State APSCUF headquarters in Harrisburg.

July 3, 2008

CAPITOLWIRE REPORTS...

Gov. Ed Rendell continued to avoid questions about specific details of the budget Wednesday, saying it was up to the legislative appropriations committee to release that information. He spoke on the day before the Legislature is expected to enact the budget.

“From the time a deal is made until the time the budget’s submitted to me to be signed, there can be many hiccups … and we don’t want to add any fuel to the fire,” Rendell said at a Capitol press conference Wednesday. “We want the committees to release the lists on their schedules. I assume that will happen today; I would be stunned if it didn’t happen today.”

Spokesmen for the House and Senate appropriations committees said there were no guarantees the details would be forthcoming Wednesday.

"Intensive discussions are ongoing, and the Governor may have been somewhat optimistic on when they will conclude," Senate Appropriations Committee spokesman Dave Atkinson wrote in an e-mail.

“The plan is to release the information as soon as it becomes available,” said Johnna Pro, a spokeswoman for House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia. “Staff is working diligently. This is a long and a very tedious process. It’s not just a matter of looking at numbers on a spreadsheet.”

Later Wednesday, Evans said: "Hopefully by tomorrow [spreadsheets will be released]. They're just double-checking everything."

Staff from all four caucuses’ appropriations committee were working collaboratively on the final budget bill, Pro said.

Steve Miskin, a spokesman for House Republicans, said: “While the agreement of the big issues occurred on a Monday morning, within that framework, there were still a number of issues that need to be settled and a number of funding items that have to be filled.”

Some lawmakers have said the budget bill may not be available until Thursday, leaving members with only hours to review it before voting on it.

Spokesmen for both chambers said the goal is to vote on the budget bill and other ancillary legislation by Thursday.

Miskin said of that process: “Obviously, the members of our caucus would like to have more time to study each item, but this is the choice House Democrats chose by holding everything off to the last minute.”

Rendell discussed few specifics of the budget at his press conference, although he did discuss cuts made to his funding proposals for special education and his high school classrooms laptop program.

The laptop program’s proposed $90 million was cut to $45 million, Rendell said, while the special education funding increase of 3 percent he proposed in February was trimmed to a 1.7 percent increase.

“Having to make $600 million in cuts is difficult,” Rendell said. “But I would remind the schools overall that this is an unprecedented level of education funding, and for us to be able to do that in this difficult budget year is a testament to not only my commitment to education, but to the Legislature’s commitment to education, as well.”

Rendell said that 1.4 percent in across-the-board budget cuts yielded reductions of $130 million to $140 million. More targeted cuts reduced his spending plans by another $320 million to $330 million, in addition to miscellaneous cuts of $50 million to $60 million, he said.

While Rendell said the budget deal cut $600 million in his proposed spending, several funding programs favored by lawmakers for everything from hospitals to libraries were restored, making the net reduction in spending much less.

Rendell said Monday that the increase in spending from 2007-08 would be 3.8 percent, and legislative sources indicated it would total $28.2 billion.

When pressed for more details on the state budget, Rendell again said the details were in the hands of the appropriations committees.

'BEHIND THE HEADLINES'

Behind the Headlines, a television production of The Susquehanna Valley Center for Public Policy, is a 30-minute program that provides insights into current events affecting Pennsylvanians.

Behind the Headlines also includes helpful features on a variety of issues, such as parenting tips, raising teens, and being a better citizen. Analysis is provided on current events, on alternative courses of action that could have been pursued with their consequences, and what future government actions will be most likely.

Behind the Headlines is taped in Harrisburg and is a production of the Susquehanna Valley Center for Public Policy, a non-partisan, non profit public policy research organization based in Hershey. Charlie Greenawalt, Senior Fellow for the Center, Professor of Government at Millersville University, and political analyst on WHP TV in Harrisburg, is the program host.

Former State APSCUF President Pat Heilman appeared twice on Behind the Headlines.  New President Steve Hicks and Vice President Amy Walters taped a show this week, and the episode will air shortly.

To see the listing of stations/cable systems airing Behind the Headlines, click here.

Current and past shows of Behind the Headlines are streamed at thevoiceofpa.net.

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Blue Shield Claim Form, Authorization for Disclosure of Health Information Form now online!!!

APSCUF members can now download the Blue Shield Claim Form directly from the APSCUF web site! To acquire a Claim Form, click here!

To download the Authorization for Disclosure of Health Information form, click here!

Save money with Nationwide General Auto Insurance!

Are you interested in getting a Car Insurance quotation from Randy Engle, APSCUF's Nationwide Insurance Agent? If so, click here!

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PROPOSED REVISION TO THE REPORT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE ON CLASS SIZE IN THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Read the proposed revision to the report from the Governor's Task Force on Class Size in the PASSHE by clicking here. (Note: This posting has been present for many months. It has been kept on the site for reference purposes.)

STATE APSCUF NEWSLETTERS ONLINE!

APSCUF members can read current and past editions of the APSCUF Newsletter by visiting APSCUF on the web! Simply click on the "APSCUF In Print" link on the main APSCUF page and read the print edition of your choice! You can read the May, 2008 edition by clicking here.

RETIREMENT QUESTIONS? VISIT THE SERS, PSERS AND TIAA-CREF WEB SITES!

To visit the SERS web site, click here.

To visit the PSERS web site, click here.

To visit the TIAA-CREF web site, click here.

Important Retirement Information:

Are you retired or are you retiring prior to 7-1-08?

If so, click the link below!
http://www.apscuf.com/news/RETIRED-prior-7.1.08.pdf

Planning on retiring on or after 7-1-08?

If so, click the link below!
http://www.apscuf.com/news/Retire-on-or-after-7.1.08.pdf

Planning on retiring on or after 7-1-09? If so, click the link below!
http://www.apscuf.com/news/Retire-on-or-after-7.1.09.pdf

DO YOU NEED INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR STATE OR U.S. REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS? IF SO, USE THESE LINKS TO HELP!

Information about all Pennsylvania Representatives and Senators can be acquired via a web site maintained by the Commonwealth. To visit the site, click here.

Information about all United States of America Representatives can be obtained by clicking here.

Information about all United States of America Senators can be obtained by clicking here. Finally, some higher education news briefs:

(Note: Many of the national and international higher education briefs originate with Academe Today, a service of the Chronicle of Higher Education. For further information about these briefs, email State APSCUF using the "E-mail APSCUF" link on the main web page):

*Senate Panel Approves Increases for Pell Grants and NIH in 2009:  The Senate bill, like a companion measure in the House, exceeds President Bush's spending request for 2009 and faces a veto threat.

* Canadian Universities Lag Behind U.S. in Financing:  Canada has far fewer financial resources per college student than the United States, and the country hasn't come close to hiring enough new faculty members to keep up with increases in enrollment.

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