by Christin Brown | August 16, 2019 | News Releases
PHILADELPHIA, PA – August 16, 2019 – State Senator Christine Tartaglione handed out free backpacks and back-to-school supplies to more than 400 appreciative children at the Lawncrest Recreation Center yesterday as she hosted a Community Picnic at the bustling neighborhood playground for the first time in the 15-year history of her late-summer event series.
Youngsters and their caregivers enjoyed Dietz & Watson hot dogs, Philly Pretzel Factory soft pretzels, Philadelphia Water Ice, and DJ music. A Face painting booth, child fingerprinting, a coloring book contest, and a basketball raffle kept the excitement going throughout the four-hour picnic. The picnic also benefitted from a special contribution by Altrusa International, a nonprofit community service organization that donated books for each child to take home with them as part of its ongoing commitment to youth literacy.
“Lawncrest is a vibrant family community with many dedicated leaders and volunteers. I was thrilled when they asked me to host one of my Picnics at the rec center. And the public response was outstanding,” Senator Tartaglione said. “These events are a great opportunity for folks to meet their neighbors in a purely social setting and to help their kids get a head start on the upcoming school year. Lawncrest took full advantage of those opportunities today.”
The Lawncrest event followed Senator Tartaglione’s successful picnic on August 8 at Fairhill Square Park in North Philadelphia. The third and final picnic of 2019 is scheduled for Thursday, August 22, at Wissinoming Park. All activities will be set up around the park’s multi-purpose building on Cheltenham Avenue, between Frankford Avenue and Charles Street. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Children must be accompanied by an adult and obtain a ticket from the senator’s table to receive a backpack.
Each backpack comes stuffed with pencils, erasers, notebooks, and other school supplies.
“The start of a new school year can be a serious financial burden for many parents. I hope these backpacks and supplies make the transition from summer to fall easier for local families,” Senator Tartaglione said.
Many longtime partners and some popular new ones teamed up with the senator to make the event possible. All-American Home Care provided the child face-painting station, while the Philadelphia City Commissioner’s Office showed off its new touchscreen, paper-ballot voting machines. Hyperion Bank, Brightside Academy, Fortaleza Rehabilitation and Wellness, and Oak Street Health were among the participating vendors.
“I look forward to seeing the families of Wissinoming and neighboring communities at Wissinoming Park next week,” Senator Tartaglione said.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | August 8, 2019 | News Releases
Music, face painting, hot dogs and the senator’s back-to-school backpack giveaway made it a special occasion for local children and their caregivers.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – August 8, 2019 – State Sen. Christine Tartaglione’s Community Picnic was a huge hit with the children and their families who gathered at Fairhill Square Park today to delight in free music, hot dogs, soft pretzels, water ice, face painting, and the senator’s popular back-to-school backpack giveaway. Hundreds of youths walked away wearing new school bags on their shoulders and smiles on their faces.
The event was the first of the senator’s three annual Community Picnics in her 2nd Senate District. The next two will be held on August 15 at Lawncrest Playground and on August 22 at Wissinoming Park. All three events last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are open to the public. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Each child may receive one backpack.
“This is a great time of year to be a youngster in the 2nd District and it’s a pleasure for me too. I really enjoy mingling with the children and their families while helping them ease the costs of the upcoming school year,” Senator Tartaglione said. “When we give each child a backpack filled with supplies like pencils, erasers, and notebooks, it means they will have the tools to succeed during the upcoming school year.”
Many longtime partners and some popular new ones teamed up with the senator to make the event possible. Picnic-goers enjoyed Dietz & Watson hot dogs, Philadelphia Water Ice, and soft pretzels from the Philly Pretzel Factory. All-American Home Care brought its child face-painting station, while the 26th Police District conducted child fingerprinting.
The Philadelphia City Commissioner’s Office showed off its new touch-screen, paper-ballot voting machines, and the folks from Hyperion Bank handed out lollipops along with information about their financial services. Brightside Academy was on hand to inform parents about their child daycare programs.
Senator Tartaglione is looking forward to the next Community Picnic at Lawncrest Playground, 6000 Rising Sun Avenue, on August 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Children wishing to get a free backpack must first visit the senator’s table to obtain a ticket from a staff member.
“I welcome everyone to join us again next week. It’s a great chance to meet new friends and enjoy the summer one more time before the new school year!” Senator Tartaglione said.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | August 1, 2019 | News Releases
Philadelphia, PA, August 1, 2019 – State Senator Christine M. Tartaglione today announced that Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) has awarded almost $2.5 million in grants to applicants within the 2nd Senate District.
RCAP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. Beneficiaries in the 2nd District include the Free Library of Philadelphia, Friends of Father Judge High School, and Esperanza Health Center, which was awarded grants for two projects.
“I am very pleased to share the good news with these benevolent organizations and the communities that they serve. Each of the four projects selected for funding will greatly improve the lives of people throughout the district and beyond,” Senator Tartaglione said. “They will create new jobs while improving community access to education, career training, healthcare, and wellness.”
Projects funded in Senator Tartaglione’s district include:
- Esperanza Health Center was awarded a $500,000 grant to develop its new medical care and wellness campus in Kensington. The center will provide primary medical, dental, and behavioral health services, along with substance abuse and opioid use disorder treatment, while offering a gymnasium, fitness center, and multipurpose community space. A second $500,000 grant was awarded to Esperanza for a second phase of development on its new campus, including the renovation of a 35,000-square-foot former bank building at Kensington and Allegheny avenues.
- Friends of Father Judge High School was awarded a $1,000,000 grant to develop two spaces known as the Brisson Center for Academic Excellence and Welding Lab that will provide enhanced career training to prepare students for high-demand jobs of the present and future.
- The Free Library was awarded $480,000 to repair and upgrade two branch libraries, including McPherson Square and Kingsessing, as part of the 21st Century Libraries Initiative. The project will make the buildings more structurally sound, enhance their telecommunications and technological capabilities, ensure their compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and improve their security systems.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | July 30, 2019 | News Releases
During a public information session hosted by the legislators, Medical Marijuana experts shared information about the potential benefits of the alternative medicine.
Philadelphia, PA, July 30, 2019 – State Senator Christine M. Tartaglione and State Representative Angel Cruz welcomed dozens of constituents to the senator’s district office in Fairhill today to share valuable information about Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana program and to help folks access the potentially life-changing medicines.
Senator Tartaglione and Representative Cruz partnered with the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, known as Philly NORML, for the four-hour event, which was also attended by a physician from Medically Assisted Recovery Services, along with representatives from Hemp Health Labs and Herbology, a company that operates nine licensed medical marijuana dispensaries across the state.
