The 2022 General Election, especially in Pennsylvania, is set up to be a nail-biter. In Pennsylvania, all 203 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, along with 25 seats in the Senate (in even numbered districts). Voters will also elect a new governor, a U.S. Senator, and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives across 17 congressional districts.
August was a fun month! It was great to see everyone in Wrightsville at ABC Keystone’s Summer Outdoor Mixer presented by Saxton & Stump Lawyers and Consultants and to see many of you in Belfonte at the Keystone Chapter’s Nittany Valley Mixer. Mixers like these are events I look forward to each year to have a good time and catch up with so many of our ABC members. It was especially valuable this year to build connections with our members from our new Nittany Valley Region.
This weekend will be the 140th time America will celebrate Labor Day. While we mark the long weekend as the “unofficial end of summer,” the day was created to recognize the work, contributions, and achievements of American labor, particularly the trades. As an association consisting of the trades and businesses affiliated with the construction industry, we want to say THANK YOU for your contributions to this great nation and for helping to train the next generation of tradespeople.
Politics continue to dominate the news cycle, whether it is about gun violence vs. the 2nd amendment, abortion rights vs. the rights of the unborn, inflation, or unemployment rates. All these issues will impact each of us personally and the businesses we own.
You may have heard the term “August recess” from our advocacy team, but it’s not like the recess you remember from grade school. It is a time when legislative sessions are on break in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. to allow lawmakers to travel their districts. In an election year, politicians maximize this time to meet with constituents and talk about issues important to them. ABC will use this time to meet with as many of our elected officials as possible to let them know what is impacting your business.
The summer is upon us. The legislature completed their work on a $44 billion state budget, along with accompanying “code bills” that specify how taxpayer dollars are to be allocated. The budget represents an 11 percent increase over last year, largely due to unspent federal stimulus and increases in public education spending. The budget deposited $2.1 billion into the Rainy Day Fund, bringing the total to about $5 billion. Lawmakers believe the fund will help shield Pennsylvanians from tax increases if the economy slips into a recession and/or revenues decrease.
Who is tired of hearing “elections have consequences?” I know I am, but after spending several days in Washington D.C. at the ABC National Legislative Conference, I get it. ABC National has been tracking several issues and waiting for some of the rules from the current administration to determine the next course of action. Several of these steps include preparing to file suit. The list of items from this administration that ABC opposes is extensive, and I suggest you visit the ABC website to review the list in detail. There are two items that I would like to highlight as they are of great importance to ABC members.
The last week of June is traditionally the “mad dash” to complete the state budget and hit the campaign trail. This year has been no different. While both sides were optimistic a budget deal could be made early and without much “heartburn,” those hopes were dampened by disagreements on various policy issues and funding certain state-related universities.
Van Halen said in 1995, we are, “livin’ with the aftershock.” The Pennsylvania primary election has come and gone. As with any election, there were some surprising and some not-so surprising results.
The Pennsylvania primary election is finally over. After the state budget is completed in June – which is expected to pass with little fanfare – we will enter the summer slog to election day. When the legislature returns in September, session days will be light and campaign activities will be heavy.
The primary election is just a few weeks away! Because there is a wide field of candidates, and as a service to our members, we posted an “Election Information Guide,” so you know exactly who is running, where to find information on how and where to vote, and information on the new congressional map.
In even-numbered years, April is traditionally a busy time for political campaigns. Candidates are raising money, talking with stakeholders, and knocking on doors. This year is no different, especially in a year where there are literally dozens of candidates running for office. ABC of Pennsylvania is committed to providing information to Chapters on the candidates running for office so you and your employees can be informed voters.
We are now “on the other side” of the budget hearings and filing deadline of nomination petitions to run for office. On the later, in the next few weeks, ABC of Pennsylvania will be issuing a voter guide that lists the candidates running for statewide office and U. S. Congress. On the former, the legislature begins the spring session this week, which includes negotiating a 2022-23 state budget along with accompanying bills destined for the governor’s desk.
On February 8, Gov. Wolf released his final budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The $43 billion budget proposal is about $5 billion over last year. Not surprisingly, the governor is again proposing various policy initiatives, including increasing the minimum wage, setting a minimum teacher salary of $45,000, and legalizing recreational marijuana, to name a few. While there are no broad-based tax increases contained in the proposal, the increase over last year is said to be “paid-for” by using all the federal stimulus dollars.
As we look to the rest of this year, ABC of Pennsylvania will be collaborating with chapters to develop a new and fresh legislative agenda for 2023-24. We are looking for your input on what ABC should advocate for in Harrisburg. Knowing the margins will be tight and we may still have a divided government, we need to be realistic in what we push for, but also be bold in our “wish list.”
