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Keystone
State Education Coalition
PA Ed Policy Roundup Nov. 29, 2017:
Congress’s failure to fund CHIP bringing
it down to the line in PA
Lancaster Online by HEATHER STAUFFER | Staff
Writer November 28, 2017
Teresa Miller, acting secretary of Pennsylvania’s
Department of Human Services, is walking a tightrope this holiday season. Funding
for CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program that covers 178,000 children
statewide — roughly 10,000 of them in Lancaster County — is running out and the
program will have to shut down about the end of January 2018 unless Congress
acts. She wants to give families at least 30 days notice
if that happens. But she also doesn’t want to scare them unnecessarily, and the
latest she’s heard from Washington is that Congress may take action right
before Christmas on the program that has historically enjoyed strong bipartisan
support. So for now, she said Monday, staffers are drafting letters to families
and hoping they don’t have to send them. And they’re looking for ways to keep
CHIP going longer if federal funds don’t come through — something Miller said
would be tough. “Almost 90 percent of the funding comes from the federal
government,” she said. “I don’t see any way that the state would be able to
make up that money.” Helen Jones, director of social work at SouthEast
Lancaster Health Services, said in an email that CHIP ending would be
devastating. “Many children need inhalers for asthma or they require other
health-sustaining medications,” she wrote. “We are heading into flu season; it
is not a good time for children to lose their insurance.”
Children’s
health program imperiled by Republican tactics
MSNBC By Steve Benen11/28/17 08:00 AM
The Republican-led Congress was supposed to extend
the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by Oct. 1. As regular readers
know, that was the day current funding for the program, which has traditionally
enjoyed bipartisan support, expired. The deadline passed, however, because GOP
lawmakers were focused on trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Health care
advocates initially hoped lawmakers would act soon after, and the missed deadline
would be inconsequential. That was 59 days ago, and as of now, there is no
solution and Republicans don’t appear to be working on one. As Slate noted, the real-world
consequences are starting to emerge.
Colorado has notified residents that the federally
funded Children’s Health Insurance Program will shut down in early 2018 if
Congress doesn’t act to renew funding that expired on Sept. 30; the state
appears to be the first to formally make such an announcement. A state press
release says its program has enough money to continue operating until Jan. 31
of next year.
Since the CHIP
program is administered at the state level, the funding shortfall has different
effects in different places, but estimates indicate that as many as four
million children nationwide could lose coverage if it’s not renewed.
There’s long been a buffer built into the system,
which is why no one panicked on Oct. 1. Everyone involved in the debate
understood that states would move some money around until lawmakers got their
act together. In fact, this wasn’t the first time federal policymakers missed a
CHIP deadline.
How to
contact Pennsylvania lawmakers about the Republican tax overhaul
Morning Call by Laura
Olson Contact
Reporter Call Washington Bureau November 28, 2017
There’s another big legislative vote coming on
Capitol Hill this week, as Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate aim to
advance their proposal to overhaul the federal tax code. Pennsylvania’s two
U.S. senators have been clear on where they stand on the bill: Republican
Sen. Pat Toomey has been among
those involved in the bill’s drafting and has been a spokesman in support of its
provisions, which he says will boost growth and allow
Americans to keep more of their income. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey has joined
other Democrats in opposing the bill, which he has characterized as aiding the
nation’s wealthiest taxpayers with fewer benefits for middle- or lower-income
Americans. But constituents tracking the bill and how it will affect their
finances can still share their views with both senators as the chamber heads
toward a vote later this week.
Here’s how to contact Sen. Toomey:
·
Call: 610-434-1444; 202-224-4254
And to contact Sen. Casey:
·
Call: 610-782-9470; 202-224-6324
·
Email: https://www.casey.senate.gov/contact
Toomey’s staffers said earlier this year that he
receives a weekly report on the incoming calls, emails and letters. Casey's
staff said he also gets an update each week. This week’s Senate tax vote likely
won’t be the end of the debate. If the Senate advances its tax bill, then GOP
leaders from the House and Senate would need to sort out which provisions would
be included in a compromise measure, which would then need to be voted on in
both chambers of Congress.
The
Biggest Tax Scam in History
New York Times Opinion by Paul Krugman NOV. 27, 2017
Donald Trump likes to declare that every good
thing that happens while he’s in office — job growth, rising stock prices,
whatever — is the biggest, greatest, best ever. Then the fact-checkers weigh in
and quickly determine that the claim is false. But what’s happening in the
Senate right now really does deserve Trumpian superlatives. The bill Republican
leaders are trying to ram through this week without hearings, without time for
even a basic analysis of its likely economic impact, is the biggest tax scam in
history. It’s such a big scam that it’s not even clear who’s being scammed —
middle-class taxpayers, people who care about budget deficits, or both. One
thing is clear, however: One way or another, the bill would hurt most
Americans. The only big winners would be the wealthy — especially those who
mainly collect income from their assets rather than working for a living — plus
tax lawyers and accountants who would have a field day exploiting the many
loopholes the legislation creates.