“I truly hope and believe that the information we shared here today will help members of the community who are struggling to cope with many different medical conditions and those who seek access to a safe, non-addictive, and legal way to relieve their symptoms,” Senator Tartaglione said. “Opioid use disorder is a major public health crisis across Pennsylvania and especially in the 2nd Senate District. Medical marijuana offers people an alternative, whether they have cancer, glaucoma, autism, chronic pain, or any of more than 20 different diagnoses.”
“We had a packed house, which is a sign that people need more information and are looking for ways to get help with chronic medical conditions,” Representative Cruz said.
The list of eligible conditions continues to grow. Earlier this month the Pennsylvania Department of Health added anxiety and Tourette syndrome to the list. The Commonwealth is one of just three states to allow medical marijuana prescriptions for anxiety.
Robert Rudnitsky, executive director of Philly NORML, said that public events like today’s information session help to shed light on the state’s medical marijuana program, break down the stigmas often associated with the substance, and educate people about marijuana’s medical uses.
“My goal is to remove the negative stigmas and have people know this is an alternative to the traditional pharmaceuticals,” Rudnitsky said. “It’s safe with minimal to no side effects, and for many people it’s an effective way to treat their ailments.”
Todd Eachus, managing partner for Hemp Health Labs, said that events like this provide “remarkable access for products that people really need to relieve their symptoms. The healthcare community knows so little of this because it has just emerged, but it’s not going away.”
Information about the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program is available online by visiting www.health.pa.gov. Each week in Philadelphia, Philly NORML hosts a series of state medical marijuana card registration events. For a listing, visit www.PhillyNORML.org.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | July 29, 2019 | News Releases
Harrisburg, Pa. – July 29, 2019 – Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus sent a letter to the state’s congressional delegation, urging that the federal Department of Agriculture does not end automatic eligibility for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This change would impact 3.1 million Americans; 120,000 living in Pennsylvania.
The caucus urged the Congressional delegation to stand united in opposition to this devastating rule change that would strip food from Pennsylvania families in need.
Writing jointly in its letter, the caucus wrote:
This proposal is heartless, callous, and Pennsylvanians cannot afford it.
Feeding America estimates that more than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians are food insecure. Worse, 1 in 6 of Pennsylvania’s children struggles with hunger. These numbers are staggering enough without the addition of 200,000 more who could soon be without SNAP. The current rules allow those food insecure individuals who are single parents, disabled veterans, victims of domestic violence and individuals with a disability to receive vital benefits that allow them to put a healthy, fresh meal on their table.
Societies are judged by how they treat their most vulnerable; if we let this change to SNAP go unchallenged, we will fail that judgement.
Our caucus will oppose the rule change in every way that we are able, and we ask that our federal representatives join us in that fight. We, and our constituents, thank you for the advocacy you have already undertaken.
Download Letter →
by Christin Brown | July 15, 2019 | News Releases
Philadelphia, PA, July 15, 2019 – State Senator Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) is pleased to announce that seven elementary schools within the 2nd Senate District have been selected to receive federal funding to provide students with fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will distribute almost one-quarter of a million dollars to the seven schools in the form of grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). The program’s goals are to create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices, expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables students experience, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, and positively impacting students’ health. FFVP was first implemented in Pennsylvania in 2004 and expanded to all 50 states in 2008.
“Good nutrition is critical for young scholars so that they arrive in class ready to learn,” Senator Tartaglione said. “This program provides children with healthy food options and teaches them how to eat balanced meals.”
Schools that receive grants are required to spend the majority of the funds to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables. They also must provide nutrition education to students. Funding priority is given to schools with the highest rates of students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
“Children are better prepared to learn when they have access to healthy food choices during the day,” Governor Tom Wolf said. “By expanding breakfast programs, offering reduced-price meals, and providing fresh produce, we’re improving the conditions to help students succeed.”
“Fresh fruits and vegetables provide vital nutrients to growing children,” Education Secretary Pedro A. Rivera said. “These grants are another way to help address food security in our schools while also providing an opportunity to teach students how to make smart and nutritious choices.”
More than 220 elementary schools from across the Commonwealth were chosen to receive grants totaling $5.5 million. In the 2nd Senate District, seven schools received $228,332 in grants, including Pan American Academy Charter School, Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School, Visitation BVM School, Mastery Charter School-Smedley Elementary, William Cramp School, Lewis Elkin School, and Fox Chase School.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | June 27, 2019 | News Releases
Despite additional funding for education, workforce development, human services, and healthcare services, budget bill ignores minimum wage.
Philadelphia, PA, June 27, 2019 – State Senator Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) today voted ‘no’ on House Bill 790, the $34 billion 2019-2020 state spending plan that failed to include language to raise the Commonwealth’s long-stagnant minimum wage.
Despite vocal opposition, the Republican-led Senate adopted the budget bill, 42-8, and advanced the legislation to the governor’s office for his consideration.
The full Senate vote occurred one day after the Senate adopted legislation, 26-24, mostly along party lines to eliminate the state’s general assistance program that provides modest, temporary, and reimbursable cash assistance to poor people in crisis, including those with disabilities and illnesses, crime victims, and disabled military veterans.
“It has been 4,736 days since Pennsylvania last raised the minimum wage. It is unconscionable that we are walking out of here without doing that,” Senator Tartaglione said. “People are having to choose between food on the table, medicine, rent. They need this!”
Pennsylvania last raised its minimum wage in June 2006 via Senator Tartaglione’s SB 1090 as part of the budget negotiations that year. The measure raised the state’s minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.15. Pennsylvania’s minimum wage later increased another 10 cents an hour when the federal government enacted a $7.25 minimum wage.
At that rate, a full-time, year-round worker would make just over $15,000 a year, which is less than the federal poverty threshold for a single parent with one child or any other two-person household. About 13 percent of Pennsylvania’s 5 million households fall below the poverty threshold.
All six of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states have raised their minimum wages above the federal minimum and are among 29 states that have done so nationwide in recent years.
“Every state bordering Pennsylvania has raised the minimum wage and some have done it twice. (Many minimum wage workers) have children to take care of and many are working two or three jobs,” Senator Tartaglione said.
Senator Tartaglione’s SB 12 proposes to raise the minimum wage to $12 this year and to $15 by 2026 through annual increases of 50 cents. It also would eliminate the sub-minimum wage for tip-earning workers, who can make as little as $2.83 in hourly wages. After 2026, the bill would tie the minimum wage to annual cost of living adjustments.
SB 12 awaits action in the Senate Labor and Industry Committee. The same proposal awaits action as a separate bill in the Pennsylvania House. Both bills have the governor’s support. Senator Tartaglione will continue fighting for legislative action on the issue.
Senator Tartaglione also voted “no” on HB 33 on Wednesday, the legislation that proposes to eliminate the general assistance program that provides temporary transitional income of about $200 a month to just over 11,000 Pennsylvanians as they await approval for federal safety net benefits.
