President s Message. March Susan Carty. In this issue:

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1 President s Message March 2015 Susan Carty sc51446@aol.com In this issue: President s Message 1-2 Agriculture 2 Campaign Finance 3 March 11- Pay Equity Panel 3 Education 4-6 Voter Services 6 Election Calendar 7 Environmental and Conservation Issues 8-9 Social Media 10 It s that time of year, Women s History Month. Did you know According to the federal website devoted to Women's History Month, the US Congress established Women's History Month first as a week." In 1981 and every year for the next five years, Congress continued to pass resolutions marking "Women s History Week." Eventually it warranted one full month of celebration. And did you know that there is actually an organization that determines the theme of Women s History Month? The National Women s History Project ( has that distinguished role. The 2015 theme is: Weaving the Stories of Women's Lives. The following is quoted from the Women s History Project website: Accounts of the lives of individual women are critically important because they reveal exceptionally strong role models who share a more expansive vision of what a woman can do. The stories of women's lives, and the choices they made, encourage girls and young women to think larger and bolder, and give boys and men a fuller understanding of the female experience. Knowing women's achievements challenges stereotypes and upends social assumptions about who women are and what women can accomplish today. There is a real power in hearing women's stories, both personally and in a larger context. Remembering and recounting tales of our ancestors' talents, sacrifices, and commitments inspires today's generations and opens the way to the future. Fundraising 10 Membership 11 1

2 The League of Women Voters has a powerful history, rich with examples of women s stories of struggle, courage and sacrifice. The first president of the League of Women Voters was Maud Wood Park. In four years, she built the League into a large and broadly based association devoted to education, good government, and social and economic reform. Miss Park s lobbying efforts contributed to the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921, which authorized federal aid to states for maternity, child health, and welfare programs. She also was instrumental in the successful passage of The Cable Act of 1922, which granted married women U.S. citizenship independent of their husbands status; and the child-labor amendment submitted to the states in Let s continue to Remember the Ladies, not only in March but in every month of every year! We won t run out of memories any time soon. In League Susan Monthly Board Meetings League Board Meetings occur on the third Saturday of the month. ALL members are welcome and encouraged to bring a friend. Board meetings are a great forum to introduce prospective members to the positive work of the League. Location: West Chester Borough Hall, 401 East Gay Street, West Chester Time: 10 AM noon Agriculture SEEKING NEW MEMBERS Sarah Caspar scaspar@comcast.net Revitalized by our success at the national level, the group would like to continue what we started in Chester County Pennsylvania. There is still much to do: Support for small organic farmers Work with Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Farming Helping local farmers understand the benefits of good practices with fertilization, pesticide use, riparian buffers and many other issues 2

3 Pay Equity Panel Discussion Save the Date LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS CHESTER COUNTY INVITES YOU TO A PANEL DISCUSSION! PAY EQUITY AND OUR COMMUNITY THE LOST INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES MARCH 11, WEDNESDAY 7:00 P.M. EAST GOSHEN TOWNSHIP BUILDING 1580 Paoli Pike, West Chester DISCUSSION BY PANELISTS FROM LOCAL COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS: AAUW CHESTER COUNTY FOOD BANK OPPORTUNITIES INDUSTRIALIZATION CENTER CHESTER COUNTY FUND FOR WOMEN & GIRLS Includes discussion of union/non-union wage comparison, followed by Q & A and Action Ideas for All! Civil Liberties introduces NEW Campaign Finance Committee Jean Goerth Marg Perina jgoerth@parttimethecat.com Our new name reflects our new focus! Please join us on Thursday, March 19, 10am -12 noon, at the West Chester Borough Building, Gay and Adams Streets (parking and entrance in rear). The Massachusetts League of Women Voters has developed a Power Point presentation on the issue of Campaign Financing. This powerful and direct presentation allows our committee members to take our message to schools, community and church groups and other organizations. We are currently seeking members who are interested in educating the community and are game to learn a new, but not difficult, skill. Please contact Jean Goerth at the above /phone for further information. 3