Pro-growth
reform cuts taxes for most in Pa. and stimulates job growth | Sen. Pat Toomey
Inquirer Opinion by Pat Toomey Updated: NOVEMBER
28, 2017 — 10:23 AM EST
Since before the founding of the republic, every
generation of Americans has left to its children a greater, wealthier, and
better nation than the country it inherited, with more opportunities and an
even higher standard of living. Today, sadly, many parents are no longer
confident that their children’s lives will be better than their own. And while
there are reasons for optimism about our economic future, many Americans
understandably feel opportunity and success are just beyond their reach. For
nearly a decade, wages have been stagnant and income inequality has grown.
Although the recession ended in 2010, the economy has struggled, never
rebounding as was the historic norm. Our country’s gross domestic product has
averaged a meager 2 percent growth rate, far below the 3.45 percent average
annual rate since 1965. Among the causes of these economic maladies are: a
collapse in new business creation; a collapse in capital investment; and a
collapse in productivity gains — all of which are predicates for an expanding
economy and rising wages.
“Because what every CEO knows but won’t
tell you is this: A tax break for their company simply means a fatter bottom
line. Not jobs. Not investment. Just more money in the pockets of the folks
like me. That’s bad policy, and it’s time to set the record straight.”
La Colombe
founder: What every CEO knows but won't tell you about the proposed tax bill |
Opinion
Inquirer Opinion by Todd Carmichael, For
Philly.com Updated: NOVEMBER 28, 2017 5:32 AM
Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) is right about
the tax bill currently working its way through Congress when he says, “Congressional
Republicans have taken great pains to spin their tax scheme as great for the
middle class, but a few marginal changes don’t change the fact that their plan
is fundamentally a massive giveaway to the wealthy at the expense of the middle
class.” And every CEO knows he’s right. How do I know what CEOs are thinking?
I’m one of them. I’ve grown a Philadelphia-based small
business into a business with cafes and industrial facilities in six states and
the District of Columbia. I’ve placed canned draft lattes on market
shelves in every corner of the country. And I employ hundreds of people in
almost every income tax bracket. Along the way, I’ve learned a thing or two
about how to grow a profitable business that values the people at its core and
the communities where we do business. And I can tell you what no other CEO
wants to tell you: Casey is right when he says that a half-trillion dollars of
corporate tax giveaways proposed by the GOP aren’t going to do a thing for the
middle class, or create a single job.
Governor
Wolf Announces $5 Million in Safe Schools Grants
Governor Wolf’s
Website November 28, 2017
Harrisburg,
PA – Building on
efforts to emphasize safety in schools and in classrooms, Governor Tom Wolf
today announced that $5 million in Safe Schools Initiative Targeted Grants have
been awarded to nearly 140 schools, police departments, and municipalities to
support safer schools. “Whether students are learning in one of our large
cities or a rural community, they need a secure and supportive environment to
do their best in the classroom,” said Governor Wolf. “This funding enables
schools and communities to have the resources they need to keep students safe,
and it builds on our commitment to kids, parents and teachers across the
commonwealth.” The Safe Schools Initiative Targeted Grant program
assist schools with:
State releases $5 million in school safety grants
(with list)
Tribune
Democrat By
John Finnerty jfinnerty@cnhi.com November
28, 2017
HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday that $5
million in Safe Schools Initiative Targeted Grants have been awarded to nearly
140 schools, police departments, and municipalities across the state. “Whether
students are learning in one of our large cities or a rural community, they
need a secure and supportive environment to do their best in the classroom,”
said Wolf. “This funding enables schools and communities to have the resources
they need to keep students safe, and it builds on our commitment to kids,
parents and teachers across the commonwealth.” The $5 million is mostly split
between two pots, one directed at equipment and programs and another that helps
cover the cost of putting police officers in schools. The amount the state
spends on school safety hasn’t changed since 2013-14, said Steve Robinson, a
spokesman for the Pennsylvania School Board Association. “We've been supportive
of this grant money and anecdotally, schools appreciate having an additional
source of money to help cover costs for school safety upgrades and/or school
resource officers,” Robinson said. “Any funding put toward the safety of our
students and staff is money well spent. Could more be done with more money?
Sure, but you can say that about almost anything.”
