Senate Leaders Urge Service Cuts
Where Constituents Experience Greatest Need
Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati represents four Pennsylvania counties – Cameron, Elk, Potter and Tioga – where constituents are coping with the highest unemployment rates statewide. Senate Appropriations Chair Jake Corman’s Centre County constituents are among those facing the highest poverty rates. Yet both leaders voted for Senate Bill 850 (see post below), which would strip crucial safety net programs from children and families, and are among the bill’s chief defenders.
Passed by the Senate in May, Senate Bill 850 makes deep cuts to early childhood education, children’s health insurance, basic and special education, autism services, mental health and mental retardation services for children, and public libraries.
In Scarnati’s district the unemployment rate ranges from 9.1 percent to 16.1 percent -- well above national and Pennsylvania averages. Over the past year it grew by a robust 6.6 percent. Corman’s district has a 14 percent poverty rate.
07.07.09 Abbreviated Poverty and Unemployment Chart
Although SB 850 failed to win House approval in June, many Senators still insist that it serve as the basis of budget negotiations with the House and Governor’s office.
If you live in Senator Scarnati’s or Corman’s districts – or even if you don’t -- how you suppose residents will cope with these cuts to basic services if the Senate version of the budget prevails?
How do you think residents will cope with the tax increase proposed by the Governor to maintain these services? For more information about the impact of proposed cuts in services and tax increase, see posts from June 25-July 1, below.
Passed by the Senate in May, Senate Bill 850 makes deep cuts to early childhood education, children’s health insurance, basic and special education, autism services, mental health and mental retardation services for children, and public libraries.
In Scarnati’s district the unemployment rate ranges from 9.1 percent to 16.1 percent -- well above national and Pennsylvania averages. Over the past year it grew by a robust 6.6 percent. Corman’s district has a 14 percent poverty rate.
07.07.09 Abbreviated Poverty and Unemployment Chart
Although SB 850 failed to win House approval in June, many Senators still insist that it serve as the basis of budget negotiations with the House and Governor’s office.
If you live in Senator Scarnati’s or Corman’s districts – or even if you don’t -- how you suppose residents will cope with these cuts to basic services if the Senate version of the budget prevails?
How do you think residents will cope with the tax increase proposed by the Governor to maintain these services? For more information about the impact of proposed cuts in services and tax increase, see posts from June 25-July 1, below.
To post your remarks, click on ‘Comments’ below.
To send a letter to your legislators urging them to preserve services foir children and families, click here: http://capwiz.com/pccy/issues/alert/?alertid=13665631
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