MAY 4, 2012

HOPE for PA Corrections Reform

Launched in 2004, Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) is an innovative supervision strategy that provides swift, predictable sanctions on substance-abusing probationers.

Research shows the program has reduced probationers' positive drug tests more than 70 percent and traditional probationers are three times more likely to have probation revoked than HOPE participants, saving taxpayers saving an estimated $4,000 to $8,000 per offender.

Senate Bill 100, which would treat nonviolent offenders with drug and alcohol problems, includes language for counties to establish "HOPE" Courts. This legislation could be improved by providing incentives for counties to establish a "HOPE" program or requiring counties to participate.

Pennsylvania's corrections spending is part of the four-alarm fire that threatens Pennsylvania's fiscal house. Learn more about principled corrections reforms here.

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 05:30 PM | 0 comment

APRIL 27, 2012

The Fight for Liquor Liberty Continues

The fight to free Pennsylvanians' drinks from government control is far from over, according to House Majority Leader Mike Turzai.

Rep. Turzai is expected to give a much needed face-lift to his liquor store privatization legislation, House Bill 11, and expects a vote in the House before November. According to The Patriot-News, the proposal increases the number of licenses auctioned off, allows residents to have out-of-state wine shipped to their doorsteps, and reforms beer laws.

The new plan calls for selling 1,600 licenses, up from the original proposal to auction off 1,250 licenses. A projected sale of retail licenses is estimated to generate $500 million to $750 million in revenue.

Beer distributors also would be permitted to sell six-packs of beer; they currently can only sell cases or kegs. Bars, restaurants and supermarkets with restaurant licenses could sell 18-packs of beer or less.

The latest plan calls for giving beer distributors the opportunity to purchase up to 10 retail licenses to sell wine and liquor.

Under the proposal, the remainder of the licenses would be auctioned off on a county-by-county basis. Dauphin County would be allocated about 32 licenses with a projected value of $548,634 apiece, while Cumberland County would be allocated 28 licenses valued at $635,129 apiece.

In December, the Pennsylvania House gutted HB 11 to remove any privatization of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. Rep. Turzai's proposal restores the legislation to its original intent.

Now is the time to get behind our legislators supporting a common sense reform to get government out of operating businesses.

Learn more at www.letfreedomdrink.com.

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 10:39 AM | 0 comment

APRIL 24, 2012

Unprecedented Prison Population Growth

This is the first installment in a three-part series that will look at Pennsylvania's correctional system, public policies that have worked in other states, and provide a blueprint to bring Pennsylvania's corrections system into the 21st century.

Between 1940 and 1980, Pennsylvania's prison population remained relatively stable, averaging 7,000 inmates. Today, there are more than 50,000 offenders in PA state prisons.

What happened?

In the 1960s, the commonwealth experienced a significant increase in crime, and the public rightly demanded better safety. Police responded, and by the 1980s violent crime rates began to stabilize and eventually decrease. Yet the prison population continued to skyrocket.

Pennsylvania's inmate population has drastically outpaced crime rates. As the prison population exploded, the state needed more prisons, staff and tax dollars.

Since 1980:

• Pennsylvania's incarceration rate has increased by 500 percent.
• The annual cost per inmate has tripled from $11,447 to $35,188 in 2011.
• Pennsylvania has added 18 new prisons—with more on the way, each costing about $200 million to build.
• State corrections spending has increased 1,700 percent and is now the third-largest department in the General Fund Budget.

The unprecedented prison population growth at unsustainable costs was caused by a breakdown in our criminal justice system, not an increase in crime or statewide population growth.

As Pennsylvania's Corrections Sec. John Wetzel advocates, we need to replace ineffective correction policies with those that lower crime rates, reduce re-offending, and control spending. Stay tuned: Next we’ll examine Pennsylvania's current corrections programs and proven public policies that have worked in other states to reduce both crime and waste.

