We're focused on these issues because the PA legislature hasn't been.
Campaign Finance Reform
Pennsylvania is one of 11 states with no campaign contribution limit for state races
PA state lawmakers are the 3rd highest paid in U.S., but accomplish less actual lawmaking
PA is one of two states that doesn't explicitly ban or limit candidates from spending campaign funds on personal expenses
Pennsylvania is among a minority of states (including Missouri, Mississippi and Kentucky) that places no limits on the value of gifts special interest groups can give legislators
Community Health & Safety
Pennsylvania has the 8th highest rate of opioid deaths out of the 50 states
Black Pennsylvanians are 25 times more likely to be killed in a gun homicide
In PA, Black women are 3 times more likely to die during or after pregnancy than white women
Criminal Justice Reform
Pennsylvania's proposed risk-assessment tool, giving judges the necessary information to divert low-risk individuals from prison to alternative sentencing programs is racist
Economic Equality
PA is one of 20 states still using the Federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour (nearby states of MD, DE, NJ, NY and OH all pay higher wages)
PA is the 6th worst state in which to start a new business
PA is 24th in the nation for worker-friendly policies
Poverty rate is 60% higher within three miles of power plants compared to rest of the state
Education
PA school funding is most unequal (rich vs. poor districts) in the nation due to over-emphasis on local funding
PA residents graduate from college with the third highest amount of debt in the country
Pennsylvania ranks 30th in the US in quality of public education for all
Pre-K program spending is well below PA’s border states who spend four times what we do
PA has worst community college system considering in-state tuition and graduation rates
Equality & LGBTQ+ Rights
Pennsylvania ranks 24th out of 50 in legal protections for LGBTQ+ people and is the only state in the northeast that still lacks protections against LGBTQ+ discrimination in state law, meaning it is legal to fire someone, evict them from housing, or deny them service at a restaurant just because they are LGBTQ+
PA ranks 40th of 50 states in the share of women in elected office; this is up from 49th in 2019
PA is ground zero for hate, with residents reporting the most incidents of mail, fliers, stickers, posters, banners, graffiti and other messages encouraging hate. Virginia was 2nd and Texas, 3rd
Livability
Pennsylvania ranked 41st out of 50 in an annual ranking of most livable states that looks at health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime & corrections, and natural environment; this is down from 38 last year; related to infrastructure and economy, PA is 29th out of 50 in broadband access
Reproductive Rights & Access
82% of Pennsylvania counties have no abortion providers or Medicaid does not cover abortion. Public funding is available for abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest
Environmental Protection & Infrastructure
Pennsylvania ranks 44th in the state of our natural environment
Pennsylvania is the only state that does not tax those pulling oil and gas from our state
Pennsylvania has the 3rd worst drinking water in the country; One-third (27,886 miles of streams statewide) of all PA waterways are polluted enough to harm wildlife, recreation or drinking water
PA got a C- from the American Society of Civil Engineers for aging/deteriorating water & sewage systems
Pennsylvania is ranked #2 for having the most structurally deficient bridges in the US
PA’s roads are the 5th worst in the nation
PA Power Sector was labeled 5th dirtiest in the nation
Pennsylvania could be the second-most flooded state in 2022, behind Florida
People of color are 39% of the population living within three miles of existing & proposed power plants; yet they are only 22% of PA’s total population
