by Christin Brown | March 1, 2011 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, March 1, 2011 – A bill designed to boost State Police training efforts while creating a fairer funding system passed a key Senate committee today, said state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione.
Senate Bill 237 will redirect millions of dollars collected in fines toward cadet training efforts, while municipalities that provide less than 40 hours of local police coverage would lose their share of fines collected through State Police traffic stops.
“Police coverage is increasingly complex and expensive,” Tartaglione said. “This bill will help ease the coverage complications and financial pressure on the State Police while creating a fairer funding system for all Pennsylvania taxpayers.”
Under current law, half of the traffic-enforcement fines collected through state police patrols in a local municipality are returned to the municipality through a Motor License Fund formula – even if the municipality relies only on the state for police protection.
“Taxpayers in hundreds of cities foot the bill for most police services through local property taxes, while more than 1,500 municipalities pay nothing, and get money back,” Tartaglione said. “This puts strain on our most vulnerable communities and tough economic times make it worse.”
Senate Bill 237 would deny distribution of traffic-fine revenue from the Motor License Fund to any municipality that does not provide locally for at least 40 hours of coverage per week through its own force or a regional contract. An amendment inserted today exempts municipalities with fewer than 3,000 residents. It passed the Senate Transportation Committee today unanimously. The bill is expected to affect about 1,200 municipalities across Pennsylvania and steer more than $4 million toward State Police cadet training.
by Christin Brown | February 23, 2011 | News Releases
State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione talks about closing the "Delaware Loophole" as part of a Senate Democatic plan to improve Pennsylvania's job climate.
HARRISBURG, February 23, 2011 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today molded her years-long effort to close the “Delaware Loophole” into a wider Senate Democratic plan to help small businesses compete, reduce corporate tax rates and get Pennsylvanians back to work.
“Over the years we have seen small neighborhood businesses replaced by mega-corporations that answer only to stockholders,” Tartaglione said. “While Wall St. has already recovered from the recession, the streets of Northeast Philadelphia have not. By reforming the tax system, training workers and giving small businesses a boost, we intend to make sure the recovery reaches every working family.”
At a news conference in Harrisburg today, Senate Democrats outlined a six-point plan intended to spur creation of thousands of jobs, trim millions in state spending, and create a workforce ready to thrive in the new economy.
The plan, called PA Works, focuses on six key areas: small business, workforce training, critical state investments, clean energy, infrastructure investment, and tax reform.
Tartaglione said she will focus on what has become an eight-year effort to close the “Delaware Loophole” and lower the state’s corporate net income tax to allow small businesses to prosper and grow. Nearly three quarters of Pennsylvania corporations pay no corporate income tax, partly because they can set up Delaware subsidiaries that license logos, trademarks, copyrights and other “non-tangible” – and therefore not taxable – assets.
“Pennsylvania is years behind in updating tax laws to keep up with corporate accounting tricks,” she said. “These big chains have been killing our mom-and-pop stores for years and we’ve been helping them do it. If there were ever a time to summon the political courage to take on corporate lobbyists, now is the time.”
In addition to closing the tax loophole, PA Works uses innovative ideas that will spur job creation, promote a business-friendly environment, and expand business opportunity.
The PA Works plan includes:
Putting Small Business First:
- Increase flexibility under Small Business First Fund
- Encourage financial institutions to be more aggressive small business lenders
- Regulatory relief to promote expansion
- Expand tax credit incentives
Real Training for Real Jobs
- Consolidate job training programs under single state agency by creating an integrated “one-stop” system of workforce investment and education services
- Redirect federal resources to create on-the-job training program modeled after Georgia Works
- Shared Work program to relieve the stress on UC (Model Missouri’s Shared Work)
- Provide “Green Workforce” training grants
Funding What Works, Fix What Doesn’t:
- Recapitalize Business In Our Sites to create new shovel-ready sites for development
- Create a new dedicated fund for key investment programs
- Refocus job creation tax credit program
- Prioritize MBE and WBE incentives
- Give taxpayers a return on successful investments
Clean Energy:
- Expand green building investment programs
- Enact Marcellus Shale Drilling Plan
- Strengthen synergy between universities and private energy investments
- Encourage smaller municipalities and rural communities to make energy efficiency investments
- Guarantee more contracts for PA supplier companies
Business Tax Reform
- Reduce CNI to 7.5% by closing DE Loophole
- Increase single sales factor and NOL Ceiling for home-based PA firms
- Explore other tax options to create a modern and fair business tax system
Infrastructure Investment:
- Find Transportation alternatives such as public private partnerships, new tolling options and bonds as short term solutions
- Water and Sewer investments such as finished CFA H2O and new Marcellus alternatives
- PUC oversight new-investment plans
by Christin Brown | February 15, 2011 | News Releases
At today’s Capitol news conference, state Sen. Christine Tartaglione joined union leaders and state legislators to unveil the AFL-CIO legislative agenda and discuss how to protect and create jobs in Pennsylvania.
Tartaglione, a member of the UFCW union, said that it is time for the legislature to push back against growing corporate influence and find ways to protect and grow the middle class. She said she introduced legislation in the Senate to close the Delaware Loophole because it is outrageous that the average working family in Pennsylvania pays more in state taxes than corporations doing business in the state.
by Christin Brown | January 24, 2011 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, January 24, 2011 – – Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus joined House Democrats in the Capitol Rotunda today to stress the urgency of extending the state’s adultBasic health care program.
The adultBasic program currently provides benefits to more than 40,000 low-income, working Pennsylvanians. These individuals will lose their insurance and access to quality health care at the end of February if a new funding source is not implemented.
AdultBasic was created by the legislature in 2001 with funding received through the National Tobacco Settlement Agreement. The program provides coverage for the basic health care needs of individuals between 19 and 64 years of age who do not have health insurance and meet certain eligibility and income requirements.
by Christin Brown | January 6, 2011 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, JAN. 6, 2011 — At a noontime ceremony in the state Capitol, State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione took the oath of office for her fifth term in the Pennsylvania Senate.
“I’m grateful to the people in my district who continue to put their trust in me as families face difficult times and look toward state leaders to work together for solutions,” she said. “It’s a challenge I’m ready to accept.”
Tartaglione, who was elected to Senate leadership in November, said a looming budget deficit tops the list of tasks facing a new governor and a legislature with many new faces.
“Experience and the ability to work with colleagues across the aisle will be critical in the next few months and years,” Tartaglione said. “The budget deficit we face will require sacrifice and careful, strategic restructuring of fiscal policy. The government should be lean, but not mean.”
As the legislature begins the new session, Tartaglione said she is planning to reintroduce legislation to close the Delaware Loophole, a now infamous corporate tax flaw that allows large corporations to shift tax burden to small businesses and individuals.
“Families and small businesses are stressed in this economy, while some large, multi-state retailers are able to take advantage of a loophole in Pennsylvania law not available to them in other states,” she said. “It’s not fair at any time, but in this economy it’s unthinkable.”