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 08:30 AM | 0 comment

APRIL 19, 2012

The Facts about Fracking and Physicians

Yesterday's statement by the Pennsylvania Medical Society President Marilyn Heine should put to rest the recent panic over a provision in Act 13—the newly enacted Marcellus Shale legislation (HB 1950)—addressing physicians' access to chemical information used during hydraulic fracturing.

Dr. Heine stated [emphases added]:

As physicians, our first priority is the health of our patients. We applaud the Corbett administration and the legislature for enacting a law that forces natural gas drillers to publicly disclose the chemicals they use as part of the hydraulic fracturing process. More importantly, language in Act 13 demonstrates their concern for public safety by empowering physicians, when they need to treat patients, with the ability to obtain from drilling companies "proprietary chemical compounds" not otherwise publicly disclosed.

...We are gratified by the strong public assurances from the Department of Health, Speaker Smith and House Majority leader Mike Turzai that their intent in drafting the law was for physicians to be able to speak freely with their patients, other health care providers involved in the care of their patients, and appropriate public health officials. Those statements clearly demonstrate their commitment to the health and welfare of all Pennsylvanians.

Act 13 was not written to create a barrier between physicians and their ability to treat patients. It was intended to and does just the opposite—ensures the medical community has access to any and all information to best care for their patients. 

Moreover, the language in Act 13 addressing chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing is being called "the most progressive disclosure requirements in the nation." It's unfortunate that instead of celebrating this accomplishment, anti-drilling groups try to drum up fear even when it's unmerited.  

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 03:16 PM | 0 comment

APRIL 18, 2012

Today We Celebrate PA's Tax Freedom Day

You might have thought Tax Freedom Day was April 17—the last day to file your taxes—but for Pennsylvania, it's really today, April 18.

Tax Freedom Day is calculated annually by the Tax Foundation, and represents how many days the "average" resident must work to pay federal, state and local taxes. In total, Pennsylvanians will work 108 days in 2012, from January 1 to April 18, to earn enough money to pay their tax bills—a whopping 29 percent of the "average" resident's total aggregate income.

The commonwealth has the 14th-highest tax burden in the nation, slightly worse than the national average, with a Tax Freedom Day of April 17. The highest tax burden in 2012 went to Connecticut, which won't celebrate Tax Freedom Day until May 5, whereas Tennessee's Tax Freedom Day occurred on March 30.

We have a say about how much government spends on our behalf. Tell your elected officials that we need to fireproof our financial future.

EDITOR'S NOTE: We use "average" resident/taxpayer because, of course, people pay different amounts.  Click here for more on the methodology and calculations of the Tax Foundation.

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 00:41 PM | 0 comment

APRIL 10, 2012

Good Teachers Matter

According to the findings of a National Bureau of Economic Research report, teaching quality is closely reflected by test scores—when looking at a teacher's impact on students's test score gains from year to year. This concept called "value-added" (VA) is a helpful way to measure teacher quality by identifying the knowledge a child gained each year. Moreover, it illustrates the importance of skilled teachers.

The study uses school district test scores and United States tax data to follow a group of students from elementary school to early adulthood. It looked at 18 million math and reading tests for 2.5 million children from 1989-2009. It was able to link nearly 90% of school data to tax records on parent and students' future financial performance.

According to the report (emphasis added):

Students assigned to high-VA teachers are more likely to attend college, attend higher-ranked colleges, earn higher salaries, live in higher SES neighborhoods, and save more for retirement. They are also less likely to have children as teenagers. Teachers have large impacts in all grades from 4 to 8. On average, a one standard deviation improvement in teacher VA in a single grade raises earnings by about 1% at age 28. Replacing a teacher whose VA is in the bottom 5% with an average teacher would increase students' lifetime income by more than $250,000 for the average classroom in our sample. We conclude that good teachers create substantial economic value and that test score impacts are helpful in identifying such teachers.

Gov. Tom Corbett supports tying teachers' salaries to student progress, instead of tenure. One objection to relating teachers' salaries to student progress is that it will incentivize teaching to the test or cheating. But given how valuable good teachers are, it is appropriate to examine ways to reward and retain good teachers, restoring the focus of public education to student learning.

