News & Brews April 16, 2021
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State considers reimplementing work search requirements for benefits
When Gov. Wolf shut down thousands of businesses and put millions of Pennsylvanians out of work last year, the state temporarily suspended the work search requirement for individuals receiving public assistance. According to Department of Labor & Industry Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier, the state is now considering reimplementing those requirements.
Another Wolf administration mistake
From nursing homes to unemployment to the vaccine rollout to the business waiver process to failing to advertise a proposed constitutional amendment, Gov. Wolf’s administration has demonstrated incompetence throughout the past year. But it’s not over. Now, we learn that the state sent threatening letters to at least hundreds of food stamp, or SNAP, recipients telling them they could lose their benefits. Apparently, state computers flagged purchases as out-of-state if the headquarters of the company where items were purchased is out of state, even if the actual store where the purchases were made is in-state. Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller said she’s “very sorry this happened.”
House State Government Committee concludes election hearings
Yesterday, the House State Government Committee, chaired by Rep. Seth Grove (York County) held the last of 10 hearings on our state’s election law and operations. Topics ranged from voter registration and mail-in ballots to election integrity and election audits. Based on these hearings, lawmakers will begin crafting legislation to improve our election processes. Click here to read Chairman Grove’s statement on the conclusion of the hearings, and click here for video links to all the hearings as well as recaps of most of them.
Charter schools support real reform, not Wolf’s pseudo reform
Robert Lysek, CEO of Executive Education Academy Charter School and Board President of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools explains in the Delaware Valley Journal that while Gov. Wolf is seeking to slash funding for charter students and reduce educational options for families, charter schools actually support real reforms that will “strengthen ethics requirements for charter schools, reform the charter renewal process and allow students to participate in dual enrollment programs.” Read his piece here.
Op-Ed: ‘Biden bucks’ should take state, local tax hikes off the table
House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff has an op-ed in the Bucks County Courier Times arguing that while the latest massive round of federal spending is “ill-conceived debt undoubtedly to be paid by future generations,” it should absolutely cancel Gov. Wolf’s attempt to increase our personal income tax rate by 46%.
On May 18, VoteYesPA to save lives and livelihoods
On May 18, voters can approve two proposed constitutional amendments that would restore a legislative check and balance on Gov. Wolf’s (and any future governor’s) emergency powers. Check out VoteYesPA.com, which has resources including link to request a mail-in ballot, a VoteYesPA sign you can download and print, a sample email businesses can send encouraging others to vote yes on May 18, and more.