Despite her opposition to the budget, Senator Tartaglione supported many of the provisions contained within it, including funding increases for early education, public education, higher education, career and technical training, student grants, and public libraries. The bill also funds health care and social services for more than 4,000 additional senior citizens and people with disabilities.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | June 24, 2019 | News Releases
Harrisburg, Pa. − June 24, 2019 − Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus today jointly sent a letter to Governor Tom Wolf requesting a disaster declaration for gun violence in the Commonwealth.
“We believe it is necessary to raise the public’s awareness of the massive loss of human life and the suffering inflicted on affected family, friends and neighbors where this tragedy is unfolding daily,” they wrote. “Just as you have signed six disaster declarations to provide every tool at the Commonwealth’s disposal to combat the opioid epidemic, the death toll and impact from illegal guns should merit immediate and coordinated attention.”
Specifically, a disaster declaration could do the following:
- Establish a task force led by the Department of Health to create and implement a public health framework for addressing gun violence
- Establish a command center in the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to coordinate state and local law enforcement response
- Enhance the Joint-Local State Firearm Taskforce through additional personnel and funding to take illegal guns off the street
- Expand information gathering and sharing between all levels of law enforcement and community groups
- Increase law enforcement presence, both local and state, in targeted areas where gun violence is most prevalent
- Expedite and expand grants and other funding sources for community groups and nonprofit associations with a proven record of violence reduction and prevention
- Provide additional state resources for behavioral and mental health
- Bringing to bear the significant wealth of knowledge and experience in the Departments of Health and Human Services to provide de-escalation and de-confliction training throughout the community
- Require the Pennsylvania Department of Education provide training and professional development on trauma-informed education
View full letter →
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by Christin Brown | June 10, 2019 | News Releases
Pennsylvania State Senator Christine Tartaglione Receives Honor
Philadelphia, PA − June 10, 2019 − Marsy’s Law for Pennsylvania, which is aimed at providing equal rights to crime victims in Pennsylvania by ensuring constitutional protections, announced that State Senator Christine Tartaglione has been presented the Guardian of Victims’ Rights Award.
The Guardian of Victims’ Rights Awards are presented to people who have served as advocates and ambassadors for crime victims across the state, working to ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect. Sen. Tartaglione is one of the co-sponsors of Marsy’s Law legislation, which is seeking an amendment to ensure that the Pennsylvania Constitution enumerates rights for victims of crime.
“The Guardian of Victims’ Rights Award is a tremendous honor and I am very thankful to Marsy’s Law for PA and all of your partners for choosing me to receive it,” Sen Tartaglione said. “The issue of victims’ rights is very important to me and to the constituents of the 2nd Senate District. Acts of crime can be very traumatic to victims and their families, but the pain does not stop with the act itself.”
The award was recently presented to Sen. Tartaglione on June 10 during a meeting with Marsy’s Law for Pennsylvania and Jennifer Storm, Commonwealth Victim Advocate.
Although the state constitution enumerates rights for individuals accused and convicted of crimes, Pennsylvania is one of only nine states that does not afford the same protections to crime victims. Rep. Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) recently introduced House Bill 276 for Marsy’s Law, which was approved by the House of Representatives on April 8, 2019. Sen. John Sabatina (D-Philadelphia) is sponsoring the bill in the Senate during this legislative session.
For the state constitution to be amended, legislation must pass in two consecutive legislative sessions before being added to the ballot for voter approval. During the 2017-18 legislative session, Marsy’s Law passed unanimously in the state Senate and House.
“Victims shouldn’t have to relive the trauma each time they go to court, and they shouldn’t have to live in fear not knowing if their tormentor may be walking free,” Sen Tartaglione said. “Just as our state Constitution protects the due process rights of the accused, it should protect the rights and the peace of mind of those who have been victimized through no fault of their own.”
by Christin Brown | May 23, 2019 | News Releases
As part of a statewide “RealJobs RealPay” Day of Action, the senator visited La Barberia in Suburban Station and highlighted the benefits of raising the minimum wage.
Philadelphia, PA, May 23, 2019 – State Senator Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) today led Pennsylvania legislators on a tour of a successful Philadelphia business that chooses to pay its employees a far, living wage, rather than Pennsylvania’s outdated minimum wage.
The visit to La Barberia, a full-service barber shop inside Suburban Station, was one of many events held across the Commonwealth in conjunction with the “RealJobs RealPay” day of action. Senator Tartaglione and her colleagues seek to heighten awareness about the need to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage and showcase businesses that understand the interdependent relationship of higher employee wages, satisfied customers, and financial success.
Senator Tartaglione is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 12, which proposes to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage for the first time in a decade. The legislation calls for an increase from $7.25 per hour to $12 this year, and additional annual increases that would lead to a $15 minimum wage by 2025.
“Many entrepreneurs are proving that taking care of your employees goes hand-in-hand with taking care of your customers and taking care of your bottom line,” Senator Tartaglione said. “This formula works, no matter where you do business: whether it’s in the heart of a major city, in the suburbs, or in Pennsylvania’s beautiful rural communities.”
La Barberia has locations in Philadelphia and in Jenkintown, Montgomery County. Owner Michael O’Connor said: “We know that by paying fair wages, our employees are happier and they stick around, providing the great service that keeps our customers coming back and recommending us to others. When the minimum wage goes up, businesses will see costly turnover go down.”
Pennsylvania’s minimum wage is also the federal minimum, which was last raised in 2009. Pennsylvania lawmakers last acted to raise the state’s minimum wage in 2006. Since then, all six of Pennsylvania’s border states have raised their minimum wages above the federal minimum. In all, 29 states mandate wages greater than $7.25.
At 40 hours per week for 52 weeks, the minimum wage converts to annual earnings of just over $15,000 a year, which is below the federal poverty level for a family of two, such as a single parent and child. Among those who would benefit directly from Senator Tartaglione’s minimum wage legislation, 61 percent are women, 55 percent work full time, and 24 percent are parents.
In Philadelphia, 35 percent of workers would benefit directly. In dozens of Pennsylvania’s rural counties, more than 40 percent of workers would benefit. Statewide, more than 1.1 million workers would benefit directly from a $12 minimum wage this year, while another 500,000 would get raises as pay scales rise. A $15 minimum wage would directly benefit 2 million Pennsylvania workers.
“Higher wages put more money into workers’ pockets. Seeing as workers are consumers too, they will be able to spend more at the businesses they patronize,” Senator Tartaglione said. “In turn, businesses will grow and be able to employ more people.”
For more information about minimum wage and businesses that choose to pay fair, living wages, visit RealJobsRealPay.com.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | May 20, 2019 | News Releases
Pennsylvania − May 20, 2019 − Advocates, lawmakers and state officials will participate in tours and a statewide day of action on Thursday, May 23rd with businesses that choose to pay their employees a living wage.
