Hbg Police attack progressive organizer; Emergency Action, Tuesday Sept 11 (tomorrow)

Written by: David Grubbs on Sep 10, 2007 6:08 PM EDT

Local progressive activist and organizer Diane White was attacked by a member of the Harrisburg Police on Saturday evening, September 1, on south 16th Street at the annual block party she organizes to distribute school supplies neighborhood children. She was pepper sprayed, struck to the ground and handcuffed, as children watched, while she was cleaning up trash from the permitted event as it was winding down. Two dozen officers swarmed in to terrorize residents. no police report was filed; charges against Diane were made up on the spot at night court. She was then released and left to walk home.

DFA will join with ACORN and other community groups and individuals Tuesday evening, September 11 (tomorrow), gathering at the McCormick Public Safety Building, 123 Walnut Street in Harrisburg, at 5:30 PM. A short rally and peaceful March for Justice will will take us around the corner to the Harrisburg City Government Center, 10 North Second Street and into the City Council Chambers, where residents will address these matters at the 6 PM City Council Meeting.

For more information about the incident, action and related issues, see the Harrisburg ACORN press release:

http://www.dfalink.com/uploads/files/67546e5bd1c83410/ACORN%20press%20rel%20hbg%20police.doc

No May Meeting; ACORN statewide judicial candidates forum at Captal this Tuesday

Written by: David Grubbs on Apr 28, 2007 10:27 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

There will be no DFA meeting for May.
On April 4, Progressives 4 Pennsylvania put on a great forum in Lancaster on the two legislative proposals for providing greater access to health care. Gov. Rendell was there promoting his "Prescription for PA," while Chuck Pennacchio, spokesman for HELP Fund PA, made a good case for the Family and Business Health Security Act (SB 300, soon also to be introduced in the House), which will provide a comprehensive, single-payer health insurance package for all Pennsylvanians.
In leiu of a meeting this month, we encourage everyone to come to ACORN's Statewide Judicial Candidate Forum from 6:00 to 9:00 PM in the East Wing of the State Capitol in Harrisburg. Featured will be the 17 candidates running for Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Superior Court. The event will begin with a meet and greet session, followed at 7:00 by the forum, which will be broadcast live on PCN. For more information, please contact Harrisburg ACORN at 717-233-0133 .
We will be back in the East Shore Library Wednesday, June 6, to begin a citizen lobbying campaign to enact SB 300.

FIELD TRIP! PA HEALTHCARE REFORM FORUM, APRIL 4 IN LANCASTER

Written by: David Grubbs on Mar 18, 2007 9:56 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

The Lancaster PA group Progressives 4 Pennsylvania is holding a forum "Pennsylvania Health Care: Who Pays? Addressing Rising Costs and the Uninsured" on Wednesday, April 4, from 7:00 to 10:00 PM at the Woods Auditorium, located in the Alumni Sports & Fitness Center of Franklin & Marshall College (Harrisburg Pike just west of College Avenue). The forum will focus on two proposals for a statewide approach to the health care crisis: Governor Rendell’s recently announced “Prescription for Pennsylvania” and SB 300, the “Family and Business Healthcare Security Act of 2007,” sponsored by HELP Fund PA. Panelists representing various interest groups who must cope with providing health care benefits, health care delivery, and the administration of health care coverage will offer their points of view on both plans. There will be an opportunity for public Q&A with the panelists. This should be a very informative event! Anyone wanting to carpool (either ride or drive) from the Harrisburg area should e-mail David Grubbs at:

dfacentralpa@redjellyfish.net

Let's help Dennis; Wednesday Meeting

Written by: David Grubbs on Oct 2, 2006 9:12 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

Progressive Democrat and DFA member Dennis Cauffman is running for the PA legislature in the 104th district. Lit drops are planned for every weekend till election day. HE can use our help. Please e-mail steve.dorko@gmail.com for info on where to meet, or call 541-1389. The Saturday drops will start at 10:00 AM, Sunday 12:30. These are the areas being covered.

Oct. 7 Pennbrook
Oct. 8 Pennbrook
Oct. 14 Susquehanna Twp 5
Oct. 15 Susquehanna Twp 7
Oct. 21 Susquehanna Twp 3
Oct. 22 Susquehanna Twp 9
Oct. 28 Susquehanna Twp 4
Oct. 29 Susquehanna Twp 8
Nov. 4 Susquehanna Twp 6
Nov. 5 Susquehanna Twp 1 & 2

WEDNESDAY MEETING

Wednesday's 7:00 meeting at the East Shore Library will include the following topics:

The Military Commissions Act and you.
Al Gore's latest proposals for global warming.
And what's Howard Dean up to?

For more info, see:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=125...

SEPTEMBER MEETING CANCELLED

Written by: David Grubbs on Sep 4, 2006 5:39 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

We were not able to get the library meeting room for September, so there will be no September meeting. We have the room for the rest of the year, so from October through December we'll be meeting as usual.

PA Dems seek volunteers

Written by: David Grubbs on Aug 8, 2006 6:25 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

I've had a request from Charlie Wolfe, State Democratic Party Field Director for Berks and Dauphin Counties, asking for volunteers for the Rendell/Casey joint campaign. Anyone interested in this should contact him at charlie@padems.com or 570-578-6985. (He says email is best from 9-5.)

