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.
###
Follow Sen. Christine Tartaglione on Facebook and her website.
by Christin Brown | March 4, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, March 4, 2015 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today applauded Gov. Tom Wolf for his bold and promising 2015-2016 budget proposal.
She said his willingness to push a higher minimum wage, his belief in proper education funding, his support of her idea to close the Delaware loophole, and ideas to help relieve the tax burden of Philadelphians are welcomed, overdue efforts.
[hdvideo id=38]
“For four years, the Republican in the governor’s office said he couldn’t afford to invest new dollars in education, couldn’t support people who need government help, and couldn’t afford to ask businesses to pay their minimum wage workers more than $7.25 an hour,” Tartaglione said. “But he could afford to protect the natural gas industry and corporate partners, and Pennsylvania has suffered because of that.”
Sen. Tartaglione said she is glad that the governor is reiterating his support of a $10.10 an hour minimum wage, as well as future minimum wage increases that are tied to a cost-of-living index.
Tartaglione has proposed Senate Bill 195 to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 by Jan. 1, 2016. Senate Bill 196 would eventually set the tipped minimum wage to 70 percent of the regular base hourly rate.
A recent study by the Keystone Research Center said an increase to $10.10 would benefit more base hourly wage earners than similar bills that would up the minimum much less (1.27 million Pennsylvanians to 404,000). It also said an increase to $10.10 would generate 6,000 new jobs; or nearly nine times more than an increase to $8.75.
Currently, a parent who works a full-time minimum-wage job and has two children is below the federal poverty line.
The Philadelphia Democrat said she is also pleased by the governor’s call to restore the $1 billion that the Corbett administration stripped from basic and higher education, and his call to finally close the Delaware loophole.
The Delaware loophole gives Pennsylvania businesses the opportunity to incorporate in Delaware so they can avoid paying PA corporate income taxes. Tartaglione’s Senate Bill 274 would close the Delaware loophole. It is awaiting action in the Senate Finance Committee.
Seventy percent of the corporations that operate in the commonwealth do not pay taxes because of the loophole, Tartaglione said. The New York Times reported that Delaware collected $860 million from absentee corporations operating in other American states in 2011, including Pennsylvania.
If the governor’s idea is accepted, closing the loophole would help the commonwealth reduce the corporate net income tax rate by 40 percent on Jan. 1 and by 50 percent over the next three years.
“Gov. Wolf’s idea to slash the CNI from 9.99 percent to 5.99 percent will more than make up for the money corporations are avoiding by formally organizing in a small post office box in Delaware,” Tartaglione said.
The senator said Pennsylvanians should accept the governor’s first budget proposal as a significant – and necessary – change in how the commonwealth governs and pays for government.
“Bad thinking and insufficient leadership got us into the sorry financial situation we are in,” she said. “We cannot accept the same approach in finding a way out. We must work on the Wolf budget and make sure it is signed into law no later than June 30.
“This is promising to be a tough battle, however, as Republicans who are in the majority in the House and Senate are already voicing their opposition,” Tartaglione said.
###
by Christin Brown | January 6, 2015 | News Releases
HARRISBRUG, Jan. 6, 2015 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today took the oath of office today for her sixth term in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and promised to continue her fight for better policies that promote economic development, raise the minimum wage, and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.
“Many of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states increased their minimum wage rates Jan. 1, which means we now are the only ones paying substandard, poverty-level stipends,” Tartaglione said following her oath of office.
“I am looking forward to working with the newly elected Republican leadership in the Senate and Gov. Tom Wolf to make sure Pennsylvania finally increases the minimum wage this year,” she said.
Tartaglione – who was accompanied by her mother, Margaret Tartaglione – joined other Senate Democrats in the swearing-in ceremony who were newly elected or re-elected in the November General Election.
“Many elected officials today said they are promising to work openly and together to solve Pennsylvania’s problems and improve life in this great state for everyone. I am encouraged by this and pledge to work at least as cooperatively,” Tartaglione said.
This is the beginning of Tartaglione’s sixth term in the Senate. She was first elected to the chamber in 1995.
For the 2015-2016 legislative session, Sen. Tartaglione has agreed to co-sponsor bills dealing with gun violence, people with disabilities, credit card deductions for tipped wage earners, and delivering heart and lung benefits to paramedics.
###
Follow Sen. Christine Tartaglione on Facebook and her website.
