by Christin Brown | December 6, 2021 | feature, News Releases
HARRISBURG, December 6, 2021 – State Sen. Christine Tartaglione D-Philadelphia today announced $10 million in state grants were awarded to North and Northeast Philadelphia for redevelopment projects.
Tartaglione announced the funding, which is awarded through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, will provide grants to projects that will expand medical access, recreation space, career development and employment opportunities.
“These grants will go to projects that each will greatly benefit the North and Northeast communities.” Sen. Tartaglione said. “These funds will enable the expansion and renovation of hospital spaces, education opportunities, recreation facilities and businesses in our neighborhoods.”
Projects in the 2nd Senatorial District that won funding are:
Temple University Hospital, Jeanes Campus Emergency Room Expansion
$1,000,000 to expand the existing ED footprint by 3,500 SF, adding 8 additional treatment rooms to accommodate closure of the Elkins Park ED located 1 mile away. The design will be scalable in the event additional treatment rooms are needed. This will be new construction built on land contiguous with the existing ED.
Friends of Father Judge High School, Inc., FJHS Centers for Career & Technical Education and Special Education II
$1,000,000 to construct the Career Pathways Academy Building, a state-of-the-art 20,000 SF, 2-story building to deliver high-level vocational education and workforce development. The current 3-story vacant structure on campus will be knocked down to make room for the new structure. It will have a massive common area for multiple trade disciplines to be taught simultaneously, while 3 classrooms and additional breakout spaces would be created on the first floor. The second floor will have additional workshop spaces, offices for instructors, and an observation deck for Administrators.
Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, Einstein Medical Center ED Observation Unit and Trauma Expansion
$1,000,000 for the expansion of our Emergency Department observation bays and renovation of existing space to accommodate a Trauma Family Waiting Room. The Medical Records department will be moved to the 3rd floor of Korman to make room for additional observation beds. For the Trauma Waiting Room we are extending the building out onto an existing sidewalk at our front lobby. The security upgrade will consist of the installation of a new turnstile system.
Charles Jacquin Et Cie, Inc., Renewing Pennsylvania’s Oldest Distillery
$1,500,000 to renovate Jacquin’s facilities, creating employee parking, upgrading the security system camera and lighting, repairing the sidewalk, installing a panic device and emergency egress, enhancing security access, replacing fences and improving the permeation tunnels. It will also fix rooftops, restore and add new chillers and a high efficiency boiler, add a quality assurance lab and teaching room, realign conveyors, and upgrade several controls. The appearance of the overall facility will be enhanced and restored by interior and exterior paint and window and fencing replacement.
City of Philadelphia – Rebuild, Lawncrest Recreation Center
$2,000,000 to renovate the existing 21,000 SF Lawncrest Recreation Center building, adjacent accessory buildings, and swimming pool area and include the creation of an ADA accessible route within the building via a ramped hallway and building extension. The Recreation Building interior will be renovated. Improvements to the grounds include the playground, sport courts, sidewalk improvements, site landscaping/lighting, and site accessibility upgrades.
Kinder Academy Development Organization, LLC, Trinity PAL Center II
$1,000,000 to construct a new state-of-the-art, historically compatible facility to house the return of the Gibbons PAL program and other community outreach initiatives. Initial construction plans include stormwater management improvements; hazardous material abatement; utilities; permits; security and access control systems; concrete slab; and site remediation. Ultimately, the space created will encompass a basketball court with high ceiling, homework rooms, restrooms, and office space for program officers.
Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, Samuel D. Cozen PAL Center & Scattered Sites
$1,000,000 to construct, renovate, and/or improve six PAL locations: 2128 W. Ontario St.: site preparation and construction of a new PAL Center; 851 E. Tioga St: HVAC, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and structural improvements; 5330 Germantown Ave: HVAC, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and construction of a zero-maintenance athletic field; 2524 E. Clearfield St: HVAC, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and structural improvements; 124 E. Indiana Ave: build-out of a PAL Center within the empty warehouse space; 2601 N. 11th St: HVAC, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and space renovations.
Cardone Industries, Inc., Operation Rocky
$500,000 to transform the existing warehouse space into a production area, convert/add lighting, set up computer network, add required electrical, add office space, move and install production equipment.
Impact Services Corp., A & Indiana Campus Project
$1,000,000 to develop the A & Indiana Campus including renovation of an existing 150,000 SF Mill Building into mixed-use spaces including affordable housing and a multi-tenant community serving building. The property will be renovated subject to Historic requirements and fit out for the identified tenants. The renovations will include all new systems, floors, historic windows, roofing, elevators, stairs and finishes. The project will also include completion of site work and parking for access to the building.
RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenue or other measures of economic activity.
More information on RACP funding can be found here.