4 Education Toni Keg Governor s Education Budget Proposal Increase of $400 million, or 6.98%, for Basic Education Subsidy Increase of $100 million, or 9.55%, for Special Education Increase of $120 million, or 87.93%, for Early Education Increase of $23 million, or 37.10%, for Career and Technical Education Increase of $4.6 million, or 38.10%, for Adult and Family Literacy Increase of $15 million, or 6.98%, for Community Colleges Increase of $45.3 million, or 10.98%, to State System of Higher Education Increase of $82.1 million, or 15.76%, to State-Related Universities Increase of $2 million, or 23.3%, for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) grants to arts organizations For additional details on education budget, including district allocations and property tax impact, visit Pennsylvania Department of Education website, Schools that Teach: _budget/ Pennsylvania s Acting Secretary of Education: Pedro Rivera, former superintendent of Lancaster School District Dr. Rivera co-chaired Governor Wolf s Education Transition team and in September 2014 was honored by the White House for his contributions to the field of education. For more on Dr. Rivera, see: b3cb-11e4-a029-abe9e7db6fa7.html Oral Arguments in thorough and efficient lawsuit to be heard March 11 Public attendance is being encouraged to show support for fair education funding in PA. The meeting begins at 9:30 AM in the Pennsylvania Judicial Center, 601 Commonwealth Avenue, Courtroom 5001, in Harrisburg (just a few blocks from the AMTRAK station). If you plan to attend or have questions, contact Barb Grimaldi at bgrimaldi@pilcop.org. For more on the lawsuit: PA Basic Education Funding Commission is scheduled to meet on March 12 in Harrisburg The Commission continues its work, with recommendations due in June. See: March is Budget Hearing Month! For a complete House listing: For a complete Senate listing: 4

5 Keystone Exams Legislation: The PA House held a hearing on the use of Keystone Exams as graduation requirements on February 12: These two bills neither moving to date would repeal the use of Keystone Exams as graduation requirements: House Bill 172 (Truitt) How many tests? HB 172 requires PA Department of Education (PDE) to develop and implement the original ten Keystone Exams by school year subject to annual appropriations (i.e., dependent on funding): Algebra 1*,Literature*,Biology*, English Composition, Algebra II, Geometry, United States History, Chemistry, Civics and Government, World History. *already developed and being implemented Will they be used as graduation requirements? No. HB 172 clearly states neither the Department of Education nor the State Board of Education may establish any minimum level of student performance on a Keystone Exam as a graduation requirement. Will they be used for federal accountability requirements per NCLB? HB 172 does not mention the use of the Keystone Exams to fulfill federal NCLB requirements and, as written, will not have an impact on their use as such. Status: To date, no committee vote House Bill 168 (Tobash) How many tests? HB 168 requires PDE to develop and implement Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Literature and Biology by school year The subject to annual appropriation piece is not part of HB 168, primarily because these exams have been developed and are currently being implemented. Will they be used as graduation requirements? No. HB 168 uses the same language as HB 172, clearly stating neither the Department of Education nor the State Board of Education may establish any minimum level of student performance on a Keystone Exam as a graduation requirement. Will they be used for federal accountability requirements per NCLB? HB 168 makes it clear that the three Keystones serve as requirements of NCLB and all successor statutes (not mentioned in HB 172). However, similar to HB 172, it will not have an impact on their use as such. Status: To date, no committee vote 5

6 HB 268 (Lawrence) would allow flexibility in the tests taken by students to graduate. Students could use Keystone Exams OR other measures of competency, such as SAT or ACT results, GPA, etc., to meet graduation requirements. Similar to the above legislation, the Keystones would still serve as federal accountability requirement. To date, no committee vote. Prospects of Senate Legislation: On February 20, Senator Robert Tomlinson circulated a co-sponsorship memo in the Senate to reintroduce last session s SB 1450, giving districts the option of using Keystone Exams as graduation requirements. To date, no announcement of bill number: Charter School Reform Legislation HB 530 passed the House on March 4 and now heads to Senate Education Committee. The bill allows school districts to take specific deductions from their per-student expenditures when calculating their cyber charter school payment, promising to save districts approximately $20 million. The bill also calls for the formation of a commission tasked with providing recommendations for charter school funding, transparency and governance. The Commission will have one year to report its recommendations. Of note: amendments were proposed concerning State Board s power to appoint to Commission and State Board s input for general charter school application, but neither were successful. Details at: Voter Services Mary Lou Dondero With the arrival of spring comes the first Naturalization Ceremony for 2015 which will take place on March 20 at the Justice Center in West Chester. The ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m. in Courtroom One followed by a reception in the lobby at 12:30 p.m. when League members welcome the new citizens and register them to vote. The reception lasts about one hour and is really enjoyable experience. If you would like to participate, please give me a call. Spring weather will also bring visits to local high schools to register their eligible students. These events usually take place during lunch periods. If you can help, please let me know. We will be at Exton Square Mall on April 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Hope you can help for an hour or two! 6