David

"An Inconvenient Truth" now in Harrisburg

Written by: David Grubbs on Jun 26, 2006 3:26 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

Al Gore's wonderful movie on global wartming -- "An Inconvenient Truth" -- is now playing in Harrisburg at the Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily Street, and will be there AT LEAST through this Thursday, and possibly longer if atendance remains high.

SHOWTIMES: 3:15, 7:10, 9:05 (no 9:05 show on Sun, Mon, Tue)

July 5 Meeting

Written by: David Grubbs on Jun 12, 2006 1:59 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

Eric Epstein, former (and future) State Senate candidate, organizer of the Rock The Capital anti-legislative-payraise effort, driving force behind TMI Alert (local independent nuclear watchdog group) and all-around political gadfly, will discuss political stategies in south central PA at the Capital Area DFA meeting on July 5 at the East Shore Area Library meeting room. For directions and other info, go to:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=931...

NEW Pennacchio video

Written by: David Grubbs on May 11, 2006 4:12 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

Chuck Pennacchio, progressive Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in PA's May 16th Primary, has been endorsed by Capital Area Democracy For America and other DFA chapters around the state. He doesn't take PAC money, ever, from anyone. For that reason, he can't afford the kind of TV air time that Casey or Sandals can buy. But there's another kind of network besides the TV kind. We are asking you to watch this video and send the link to every PA Democrat you have an e-mail address for.

QuickTime version:

www.chuck2006.com/videos/Chuck_P...

Windows Media Player version:

www.chuck2006.com/videos/Chuck_P...

For more info, or to make a donation to get this video on TV, go to:

www.chuck2006.com/...

URGENT TABOR ALERT

Written by: David Grubbs on May 3, 2006 2:13 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

The PA House Appropriates Committee Reported SB 884 out of committee and it could come up for a vote this week.

SB 884 IS THE TABOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO VETO BY THE GOVERNOR. The bill has been amended in committee.

There have been signals over the past week that there might be some movement on this bill. We have been worried that there would be further action prior to the May 16th primary.

It is critical that we get calls into state house members tomorrow and Wednesday. Please go to the website below to send messages and alert your members and constituents.

www.unionvoice.org/campaign/tabo...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sharon Ward < sharonward@pccy.org>
Date: May 2, 2006 4:51 PM

CAPS Limit More Than Spending

By Douglas Hill

Executive Director

How strange that just as property tax reform moves forward, the General Assembly is poised to take action on a constitutional budget cap - a proposal that will surely result in the need to increase local property taxes. These imbalanced and incompatible actions quite clearly demonstrate that Pennsylvania has not yet grasped the clear connection between the services constituents' demand of government, and the need for government to develop revenue streams to pay for those services.

Senate Bill 884 would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to impose spending caps on future Commonwealth budgets. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) expresses opposition to the state spending cap legislation.

CCAP believes a cap on the state budget will result in decreased state funding of vital local services and increase pressure on local property taxes. Caps will result in the Commonwealth balancing its budget on the backs of local governments and local taxpayers. Pennsylvania residents should not be fooled.

The proponents of state spending caps claim the measure will "keep state governments from spending more than they take in," or forcing government to "live within its means." On the surface, this has very strong appeal and certainly resonates well with Pennsylvanians. But the flip side is that the artificial limits do hurt the residents who are forced to live under them.

More than 80 percent of county budgets are for mandated services. Artificial caps on state funding will mean reduced state appropriations to local governments to execute mandated services, such as court services, prison operations, assistance to victims of child abuse, drug/alcohol dependency and assistance for mental health and mental retardation, conduction of elections, training a workforce and maintaining local infrastructure. Counties are forced to rely on adequate state and federal funding for mandates, or pass along the burden to the property owner in the form of increased property taxes.

If a spending cap had been in effect when Governor Rendell took office, a $2 billion cut would have been required in this year's state budget. What programs would be cut? This is a powerful discussion on the consequences of budget caps that is not being heard in the halls of state governments as it debates the merits of artificial budget caps. It is a serious omission; it is irresponsible, if not impossible, to discuss cutting expenditures without concurrently discussing cutting programs.

Colorado is a good example of caps gone bad. The state had a 10-year-old spending cap that is now squeezing spending enough that the same governor, who once touted the idea, has urged voters to lift the cap for five years. Many counties in Colorado and other states are hurting from the same type of artificial spending caps.

As in Colorado, caps create unintended consequences. Since debt service payments do not count under the cap, state borrowing to finance ongoing expenditures will increase. Connecticut, another state with artificial caps, now has the third-highest rate of state tax-supported debt in the nation. Why would Pennsylvania want to adopt a program that is failing in other states?

Pennsylvania already has a law that limits spending--the state Constitution, which requires a balanced budget. The Constitution says the General Assembly shall not make appropriations that exceed actual and estimated revenues and surplus available in the same fiscal year. Pennsylvania cannot now adopt a budget that exceeds its revenue.

Let's not forget, the General Assembly has sole power to approve spending levels. The Governor, through line-item veto, can reduce spending to a level even lower than what the legislature approves. A separate cap law or additional constitutional language is not necessary. Good budgeting is about making choices.

Curbing spending and reducing taxes are laudable goals, but the realities of our society and economy argue that artificial budget caps are not responsible long term public policy nor a viable solution. CCAP stands ready to work with state officials to find one.