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CAAP Update

CAAP Update provides regular information on items of interest to Community Action agencies in Pennsylvania.

                                                    June 13, 2014
In This Issue
Weatherization Could See Clear Skie
As PA Budget Deadline Approaches...
June Surprise
Katz Family Pulls Out of Newspaper Deal
Strategic Planning Training
Honey, I Shrunk the Senate
Community Needs Assessment Resources
CAAP Quick Links
  Weatherization Could See Clear Skies

On Tuesday, June 10, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water marked up and reported its FY 2015 Bill to the full Appropriations Committee.

 

The good news is that weatherization has received an increase in funding. Early reports are that it could be as much as $190 million, the current level is $173.9 million. Additional good news is that the carve-out for specific purposes has been removed from the bill. Which means that all the funding will go for weatherization needs. 

 As PA Budget Deadline Approaches... 

As reported by Kevin Zwick of Capitolwire

 

House Democratic leadership is more involved in state budget negotiations this year than any time since Republicans won the majority in 2010, but it doesn't necessarily mean any of their key priorities will be included in the budget.

 

House Appropriations Committee Minority Chairman Joe Markosek, D-Allegheny, said Wednesday their involvement in the early stages of budget talks has been "an exponential pick-up" compared to the last three years, when Democrats often complained they were "shut out" from giving input toward crafting the state spending plan.

 

He said the interactions thus far during this budget season have been "informational," rather than Democrats having direct input.

 

"They've asked us questions, we asked them questions," Markosek said.


 "We're satisfied that they're talking to us," he added.

 

The House Appropriations Committee voted Wednesday along party lines to move the general appropriations budget vehicle, House Bill 2328, to the House floor without substantive budget language. It's the latest the vehicle has moved out of committee in years, Markosek said.

 

House lawmakers have until 2 p.m. Monday, June 16, to file amendments to HB2328, according to House Democratic Caucus spokesman Bill Patton. The earliest the full House could vote on the bill is June 23, and it could be passed to the Senate as early as June 24, he said.

 

Markosek said the Democrats were shut out of the first two budgets, but were more involved last year, like when House Republican leadership met with their Democratic counterparts in seeking votes for a transportation funding proposal.

 

"I think there's been a change in attitudes," Markosek said, "I think they've seen the mistake of their previous ways."

 

So are the Republicans just buttering them up for when they need their votes on a revenue generating proposal?

 

"That remains to be seen. I can't speak to their motive. I think they're doing what they should have been doing anyway," Markosek said.

 

House Appropriations Committee Majority Chairman Bill Adolph, R-Delaware, said budget negotiators are still trying to reach "a global agreement" between the House, Senate and Gov. Tom Corbett.

 

"We've met several times with the House Democrats and I've met with the Senate Democrat Appropriations chairman, so those that have the responsibility to get this done are those that are meeting," Adolph said.

 June Surprise

Politics is full of surprises, but Tuesday Representative Eric Cantor (R-VA) was

 astonished to find out that his primary bid was defeated by a college professor and political novice. 

Dave Brat, who ran a spartan effort in Virginia with tea party support, pulled the "June surprise" mainly through negative campaigning and
personal attacks against the House Majority Leader.


Cantor had widely been considered the top candidate to succeed Speaker John A. Boehner. The day after his defeat Cantor announced that he would step down from his leadership post, triggering a scramble among conservatives to replace him. Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is said to be the most likely candidate.


The Cantor defeat may see the anti-government Tea Party, which many thought was fading, re-surge. This could mean that spending bills, debt ceiling talks and other normal courses of business that keep the government functioning will once again become bargaining tools.
 

 Katz Family Pulls Out of Newspaper Deal

Drew Katz, son of the late Lewis Katz, announced plans to abandon the purchase of the Philadelphia Inquirer made by his father only days before his untimely passing. 

 

Katz said his decision regarding the $88 million deal-which also includes the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com was due to "the turmoil of the last 10 days." 

 

The circumstances that led to the May 31st deadly plane crash near Boston are still being examined. Prominent Philadelphian and philanthropist H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest is currently the sole buyer. 

 Strategic Planning Training

The Community Action Partnership is hosting a webinar on the core elements of strategic planning. The free training will take place on June 26 at 12:00 noon. Registration is required.

 

The webinar will address the core elements of a board-led, staff engaged, agency-wide strategic planning process. Strong organizations have a plan for the future based on good information and an understanding of the capacities of the organization. Strategic planning can take many forms and does not need to be a complex process to be effective.  This session will walk through the core components of a planning process, tasks for board and staff, methods for data gathering and discuss the role and overlay that ROMA provides.

 

Key Topics Include:

  • Core Elements and Activities of a Strategic Planning Process
  • To Use or Not Use a Consultant
  • Board-led and Staff-engaged - How Do We Balance?
  • The "Strategic Planning Retreat"...What Comes After It
  • ROMA Overlays and Integration
 Honey, I Shrunk the Senate

The State Senate Appropriations Committee voted out SB 324.

 

State Senator Elder Vogel's (R-Beaver) constitutional amendment to reduce the size of the State Senate, eliminate the position of Lieutenant Governor, and reduce the size of the judicial branch of government.

 Community Needs Assessment Resources

 

Information on the Community Needs Assessment, a comprehensive tool that provides Pennsylvania's Community Action Agencies with the means to capture information about their community, analyze the data and identify the needs to be met within the community.

 

CAAP has also developed a toolkit to assist with navigating the CNA website and application. The toolkit, access to the CNA website and other pertinent information can be found on the CAAP website, CNA page.

 CAAP Quick Links 

CAAP Update Archives  

Community Action Association of Pennsylvania

National Community Action Foundation
Community Action Partnership

 
CAPLAW 
 
PA Headstart Association 
 
US Census Bureau Poverty Information 
 
PA General Assembly 
 
US Senate  
 
US House of Representatives 
 
US Department of Health & Human Services
 
PA Department of Community & Economic Development

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This newsletter is financed, in part, by a CSBG grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.