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 02:53 PM | 0 comment

APRIL 4, 2012

Marcellus Shale: Pennsylvania's Manna From Heaven

Yesterday, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council hosted a forum on the benefits of natural gas for Pennsylvania's manufacturing sector.

David Taylor of the PA Manufacturers' Association commented that Marcellus Shale is the closest thing Pennsylvania will get to "manna from heaven." On top of creating tens of thousands of jobs in Marcellus Shale related industries, lowering utility bills, and generating fortunes for farmers, workers and small-business owners, shale drilling is helping to revitalize the manufacturing industry.

As the chart below highlights, ethane, a byproduct of natural gas development, is used to make a host of manufacturing products. The ACC credits the construction of new chemical plants, including Shell's proposed Pennsylvania cracker plant that's expected to generate 17,000 new jobs, to "affordable and abundant domestic shale gas."

Abundant natural gas production has significantly reduced the energy costs associated with manufacturing. However, the panelists were clear that this is a competitive market, and Pennsylvania should continue to address its business climate -- the commonwealth has the 10th highest state and local tax burden out of the 50 states -- and refrain from hand outs to politically favored companies, ensuring businesses compete on a level playing field.

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 10:28 AM | 1 comment

APRIL 3, 2012

PA to Copy Missouri's Failed Land Banking Policy

Pennsylvania is close to adopting Missouri's 40 year old failed land banking policy. House Bill 1682, which has already passed the House and the Senate's Urban Affairs and Housing committee, would enable local governments to establish public entities that could acquire land, incur debt, and develop vacant properties. However, these entities often block development.

Missouri' Show-Me Institute discovered St. Louis' land bank refused almost half of all purchase offers from 2003 to 2010. It even rejected a charter school company offering $300,000 for 13 abandoned parcels back in 2005. As of April 2011, all 13 of the parcels remain vacant. Check out the video below to learn more about St. Louis' experience.

Philadelphia, already anticipating the passage of HB 1682, introduced ordinances to create a land bank that would give the district Council member authority over development. The Show-Me Institute also had a stern warning about this practice in yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer:

One rundown St. Louis building had offers from four different buyers, all rejected by the land bank. But when the area alderman showed up at a land bank meeting and asked that it be sold to another buyer, it was.

Unfortunately, the same policy has been written into Philadelphia's land bank bill. In its current form, it would forbid the bank from entering into a transaction without the approval of the district Council member. This will almost certainly thwart development.

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 09:38 AM | 0 comment

MARCH 14, 2012

Saving Rather than Spending in Corrections

Last week, PCN's Call In Program featured a great discussion with PA Corrections Sec. John Wetzel. The Secretary is committed to both saving money and improving safety by making sure people entering Pennsylvania's prisons are less likely to commit a crime after they leave.

For the first time in a decade, the Department of Corrections is not seeking an increased budget.

Flat funding is possible in part to cost-saving initiatives and partnering with the PA Board of Probation and Parole. None of these initiatives cut corners, but rather fix system inefficiencies. One example is the "food tickets" the department now implements. Providing inmates with a meal ticket that gets punched for meals prevents inmates from getting multiple dinners a night. Some facilities have saved $20,000 a month and one facility saved 700 meals a day!

However, some legislative action is required for the DOC to maintain flat funding. One reform Sec. Wetzel advocates is expanding the eligibility for nonviolent offenders with substance abuse to be treated at the successful State Intermediate Punishment (SIP) program. While 45 percent of released inmates are reincarcerated within three years, that number drops to 18% if they completed SIP.

Senate Bill 100, which would treat nonviolent offenders with drug and alcohol problems, is the vehicle Sec. Wetzel sees for accomplishing this. SB 100 passed the Senate unanimously last October and currently sits in the House Judiciary committee.

For more, listen to Sec. Wetzel on PCN's Call In Program and CF's The BOX podcast.

posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 03:15 PM | 0 comment