From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr issued the following statement in regard to Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2020-21 budget address:
“We applaud and support the governor’s continued focus on addressing Pennsylvania’s workforce issues and closing an existing jobs skills gap. This is an issue that impacts businesses of all sizes across all industry sectors – in fact for the second year in a row, employers ranked it as their top of mind issue in the PA Chamber’s Annual Economic Survey. And it’s one that’s preventing the Commonwealth from moving forward. The past year – including the enactment of a first-of-its-kind ‘Clean Slate’ Act — has demonstrated the powerful impact of lawmakers working in a bipartisan fashion, and we look forward to continuing this momentum in the year ahead. We’re pleased to continue our work with the Governor’s Keystone Economic Development and Workforce Command Center and legislative leadership to raise awareness of the concerns and needs of the business community in the state’s evolving jobs market and identify innovative solutions to addressing the jobs skills gap and removing barriers to work.
“We agree that the state’s Corporate Net Income Tax rate – which has the second highest effective rate in the nation – is too high and needs to be reduced. We encourage lawmakers to move forward with substantial state tax reform – starting with a reduction to the CNI rate – that is based on the principles of competitiveness, fairness, predictability and simplicity.
“We remain concerned, however, about the administration’s aggressive proposal to more than double the state’s minimum wage to $15, which will increase labor costs and could lead to significant job loss. A recent report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that a $15 minimum wage could lead to as many as 3.7 million lost jobs. It’s also important to note that while the government mandated wage hasn’t increased, a report by the state’s Independent Fiscal Office shows that entry level workers in the Commonwealth are not likely to remain at the starting wage level, instead seeing wage gains shortly after entering the workforce. Rather than punitive government mandates that will hurt job creation and decrease the number of entry-level positions in the Commonwealth, lawmakers should pursue policies that target support to low-income families without risking jobs.”
Are you in need of a website for your business or group? Or do you have an existing website that was designed years ago and needs updating? Bloomsburg University mass communication students taking web design classes are making websites for local organizations, non-profits, churches, small businesses, clubs, and other agencies. The students provide design services free of charge, and by the end of the semester, they will provide a functioning website or updates to an existing website.
Clients will first meet with students on the BU campus on March 16, 18, or 20, at 1 p.m. or some other pre-arranged time. Design services are provided free of charge. However, there may be some costs in setting up the website. Custom domain names typically cost $15-20 per year, and students may recommend other upgrades depending on your needs. BU does not profit from this project.
If you’d like to know more about the project, or you aren’t sure if this is right for your business or organization, contact faculty member Dennis Frohlich at dfrohlic@bloomu.edu or call him at 701-541-3608 by Friday, March 6.
Berwick, PA—In celebration of another year of community philanthropy, partnerships with generous donors and organizations, and many moving stories of impact, the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation will host its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. The event will be held at The Barn at Frosty Valley in Danville beginning at 8:30 AM.
Join the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation for an inspiring time of reflection as they listen and share stories of community giving from 2019. The free event and breakfast are open to all, though reservations are required. To reserve your spot, contact Katie Simpson at 570-752-3930 ext. 7 or ksimpson@csgiving.org by February 19th.
The Central Susquehanna Community Foundation is grateful to everyone who has partnered with them and contributed to their story in 2019, and is looking forward to growing their impact in 2020!
The Central Susquehanna Community Foundation manages more than 280 charitable funds and makes grant investments throughout the region to improve the quality of life in the Central Susquehanna area. The Foundation partners with regional affiliates including the Berwick Health and Wellness Fund, Bloomsburg Area Community Foundation, Danville Area Community Foundation, Selinsgrove Area Community Foundation, and Sunbury Area Community Foundation. For more information, visit csgiving.org or call the Foundation at 1-866-454-6692.
More than 420 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Stuart Tank Memorial Association to help us fulfill our mission.
The Stuart Tank Memorial Association is an organization that was established to acquire and maintain Berwick-built Stuart Tanks, and return them to Berwick as a memorial. They strive to educate people on the historical significance of these tanks. For more information, visit their website.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Ahead of his 2020-21 state budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf reiterated his support for policies the PA Chamber has consistently opposed, due to their negative impact on economic growth and job creation.
At a morning press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 28, the governor announced he is again pushing to more than double the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour; along with the approval of an overtime eligibility expansion rule that aims to dramatically expand – both in the near-term and automatically going forward – the scope of employees eligible for overtime pay, or time-and-a-half for any hours worked over 40 in a week. This proposal would be unaffordable for many employers who would be forced to convert salaried employees into hourly positions so that hours can be closely monitored and overtime avoided.
The governor voiced renewed support for these measures following the House’s inaction on S.B. 79, compromise legislation that passed the Senate in a 42-7 vote and would have rescinded the overtime rule in exchange for a more gradual and modest increase in the state’s minimum wage, to $9.50 an hour. While the PA Chamber has historically opposed minimum wage increases, the organization believes this legislation had merit and was the only viable option for stopping the overtime proposal, the economic impact of which could be even worse for the employer community.
On Friday, Jan. 31, the state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission voted to move forward with the overtime proposal; after which PA Chamber President Gene Barr issued a statement expressing the organization’s disappointment with approval of a policy that so many employers statewide had voiced multiple concerns with.
