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Vol. II No. 93 (253)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

June 30, 2011

Philadelphia Daily Record

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DAN AMSPACHER, director of Human Resources for SEPTA, talks to a packed audience at a SEPTA Career Clinic about skills and experiences the company looks for in job applicants. More than 200 individuals filled seats of Sayers Memorial United Methodist Church at Jun. 28 clinic, co-hosted

by State Sen. Anthony H. Williams. Participants also learned about SEPTA culture, history and standards, as well as what it takes to be a SEPTA police officer and how to fill out a SEPTA job application.

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The Philadelphia Public Record Calendar Jul. 10Benefit for Women Veterans hosted by Cathy Santos at Mom’s Kitchen Table Garden Courtyard, 2317 Ridge Ave., 4-9 p. m. For info Cathy Santos (215) 834-4228.

Jul. 15Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell celebrates her birthday with 14th annual Celebration and Health Fair for Homeless on City Hall’s Dilworth Plaza, 12 m.-3 p.m.

Jul. 15Councilman Curtis Jones celebrates his birthday with White Linen Party at Centennial Café, 4700 States Dr., Fairmount Pk., 8-11 p.m. Donation $50. For info (267) 912-1420 or email SamanthaJoyWilliams@gmail.com Jul. 19Fundraiser for Council candidate David Oh at McGillin’s Ale House, 1310 Drury St., 6-8. Free buffet, open bar. Contribution $50. Cash or money

order. No Corporate checks.

Jul. 23Brady Bunch get-together at Keenan’s at 113 Old New Jersey Av., North Wildwood, N.J., 4-8 p.m. Tickets $35.

For info Tommy (215) 423-9027 or Charlie (215) 241-7804.

Aug. 18Stu Bykofsky’s 21st Candidates Comedy Night at Finnigan’s Wake, 3rd & Spring Garden Sts., 7:30 p.m. Tickets $75. Order by calling Variety (215) 735-0803.

Aug. 27Fundraiser for Joe McCloskey Memorial Fund at Quaker City Yacht Club, 7101 N. Delaware Ave., 3-7 p.m.

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Happy 4th Of July! Take A Break With Us The Philadelphia Daily Record will not be published tomorrow, Friday, Jul. 1 or on Monday, Jul. 4. We will resume publication on Tuesday. Have a wonderful weekend, everybody!

Toomey Move Hangs Onto IMF Oversight Yesterday, with broad bipartisan support, the US Senate voted to adopt Sen. Pat Toomey’[s (R-Pa.) amendment to the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act (S 679) to guarantee congressional oversight of governance of the International Monetary Fund.

serve chairman have held the positions of governor and alternate governor, respectively, but that is merely by custom. Should that change, the Senate should be able to exercise its authority to advise and consent as to who should fill these important positions.

The amendment will retain the Senate confirmation process for the positions of governor and alternate governor of the IMF and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Currently, the IMF governor and alternate governor are subject to Senate confirmation, but S 679, as originally introduced, would have removed these important positions from the confirmation process.

“At a time when Greece and Europe are drowning in debt, the Senate cannot afford to cede its confirmation authority on key IMF officials responsible for overseeing billions of dollars in funds,” the Senator said. “The United States doesn’t have its own fiscal house in order, and yet the IMF wants to use American taxpayer dollars to prop up Greece’s fiscal mess. Bailing out Greece is throwing good money after bad, and the passage of this amendment will make sure Congress does not relinCustomarily, the Treasury secretary and the Federal Requish our already limited oversight of the IMF.”

Brady: Save Medicare For Future Generations Congressman Bob Brady (D-Pa.) says the upcoming 45th anniversary of the launching of the Medicare Program is especially important since some members of Congress want to throw out the program rather than protecting and strengthening it. President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law on Jul. 30, 1965, and on Jul. 1, 1966, the first enrollees entered the program.

“Too many people have forgotten what life was like in the United States before Medicare existed,” Brady said.

In 1964, only 51% of Americans over 65 had healthcare coverage – but today, because of Medicare, coverage is just about universal. In addition, the creation of Medicare has played a role in the poverty rate among seniors dropping dramatically. Nearly 30% of seniors lived below the poverty line in 1964 – and today that

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number has dropped to 7.5%. ‘”Medicare is a success by providing seniors and the disabled with health-care security and it has contributed to significantly increasing life expectancy,” the Congressman stressed. Today, Medicare provides comprehensive health care coverage to 47 million Americans, including 39 million seniors and 8 million people under 65 with disabilities. “But,” the Congressman said, “in spite of the support of seniors, on Apr. 15. House Republicans passed a budget that would end Medicare and replace it with a system where seniors get a voucher to go out and buy private insurance, for all Americans now under 55 – with the result of reducing benefits and raising seniors’ costs. Republicans argue the Medicare program cannot be maintained and must be completely

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replaced. I reject that argument.”

vency for an additional eight years. I and my fellow Democrats will continue to work to strengthen Brady said it is important to remember that over the last Medicare’s solvency and ensure that Medicare – the 45 years Democrats have fought vigorously to protect promise we have made to our seniors – will be there and strengthen Medicare. “Democrats have often enfor future generations.” acted legislation to extend Medicare’s solvency – most recently in the Affordable Care Act that extended sol-

Philly’s Harrisburg Delegation Bewails Hits From GOP Budget The freshly passed Pennsylvania State budget will go into effect without a single vote from the Democrat minority. To the winners go the spoils in Harrisburg.

Philadelphia’s delegation, however – largely on the losing side – were swift to deplore the heavy cuts in public services that will now befall this city.