“Also incorporated was a proposal
sponsored by Rep. John Lawrence (R-Chester) that would split any amount of the
tax generated in excess of $150 million between each of the two state pension
funds – the Public School Employee Retirements System and State Employee
Retirement System – in a dedicated stream in order to help pay off the $70
billion combined unfunded liability.”
Seven
floor amendments adopted to natural gas severance tax bill
City and State PA By: JASON GOTTESMAN NOV 29,
2017 AT 12:01 AM
After nearly two full days of pre-Thanksgiving
debate, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives considered 23 of the nearly
400 amendments filed to House Bill 1401, legislation that would implement a
volumetric natural gas tax in Pennsylvania. With the House not returning to
voting session until Dec. 4, here is a look at the amendments approved by the
House during the still ongoing second consideration process last week. Five of
the seven already-adopted amendments were approved last week, some of which are
seen as big giveaways to the drilling industry.
“The industry has also spent $7.7
million on campaign contributions since 2007. Senate President Pro Temp Joe
Scarnati has received $483,500, according to Vitali’s calculations.”
Lawmaker:
Natural gas lobby too influential in severance tax debate
State Impact BY SUSAN PHILLIPS NOVEMBER 27, 2017
| 7:15 PM
Debate continues in the state Legislature over a
severance tax on natural gas drillers.
A Democratic lawmaker from Delaware County says the
current debate over the severance tax is unduly influenced by the natural gas
industry, which has spent millions lobbying lawmakers. With more than 200 gas
industry lobbyists registered in Harrisburg, State Rep. Greg Vitali says the
industry has spent $3.7 million on lobbying the Capitol this year alone. Using campaign finance reports, lobbying
disclosure reports, lobbying registration statements and lawmakers’ statements
of financial interests, Vitali has regularly tracked industry spending. He says in order to pass a severance tax,
House members would have to agree to changes in the way the Department of
Environmental Protection regulates the industry. “This is all because of the
huge clout of the natural gas industry and the contributions they give to the
legislature and the money they spent lobbying the legislature,” he said. The
current severance tax deal includes speeding up natural gas permit reviews and
curbing the state’s efforts to reduce methane emissions. Vitali says the
changes to DEP’s permitting rules would hurt its ability to regulate. “They are
so influential in this building that In order to get a severance tax of less than
one percent,” he said, “we have to give this to them as a way to make amends.”
A new Pa.
debate on a natural gas tax smells a little fishy | John Baer
Philly Daily News by John Baer, STAFF
COLUMNIST baerj@phillynews.com Updated: NOVEMBER
28, 2017 — 5:40 PM EST
What’s up with the state House debating and maybe
even voting for a severance tax on natural gas? Why now? The budget, with all
its taxing, spending, and borrowing is done. (Not well done, mind you, but
done.) A severance tax, Gov. Wolf’s white whale, has long been a nonstarter. The Senate passed one acceptable to Wolf in July.
The House refused to act on it. Yet the House just spent a few days before
Thanksgiving debating a tax on extracting natural gas from Marcellus Shale, and
plans to continue that debate when it returns to session Monday. Something’s fishy. This comes after a decade of
failed efforts pitting Democrats supporting the tax against Republicans
opposing it, and many rural lawmakers from drilling areas against many eastern
lawmakers from no-shale zones. It comes after not taxing
extraction seemed settled law, since Republicans control the legislature, and
despite Pennsylvania being the lone large gas-producing state (second
only to Texas in 2016) without such a tax.
What gives? Smells like timing and politics.
“The chapter, part of the
Harrisburg-based Fair Districts PA project
of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, has had members approaching
their municipal leaders seeking to have resolutions in support of House Bill
722 and Senate Bill 22, both of which would end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania
by creating an independent citizens commission to draw legislative and
congressional maps instead of leaving it to politicians.”
Fair
Districts PA’s Beaver County chapter sees support growing for its
anti-gerrymandering efforts
Beaver County Times
By J.D.
Prose Posted
Nov 24, 2017 at 6:00 AM
In the six months since it formed, Fair Districts
PA’s Beaver County chapter has not only seen its membership grow, but momentum
gather for a redistricting lawsuit and stalled state bills intended to take
partisan politics out of the map-drawing process for legislative and
congressional districts. Michele Morris-Donner, the publicity chairwoman for
the local chapter, said the group now has 104 members and voters are
increasingly energized, pointing to the higher-than-expected turnout in the
Nov. 7 elections. “There just seems to be a lot more activism lately,”
Morris-Donner, a Beaver resident, said. “Even our turnout, which was pitiful,
was better than expected in Beaver County.” Based on past elections following a
presidential election, most observers figured on a turnout of about 20 percent,
but Beaver County’s was 29 percent and Lawrence County’s was 29.4 percent.
