By Kevin McCorry

– After a scare Tuesday, leaders in the Pennsylvania Capitol said that the framework of a state budget agreement is still intact.

The tentative agreement includes a $400 million increase to K-12 public education this year.

On Monday, Wolf administration officials claimed that a two-year agreement would boost preK-12 public education by $750 million. Republican leaders insisted that nothing had been set in stone beyond the current fiscal year.

For a few hours Tuesday, the Senate Republican leadership stirred up doubts about the structural integrity of the deal – saying everything was again “up in the air.”

Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican leaders allayed anxiety by hosting an impromptu press gaggle late Tuesday committing to the framework of a one-year pact.

Pressure has mounted to reach an agreement more than four months after the June 30 budget deadline. School districts across the state have had to borrow money just to keep their doors open. Social services agencies have been hurt, and lawmakers have expressed fatigue as the budget battle has superseded all other agendas.

Wolf and the leaders of the Republican-held House and Senate believe they can shake hands on a budget before Thanksgiving, but the deal is far from finalized and many of the details are yet to be worked out: namely, the source of the education funding boost.

There’s talk about raising the state tobacco tax, hiking the bank shares tax and possibly shifting gambling revenue into an account that would help school districts pay down pension debt – which has become a major cost driver in recent years.

But Wolf and GOP leaders have reached consensus on an agreement to fund a $2 billion statewide property tax reduction by hiking the state sales tax by 1.25 percent.

Everywhere but Philadelphia and Allegheny County, the sales tax would rise from 6 percent to 7.25 percent.

In Philadelphia, because the sales tax is already inflated locally, it would jump to 9.25 percent. In Allegheny County, for similar reasons, it would move to 8.25 percent.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and City Council President Darrell Clarke both said it would be premature to comment on this proposal.

State Rep. John Taylor, R-Philadelphia, agreed, but said he’d seek “some sort of exemption” to spare the city from increases “that will put us at uncompetitive levels.”

Sources close to the Wolf administration say that there could be a way to keep the sales tax rate down in Philadelphia by lessening the property tax reduction.

As is, advocates for the poor are upset with this deal for its regressive nature. With property taxes potentially going down, while sales and cigarette taxes go up, this aspect of the pact would disproportionately hurt disadvantaged Pennsylvanians.

“As much as we desperately need income for Philadelphia schools, we need to start looking away from taking money from low income people,” said Kate Goodman, an organizer for 15 Now Philly, which advocates for a higher minimum wage. “Sales tax impacts poor people who are buying basic goods more than wealthy people who have other assets.”

Lawmakers in Wolf’s own party have pushed back on this point as well.

“We want this done by Thanksgiving. We know there are people who do not agree with everything, and the governor is more than willing to have conversations with them,” said Wolf spokesman Jeff Sheridan.

Pushback on ‘taxpayer protection’

Despite this debate, the deal seems at first glance to be a huge win for public schools, but the comprehensive picture is more complicated.

There would be a big, new state influx of education spending. Basic education would get $350 million in new money. Special ed would get an added $50 million and pre-K will likely see a boost but leaders haven’t yet reached consensus there.

Republican leaders, though, have a key additional demand.

“One of the things we require is some sort of taxpayer protection,” said Jenn Kocher, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman.

Now, there’s nothing definitive on this yet, but an idea gaining traction would require a local referendum for any property tax increase – no matter inflation or rising fixed costs.

Under this proposal, anytime a school board wanted to raise taxes, it would have to win favor by popular vote – a prospect that has education advocates very worried.

A coalition of 50 ideologically diverse groups sent a letter to stakeholders this week denouncing the idea as “poor, reckless policy.”

The fear here is that in getting a win in short-term statewide education funding, Wolf could bless a plan that would potentially handcuff school districts locally in a way that could be damaging over the long term.

“People in communities don’t always appreciate what is taking place and what is required to properly educate the students in their community,” said Jim Buckheit, executive director of The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, one of the groups to sign the letter.

“It’s a challenge in Pennsylvania because less than 20 percent of households have school-aged children. So you’re going to have a lot of people who don’t have an interest in what occurs in a local school district, even though it’s a vital function of government.”

The Pennsylvania Business Council also laments the idea.

“Often at the spur of the moment, quick solutions, easy solutions seem appealing. In the long run they often don’t pay off,” said David Patti, president and CEO of the PBC. “There are unintended consequences, and regret is big, but undoing bad decisions is difficult. I think this is one of those bad decisions that people will regret later on.”

As part of the framework agreement, the Wolf administration said that one of the governor’s campaign-trail priorities – a tax on natural gas drilling – is now off of the table for this year.

Other Republican priorities, though, are in the mix. Some sort of change that reduces pension benefits for future state employees seems imminent, but details aren’t being released publicly.

The same can be said for some sort of shift to the current composition of the state liquor store system.

Both sides also tentatively agree on a 5 percent increase to higher-education spending.

Source – http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/88124-hashing-out-the-nitty-gritty-in-the-very-tentative-detail-absent-pa-budget-framework?linktype=hp_impact

Today and every November 11, we celebrate Veteran’s Day and honor those generations of heroes, of yesterday and today, who have served our great nation! It is because of their efforts and those who made the ultimate sacrifice that we enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted everyday!

It is important that we remember how we got those freedoms and how we maintain them through the commitment and bravery of generations of our service men and women who have fought to make America the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave!!!

To all of our Veterans including the many who are members of America’s Labor Movement and our current service men and women,

Thank You!

Happy Labor Day In Solidarity,

PhillyLabor!

By Joel Mathis

– The 46 journalists laid off last week at Philadelphia Media Network are getting an assist in finding their next job.

