fry, said his restaurant’s decision several years ago to offer base $35,000 a year salaries to employees – and do away with the tipped minimum wage – has been an excellent policy.
“There are significant cost offsets that come with better paid staff, including lower turnover, reduced waste and increased efficiency, and better employee performance and loyalty,” Fry said in his testimony. “All of this saves my business money in the short run as well as the long run.”
Another Pittsburgh-area business owner, Simon Arias, said he pays his employees more than double the minimum wage.
“Paying a higher wage has not hurt my business, but has been a sustaining factor in my growth,” Arias, the owner of Arias Agencies, Wexford, testified. “My employees know they can grow along with my business, and over half have been with me for at least 7 years, with the rest at least 2 and a half years.”
Workers, also, spoke with passion as they explained why lawmakers must approve a higher base hourly rate.
While Maria Perez and Chuck Harford are currently making a little more than the federally required minimum wage, they said $10.10 would help them with cover their basic daily needs.
“I am very fortunate that I live with my mother. However, I know and worry that a major repair to my car or an illness could be devastating to me,” said Harford, who works at an independent grocery store in Duncannon, Dauphin County.
“In three years that I’ve been working (at Brightside Academy Child Care Center, Philadelphia) … I only got a $.10/hour raise. I get paid $620 every two weeks. Somehow I manage to pay rent which is $700, plus bills for electric, car note, insurance, gas and cable,” Perez said. “We all have credits from colleges and also have major experience in the work field, but we struggle to take care of our children while we educate yours.”
In all of the testimony, Sen. Tartaglione said there is one thing that stands out that people should remember.
“Raising the minimum wage is as controversial today as it was in 2006 when we last increased the hourly rate,” Tartaglione said. “What’s also the same is the gloom and doom from opponents. However, today, the real employers who are paying higher wages and the employees who need higher wages are showing the way forward for the commonwealth.”
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