Category Archives: PA Reports

Pa. Lawmakers Seek To Limit Teacher Strikes

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By Caroline Johnston, Contributing Writer 

Two bills, two parties, two goals.

Pennsylvania Democratic Representatives and Pennsylvania Republican Representatives hold divergent views of teacher strikes regarding wage and benefit negotiations. At issue here are the reoccurring teacher strikes that hit the state of Pennsylvania on average 11 times a year.

As of this month, two bills have been proposed in Harrisburg; but the General Assembly is divided amongst the two bills.

Democratic Representatives Davis (D-141), Galloway (D-140), and Bradford (D- 70), and Republican Representatives O’Neill (R-29) and Murt (R-152) signed on in support of Democratic State Rep. Santarsiero’s proposed “Back to Education Act.”  The Back to Education Act would place pressure on negotiating periods to start sooner than their current start time.

“Placing pressure on both sides,” is the goal of this bill Rep. Santarsiero reaffirmed. The Back to Education Act will allow teacher strikes, but force negotiation sessions to begin 211 days before the completion of the fiscal year.

The bill intends to mandate union and school district meetings four times during each concession period as well as require collaboration and negotiation between the groups.

In response to his support of Rep. Santarsiero’s bill, Rep. Murt explained to the Bucks County Local News, “[it] requires teachers and school districts to begin negotiating sooner than is now required by law.”

On the other hand, the Republican crafted, “Strike-Free Education Act” has support from the conservative wing of the PA House GOP.

The Strike-Free Education Act, drafted by Representatives Metcalfe (R-12) and Rock (R-90), will ban all teacher strikes during negotiation periods. This proposed GOP bill would make it illegal for teachers to strike during contract discussions, resulting in a $5,000 fine for those attempting to strike. By restricting this ability, Rep. Metcalfe and Rep. Rock feel all energy will be put on furthering education, rather than on strikes.

The bill’s co-sponsors are hoping the Republican majority in both the Senate and the House will be the necessary support for the bill’s passage.

Republican supporters justify changes through confirmation that educators will be given their pre-negotiated salary since schools are required to be open for a minimum amount of days.

While these negotiations ensue, union members are aggravated because many feel that strikes are necessary as a potential action to guarantee the wages school teachers deserve, although both bills are supported by former teachers.

Is the answer to fixing Pennsylvania’s teacher strikes opposing party support?  Even with a legislative majority, the Republicans ability to pass the Strike-Free Education Act is being questioned, partly because of their recent focus on the economy and the environment.

It is clear that Democrats and Republicans are divided by their respective parties.  However, those lawmakers that singled out their support of the Back to Education Act proved they can move beyond party lines and work toward common educationgoals.

The discussion of drastic changes to our state’s teachers strike rights will continue while the opinion of lawmakers, union members, school districts and children are taken into consideration.

Rep. Barletta’s 100th Day in Office

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Today marks PA Rep. Lou Barletta’s 100th day in office. The congressman has spent his time actively supporting efforts to cut federal spending to help alleviate the national debt. The Standard Speaker reports:

“My goal is to change the culture of Washington,” Barletta, R-Hazleton, said. “I believe we’ve accomplished that already in the fact that we are now arguing over how much to cut spending. That’s a complete reversal from what has happened here over the past few years.”

Barletta expressed his support for a budget proposal set forth by Rep Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, as well as weening American dependency off foreign oil and instead utilizing Marcellus shale.

“We can turn natural gas …into liquid fuel for our cars and produce it cheaper to lower the cost of gas. There’s more natural gas under our feet in Pennsylvania than oil in Saudi Arabia. So, I’ve been on a mission to tell anyone who will hear me here in Washington.”

Democrats have a different view.

“Representative Barletta has shown his out-of-touch priorities by trying to balance the budget on the backs of Pennsylvania families and seniors,” said Josh Schwerin, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) regional press secretary. “He’s voted to cut funding for local police and border security, and now Representative Barletta is supporting a radical plan to end Medicare and increase health care costs for seniors while protecting subsidies for big oil.”

President Obama Visits PA

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President Obama made his first visit since announcing his re-election this past week, to Bucks County, PA. The Morning Call reports:

“This trip is certainly a touch of foreshadowing of the year and a half to come — Pennsylvania can expect multiple visits from Obama as he attempts to re-energize those who voted for him before.”

The visit was at a town hall meeting at a wind-turbine plant where Obama discussed energy policy as well as politics.

“I do not think the president can win re-election without Pennsylvania, I think it is that simple,” said Larry Ceisler, a Philadelphia-based Democratic consultant. “We’re still considered a swing state and if people thought we were swinging to the Democratic side based on the last presidential elections, all you have to do is look at the last midterm.”