Davis Shaver, the digital products and solutions lead at Philadelphia Media Network, has helped set up canistillhireaformerpmner.com, an online clearinghouse that aims to bring together the journalists with potential employers. (He was joined by Philly.com’s Brian X. McCrone in helping create the site.) Dozens of companies have listed openings at the site already; nobody’s been hired yet, but workers are already starting to make potential matches.

“I think it’s going well, all things considered,” Shaver said. “It’s been amazing to see the outpouring of support from newsrooms in Philly and across the country. It’s really encouraging. It’s one of the silver linings.”

So far, the answer to “Can I Still Hire a Former PMNer” is still yes: 100 percent of the employees notified they’ll be laid off are still available to take new jobs.

Shaver has been through this before: He helped set up a similar site several years ago when Digital First Media pulled the plug on its digital Project Thunderdome, scattering digitally oriented journalists to the winds. The “Can I Still Hire a Thunderdomer” website helped those workers get fresh starts.

“I can’t wait for the day we can put this playbook on the shelf. Layoffs are traumatic events,” Shaver said. “Until we figure out the digital business model that will sustain us the next decade or two, this is the land we inhabit. It’s a fight worth fighting.”

The layoffs go into effect December 4th.

Source – http://www.phillymag.com/news/2015/11/09/hire-former-pmn-laid-off/#BGPdDDBLtTWhSIqL.99

By The Veterans Advisory Commission

– The Philadelphia Veterans Parade on Nov. 8 promises to be a spectacular event with a jump by a parachute team, cadets from the Naval and Military academies, the Philadelphia City Troop Calvary, Buffalo Soldiers, a 30-by-60-foot flag, military vehicles and several junior ROTC groups.

A total of 175 organizations and individuals have registered for the parade. The actual number of participants could range as high as 2,400, depending on how many show up with various groups on parade day. Registration has closed.

“We’re focused right now on bringing all the elements of the parade together and communicating with the participants,” noted Scott Brown, executive director of the Philadelphia Advisory Commission, which is overseeing the parade and the veterans committee organizing it. “We knew it would be a big deal when we first suggested it, but overall response has been tremendous and the first-ever city-wide veterans parade will be a spectacular event.”

The parade, which starts at noon at S. Broad and Walnut streets, will focus on veterans of all eras from the tri-state region (PA/NJ/DE). It will also commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the end of World War II, the 50th Anniversary of Vietnam and the 25th Anniversary of Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Special recognition will be accorded for individual representatives of all Armed Services from all wars, including Tuskegee airmen, Montford Point Marines and Pearl Harbor survivors.

Brown asked for patience from those participating as the parade committee organizes the line of march, address parking issues, staging, assembly and many other details. The committee will communicate information to the groups as soon as it becomes available. A good source of information will continue to be the web site at www.phillyveteransparade.org and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/phillyvetparade/.

The parade will include military units, civic and youth groups, businesses, high school marching bands and about 250 motorcyclists. A special feature of the parade in anticipation of the Army/Navy Game on Dec. 12 will be representation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy.

The All Veterans Parachute Team will drop in front Independence Hall at about 12:30 p.m. as one of the kick-off elements for the event. The Buffalo Soldiers of the 38th Infantry Regiment will participate, as will numerous American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Vietnam Veterans of America posts.

The one-mile parade travels north from S. Broad and Walnut streets around City Hall and then east on Market Street before ending at Independence Mall.

The parade’s primary supporters are Congressman Bob Brady and Council President Darrell Clarke. The effort also is supported by H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, noted philanthropist and owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who Congressman Bob Brady contacted immediately after he was approached by the commission.

Lenfest, who served on Navy destroyers during the Korean War, already is a patron of the Greater Philadelphia Traditions Fund, which supports 13 other parades and festivals in the city, including the Mummer’s Parade. Also endorsing the parade is Army veteran and Councilman David Oh and PA Lt. Gov. Mike Stack.

Source – http://www.phillyveteransparade.org/

By The APWU

– The APWU won an important legal victory on Nov. 4 when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled unanimously that Staples cannot intervene in hearings on charges that the USPS illegally subcontracted work to the office-supply chain.

“The ruling is very significant,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “This is a big advance.”

If Staples had been allowed to intervene, it could appeal rulings – independent of the Postal Service – and exponentially complicate the litigation.

“With Staples’ deep pockets, they could have appealed the case all the way to the Supreme Court, even if the Postal Service chose not to,” Dimondstein said.

“It’s long past time for the Postal Service to end its dirty deal with Staples and stop efforts to privatize retail operations,” Dimondstein added.

Administrative Law Judge Paul Bogas granted Staples’ request to participate as a full party to the case when the hearings began in August, but the APWU and the NLRB General Counsel appealed the ruling.

“The APWU deplores the ongoing collusion between the Postal Service and Staples to transfer the work of highly-trained USPS employees who are accountable to the people of the country to low-paid Staples employees,” Dimondstein said at the time. “This ploy enriches Staples executives while advancing the privatization of the public Postal Service,” he added.

The August hearings continued on Nov. 2 and 3, and were dominated by disputes over documents subpoenaed by the NLRB and the APWU. In response to subpoenas, the Postal Service provided the NLRB with more than 90,000 records and withheld thousands more it deemed confidential and/or covered by attorney-client privilege. Thousands of documents were given to the union as well.

“The APWU will continue to fight with everything we’ve got in the legal arena,” Dimondstein said. “But we also know that the best way to secure victory is to spread word of the Stop Staples campaign and the boycott of Staples and Quill.com,” he said.

Source – http://www.apwu.org/news/web-news-article/nlrb-calls-interference-staples