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REACH Foundation was joined by students from the Harrisburg area to rally for maintained, or ideally increased, funding for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit. Speakers highlighted the impact of EITC on low income and middle class students, stating these students would otherwise be “prisoners of their zip codes” without the EITC and called on the legislature to fund the program before funding the film tax credit. Look for the complete story in the Capitol Toolbox early this afternoon. Posted by Kim Collins | Tags: Department of General Services, Department of Labor & Industry, education, EITC | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Leave a comment | Share:
Meeting off the floor this afternoon, Senate Approp amended and reported out SB 212, amending the Bingo law, and various education-related non-preferred bills. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story. Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: bingo, Department of General Services, education, non-preferreds, Tax Credit, tax credits | Category: Committee Voting Meeting, Senate Appropriations | Leave a comment | Share:
Organized by the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC), a group of concerned organizations held a press conference today to urge legislators to restore the deep cuts made to “essential” state programs under Senate Bill 850. As part of a week long series of rallies, Sharon Ward, director of the PBPC said that the groups present today will be back everyday to remind legislators to make better choices for Pennsylvania schools, hospitals and nursing homes, the unemployed, homeless and uninsured. Ward also charged that budget cuts to health care and education will not save money, but will cost the state even more further down the road. Check the Capitol Tool Box later for more information. Posted by PLS Intern | Tags: bleeding disorders, Budget, Department of General Services, education, food handling, Health Care, livestock, Nursing Homes | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Comments are closed | Share:
Matthew Brouillette, Senator Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster) and Reps. John Bear (R-Lancaster) and Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) joined Pennsylvania farmers to announce their opposition to a proposed tax on smokeless tobacco. Brouillette argued it is not about big tobacco companies, but small family farmers who have been in business for many generations. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Rebecca | Tags: Ed Rendell, education, farmers, farming, school taxes, tobacco | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Comments are closed | Share:
Gov. Ed Rendell reportedly said Friday afternoon that he is willing to stall budget negotiations until Labor Day if he is unsatisfied with education spending. Labor Day is Sept.7. The fiscal year starts July 1. Brouillette has followed the nearly week-long tour as a tangible counter-point to it, asserting that the Senate’s funding plan is necessary during difficult economic times. It also doesn’t mean school districts won’t receive another funding boost this year, he said. Gov. Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo could not confirm if the governor had made the remark. But Ardo said given governor’s commitment to education, he “would not be surprised†if he did. Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: bleeding disorders, Budget, Department of General Services, education | Category: Capitol View, LBFC, News and Views, Senate Environmental Resources and Energy | Comments are closed | Share:
The committee voted unanimously to report as committed SB 281 which prohibits the Department of Education from directly or indirectly developing or implementing statewide requirements or entering into a contract that provides for graduation competency assessments until specifically authorized by the General Assembly. The members also voted unanimously to report as amended SB 893 which amends The Library Code. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story. Posted by Jeff Cox | Tags: Department of General Services, education, federal transportation stimulus, graduation competency assessments, human relations, libraries, rate caps, statewide graduation requirements | Category: Committee Voting Meeting, Senate Appropriations | Comments are closed | Share:
Republicans on Tuesday afternoon boycotted a House Education Committee hearing they say was just another Democratic attempt to bash the Senate-approved $27.3 billion budget and justify tax increases necessary for their spending proposal. Democrats countered that the House Republican decision is steeped in partisanship and hurts efforts to continue budget negotiations. But House Republicans decided not to attend last week after reviewing the meeting’s agenda, according to caucus spokesman Steve Miskin. The spokesman said the agenda looked like one for a Democratic Policy Committee meeting, not a fair, bipartisan hearing for the Education Committee. Those who testified include the Department of Education, the Education Law Center, Good Schools Pennsylvania, the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in PA, the Easton NAACP, the Lansdowne Baptist Church, a high school student from Philadelphia, board president of the Norristown Area School District, the Education Policy and Leadership Center, Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools, Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, Pennsylvania State Education Association, and the superintendent of the Susquehanna Township School District. “It Continue reading Republicans Boycott House Education Committee hearing Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: bid limits, boycott, Department of General Services, education | Category: Capitol View, LBFC, News and Views, Senate Environmental Resources and Energy | Comments are closed | Share:
The committee began two days of public hearings on S.B. 850, the budget bill approved by the State Senate. Members heard testimony from the Commonwealth Foundation and the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center. The members also heard testimony from three panels on the impact of the Senate proposal on healthcare, county services, and education. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Jeff Cox | Tags: Commowealth land rights, county services, Department of General Services, education, Fumo, Healthcare, PUC, state budget | Category: Budget Hearing, House Agriculture & Rural Affairs, House Appropriations | Comments are closed | Share:
Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak, Acting Revenue Secretary Stephen Stetler, PA State Police Commissioner Frank Pawlowski and Deputy Secretary of Post Secondary and Higher Education Kathleen Shaw, gathered for a news conference today to unveil a tuition relief plan to help make college more affordable. Governor Rendell is proposing tuition relief starting this fall for families earning up to $100,000 a year who have students attending PA community colleges and public universities.  The plan would allow up to five video poker machines in establishments that have liquor licenses. Secretary Stetler said “legalizing this form of entertainment will generate more than a half a billion dollars annually to support the tuition relief plan.” Check the PLS Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Matt Hess | Tags: Department of General Services, education, smoking ban, video poker | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Comments are closed | Share:
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