Philadelphia Daily Record

Vol. III No. 45 (413)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

March 9, 2012

Philadelphia Daily Record

Love To Vote

RALLYING to protest proposed state legislation to require voters to produce photo IDs at polls, City Commissioner Stephanie Singer called on Philadelphians to fight Republican-backed law, which is intended to weaken Phila.’s political power in state of Penna. Joining her in Love Park were, from left, Democrat 27th Ward Leader Carol Jenkins, and State Reps. Cherelle Parker and Rosita Youngblood.

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Mar. 15Commissioner Al Schmidt hosts fundraiser at Tír na nÓg, 1600 Arch St. Donations $100.

Mar. 15Councilman Jim Kenney’s St. Patrick’s Day Party at Galdo’s, 20th & Moyamensing Ave., 6-8 p.m. Tickets at door, $35 each.

Mar. 16State Sen. Michael Stack hosts St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Brookside Manor, 50 Bustleton Pike, Somerton Springs, Feasterville, Pa., 8 p.m-12 a.m. Tickets $40.

For info Rosemary Rubino (215) 964-3140.

Mar. 16-17- Programs for Teaching Educational Conference sponsored by Phila.

Federation of Teachers Health & Welfare Fund at Sheraton, 17th & Race. 50 topics. State Rep. James Roebuck, special guest speaker. For info (215) 5612722.

Mar. 17Pentecostal Clergy holds 12th Anniversary Breakfast at View, 800 N. Broad St., 7th fl., 7:30 a.m. Tickets $25. Full tables $250. Call Dorothy Sturgis (215) 991-9830.

Mar. 17Judge Jimmy Lynn hosts St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast at Plough & Stars Restaurant, 2nd St. south of Chestnut, 7:30-11

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a.m. Kids eat free. Traditional Irish breakfast and entertainment. Tickets $25 made out to Plough & Stars. For info (215) 6868330.

Mar.17Wreath Laying Ceremony, Irish Memorial, Front & Chestnut Sts. 11:00 AM, Contact: John Donovan 215-605-8845 jdonovan@compas-inc.com Mar. 17State Rep. Mark Cohen, NAACP and AARP host Health Fair at Zion Baptist Ch., 3600 N. Broad St., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Screenings, workshops, pharmacist’s advice and more. For info Lenise Miller (267) 582-9489.

Mar. 17Democrat 42nd Ward Leader Elaine Tomlin hosts Primary Community Potluck Dinner Dance at Local 6 Bakery Hall, 5416 Rising Sun Ave. (enter on Lima St. through parking lot), 7-11 p.m. Music, food, dancing, open bar. Tickets $25 ($30 at door). For info Elaine Tomlin (215) 4574024 or Sharon Vaughn (215) 329-0462.

Mar. 18State Rep. W. Curtis Thomas hosts 52 women over 90 and 114year-old Genoveva Rodriquez for breakfast at William H. Gray III Youth Ctr., 1601 N. 12th St., 10 a.m.

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Toomey Leans On Schools To Take DoD Tuition US Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta calling for answers regarding the Defense Dept.’s memorandum of understanding on military tuition assistance.

The military tuition-assistance program provides up to 100% tuition assistance for voluntary off-duty education programs. This program is open to nearly all members of the military, including reserve officers and National Guard members on active duty. DoD requires colleges and universities to sign on to

the memorandum in order to maintain eligibility to participate in the tuition assistance program.

itary transfer students credit for previous coursework.

A constituent in Pennsylvania brought this issue to the Many institutions in Pennsyl- Toomey’s attention through vania and across the country the Senator’s new conhave refused to sign the mem- stituent-services campaign, orandum because its require- “Had Enough?” Had ments conflict with their Enough? asks Pennsylvanians academic policies and admin- to tell the Senator their expeistrative practices. The mem- riences with red tape, governorandum requires ment waste and participating schools to adopt overregulation. Had Enough? the DoD’s Service Members’ is focused on helping PennOpportunity Colleges agree- sylvanians, finding solutions, ment, which ignores inand making the federal govschool residency ernment work more effecrequirements and awards mil- tively.

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Panel Studies Woes Of AdultBasic’s Loss One year after the low-cost state health-coverage plan adultBasic was dismantled, Pennsylvanians are still struggling to purchase or maintain affordable health care.

A panel discussion hosted by

the Senate Democratic Policy Committee yesterday at Nazareth Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia examined how last year’s demise of the program, which provided low-cost health care to working Pennsylvanians who

made too much to qualify for Medical Assistance, is impacting the 40,000 former adultBasic recipients. More than half of the former enrollees still do not have health insurance.