Pennsylvania’s minimum wage remains at a regional low of $7.25 per hour, the minimum still set by the federal government. The state is beyond due for an increase in this poverty-level wage.
According to a recent report from the Keystone Research Center, an increase in the state’s minimum wage to $12/hour on July 1, 2019 (as proposed by Governor Tom Wolf and members of the General Assembly as part of this year’s budget negotiations) would impact a total of 1.7 million Pennsylvania workers. More than 1.13 million would see a direct increase; 540,000 people who make slightly more than $12/hour would see their wages increase as payscales are adjusted upwards.
Despite a decade without a mandated increase from the state or federal government, business owners throughout Pennsylvania understand that a $7.25 wage is unacceptable and have taken it upon themselves to ensure that their workers are able to support themselves through full-time work. Those businesses are thriving.
Members of the press are invited to attend these tours and ask questions of the legislators and business owners. Tour stops include:
Harrisburg
2:00pm at Elementary Coffee
Broad Street Market, 1233 N 3rd St, Harrisburg, PA 17102
Pittsburgh
3:30pm at Bar Marco
2216 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Philadelphia
1:30pm at La Barberia
Suburban Station Concourse, 17th St. & JFK Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Delaware County
5:00pm at Five Points Coffee Shop
47 Long Ln, Upper Darby, PA 19082
Chester County
3:00pm at Mabel’s BBQ
607 East Market St. West Chester, PA
Bucks County
1pm at Exact Solar
82 Walker Lane, Newtown PA 18940
Lancaster
11am at El Pueblito Mexican Restaurant
1027 Dillerville Rd., Dillerville Square, Lancaster
Follow along with the day of action on Twitter with #RealJobsRealPay
For more information on the urgent need to raise the minimum wage, visit realjobsrealpay.com
by Christin Brown | May 8, 2019 | News Releases
The senator will join Governor Wolf, Philadelphia Mayor Kenney and leaders from the Commonwealth’s private and public sectors on the university’s governing body.
HARRISBURG, PA, May 8, 2019 – State Senator Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) was appointed by the Senate today as the newest member of the Temple University Board of Trustees. She will join Governor Tom Wolf, Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney, and other high-ranking leaders from Pennsylvania’s public and private sectors on the body that governs the 135-year-old state-related research institution.
“It is an honor to serve such a venerable and influential institution. I accept this appointment knowing that it comes with a tremendous responsibility,” Senator Tartaglione said. “Higher education is one of the pillars of prosperity for this Commonwealth and its citizens. As a trustee, I will seek to ensure that willing and deserving students have access to the many programs offered at Temple. And I will also seek to ensure that the university makes optimal use of the resources invested in it.”
Based in North Philadelphia, Temple has four branch campuses in Southeastern Pennsylvania, one in Harrisburg, and foreign campuses in Rome and Tokyo. It is the second-largest university in the Commonwealth with an enrollment of more than 40,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. The university offers more than 500 academic programs.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | April 1, 2019 | News Releases
The city’s Complete Count Committee held its inaugural meeting at the National Constitution Center to discuss strategies for a new public awareness campaign.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, April 1, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) today joined federal, state, and local public officials, along with community, corporate, and labor leaders, at the National Constitution Center to launch a new committee that will promote public participation in the 2020 national census.
Tartaglione is one of six honorary co-chairs of the Complete Count Committee, along with U.S. House members Brendan Boyle, Dwight Evans, and Mary Gay Scanlon; Pennsylvania House member Jason Dawkins; and Philadelphia City Councilman Derek Green. Mayor James F. Kenney chairs the committee.
“I can’t think of a better place to begin our work because this is where our American experiment in representative democracy began,” Senator Tartaglione said. “The United States Census is explicitly required by the Constitution and is the foundation for our system of government. It’s vital that we make sure all Americans are counted.”
Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution requires the government to count the nation’s population every 10 years. The last census was completed in 2010. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the count via questionnaires that it distributes electronically and in paper form. Next year’s census will be largely conducted via the Internet, but the bureau will deploy workers door-to-door in an effort to contact those who don’t respond initially. Individual responses provided to census takers must be kept confidential per federal law.
Throughout the next 18 months, the committee will meet to prepare and carry out community engagement programs that explain the reasons for the census and to reassure residents that it’s in their best interests to participate.
Following the organizational meeting, committee members addressed the news media and local high school students to emphasize the importance of the project. Senator Tartaglione informed the young scholars that the size of Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation relative to other states is determined directly by the census. In addition, the new census data will be used to reconfigure State Senate and State House districts. Furthermore, allocations of federal funding for public functions such as education, healthcare, housing, transportation, and college financial aid are tied to census data.
“Participating in the census enables Americans to have a voice in the public affairs that affect our daily lives. I encourage all of my constituents in the 2nd Senatorial District, and all Pennsylvanians to fill out those census forms and to take full advantage of the rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution,” Senator Tartaglione said.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | March 26, 2019 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, PA, March 26, 2019 – Democrats from the Pennsylvania House and Senate today introduced a package of legislation aimed to curb harassment in the workplace, along with support from Governor Tom Wolf and Victim’s Advocate Jennifer Storm.
“As a caucus, we’ve worked with stakeholders and advocates and our own employees to craft a package of legislation that we believe can curb sexual harassment and do more to protect its victims,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. “Each of our bills in this package is aimed at expanding protections to individuals regardless of the size or type of their employment, because time is up on workplace harassment.”
“Workplace sexual harassment and discrimination didn’t begin overnight, and so it will take some time to properly correct,” Gov. Wolf said. “It’s not as easy as putting a few big-name figures in jail. We need to identify the everyday behaviors and correct them if we want Pennsylvania to be a great place to live and work. People can’t do their best work when they feel uncomfortable. You deserve to be treated in a way that meets basic standards that represent how we want all workers in Pennsylvania to act, and you should be treated with the respect and dignity that all workers in Pennsylvania deserve. That’s why I’m advocating for legislation to prevent workplace sexual harassment and discrimination in both the public and private sectors.”
The bills will be introduced in identical form in each chamber. They do the following:
- Cover contractors and unpaid interns under the protections of the Human Relations Act
- Amend the Human Relations Act to require employers to provide training to employees and to require standardized fair practice postings to specifically include examples of harassment and discrimination
- Require sexual harassment training for lobbyists
- Extend the Human Relations Act to include domestic workers
- Provide right to jury trial, punitive damages and an extended statute of limitations under the Whistleblower Bill
- Expand the Human Relations Act to include coverage from four employees to one employee, add the right to a jury trial, punitive damages, attorney fees and extend the statute of limitations
- Require employers to adopt written workplace harassment policies and reporting procedures
- Add sexual orientation and gender expression or identity to the list of classifications protected under the Pa. Human Relations Act
“For years, workplace harassment has been a pervasive issue in career fields across Pennsylvania and this nation. We need to harness the momentum and strength of the #MeToo movement and reverse years of discrimination in the workplace,” said Senator Larry Farnese. “No one, regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation, should be pressured by, or suffer from, the weight of workplace harassment.”
