Gov. Tom Wolf mocks Philly parents with his charter school opposition.
Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf, a man bought and paid for by the teachers unions, stripped Bill Green of his chairmanship of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, Sunday night, March 1. Why? Because Green heard the pleas of Philly parents and allowed for five new charter schools.
This was in defiance of Wolf and the unions who wanted no new ones.
Of the school district’s, 206,567 pupils, 64,301 now attend charter schools.
There is a waiting list of thousands more that has been estimated at 40,000.
The objection of Wolf and his cronies is that the charter school’s take money from the Philadelphia School District. The answer to this is that the Philadelphia School District prevents parents from sending their children to schools where they won’t be pushed around, threatened, mocked for “acting white” and actually get an education.
When are the residents of Philadelphia going to wake up to the reality that the Democrat Party is anything but their friend?
The Philadelphia School Reform Commission voted, Feb. 18, to approved five of the 39 applications for new charter schools.
Gov. Tom Wolf chimed in decrying the decision. Oh, the Philadelphia School District can’t possibly handle it he said. He cited the district’s $80 million budget deficit.
Charter schools, of course, are cheaper to run than traditional schools so one would wonder what exactly is Wolf thinking until one realizes that he, like the rest of the Democrat Party, is in the pocket of the teacher unions. These entities get the lion’s share of the blame for the inflated cost of public education.
Anyway, this creates a very nice opportunity for the GOP. Charter Schools are strongly supported by a significant section of the city and these supporters had in the past not been willing to look twice at a Republican candidate. If the party starts championing Philadelphia charters there is a pretty good chance this will change for many of them.
You would not need all of them or even most of them to start making a difference in elections.
‘Tis the season for union officials and lobbyists representing public sector union employees to be swarming the Capitol now that there’s a new governor in town, and especially a new governor who received substantial campaign contributions from public sector unions.
The flyer the United Steelworkers delivered to Sen. Scott Walker and other Republican legislators.
On Feb. 10, a flyer was delivered to my office (and many offices of Republican House and Senate members) informing me that I am being watched by the Steelworkers.
While I appreciate their watchful eye and feel safer, they should take note that I am being just as observant.
My office location is right outside of the rotunda and if I go outside of my office and look down the hallway towards the governor’s office, which is at the opposite end of the building, the union officials and lobbyists representing public sector union employees are very noticeable.
Why would union officials and lobbyists representing public sector union employees be swarming the Capitol you may ask?
Well here’s a good reason…Governor Wolf took sizable campaign contributions from public sector unions so those unions are now looking for a return on their investment.
The return on investment comes in the form of pay increases for public sector union workers.
Most, if not all, of this money was deducted from paychecks of public sector union employees using taxpayers’ resources.
In the next three to four months, major public sector union contracts are up for renewal and public sector union officials are looking for pay increases for their members.
Governor Wolf will be the one negotiating the salaries, health insurance and other workplace benefits with the same people who donated so heavily to his campaign.
It is important to note that House and Senate members have no role or input when Governor Wolf negotiates with the public sector unions.
The increased wages that Governor Wolf will hand over to public sector unions will cost the taxpayers more money and the House and Senate will have to figure out how to pay the bill.
So here’s an interesting question – Pennsylvania has over a $2 Billion dollar plus shortfall and state workers are already making 15-25% more than private sector workers…why would pay increases be justified?
Your guess is as good as mine.
While the Steelworkers are committed to watching me, I am committed to watching your tax dollars and ensuring they are being spent wisely.
Stay tuned…
Pennsylvania State Sen. Scott Walker represents the 28th District.
The Delaware County Patriots report that Mary’s Law, which would require that public-sector unions collect their own political money may be brought up for a vote before Tom Wolf is inducted as Pennsylvania governor on Jan. 20.
The new — and more conservative — legislature convened on Jan. 6 and it is in the realm of possibility that it can pass legislation that would be signed by outgoing Gov. Tom Corbett.
It should be noted that Mary’s Law is rather mild and the state would still collect the “fair-share” portion of union dues which is money used for collective bargaining purposes, grievances and arbitration.
The Patriots ask those who believe in this mild reform to contact their state legislators. It can be done very simply at this link provided by Commonwealth Foundation
The excellent Commonwealth Foundation is pushing a proposed Pennsylvania law called “Mary’s Law” which would end taxpayer-funded collection of political money.
Mary is a college professor in Williamsport and a 20-year member of the PSEA. This fall, Mary’s husband received a letter from the PSEA asking him to “Please join Mary in voting for Tom Wolf.”
Mary never gave permission for her name to be used to solicit votes from her family. Neither did she agree with the politician the PSEA was pushing.