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The hearing was held at the request of State Sen. Mike Stack (D-Northeast), whose district contained the secondhighest number of adultBasic recipients in the state.

“AdultBasic served to help working individuals who continue to work hard to make ends meet, especially in these difficult economic times. By the time they pay their bills and buy groceries, they have little left to pay for health insurance,” said State Sen. Lisa Boscola (DNorthampton), Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee. “While the Governor felt defunding and ending adultBasic was necessary and unavoidable, it will likely cause more financial headaches. Our challenge is to fully understand what this program’s demise means, and find ways to help people get affordable coverage.”

During recent budget hearings, Pennsylvania Dept. of Insurance Commissioner Michael F. Consedine noted only about 30% of former adultBasic recipients were enrolled in the alternative health programs Special Care, Medical Assistance, or PA Fair Care.

“There is no benefit to re-

moving people from health insurance. If anything, it’s more costly,” Stack said.

“Healthy workers are productive workers, but without health coverage, they forego doctor’s visits. They are forced to wait to deal with a chronic illness, which often results in a trip to the emergency room. That jeopardizes their health and further burdens our health clinics and hospitals.”

Lorrie Lavinsky, a part-time seasonal worker from Philadelphia, said she struggles to pay her bills and the more expensive alternative Special Care health plan, which costs $148 a month compared to the $36 a month adultBasic premium.

“I’m a fighter but it’s hard to find work. I’m praying nothing happens to me,” Lavinsky said. “Trying to pay for Special Care and rent is impossible but I need my home and my health.”

“AdultBasic was created for a very specific population.

Many of them are people with chronic conditions who need to see a doctor on a regular basis,” said Marissa Harris Krey, advocacy developer for the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania.

“AdultBasic was a perfect fit for a specific need and since it was eliminated there is no place where they fit in.”

The Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers has reported that calls to its toll-free hotline, which helps connect individuals with health care, has increased by 350%, from an average of 200 calls a month to 900 calls a month since adultBasic ended.

The number of daily emergency room visits at 13 hospitals in Pennsylvania with high percentage of Medical Assistance patients has increased in the past year due to the lagging economy, said Brian Eury, regional director of the Delaware Valley Healthcare Council.

“We were disappointed to see expiration of adultBasic,” Eury said. “When people lose their coverage, they are less prone to go to doctor’s office, and when they do show up they are much worse then they would have been.”

Athena Smith Ford, a statewide organizer for the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, agreed, noting that one of her clients, who was a former adultBasic recipient,

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was in pain but ignored it until she was forced to go to the hospital, which resulted in a five-day stay costing her $70,000.

“It does not make economic sense to deny people of health care,” said Sharon Ward, executive director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center.

pay for reinstating adultBasic, including repurposing tobacco settlement-fund dollars, placing a tax on smokeless tobacco, and talking to Blue Cross and Blue Shield about contributing too.

Stack has also called for using tobacco-settlement money to fund this program, as it was Ward suggested a few ways to funded in previous years.

Stack has also recommended pausing the capitol stock and franchise tax phase out for one year to generate $275 million and fund the adultBasic program again until the health exchange is implemented under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in January 2014.

Murt Asks For More $ For Intellectually Disabled People State Rep. Thomas Murt (R-Northeast) criticized Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget proposal for failing to adequately address the needs of the state’s residents with intellectual disabilities.

While testifying before the House Appropriations Committee, Murt asked his colleagues to reject Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposal to block-grant human services funding to the Counties.

“The block-grant proposal would result in a 20% reduction of the funding for several critically important programs, including mental health services, outpatient homeless assistance, child welfare, intellectual-disabilities services, and behavior-health services,” Murt said. “Without a doubt, this means a number of individuals are going to be cut off from services.”

Murt is especially worried that those receiving minimal aid would lose all of their support under this block-grant plan.

Murt argued that the State has not kept up with the growing needs of a disabled population that is aging.

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“Many of these individuals are well into their 60s and are cared for by elderly parents, some of whom are literally in their 90s,” Murt said. “Many of these caregivers are at a stage where they can simply no longer care for their child.

It is my belief and my conviction we have a moral responsibility to support these families.”

Murt also urged the legislature to tackle the growing waiting list of individuals who need but have not re-

ceived community-based services.