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8 Environmental & Conservation Issues Alma Forsyth The Frack Action Coalition developed as a result of the 2009 LWVPA Marcellus Shale Gas Study and supports the League s Positions for maximum protection of public health and the environment in all aspects of Marcellus Shale natural gas production, transmission operations, regulations, and restricted use of eminent domain. The Coalition membership includes representatives from conservation organizations, scientists, educators, environmental specialists, church groups, and concerned citizens. The members coordinate their efforts and activities, keep well informed, take the necessary action to encourage responsible legislation, testify at public hearings and workshops, and communicate with legislators and other government officials in Harrisburg, Washington, and locally. PREAMBLE For over five years, we, the members of the Frac Action Coalition of Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties, have been advocating for the effective regulation, oversight, and enforcement. of Marcellus natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania. After seeing the increasingly destructive impacts of this industry on the environment and human health, we are convinced it is time to ban all natural gas operations not just drilling - on public lands. The Frac Action Coalition, as an unincorporated association, was formed for the purpose of addressing negative environmental impacts from the development of Marcellus Shale gas resources in Pennsylvania. To date, unconventional natural gas operations have been minimally regulated. Those rules that do exist fail to keep pace with the technological advancements and magnitude of the extraction, transport, and processing of this resource. Consequently, this industrial development has had increasingly devastating effects on agriculture and tourism (the number one and two sources of state income), and is scarring scenic landscapes once remarkable for their pristine beauty. Pennsylvania must learn from its extractive history. Largely unregulated logging destroyed the forests of Penn s Woods and yielded ruinous ecological and economic results. Coal mining continues to leave a legacy of acid mine drainage, subsidence, slag heaps, and diseases that have wreaked havoc on the lives of tens of thousands. With prospects of thousands of unconventional gas wells drilled, serviced and producing in this state, the play must be banned on public lands. Such action would place valued lands off-limits and prohibit the public from paying the expense of negative consequences for the few who reap the economic profits. 8

9 Declaration Humanity is confronted by a crisis. Natural gas extraction, processing and transmission from shale formations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are impacting the environment and public health. Source and drinking waters are being depleted and polluted. Methane leaks are feeding global warming. Landfill, drilling and processing sites are being contaminated with toxic and radioactive wastes. Health studies indicate increased risk to people and other living things. Natural gas operations mar the landscape, open forests to invasive species, promote earthquakes, repel tourists, and increase risks of fatal incidents. In response to evolving concerns for our air, water, and land, members of various civic, religious, and environmental groups in Chester, Montgomery and Delaware Counties have come together to: educate ourselves and others about natural gas operations and their consequences; advocate on issues of common concern; and promote our Constitutional rights (Article 1 Section 27) to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of natural resources for generations yet to come. Given the magnitude of the issues surrounding natural gas operations and the urgency for action, members of the coalition pledge to work toward: banning natural gas operations in public lands; advocating that the governor re-establish environmental protection as the priority of the Department of Environmental Protection; establishing a fair severance tax; obtaining a full disclosure of chemicals used and all health impacts of natural gas operations; financially supporting research on the health effects of natural gas operations. encouraging and incorporating scientific investigation regarding natural gas operations and incentivize implementation of best practices through up-dated rule-making protecting effectively and conserving public health, safety, and the environment by funding appropriate Pennsylvania agencies to enable effective permitting, oversight and enforcement. 9

10 Social Media Deb Gallek Keep up to date with the League! Sign up for updates at: Connect with us on Facebook: Fundraising Cheryl Knoell LWVCC invites small businesses to post business cards on our website and newsletter. We will show them each month for a year for the nominal donation of $50. For a quarter-page ad the fee is $90; and for a half-page $175. Cards can be mailed to LWVCC at 1442 Pottstown Pike, #238, West Chester We look forward to hearing from you. 10

11 JOIN or RENEW YOUR LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MEMBERSHIP Thank you for renewing your membership and supporting the League for another year. LWVCC Annual Membership $65 (make checks out to LWVCC or pay online) (2 nd and 3 rd person in same household $32.50) Student Membership $20 League Tax-Deductible Contributions LWVCC Education Fund (make checks out to LWVCC ED FUND) (Amount of your choice. Donate IN HONOR OF or IN MEMORY OF someone special.) PAY ONLINE or MAIL YOUR CHECKS TO OUR NEW ADDRESS: LWVCC 1442 Pottstown Pike, #238 West Chester, PA Thank you for including the following information with your checks. (For gift memberships include name and address of recipient.) Name Address ZipCode Township Address Telephone Issue of Interest_ New Membership Renew Gift Membership Amount 11

12 A monthly Update from the Water Resources Education Network a project of the League of Women Voters of PA - Citizen Education Fund Want a BIGGER PICTURE of the League? Check out the State and National sites at: League of Women Voters of PA: League of Women Voters United States:

13 VOTER News The VOTER is published every other month during the year. Thanks to our committee chairs and members for the reports, summaries, announcements and comments submitted to the VOTER. Thanks also to the individuals/businesses supporting the VOTER through monthly advertisements. Please continue to send submissions and any/all comments and suggestions to Toni Keg, DISCLAIMER The League of Women Voters never supports or opposes candidates running for office or political parties. Any use of the League of Women Voters name in campaign advertising or literature has not been authorized by the League. 13

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