To add final insult to injury, it was Mary’s union dues that were spent on that political mailing – not a voluntary PAC contribution, but dues.
Mary’s Law is new legislation that will soon be introduced by State Senators John Eichelberger and Gene Yaw—along with 10 other senators, among them the President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader. It would end the taxpayer-funded collection of political money.
Mary’s story represents why we need this law. But it’s not just for Mary, notes Commonwealth Foundation. It’s for all teachers whose dues have been used for politics they don’t agree with. And for all taxpayers who fund the collection of this blatantly political money.
Common Cause PA and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania are waxing outrage that Marcellus Shale drillers spent $8 million on campaign contributions in Pennsylvania since 2007.
Browne and Mensch are among those who have allied themselves with Scott Wagner of the 28th District who is seeking to unseat Dominic Pileggi of the 9th District (Delaware and Chester counties) as Majority Leader of the Republican-controlled Senate.
Wagner, a newcomer, is leading a rebellion against Pileggi.
Pileggi receives much money from the unions in the state, and Wagner blames him for not getting commonsense pro-consumer, pro-taxpayer legislation passed despite the Republicans having complete control over the state government since January 2011.
Perhaps, Pileggi isn’t entirely to blame.
The Lehigh organization notes that Browne and Mensch voted against an amendment proposed by Senator Wagner in support of “paycheck protection” legislation that would prohibit automatic deduction of union dues from state workers.
Browne is seeking to chair the Appropriations Committee while Mensch is attempting to become Caucus Chairman, reports PoliticsPa.com.
Jake Corman, who is tapped by the rebels to replace Pileggi, also gets his share of union money. Granted, it’s not as much as Pileggi but will that sill be the case if he should win the Majority Leader seat?
The new boss may end up being the same as the old boss or worse. However this battle ends those who care about the poor, elderly and unemployed — this means one is against the unions — keep it about issues and not people.
Update: A comment on the story at PolitcsPa by someone identifying himself as Lehigh County Republican Party Chairmen William Heydt says it is not the party but a faction and that there is “there is no assurance there will be a meeting because until the night of the meeting there is no assurance of a quorum.”
“Neither the party itself or the leadership has suggested a censure,” he said.
“We are supportive of the Senators overall and of their leadership bids as good for our region,” he said.
Meanwhile, the existing Mariner East 1 line will be expanded from Delmont, Pa. to Houston, Pa.
The new line will have a capacity of 275,000 barrels per day and will run from Ohio, through the West Virginia panhandle to Houston where it will then parallel Mariner East 1 to Marcus Hook.
Mariner East 1 has a capacity of 70,000 barrels per day.
Scarnati, it should be noted, represents the 25th District which is top of the state’s fabled “T” and arguably the most rural and conservative part of the Pennsylvania.
He likes to portray himself as a friend of conservatives.
Well here are his real friends:
CARPENTERS PAC OF PHILA & VICINITY gave $50,000 and CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM OF GREATER PENNSYLVANIA threw in another $25,000 for this election.
COMMITTEE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW, which is what the Philadelphia trial lawyers political action committee calls itself, gave $50,000. Why are the Philadelphia trial lawyers so interested in the goings on in Elk County? They are not of course but it is nice to have an in the rest of us can’t with the number two guy in the State Senate.
LOCAL 66 PAC CLUB (IUOE) of Pittsburgh contributed $25,000.
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS PAC of Pittsburgh gave $25,000.
PSEA PACE which represents the teachers union and opposes all commonsense educational reform — really, why is it so hard to fire a bad teacher — gave Scarnati $20,000 for this election.
AFSCME Council 13 PAC, which represents government workers, gave $5,000
1776 PAC (UFCW) which represents the state stores and the Pennsylvania SEIU, which also represents government workers, were pikers just giving $1,000 apiece. Of course, that is still more than you or I can likely afford to have the ear of a powerful political figure.
Pennsylvania Independent reports that state senators Pat Browne (R-16), John Rafferty (R-44) and Tommy Tomlinson (R-6) received a massive union cash dump shortly before yesterday’s (Nov. 4) election with Browne getting $37,000 from 10 groups including $10,000 from the PSEA (public school teachers) and $500 from 1776 PAC UFCW (state stores); Rafferty getting $7,000 broken down as $5,000 from the PSEA, $1,000 from the Professional Firefighters Association PAC and $1,000 from Steamfitters Local 420; and Tomlinson getting $22,000 from seven groups including $10,000 from PA SEIU (government workers) and $1,000 from 1776 PAC UFCW.
It’s a pretty good bet that this trio will vote with Democrats in opposing legislation such as selling the state stores, effective pension reform and making education more effective but less burdensome on the average Joe and Jill.