There were mainly municipal races on the ballot, but also a few state court
races, including county Judge Debbie Kunselman’s ultimately successful run for
state Superior Court.
Pennsylvania
state officials will see a pay raise in 2018
Inquirer by MARC LEVY, The Associated
Press Updated: NOVEMBER 28, 2017 — 1:00 PM EST
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The salaries of
Pennsylvania's 253 state lawmakers, more than 1,000 judges and several dozen
top executive branch officials will rise in 2018. The increase amounts to 0.8
percent, a figure tied by state law to the year-over-year change in the
consumer price index published by the U.S. Department of Labor for urban
consumers in the mid-Atlantic region. The bump takes effect Friday for lawmakers and Jan.
1 for judicial and executive branch officials. It is slightly smaller than last
year's increase of 1.3 percent.
Feds raid
offices of CEO of Universal Companies
A company spokesman says Universal itself is
not a target.
by the Notebook November 28, 2017
— 4:32pm
Federal agents raided the offices of Universal CEO
Rahim Islam on Friday while executing a search warrant at his
home and his office at Universal Companies’ corporate headquarters.
Universal, the charter school and affordable housing
community organization founded by Kenny Gamble, called an emergency meeting of
the company’s board, which voted unanimously to place Islam on administrative
leave. Universal operates eight charter schools in Philadelphia, serving 4,300
students. The School District's charter school office recommended in 2016 that
two of Universal's charters not be renewed – Audenried High School
and Vare Middle School. However, the School Reform Commission has yet to take a
vote on the issue and these schools remain open. The investigation of Islam
“definitely has nothing to do with Universal,” Devon Allen, a spokesman for
Universal, told
philly.com. “It’s a personal legal matter.”
Test-score growth plays lesser role in six states
Education Week By Liana Loewus November 14, 2017 | Corrected: November 28, 2017
Bolstered by new research and federal incentives, experts decided about a decade ago that better teacher evaluation was the path to better student achievement. A flood of states started toughening their teacher-evaluation systems, and many of them did it by incorporating student-test scores into educators' ratings. And while those policies are still in place in a majority of states, there are signs the tide is turning: Over the past two years, a handful of states have begun reversing mandates on using student-growth measures—and standardized-test scores, in particular—to gauge teacher quality. Six states—Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Oklahoma—have now dropped requirements that evaluations include student-growth measures and begun letting districts decide what elements to include in assessing teachers, according to analyses from the Education Commission of the States and the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Register
for New School Director Training in December and January
PSBA Website October 2017
You’ve started a challenging and
exciting new role as a school director. Let us help you narrow the learning
curve! PSBA’s New School Director Training provides school directors with
foundational knowledge about their role, responsibilities and ethical
obligations. At this live workshop, participants will learn about key laws,
policies, and processes that guide school board governance and leadership, and
develop skills for becoming strong advocates in their community. Get the tools
you need from experts during this visually engaging and interactive event.
Choose from any of these 11
locations and dates (note: all sessions are held 8 a.m.-4 p.m., unless
specified otherwise.):
·
Dec. 8, Bedford CTC
·
Dec. 8, Montoursville Area High School
·
Dec. 9, Upper St. Clair High School
·
Dec. 9, West Side CTC
·
Dec. 15, Crawford County CTC
·
Dec. 15, Upper Merion MS (8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m)
·
Dec. 16, PSBA Mechanicsburg
·
Dec. 16, Seneca Highlands IU 9
·
Jan. 6, Haverford Middle School
·
Jan. 13, A W Beattie Career Center
·
Jan. 13, Parkland HS
Fees: Complimentary to All-Access
members or $170 per person for standard membership. All registrations will be
billed to the listed district, IU or CTC. To request billing to
an individual, please contact Michelle Kunkel at michelle.kunkel@psba.org. Registration also includes a
box lunch on site and printed resources.
NSBA 2018
Advocacy Institute February 4 - 6, 2018 Marriott Marquis, Washington D.C.
Register
Now
Come a day early and attend the Equity Symposium!
Join hundreds of public education advocates
on Capitol Hill and help shape the decisions made in Washington D.C. that
directly impact our students. At the 2018 Advocacy Institute, you’ll gain
insight into the most critical issues affecting public education, sharpen your
advocacy skills, and prepare for effective meetings with your representatives. Whether
you are an expert advocator or a novice, attend and experience inspirational
keynote speakers and education sessions featuring policymakers, legal experts
and policy influencers. All designed to help you advocate for your students and
communities.
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