9.7% cut, one of the highest percentage cuts in the state.

State funding reimbursement for charter schools is being eliminated, costing Philadelphia $112.4 million.

Cuts in the Accountability Block Grant program will cost Philadelphia schools $34.4 million. Eliminating State tutoring funds is an $18.7 million hit for the city.

Eliminating school-improvement funding takes another In voicing his displeasure for the $27.15 billion State $6.6 million away. spending plan, State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-S. Phila.) said the budget puts the needs of Pennsylvania families “All these cuts will do serious damage to the education second, while pandering to the desires of big businesses opportunities of Philadelphia students and will come at and the Marcellus Shale industry. an ironic time – just this week, it was reported that “The reality of this budget is that it shuts out Pennsylvania families, school children, working men and women and seniors,” Farnese said. “It is a budget that was devoid of any negotiation or compromise.”

Philadelphia schoolchildren posted test score gains on state assessments for the ninth straight year,” Roebuck said.

State Rep. Jim Roebuck (D-W. Phila.), a leading expert on education, noted, “The Philadelphia School District is taking the largest dollar cut per student of any school district in the state – a $1,331 cut per student, which equals more than $33,000 cut from each classroom of 25 students, and more in the larger classes that will result from these cuts.”

hospitals, which are seeing growing numbers of uninsured patients who can’t afford medical bills.”

Hospitals will be forced to pay for more costs as a re“While the Governor sits on nearly $700 million in sult of this budget, State Sen. Shirley Kitchen comsurplus, real people in my District are struggling to pay plained. their bills and feed their families. This budget cuts serv- “While there is modest $16.5 million restoration for ices to our neediest citizens, our heroic veterans, our uncompensated care compared to the original House students, our children and our working-class and poor Republican budget plan, it is not nearly what is families.” needed,” Kitchen said. “This will be a real burden for

State Rep. Louise Bishop (D-W. Phila.) said the budget “cuts the heart out of women, children, seniors, and the disabled” by cutting Medicaid and health-care programs by nearly half a billion dollars.

State Sen. LeAnna Washington (D-Northwest), a longRoebuck said the cuts to Philadelphia schools include standing advocate for domestic-abuse victims, said siga basic-education subsidy cut of $103.9 million, or nificant cuts to the Human Service Development Fund, 4|

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from $24 million last year to $14.5 million in this Phila.) pointed acidly. budget, will mean needy Pennsylvanians will be left “Amazingly, Republicans have somehow found $10 out in the cold, including victims of domestic violence. million to create a new, untested program, ‘Discovered “Domestic Violence is a serious issue in Philadelphia,” in PA, Developed in PA’, to help businesses in PennWashington said. “The cut to HSDF makes it increasing sylvania. While I certainly recognize the importance of difficult for domestic-violence victim-support services supporting small businesses, many of these services allike legal support, emergency shelters and domestic-vi- ready exist in other Commonwealth programs, and I olence hotlines to continue, thus furthering the danger don’t believe $10 million should diverted to a create these victims face.” another government program when we are drastically cutting basic and higher education and other critical Republicans were happy to increase spending on their programs.” own pet projects, State Rep. Michelle Brownlee (D-N.

Washington Reappointed To Children’s Trust Fund Board Senate Democratic leaders announced yesterday State Sen. LeAnna Washington (D-Northwest) has been reappointed to serve on the Children’s Trust Fund Board.

fender of Pennsylvania’s children – their welfare, their safety and their care. I believe she will continue to make a strong impact on this board,” Costa said. “She is the perfect choice to represent our caucus.”

“As a long-time advocate for protecting the welfare and safety of Pennsylvania’s children, I am very pleased to be asked to once again serve on this very important board,” Washington said. “No child should face the possibility of neglect and abuse. This trust fund works diligently to ensure that abuse is stopped before our children can be hurt.”

The Pennsylvania Children’s Trust Fund is dedicated to funding innovative and creative community-based neglect prevention programs. Specific emphasis is placed on primary prevention programs that focus on the prevention of abuse before it occurs the first time.

Washington will serve on a 15-member Board of Directors, consisting of three members of the House of Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) Representatives, three members of the Pennsylvania stated Washington’s deep commitment to the issues af- Senate and nine citizens appointed by the Governor. fecting Pennsylvania’s children, especially those in sitThe Fund is administered by the Office of Child Deuations of domestic violence and the foster system, velopment & Early Learning under the Depts. of Welmade her the right choice for the council. fare and Education.

“Sen. Washington has proven to be an unwavering de-

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Mayor Urges Business To Provide Summer Jobs For Youths Speaking at the Urban Affairs Coalition at noon today, Supporters from public, private and nonprofit sectors presented checks in the amount of $1,000 to the Philadelphia Youth Network for the purpose of increasing the number of summer work opportunities. The Mayor was joined by Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco; Sharmain Matlock-Turner, UAC president; William R. Miller, IV, president of Ross Associates, Inc.; Darren Spielman, VP for workforce development, Philadelphia Youth Network; David Buckholtz, a youth employed through UAC this summer; and Demetrius Lacey, a youth without an employment opportunity this summer.

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Last summer, there were 11,800 available slots citywide to hire low-income youth in Philadelphia and over 21,000 completed applications received. PYN, which administers funding and oversees youth and youngadult workforce-development programs in Philadelphia, has received 14,500 completed applications this summer for 5,500 available Summer WorkReady jobs.

UAC, which is the city’s largest subcontractor for PYN, has received 1,009 applications for 500 available slots.

Youth interns will work Jul. 5-Aug. 12.

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