Pennsylvania is a State filled with inequality. Richer school districts often receive more education funding from the State at the expense of needier districts. Philadelphia and the surrounding counties contribute more revenues to the State through business, income, and sales taxes than any other region of the State, yet we receive only a fraction of that money back in Government services. While our General Assembly complains about Federal interference in local issues, it constantly enacts legislation to limit the independence of its municipalities. And even though there are over 900,000 more Democrats in Pennsylvania that any other group, our legislature and Congressional delegation are overwhelmingly Republican. To address these inequalities, Turning PA Blue is working with our suburban allies to build upon the successes that Neighborhood Networks has enjoyed in Philadelphia, through the identification of progressive candidates, voter registration and engagement, and ancillary services such as research and publicity.
Pennsylvania is the only major natural gas producing state without a severance tax on gas extraction. Ever since Governor Tom Wolf was sworn into office in 2015, he has been trying to institute a severance tax but has been stymied by the Republican controlled House whose leadership has steadfastly refused to even bring it up...
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By Lisa Haver This op-ed originally appeared in the Inquirer https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/belmont-charter-school-west-philadelphia-pennsylvania-innovation-schools-20190827.html on August 27, 2019. In the last 20 years, the Pennsylvania legislature has taken control of the School District and the Parking Authority; it has thwarted efforts of local officials to lessen gun violence and to regulate tobacco sales. As an Inquirer editorial decrying...
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