“We need to make it clear that there is no place for any form of harassment and there will be no tolerance for it either,” said Senator Wayne D. Fontana. “With this legislative package, we are taking definitive steps that both send a strong message and back it up with substantive changes to how harassment can be prevented, how it should be handled and how victims should be treated.”
“Protecting whistleblowers on workplace harassment and discrimination is a small part of the solution to change our culture.” said Senator Haywood. “I am introducing this legislation again knowing that we have a long way to go.”
“In today’s business climate, when employers often turn to independent contractors and unpaid interns to fulfill their staffing needs, Pennsylvania law must account for and protect all worker classifications. Everyone is entitled to a workplace that is free of harassment and discrimination,” Senator Tartaglione said.
For more information, visit PaSenate.com/harassment
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by Christin Brown | March 26, 2019 | News Releases
Senator Tartaglione welcomes MaKen City, which will offer many new family-sustaining jobs and will contribute to an economic renaissance of the community.
HARRISBURG, PA, March 26, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) is pleased to announce that Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Financing Authority has awarded a $750,000 Multimodal grant to a Philadelphia-based social impact real estate group that will rehabilitate an idle industrial facility in Kensington into a food and beverage sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution facility.
The CFA board awarded the grant to 956 Erie Partners LLC, an affiliate of the Shift Capital real estate group, during the board’s meeting today in Harrisburg. The project is within Tartaglione’s 2nd Senatorial District.
“This is great news for a community that was once an economic engine for the region, but has long endured the debilitating effects of a decline in the city’s industrial manufacturing sector,” Senator Tartaglione said. “This project will bring new energy and many family sustaining jobs to a neighborhood challenged by high poverty. Yet, this neighborhood still has a wealth of willing workers and a great transportation infrastructure.”
Supported by experienced architects and consultants, Shift Capital plans to refurbish a 741,063-square-foot structure that sits on 19 acres at 956 E. Erie Ave., between “G” and “I” streets. The new facility will be known as MaKen City. The project will create jobs during the construction phase, as well as permanent full-time employment opportunities for local workers.
The developers hope that the improvements will have a ripple effect on the surrounding community, which is already home to Shift Capital’s MaKen Studios (a multi-use development with residential, entrepreneurial, and artistic spaces), as well as Liberty Coca-Cola’s corporate offices and production facilities.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | March 22, 2019 | Minimum Wage, News Releases
Crafted in partnership with Governor Wolf, Senate Bill 12 would raise the minimum wage to $12 this year and $15 by 2025, followed by annual cost of living increases.
HARRISBURG, PA, March 22, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) today introduced Senate Bill 12 that would raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $12 per hour this year, and $15 by 2025, after which the rate would be adjusted automatically each year based on a cost of living index. The measure would directly impact about 1 million Pennsylvania workers in 2019.
Senator Tartaglione crafted the bill in partnership with Governor Tom Wolf. The legislation has been referred to the Senate’s Labor & Industry Committee, of which Senator Tartaglione serves as minority chairwoman.
“It’s been 13 years since Pennsylvania last raised its minimum wage and this raise is long overdue,” Senator Tartaglione said. “All six of our neighboring states have raised their minimum wages above the federal minimum, as have 29 states across the nation. Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has stagnated as the cost of living and worker productivity have soared throughout the Commonwealth and the around the country, and while income inequality has reached an all-time high.”
Pennsylvania’s minimum wage stands at $7.25 per hour, which is also the federal minimum. S.B. 12 calls for employers to pay workers at least $12 per hour starting on July 1, 2019. The minimum wage will increase by 50 cents each ensuing July 1 until reaching $15 in 2025. Starting on July 1, 2026, and each succeeding July 1 thereafter, the minimum wage would increase in proportion with the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland area.
In addition, the legislation would eliminate the sub-minimum wage for tip earners, workers with disabilities, apprentices, and students. It would eliminate the preemption on municipal wage ordinances, expand the powers of the Department of Labor & Industry to recover wages and penalties for violations of the Minimum Wage Act, increase monetary penalties for violations, and bring enforcement in line with the nation’s Fair Labor Standards Act.
Due to inflation, the minimum wage has lost 29 percent of its earning power over the last 50 years. At $7.25 per hour, a full-time, year-round worker would earn just $15,080 per year, which is below the federal poverty level for a two-person household, such as the single parent of an only child. Data show that most of Pennsylvania’s low-wage workers are women and age 20 or older. Low-wage workers contribute more than half of the average family income in Pennsylvania.
“Vital members of our community, such as child care and home health workers, bank tellers, construction workers, retail and hospitality workers who work full-time while making the minimum wage only earn about $15,000 a year,” Senator Tartaglione said. “They cannot afford basic necessities such as rent, transportation, food, and prescriptions. Many are forced to rely on public assistance to get by. The inability for hard-working people to care for their basic needs, or those of their families, is morally wrong and is economically unsound.”
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | March 13, 2019 | Minimum Wage, News Releases
In a letter released today, 38 researchers and analysts agreed that now is the time for a ‘bold increase’ in a minimum wage that has stagnated for more than a decade.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, March 13, 2019 – The $15 minimum wage proposal crafted by State Senator Christine M. Tartaglione(D-Philadelphia) in partnership with Governor Tom Wolf hasearned the endorsement of 38 economists and social scientists, who have co-signed a letter calling for a bold increase in Pennsylvania’s outdated minimum wage.
The economic researchers and analysts represent academic institutions from throughout the Commonwealth and across the nation, as well as the Washington, D.C., based Economic Policy Institute and Harrisburg-based Keystone Research Center, which released the letter today. The full text of the letter and its signatories is available at www.keystoneresearch.org.
“It’s been 13 years since the Commonwealth last raised its minimum wage and a decade since the federal government enacted its most recent minimum wage adjustment. Meanwhile, executive salaries have continued to soar, the middle class has continued to shrink, and income inequality has reached an all-time high. All of this has happened as worker productivity has reached unprecedented heights,” Senator Tartaglione said. “Thirteen years is far too long to wait for a raise.”
Senator Tartaglione will soon introduce Senate Bill 12 which would raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $12 this year, followed by annual raises of 50 cents until it reaches $15 by 2025. Thereafter, the minimum wage would be linked to automatic annual cost of living adjustments. The legislation would also eliminate the sub-minimum wage, which allows employers to pay as little as $2.83 per hour to certain categories of workers, such as tip-earners, those with disabilities, trainees, and students.