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by Christin Brown | November 19, 2021 | feature, News Releases
Philadelphia, PA − November 19, 2021 − State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione joined Gov. Tom Wolf as well as legislative colleagues and labor leaders today in Philadelphia to highlight the governor’s recent executive action and to call upon the legislature to finally pass legislation that supports and protects workers.
The governor’s order requires all businesses that receive grants or contracts from the commonwealth to provide its workers paid sick leave and pay no less than the $13.50/hour minimum wage for state employees. That wage, for state employees and contractors, will reach $15 on July 1, 2024.
“The governor’s recent action providing guaranteed paid leave, safer workplaces, and increased worker pay for employees of businesses that receive grants or contracts from the commonwealth is a great start.” Tartaglione said. “But we cannot let it end there. We currently have legislation pending in the senate that would codify these orders into law for all workers of this commonwealth.”
“Legislation like Senate Bills 12 and 310, which I have introduced, would raise the minimum wage for all workers in our commonwealth and extend Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety rules to all public employees. These are commonsense issues which would raise wages for nearly 700,000 workers as well as make all workplaces safer.”
Tartaglione and Wolf were joined at a news conference in Philadelphia by Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jennifer Berrier, members of the House and Senate Philadelphia Delegation, as well as members of Council 13 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
For more information on Gov. Wolf’s executive order visit his website. More information regarding Sen. Tartaglione’s legislation SB 12 and SB 310 is also available.
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by Christin Brown | November 15, 2021 | feature, News Releases
PHILADELPHIA − November 15, 2021 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senators Nikil Saval, John Kane, Christine Tartaglione and Lindsey Williams to host a public hearing to discuss issues related to worker misclassification in Pennsylvania.
“Worker misclassification isn’t just about building trades or construction, this issue impacts a whole segment of our workforce that deserves to be protected and paid fairly by their employers,” Senator Muth said. “I appreciate all of my colleagues and the panelists that participated today to shine a light on another instance of corporate greed – employers that are prioritizing profits over workers. It is time that we stand up for our workers in the state Senate.”
The Senate Democratic Policy Committee heard from several panelists at the Sheet Metal Workers Union Building in Philadelphia who all discussed the problems workers are face with when they are misclassified by their employers. The Keystone Research Center indicates that if Pennsylvania has rates of misclassification in the construction industry comparable to those in other states, it loses about $10 million in unemployment insurance taxes, at least $15 million in income tax revenues (and possibly three times as much), as much as $83 million in workers compensation premiums, and $200 million in federal income taxes.
“Worker misclassification is pervasive, and the resulting damages cut across all sectors of employment and all facets of our communities. Pennsylvania is a labor state with a long history of protecting workers’ rights, and it’s imperative that we continue this work in our swiftly changing economy,” Senator Saval said. “Just as companies that exploit workers can take these practices from state to state, Pennsylvania can create a model for worker protections that other states can adopt. How we approach this right now will impact the future of work.”
The hearing featured representation from various regional and statewide labor unions, including the Steamfitters Local 420, Painters DC21, Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, PA AFL-CIO, and the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. Senator John Kane spent four decades as a union plumber prior to serving in the Senate and also served for twelve years as the Business Manager for one of the largest plumbers’ unions in the Commonwealth.
“My members earned good, family-sustaining wages and had good benefits. They had protections for workplace injuries and safe working conditions. When workers are misclassified as independent contractors, they lose these protections,” Senator Kane said. “I want to be clear – the misclassification of workers is a form of theft, plain and simple. Businesses cut costs to help their bottom line, and our workers pay the price. It’s long past time we took action to end worker misclassification, and I’m grateful to all our panelists for sharing their perspective in today’s hearing.”
The hearing also highlighted the worker misclassification issues experienced by workers in the app-based gig economy and discussed potential policy solutions to address the issue of worker misclassification. One bill discussed was Senate Bill 879 which was introduced by Senator Saval. This bill would hold general contractors responsible for paying any employees up and down a worksite, even if they are hired by a subcontractor.
“For too long unscrupulous employers have cut costs and corners by misclassifying Pennsylvania’s workers. The Pa Senate Democrats have and will continue to fight for the workers of this commonwealth,” Senator Tartaglione said. “Every worker deserves the protections that come with being an employee not a contractor. The cost of doing business cannot and should not be shifted onto a businesses’ employees.”
“Misclassification hurts workers, hurts employers who are doing the right thing by their workers, and it hurts taxpayers,” Senator Williams added.
All submitted testimony from today’s hearing and the full video is available at SenatorMuth.com/Policy
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Testimony
Panel 1: Local Unions Roundtable
- Gary Masino, Sheetmetal Workers Local 19.
- Tom Redden, Steamfitters Local 420
- Tyler Honschke, Painters DC21
- Brian Eddis, Philadelphia Building Trades
Panel 2: Statewide Unions Roundtable
Panel 3: The Gig Economy
Panel 4: Policy Solutions
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