Eye Opener – May 12, 2009

PATHWAYS PA RELEASES NEW REPORT ON SELF-SUFFICIENCY STANDARD

A new study released yesterday by advocacy group Pathways PA entitled “Overlooked and Undercounted: Struggling to Make Ends Meet in Pennsylvania” reveals one out of every five households in the commonwealth is suffering some form of “economic distress.” The study, which measures a household’s ability to meet basic needs based on a proprietary “self-sufficiency standard,” found the highest levels of families not meeting the standard are in Philadelphia County (32.7%), Centre County (31.8%) and Fayette County (35.4%). Dr. Diana Pierce, Director of the Center for Women’s Welfare at the University of Washington School of Social Work, commented, “We found that the group of people [unable to meet their basic needs] is quite a diverse group of people in terms of race and ethnicity.” Two-thirds of the group is white, fewer than one in ten are Latino, and one in five are black, she said. Check the PLS Capitol Toolbox to read the full story.

PENNSYLVANIA AAA RELEASES ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION ISSUES SURVEY

At a Capitol Hill news conference yesterday, the Pennsylvania AAA Federation released the results of its annual survey of its members regarding transportation issues. According to Federal Executive Director Ted Leonard, “Our survey for this session was conducted at the end of last year and covered a wide array of topics including traffic safety, teen drivers, road conditions, transportation funding and several consumer issues.” The survey was based on 369 respondents with an error of +/- 5.1% at the 95% level of confidence. Drunk drivers, distracted drivers and aggressive drivers were the top three safety concerns of the Pennsylvania AAA members. The survey indicated these three were followed in descending order by poor road quality, sharing the road with large trucks, unlicensed drivers, teen drivers, senior drivers and drowsy drivers. Check the PLS Capitol Toolbox to read the full story.

STRAW POLL RESULTS SHOW SUPPORT FOR SESTAK

According to an article in the Patriot News, the results of an online straw poll on whether U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pennsylvania.) should run against Arlen Specter in a Democratic Senate primary are in and the results showed eighty-six percent of national voters (7,501 votes cast) and 85 percent of Pennsylvania voters (949 votes cast) said Sestak should take on the 79-year-old new Democrat.  The poll was conducted by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Rep. Sestak calls Specter’s party switch political expediency and says he does not think Pennsylvanians want Democratic Party honchos to dictate which candidate becomes “anointed.” Click here to read the Patriot News article.

BUDGET UPDATE: ARNESON, SENATE RS AWAITING DS BUDGET PLAN

Deep spending cuts proposed last week by Senate Republicans’ $27.3 billion budget bill sparked a sharp response from Democrats, including Governor Ed Rendell, who said the proposal was “extremely mean” and would “rob Pennsylvania of its future.” The GOP’s response: Show us your own proposal for a balanced budget, and then come talk to us. “I think that the tenor of the rhetoric was clearly over the top,” said Erik Arneson, spokesman for Senate Republicans. “This is the only budget that’s been presented this year which is balanced and takes into account our revenue shortfall, which is going to be very close to $3 billion.” Go to www.mypls.com and click “News and Views” to read the story. Budget Update will give you a weekly look inside budget negotiations between the governor and four legislative caucuses as all sides try to grapple with a $3 billion deficit.

Upcoming Meetings

House Professional Licensure
9:30 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
Public hearing on: HB 975 Adolph Amends Engineer, Land Surveyor & Geo Reg Law HB 587 Markosek Amends Eng, Land Surveyor & Geologist Reg. Law

House Local Government
9:30 a.m., Room 39, East Wing

To consider: HB 1367 Murt Amends Fiscal Code re Lcl Gov. Capitol Project HB 1397 Carroll Amends act re open space & local taxing option HR 273 Yudichak Concurrent Resolution re local governance

House Judiciary
10:00 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
To consider: HR 128 Gingrich Resolution re written jury instructions HB 1145 Dermody Amends PA Cmsn. on Crime & Delinquency Law HB 1281 Gibbons Act re private community correction centers HB 1426 Caltagirone Amends PA Commission on Crime & Delinq. Law

House Labor Relations
10:00 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
To re-refer: HB 1303 Solobay Amends Freedom to Breastfeed Act re workplace HB 1445 Solobay Act re carbon monoxide alarms; Dept. of L & I

House Appropriations
Off the floor, Room 140 Main Capitol
Agenda to be announced

 

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