The economists stated that the new minimum wage proposal would directly lift the wages of 1.5 million Pennsylvanians by 2025, in addition to another 500,000 who make just above $15 now and would likely receive a pay raise as their employers adjust internal wage scales. Adjusted for inflation, today’s minimum wage workers in Pennsylvania earn 29 percent less per hour than their counterparts did 50 years ago, although worker productivity has doubled in Pennsylvania in that time.
“The vast majority of employees who would benefit are adults – disproportionately women – in working families, who work at least 20 hours a week and depend on their earnings to make ends meet,” the economists wrote.
In addition, the economists stated that the “weight of the evidence” of “rigorous academic research” has shown that measured increases in the minimum wage elsewhere have had “little or no negative effects” on the employment status of low-wage workers. On the contrary, the raises for two million Pennsylvanians would amount to $6.5 billion in higher wages, which would benefit their families and the communities in which they live, including local businesses.
“It’s time to support a bold increase in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to address the fact that our wages for workers at the low end of the labor market have continued to stagnate, and to help reverse decades of growing pay inequality,” the letter stated.
“These economists are at the forefront of research on the topic. I welcome their endorsement of my plan and their reaffirmation that Pennsylvania must act now to raise the minimum wage. It’s long overdue,” Senator Tartaglione said.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | February 8, 2019 | Minimum Wage, News Releases
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, numerous elected officials, labor leaders, and commuters gathered at Frankford Terminal to join the call for a living wage
PHILADELPHIA, PA, February 8, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf led a coalition of elected officials, labor leaders, worker advocates, and commuters at the bustling Frankford Transportation Center today to rally support for a long overdue raise in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage.
It’s been 13 years since the legislature last raised the state’s minimum wage, and a decade since the federal government’s last minimum wage increase. Pennsylvania workers have been subject to a $7.25 minimum wage since then. At that rate, a 40-hour-per-week worker would earn just $15,080 per year. That’s barely above the federal poverty level for an individual, and about $1,400 below the poverty level for a two-person household.
“Let’s be clear about the people who we’re going to help by raising the minimum wage,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “It’s not just the teenagers who work at fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and other part-time, entry level jobs. The overwhelming majority of those who would see their paychecks get bigger – 90 percent in fact – are in their 20s or older. And half of them are full-time workers. On average, these folks earn more than half of their family’s total income.”
Numerous elected officials joined Tartaglione and the governor for the high-energy rally, including Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Tartaglione’s Senate colleagues Vincent Hughes, Art Haywood, and Tim Kearney. Wolf and Tartaglione each detailed the minimum wage proposal that the senator will soon introduce as Senate Bill 12.
“Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia have raised their minimum wages above the federal minimum. New raises took effect in 18 states just last month,” Sen. Tartaglione said.
The legislation would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $12 this year, followed by annual increases of 50 cents until it reaches $15 in 2025. After then, the minimum wage would be adjusted annually, automatically, based on the cost of living. The legislation would also create safeguards to protect workers from employers who willfully underpay.
“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it today, and I’ll keep saying it – it’s past time that we raise the wage in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Wolf said. “Pennsylvania must be a place where hard work is rewarded, but our minimum wage hasn’t changed in a decade and too many hardworking people are struggling to get by. We must raise the wage.”
Raising the minimum wage to $12 this year would directly benefit more than one million workers, most of whom make more than the current minimum wage, but less than $12.
“This raise would put more money into their pockets, helping them to pay their bills,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “And it would inject billions of consumer dollars into our economy.”
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected]
by Christin Brown | February 5, 2019 | News Releases
During his annual budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf shared his plan to build ‘the strongest workforce in the nation’ in Pennsylvania while proposing no tax increases.
HARRISBURG, PA, February 5, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) today declared her enthusiastic support for Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed Fiscal 2019-2020 budget as detailed by the governor in his annual budget address before a joint session of the Pennsylvania legislature.
Tartaglione, who is the longtime minority chair of the Senate’s Labor & Industry Committee, agreed with the governor that the path toward prosperity throughout the Commonwealth is through the education and training of Pennsylvanians to prepare them for the jobs of the present and the future.
“I applaud Governor Wolf for striving to build upon Pennsylvania’s many recent successes by continuing to grow and integrate our workforce development initiatives, while increasing our investment in education,” Tartaglione said.
In his remarks, Wolf named his package of policies and investments as the Statewide Workforce, Education, and Accountability Program. He identified the new Keystone Economic Development and Workforce Command Center as one of the program’s key components. The center will provide a forum for members of the governor’s cabinet to collaborate with business and labor leaders on efforts to train workers and prepare them to satisfy the industry’s workforce needs. Wolf said his goal for Pennsylvania is “building the strongest workforce in the nation.”
“As a Commonwealth, we face many great challenges,” Tartaglione said. “How do we ensure that our residents can support their families with a living wage? How do we give them access to affordable healthcare? How do we help people escape the downward spiral of addiction? And how do we provide businesses – both established and emerging ones – with the human resources they need to thrive and to bolster our economy? The answer to all of these questions is by strengthening our workforce,” Tartaglione said.
Wolf proposes to increase funding for basic education by $200 million, pre-K and Head Start by $50 million, and special education by $50 million, as well as an additional $7 million for the State System of Higher Education and $8 million for one-time grants to college graduates who remain in Pennsylvania to work.
The governor proposes $10 million in funding to extend the PAsmart program that he initiated last year to support the expansion of career training, apprenticeships, and STEM education. He also proposes to invest $5 million in home-visiting programs for pregnant women and $5 million for wrap-around services so that parents can attend college or skills training that will enable them to secure family-sustaining jobs. Those state investments would be in addition to the allocation of $15 million in federal funds to reduce waiting lists for high-quality child care.
Taxes will not be raised under his plan. Rather, Wolf said his administration has already saved taxpayers billions of dollars by streamlining state government. It has reduced the number of state employees without resorting to furloughs and combined government functions where appropriate, while preserving and improving the services it provides.
Wolf’s budget proposal also includes a projected $120 million reduction in the demand for public assistance that would result from raising the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $12 this year. In the days leading up to his budget address, Wolf outlined the new minimum wage plan in collaboration with Senator Tartaglione and other lawmakers. Under the plan, the minimum wage would increase further in annual increments of 50 cents per year leading to a $15 level by 2025. After then, the minimum wage would be adjusted automatically each year based on the cost of living.
Senator Tartaglione plans to introduce the minimum wage plan as Senate Bill 12 in the near future.