4% Pay Cuts for State Workers

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A state savings of about $6 million to help lessen the state budget deficit. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Gov. Tom Corbett is now asking state workers to take a 4 percent pay cut in the first year of their next contract after rejecting a union offer for a pay freeze just months ago.

“Do we know we’re going to have to make some sacrifices in this budget? Of course we do,” AFSCME Executive Director David Fillman said. “But for a lot of folks 4 percent would be devastating.”

The cut would affect 45,000 of the lowest paid state workers.

The report indicated that AFSCME represents about 55 percent of state workers including Department of Transportation drivers, nursing assistants in state institutions, clerical workers, custodians and state park employees.

Meehan Volunteer Pleads Guilty to Electoral Fraud

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By Whitney Roper, Contributing Writer

This week the Delaware County Daily Times reported that fifty-nine year old Paul Summers, of Drexel Hill, entered guilty pleas for seven counts of forgery and seven counts of false signatures that were circulated during the primary election March 2010.

Light was shed onto the incident last April when Republican 7th District U.S. Rep Pat Meehan asked authorities to investigate suspect petitions. Summers, who had served as an official circulator of nominating petitions for the Seventh Congressional District race, was named in the criminal complaint.

The Delaware County man was charged last month on misdemeanor counts after authorities had indeed discovered notable disparity in Meehan’s election paperwork. He was preliminarily arraigned February 2nd before Upper Darby Magisterial District Judge Harry J. Karapalides and released on $10,000 bail.

Summers’ attorney described Summers as a respectable individual and that his reason for falsifying election paperwork was that he felt obligated to provide the signatures in question. His attorney had also said that Summers’ especially felt this pressure when he had been ‘abandoned’ by individuals that ‘he sought to obtain help from.’

Summers was sentenced to two years probation and fined $1,400 – $100 for each count, as a result of a plea bargaining worked out by Summers’ attorney and state Deputy Attorney General Michael Sprow.

Meehan was not charged with any sort of link to Summers’ criminal act but rather it was decided that Summers had acted alone. The issue did spark some controversy last year during the election when Meehan defeated Democrat Bryan Lentz and third party conservative candidate Jim Schneller.

Correction: an earlier version of this story identified Summers as a Meehan staffer. He was never on the paid staff of the campaign. He was a volunteer.

PA Rainwater, Small Traces of Fallout

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Over the weekend, small traces of radioactive iodine -131 from Japan’s nuclear crisis, were detected in Pennsylvania rain water. Tests showed no serious risk to drinking water. Harrisburg Bureau Chief Robert Swift reports:

“The bottom line is our public drinking water is safe,” Corbett said on the 32nd anniversary of the start of the nation’s worst nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, south of Harrisburg.

“Follow up tests of public drinking water during the weekend by the state Department of Environmental Protection at six locations across the state, including East Stroudsburg and Williamsport, showed normal levels of radioactivity and no radioiodine-131 present, Corbett said.”

Corbett assured that the levels are too low to have any harmful effects on those who get their drinking water from wells and springs.

Delco Times: Miccarelli Named Liquor Control Committee Secretary

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The Delaware County Times is reporting that State Representative Nick Miccarelli (R-Ridley Park) has been appointed Secretary of the House Liquor Control Committee. 

Click here to read Alex Rose’s item.

“This is a very special honor,” Miccarelli said in a press release.  “In the term ahead, our committee will investigate the most significant reforms to the state’s liquor laws when we consider if and how to privatize wholesale and retail liquor sales.  Our work will have a momentous impact on the budget, and I’m proud to play such a critical role.  We must get this right.”

Obama Unveils ‘Better Building Initiative’ to Packed House at PSU

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By Christina Gongaware, Contributing Writer

President Obama spoke with a tone of both urgency and optimism as he addressed a crowd of over 2,500 on the campus of Pennsylvania State University. His 15 minute address emphasized energy innovation and keeping America’s competitive edge.

The speech focused mainly on building efficiency, which Obama called the easiest solution to overcoming the recession and creating more jobs for Americans. He pointed out that businesses and homes represent 40 percent of current energy consumption. Although he said that “building efficiency doesn’t sound sexy,” he said that his “Better Buildings Initiative,” which focuses on making businesses more energy efficient, could cut operating costs by $40 billion dollars a year and help to create more American jobs.

It is a part of Obama’s energy plan that is most likely to achieve bipartisan support. PoliticsPA will run down some GOP responses later this afternoon.