“Pennsylvania must properly and finally move the thousands of individuals with intellectual disabilities – who are capable – from segregated settings to community living,” Murt said. “Pennsylvania promised those individuals when they left their institutions that they would receive appropriate care in the community.”

funding would further slow that process and do little to shrink the waiting list for services.

“We must do a better job of caring for the most-vulnerable members of our Pennsylvania family,” Murt said.

The Appropriations Committee has concluded its hearings and will develop its own budget proposal. The legislature must pass a budget by Jun. 30.

But, he added, any cuts to

PGW Offers Workshops On Saving Energy Philadelphia Gas Works is hosting free energy-conservation workshops to help save customers energy and money on their gas bills. In cooperation with the Energy Coordinating Agency, PGW’s conservation workshops are available to renters and homeowners throughout Philadelphia. Workshops include hands-on training as well as information on available rebates, tax credits, grants and new programs to help customers save on their natural gas bills.

“Partnering with the ECA for these workshops provides our customers great energy saving options,” said PGW VP of Customer Affairs Dan Murray. “We’re committed to helping Philadelphians who use natural gas to lower their gas bills and increase their savings. These workshops are part of that commitment.”

tion kit that includes caulk, a caulk gun, weatherstripping for doors, a window kit and rope caulk to seal windows.

PGW workshops will be held at various locations throughout the city (see schedule below). As more dates become available, customers are urged to visit www.pgworks.com and search ‘Community Outreach’ for Attendees will receive step by additional information on step instructions on impleworkshop dates and locamenting energy saving techtions. Customers may also niques. Also, all attendees call the ECA at (215) 609will receive a free weatheriza- 1063.

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Date Time Location March 10, 2012 11:00 a.m.

Kensington CAPA High School, 1901 North Front St. March 13, 2012 8:30 a.m.

Bethune Pre-Kindergarten Head Start, 3300 Old York Rd. March 14, 2012 1:00 p.m.

St. Boniface Parish, 174 West Diamond St. March 14, 2012 7:00 p.m.

Philadelphia Police Department, 65th St. & Woodland Ave. March 22, 2012 9:00 a.m.

Canaan Baptist Church, 5430 Pulaski Ave.

Blondell Wants More Women On Boards Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown introduced a resolution calling for hearings on the role of women on executive boards of directors throughout Philadelphia.

With the backdrop of Women’s History Month, the Councilwoman seeks to start a dialogue about how in 2012, women still represent only 10% of executive board seats in Philadelphia; 16% of board seats nationally, account for only 17% of members of Congress and take home 77 cents for every dollar made by their male counterparts.

and answer the question: ‘Do you have women at the table?’” says the Councilwoman. “In politics, there is an old adage that ‘if you’re not at the table, then you’re on the menu.’ Over the past month, we have seen what happens when women are not at the table. We see public commentary that amounts to an assault on women’s rights take center stage, when it does not even belong in the theater.”

The hearing will take place in the Committee on Commerce & Economic Development, chaired by Councilman W. Wilson “With this resolution, we will Goode, Reynolds Brown is hold hearings and ask corpo- eager to work with Goode rate leaders and members of and President Darrell Clarke the Greater Philadelphia to schedule the hearing Chamber of Commerce to quickly. come testify in this chamber 8|

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Politicos High And Low Celebrate Donatucci

FORMER CONTROLLER Jonathan Saidel reads plaque marking Register of Deeds Ron Donatucci, right, as Phila. Public Record’s “Public Servant of the Year 2012” as publisher and former Councilman Jim Tayoun looks on. Photos: Bonnie Squires

AMONG HUNDREDS were turned out at S. Phila.’s Waterfall Room for Donatucci affair were, from left, Congressman Bob Brady, Council Majority Leader Marian Tasco and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson.

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SHOULDER TO SHOULDER with Donatucci, himself a former State Representative, were State Reps. Mark Cohen, left, and Jim Roebuck.

“PUBLIC SERVANT” banquet, which also celebrated Phila. Public Record’s 13th anniversary, is the only completely bipartisan political affair in city. Political players of all stripes and levels of power come together in mutual interest and respect. Sharing moment here are, from left, progressive activist Hal Rosenthal, Councilman at Large David Oh and Republican activist John Katrina.

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZER Andy Toy, center, brought a posse of youthful campaigners from North Philly, including State Rep candidate Numa St. Louis, 3rd from left.

PUBLIC RECORD Advertising Director John David, left, has presented check to Wills Eye Hospital Executive Director Joseph Bilson.

Funds raised by last night’s banquet went to favorite charity of Ron & Stephanie Donatucci (he also sits on Wills Eye’s Board).

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