Late last week, Wolf also announced a plan separate from his proposed budget to apply a new severance tax on natural gas extracted in Pennsylvania toward comprehensive infrastructure improvements across the Commonwealth, including hi-speed internet networks, storm preparedness and disaster recovery measures, blight and brownfields rehabilitation, and energy-efficient site development for businesses and residential projects.
“Raising the minimum wage and launching much-needed, job-generating infrastructure projects are measures we can adopt now to improve the economic condition of Pennsylvania, and the financial condition of millions of its workers,” Tartaglione said.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | January 30, 2019 | Minimum Wage, News Releases
In collaboration with the governor and state Rep. Patty Kim, the senator will introduce legislation that will directly help more than one-third of Pennsylvania’s workers.
HARRISBURG, PA, January 30, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) today joined Gov. Tom Wolf, state Rep. Patty Kim, many of their legislative colleagues, and many worker advocates to announce their plan to raise Pennsylvania’s outdated minimum wage, which has stagnated at just over $7 per hour for the last 12 years.
Under the new proposal, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage would rise from the federal minimum of $7.25 to $12 on July 1, 2019. It would then increase an additional 50 cents per year until reaching $15 in 2025, after which it would be linked to annual cost of living adjustments. Tartaglione will soon introduce this plan as legislation in the Senate, while Kim will introduce it in the House.
“Minimum wage is one of the most important issues facing us as elected officials and as a Commonwealth because it directly impacts so many of our constituents. Enacting our legislation would give raises to 2.1 million Pennsylvanians, who represent 37 percent of the total workforce,” Sen. Tartaglione said, quoting data compiled by the Keystone Research Center.
Inflation has grown by more than 20 percent nationwide in the last dozen years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and 29 states, along with the District of Columbia, have raised their minimum wages above the federal minimum – including California and Washington at $12, and New York at $11.10.
New minimum wage raises took effect in 21 states this month, and New Jersey lawmakers are planning to vote tomorrow on a plan to raise that state’s minimum wage to $15 over the next five years. All six of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states have higher minimum wages than the $7.25 in effect throughout the Commonwealth.
“Raising the Minimum Wage is long overdue. I know this because I sponsored Pennsylvania’s last successful Minimum Wage legislation in 2006,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “At the time, all the naysayers warned us that we would force Pennsylvania companies out of business and drive away countless jobs. These doomsday predictions never came to pass. Undaunted, our critics are making the same argument now. — that businesses can’t afford to pay a fair minimum wage, A LIVING WAGE!”
“(Pennsylvania) workers and their families would earn an additional $9.1 billion over five years, money that they will spend in their communities in support of businesses,” Senator Tartaglione said. “This new prosperity would benefit people from all walks of life – all ages, all races, all religions, and both women and men. It would help workers in our major cities, those who live in the suburbs, and our rural workforce.”
Wolf stated that raising the minimum wage would reduce demand for public assistance and save taxpayers a combined $155 million over the next two years. Nearly 17,000 people would leave the state-funded Medicaid program next year, and another 51,000 would leave the following year. A portion of that savings will be reinvested to raise wages for workers who provide Department of Human Services-supported childcare and home care for seniors and people with disabilities.
“Pennsylvania must be a place where hard work is rewarded. But our minimum wage hasn’t changed in a decade and too many hardworking people are struggling to get by,” said Governor Wolf. “Raising the minimum wage lets people afford the basics, like food, rent and transportation.
“It also lets people work their way off of public assistance rather than having taxpayers subsidizing employers that are paying poverty wages. One fair wage saves tax dollars, grows the middle class and creates new customers for businesses, which benefits all of us.”
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | January 22, 2019 | News Releases
The Bureau of Recreation and Conservation can provide funding and technical assistance to plan, acquire, develop, protect, and restore natural resources.
HARRISBURG, PA, January 22, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) today invited Pennsylvania’s nature lovers and conservationists to apply for the latest series of grants being offered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
The department’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation will be accepting applications now through April 10 for grant funding and technical assistance to help plan, acquire, and develop parks, recreation facilities, and trails. Grants may also be used to benefit critical conservation areas and watersheds, or to support many of the commonwealth’s conservation, recreation, and heritage partners.
“One of the greatest gifts we can present to our children and grandchildren is a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “This is more than a goal. It’s an essential responsibility that we can fulfill by working together as a community with contributions from the public and private sectors; professionals and volunteers; city dwellers, suburbanites, and those who live in Pennsylvania’s vast and beautiful rural counties.”
The Pennsylvania Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2014-19 (www.paoutdoorrecplan.com) identifies outdoor recreation priorities, strategies, and actions for the state. The bureau has identified additional priorities including community parks and recreation, land conservation and watershed protection, watershed restoration and rivers implementation, and trails development and rehabilitation.
Bureau staff is available to help prospective applicants develop competitive applications. Applicants are encouraged to register for either or both of two upcoming webinars on Jan. 30 and Feb. 27 via www.dcnr.pa.gov (follow the “Events” link and search the keyword “grants.”) More information on other grant programs is also available via the DCNR website.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | January 17, 2019 | News Releases
Funded through the PAsmart workforce development initiative, the grant will support MaST II Community Charter School, serving 500 students in grades K to 5.
HARRISBURG, PA, January 17, 2019 – A grade school in State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s Philadelphia district was among 765 schools across Pennsylvania that were awarded a combined $8.7 million in targeted grants today in support of their computer science programs.
Gov. Tom Wolf announced the grants through the administration’s PAsmart initiative to invest in the commonwealth’s existing and future workforce needs. MaST II Community Charter School, at 6238 Rising Sun Ave. in the city’s Lawncrest section, will use the funding to expand computer science classes and teacher training. MaST II serves 500 students in grades K through 5.
“MaST is a National Blue Ribbon institution that has a strong track record of delivering high-quality, technology-focused education to students from throughout my district and surrounding communities. This funding will further enhance the school’s ability to prepare young people for the jobs of the future,” said Sen. Tartaglione, who serves as minority chairwoman of the Senate Labor & Industry Committee.
Founded in 1999 as Math, Science and Technology Community Charter School, MaST opened the doors on its first campus in the Far Northeast that fall. In 2016, the School District of Philadelphia granted a second charter for MaST II at the site of the former St. William Catholic School.
Construction is well underway for a second MaST II campus along the Delaware River in the city’s Tacony section. Plans are for it to open in time for the 2019-20 school year, with the Lawncrest campus continuing as the “lower school” for K to 5 students. MaST officials have asked the school district to permit an additional 650 students to enroll at MaST II.
In recent years, the mission of both MaST schools has expanded to cover all STREAM topics (science, technology, robotics, engineering, arts, and math).
The targeted grants represent a new phase of the governor’s PAsmart initiative, which will provide $20 million to bring high-quality computer science and STEM education in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as professional development for teachers. With this commitment, Pennsylvania now ranks second in the nation for investments in K-12 STEM and computer science.