Obama called for an end in subsidies for oil companies and a five year freeze in domestic spending as ways to better support investments in new technologies. He said that the government should ensure that businesses had more money to spend, and applauded the December tax cuts as a success in achieving that goal.

“Show us your best ideas, and we’ll show you the money,” he said as he urged for the commercialization of research and the aid of CEO’s and others to join.

Obama’s speech attempted to motivate his young audience with the catchphrase, “Win the Future.” He urged students to be as confident of their work in the laboratory as they are of their college sports, and said, “I hope that you act with a sense of urgency, as if the fate of the country belongs to you, because it does.” He pointed to Penn State as “one of the places where the future will be won.”

Obama discussed the Philadelphia Energy Innovation Hub, a 1200-acre facility that will foster national energy independence and regional economic development which is being developed in part at Penn State. Its goal is to improve building energy efficiency by 50-80% through the development of high-performance building system solutions, and implement these systems in the marketplace within 10 years. Penn State is a lead partner and the facility is receiving $129 million from federal sources and $30 million from Pennsylvania over five years.

PoliticsPA’s Morning Buzz: 12/29 Edition

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Corbett welcomes a showdown with the state employee unions, Pittsburgh City Council just can’t seem to pass a budget, preliminary details emerge on the special election to fill Sen. O’Pake’s seat, and Governor Rendell was right! If the game had been played on Sunday, as Rendell loudly advocated, Adrian Peterson (who ran for 118 yards and a TD) may not even have played.

Today’s Headlines:

Patriot News: Corbett welcomes showdown with state employee unions.
Post-Gazette: Another potential solution to Pittsburgh city budget fails.
Inquirer: Philly area State Senators forego pay raises.
Reading Eagle: Preliminary details emerge for special election in SD-11.
Reading Eagle: Failure of DREAM Act dashes hopes for local students.
Tribune Review: Marcellus drillers dispute allegations of sticking the state with bill for damaged roads.
CBS Philly: Montgomery County political infighting continues over Commish race.
Tribune Review: Ward to resubmit e-verify bill.
Patriot News: Ron Buxton dispels rumors – has no plans to retire this term.
Times News: Petition filed against 814 area code change.
Times Tribune: Scranton city budget battle continues, First Night in the crosshairs.
Fox 29: Philly pension fund in serious jeopardy.
Patriot News: Rendell was right, Eagles would have been better off playing Sunday.

Today’s Opinions:

Inquirer Editorial: It’s time for action on the deficit – Congress should cut spending and end gold-plated tax breaks.
Patriot News Editorial: Net Neutrality rules are a too-small step in the right direction.
Patriot News Editorial: Cumberland Commissioner Eichelberger looks pretty bad in all this email mess.
George Curry, Inquirer: Tax cut deal shows Obama and Republicans aren’t serious about the deficit
Post-Gazette Editorial: City Council must reach budget agreement
Tribune Review Editorial: GOP’s Constitution reading at start of session is not a stunt
John Interval, Tribune Democrat: Forthcoming EPA regs will kill area jobs
Denny Bonavita, Courier Express: Immigrants in military service deserve a shortcut, but DREAM Act goes too far.

Sestak Throws Water on Senate 2012 Rumors

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In a stop in Scranton this weekend, Congressman and former Senate candidate Joe Sestak downplayed recent rumors that he is planning to challenge Senator Bob Casey.

“I think he’s a good Senator,” said Sestak. “I think Senator Casey could sleep and win this election, he’s so good.”

Casey speaks at a Sestak for Senate rally. (Aug. 9, 2010. Via Sestak2010 Flickr)

Since the day after the election, Sestak has been touring Pennsylvania to say thank you to all of his supporters. Sestak said so far, the trip has taken him to more than 50 counties. He aims to visit all 67 Pennsylvania counties by January 2011.

The tour is reminiscent of the prelude to Sestak’s primary challenge of Senator Arlen Specter, when he visited every PA county but remained coy about his candidacy. Sestak has also said that he wants to remain in public service. That, plus Sestak’s admitted preference for “running against the establishment,” resulted in rumors that he may similarly challenge Casey.

That’s not what he intended, Sestak insisted. “I decided before the election that I was going to do this, win or lose.”

While Sestak did not definitively rule out a run, he seemed dismissive. This comes in contrast to his 2009 tour, when Sestak actively stoked rumors that he would challenge Specter.

“He’s a good Senator,” Sestak reiterated, and offered Casey some campaign advice. “I told Bob a week and a half ago. If I were you, I’d spend next year in the T.”

According to a recent Quinnipiac Poll, a mere 13% of Pennsylvania Democrats feel that Casey does not deserve re-election.