Third and State

So Wednesday’s roll call in the Pennsylvania House on Gov. Wolf’s revenue package didn’t go quite as we’d hoped – a 73-127 vote almost entirely along partisan lines. PBPC issued a statement afterwards calling rejection of revenue for education and a responsible budget a mistake.

The good news is it’s clear the governor hasn’t given up hope as the budget impasse passed its 100^th day this week, and both sides prepared to return to the negotiating table. "We put together a real big group of votes to do something really tough," Gov. Wolf said. "The fact that 73 were willing to do that... I think sends a strong signal of support for addressing the real problems that Pennsylvania faces." And he vowed, "I'm not taking anything off the table."

PBPC and allies held a press conference in the Capitol Rotunda Wednesday morning before the vote to urge legislators to support reinvesting in education and restarting Pennsylvania’s economy. We want to thank all of you who personally reached out to your legislator. You might want to contact them again and either thank or chastise them for their vote, whichever is appropriate. To find out how your rep voted click here.

PBPC and allies held a press conference Wednesday morning in the Capitol before the vote
Watch WFMZ-TV 69's coverage of the event -- rally footage begins at 00:48

Comparing the revenue-raising re-investors with the tax-and-funding cutters … PBPC released a timely brief, Pennsylvania at Another Crossroads, on Tuesday that examined the experience of five states, including Pennsylvania, since 2011. Three of the states – Kansas, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania – cut taxes and education funding. The other states – California and Minnesota – raised taxes to improve their fiscal health and reinvest in education. The states that invested have since experienced much higher job and revenue growth – revenues that increased partly because of faster economic growth. In addition, state funding per pupil in the investment states, compared to the tax-cut states, has increased by as much as 41 percent, enough to make a profound difference in the quality of education. Faced with this compelling evidence, Pennsylvania’s legislative majority now wants to double down on what didn’t work. Go figure.

Ways the Budget Matters on the Way Back . . . We temporarily suspended our daily “Ways the Budget Matters” emails this past week as everyone’s attention turned to the House vote. But we resumed with Way No. 13 (Intellectual Disability Community Base Funds & Emergency Services Waiting List) yesterday and Way No. 14 (Vocational Training) today. Special thanks to teams of advocates from The Arc of Pennsylvania for hand-delivering 160+ copies of Way No. 13 to legislators’ Capitol offices yesterday.  We’ll take another brief hiatus on Monday for the holiday and then resume again with Way No. 15 on Tuesday.

Alexa Brill, communications associate at The Arc of Pennsylvania,
delivered copies of PBPC's Way #13 the Budget Matters at the Capitol yesterday

Making the case for public pensions "where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain" . . . KRC economist and Executive Director Steve Herzenberg flew to Oklahoma City to lead off a Wednesday hearing before a state Senate Study on Pension Sustainability. Before speaking, Steve traded Harrisburg stories with former Senators and Washington Nationals pitcher Chris Schroder, a Sooner native now working for the Oklahoma County Commissioners. Oklahoma is a ruby red state with a 39-8 Republican Senate, a 70-31 Republican House and a GOP governor. Yet all but one of the state’s six main pension plans remain a traditional pension plan. Turns out that many conservative Republicans recognize that public safety personnel and teachers deserve a decent pension at the end of their careers. And heck, why not save money by giving it to them through a defined-benefit plan. Perhaps Schroder could bring a delegation of them on an educational mission to his old stomping grounds in Harrisburg.