Over the next decade, seven in 10 new jobs in Pennsylvania will require workers to use a computer and an estimated 300,000 STEM jobs will be available in the commonwealth by 2026, according to the administration.
Targeted grants of up to $35,000 each are available through the program. In addition to helping schools introduce and expand computer science programming, the targeted grants will provide greater opportunities for students of color, low-income students, and girls to learn critical skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | January 10, 2019 | News Releases
Harrisburg, PA – January 10, 2019 – On behalf of the 12,000 Pennsylvania federal employees, contractors and subcontractors who are not receiving a paycheck during the partial federal government shutdown, Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Senator Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), Senator Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) are taken steps to help those in need.
After hearing reports from constituents facing financial hardships during the shutdown, the senators wrote the 10 largest banks, relative to number of branches, in Pennsylvania. Their hopes are to share information about banks’ existing assistance programs or to spur action on behalf of working people with banks that have not addressed the issue.
“Ten years ago, we bailed out failing banks during a recession and now it is time to help working people during their financial crisis,” Sen. Hughes said. “These hard-working folks are suffering through no fault of their own. The least we can do is get them help until are get paid again.”
Motivations for the letter came from the senators understanding that 78 percent of U.S. workers live paycheck to paycheck and there are no furloughs for essential expenses. Mortgages, rent, groceries, car payments and other bills must be paid whether the government is functioning.
“We cannot stand by and do nothing while these federal employees are left without paychecks,” said Sen. Costa. “These are folks ready and willing to work in service of the federal government, but now face eviction and piling bills. I hope that financial institutions are willing to step up to help them, and I’ll do everything in my power to ensure these federal employees are not punished for this shutdown.”
In total, there are 62,000 federal workers in Pennsylvania and about 12,000 who are furloughed or working without pay. Nationally 800,000 federal employees have had their jobs disrupted, with 380,000 furloughed or sent home without pay. These figures speak to an economic crisis that must be addressed, the senators said.
“As the stalemate in Washington is about to enter its fourth week, thousands of hard-working Pennsylvanians are suffering a very heavy burden,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “I can’t think of any greater commitment to purpose and level of professionalism than we are seeing from those who want to work, but can’t, and from those who continue to work, but aren’t receiving their just compensation. It is imperative that we do all we can as a community to support them in their time of need.”
Rallies and protests across Pennsylvania also drew the attention of the senators who have made the fight for working people a central issue. Pennsylvania’s furloughed federal workers not receiving paychecks include TSA officers, federal prison workers, national park workers and employees of the Environmental Protection agency.
“The financial strain placed on federal government employees, contractors and subcontractors in the commonwealth continues to grow,” Sen. Street said. “This is a heavy burden on individuals and families who they cannot endure such hardships for an extended period of time. Banks have an opportunity to mitigate these hardships and must help the people. As the Democratic chairman of the Banking and Insurance Committee, I encourage the banks to act with urgency in this regard.”
The full letter to the banks can be found here.
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by Christin Brown | January 8, 2019 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, PA, January 8, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) has been reappointed as minority chairwoman of the Senate Labor & Industry Committee, where she will continue her work to protect the rights and promote the interests of Pennsylvania’s workforce.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa Jr. announced the appointments of minority chairs for all 22 of the chamber’s standing committees yesterday for the 2019-20 legislative session, which began on January 1.
“As a former union organizer and business representative, I am keenly aware of and focused on the issues affecting all Pennsylvania workers,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “During my 24 years in the Senate, I have taken a leadership role in Harrisburg and in my home district on priorities including raising the minimum wage, workplace safety, wage equality, overtime pay protection, protection from discrimination and harassment, and workforce development. I look forward to continuing my collaboration with the Labor Committee, labor organizations, independent workers, and employers to further these paramount objectives and to grow family-sustaining jobs.”
Prior to being elected to the Senate in 1994, Tartaglione served as an organizer and business representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776. During the 2005-06 legislative session, her bill to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage was enacted. The legislature hasn’t raised the minimum wage again since then.
In the 2009-10 session, Tartaglione’s bill to address the Commonwealth’s short-term and long-term healthcare workforce challenges and to ensure an adequate supply of quality workers in the industry was enacted. During the 2011-12 session, her bill to fund the hiring of additional Pennsylvania State Police troopers was enacted.
Additionally, Tartaglione has taken a leading role in extending unemployment compensation benefits for jobless workers, and in providing for a shared work alternative to the termination of job positions by employers.
The 2019-20 Pennsylvania Senate session is scheduled to resume on January 15, when Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be sworn into office.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
by Christin Brown | January 3, 2019 | News Releases
Unionized nurses from St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and Hahnemann University Hospital have been working without a contract since November.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, January 3, 2019 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) joined picket lines today at two Philadelphia hospitals where registered nurses are fighting for a safe staffing commitment and fair compensation from their common employer.
Nurses from St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Juniata Park and Hahnemann University Hospital in Center City have been negotiating since August with American Academic Health System, the private, for-profit company that bought both medical facilities last January. The nurses are members of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP) and have been working without a contract since their last collective bargaining agreement expired in November.
Union leaders say that management has been unwilling to include minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in a new contract while offering fair compensation that will enable the hospitals to retain and recruit talented nurses.
“I know that on the table were safe staffing levels that you had agreed to, and at the last minute, they were pulled and they said you had to choose between a raise and safe staffing levels,” Sen. Tartaglione told dozens of picketing nurses outside St. Christopher’s. “That is unacceptable. I want to know, would anybody on the other side of the table, would they bring their kids to St. Chris with the staffing levels they want to implement? I doubt it.”
PASNAP leaders cite research documenting that increased nurse staffing levels correlate directly to fewer patient fatalities, fewer medical complications, earlier patient discharge dates, and improved satisfaction for patients and their families. Meanwhile, wage improvements correlate to higher nurse retention and job satisfaction.
“You’re a mother, you’re a father, you’re a social worker for those children when their parents aren’t there,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “You’re the ones holding their hands and saying, ‘Baby, it’s gonna be OK.’ I know what you do every day. You deserve to be paid for it and you deserve to give the children the services they need.”
Tartaglione has been a leading advocate in the Pennsylvania Senate for safe nurse staffing levels. During the 2017-18 legislative session, she co-sponsored S.B. 214 to establish minimum nurse-to-patient ratios under state law. The state already has minimum staffing ratios for child daycare facilities. But there are no such requirements for hospitals.
Today’s picketing did not coincide with work stoppages at St. Christopher’s or Hahnemann. Organizers described the events as informational in nature. PASNAP represents about 1,400 nurses at the two medical facilities and more than 8,000 members statewide.
For video coverage of today’s demonstrations, visit the Facebook page @SenatorTinaTartaglione.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at [email protected].