“In 2018, during the initial phase of the review process, hundreds of opposition comments were submitted from a wide range of stakeholders – including nonprofits, higher education, local governments, small businesses among many others,” Barr said. “Many of these concerns were echoed by IRRC, which directed the Department to re-engage with stakeholders and submit a revised proposal for consideration.
“Unfortunately, the proposal approved today is only minimally different from the Department’s initial proposal and largely disregards the concerns raised by stakeholders. We urge the General Assembly to consider the true impact of this proposal and for each legislative chamber to issue disapproval resolutions rejecting the change.”
From the PA Chamber of Business & Industry
In May 2016, the Pennsylvania Chamber Educational Foundation teamed up with the mikeroweWORKS Foundation to increase public awareness around the growing demand for workers in the skilled trades, and to help award scholarships specifically to Pennsylvania students through the Work Ethic Scholarship Program.
In the past three years, thanks to generous donations from the Pennsylvania business community, the PA Chamber Educational Foundation has helped provide nearly $195,000 in work ethic scholarships for approximately 94 Pennsylvania students who are entering into the skilled trades in the Commonwealth. And now the 2020 Scholarship is open and available for students who are pursuing an education in the skilled trades to apply.
The PA Chamber hopes to have a record year in scholarships given to PA students interested in learning a skilled trade. You can learn more about the partnership here.
From the PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Chamber Educational Foundation is proud to launch “Your Career Starts HERE” – an online career calculator aimed at helping Pennsylvania students make informed post-secondary education decisions. As the next phase of the PA Chamber’s wide-ranging workforce initiative aimed at addressing the jobs skills gap, Start the Conversation HERE, the calculator pulls key Pennsylvania specific information – including starting salary, educational costs and potential loan payments upon graduation. This new website tool is designed to help Pennsylvania students determine the most productive career path.
“For many people, post-secondary education is the first substantive investment they make as an adult,” said PA Chamber President and CEO Gene Barr. “Unfortunately, we’re finding that many students are graduating with degrees that don’t match up with the in-demand careers that are currently available in the state. This disconnect results in people without jobs, but also jobs without the people to fill them. We’re excited to launch this innovative, user-friendly tool to help Pennsylvanians make educated decisions regarding the realistic costs and return on investment of their educational choices post-graduation. This is the next step in our initiative to ensure Pennsylvania’s workforce is trained and prepared to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s evolving jobs market.”
The career calculator is an interactive tool that allows users to input key information to calculate the ROI on their educational investment and selected career field. Based on data pulled from the state and federal government, users can determine the job prospects in a particular field, the average starting salary, the training or educational requirements; as well as the educational costs and potential loan payments upon graduation. Users can also compare the costs of obtaining the degree/training for a specific career at different schools across the Commonwealth.
“The initial career and educational choices a person makes can either set them on a path toward long-term debt or career readiness,” said PA Chamber Workforce Development Executive Allen Norton. “There’s a large segment of the population that is not unemployed, but rather underemployed – meaning that they are working in a career that they didn’t need the degree they went to school for. We’re hoping to stop that cycle and also stop the state’s population decline by showing all the career and educational opportunities that exist in Pennsylvania.”
More information on the PA Chamber’s far-reaching workforce initiative is available online.
Attendees enjoyed an evening at Java Momma while sampling fresh brewed coffee and taking tours of their new facility on Ferry Street in Danville at the Chamber’s first Business After Hours of 2020, held January 29th.
Java Momma offers wholesale for retail/private label, coffee for breakrooms with subscription and delivery options, bulk coffee, as well as tea and cocoa. Their Coffee Cart will soon be available daily with coffees and baked goods for sale (self-serve). Casual seating will be available.
Business After Hours provide regular opportunities to build business relationships while learning about the services offered by other Chamber members. The next Business After Hours is currently slated for Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Danville Child Development Center, 986 Wall St., Danville. The 2020 Business After Hours schedule for the whole year is available on our website.
The Columbia Montour Chamber welcomes Allison Turayev as Director of Marketing and Communications. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration Degree from Bloomsburg University, and has over 10 years of marketing and business experience. Allison is a native from the Berwick-Bloomsburg area, and has a strong passion for supporting local businesses. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her husband and 2 daughters and is interested in martial arts, traveling, and photography.
From the PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Barring any unforeseen development, the state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission is expected to consider and likely approve Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed overtime eligibility expansion measure at a meeting on Friday, Jan. 31.
The PA Chamber has been a leading voice against the governor’s proposal to dramatically expand – both in the near-term and automatically going forward – the scope of employees eligible for overtime pay, or time-and-a-half for any hours worked over 40 in a week. This costly move would force many employers to convert their workers from salaried into hourly positions so that hours can be closely monitored and overtime avoided.
Late last year the state Senate voted 42-7 to pass S.B. 79 – compromise legislation that would rescind the overtime rule in exchange for a gradual increase in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $9.50 by 2022. While the PA Chamber has historically opposed minimum wage increases, the Chamber concluded the compromise has merit and, as the only viable option to stopping the overtime rule, have urged the House to pass it as well.
Governor Wolf had previously said that if S.B. 79 did not reach his desk before Jan. 31, he would allow IRRC to take up the measure at the end of January. That scenario now appears likely as the House is not scheduled to be back in session until Feb. 3. Should IRRC approve the proposal (which is expected given its 3-2 Democratic majority) the PA Chamber will advocate that House and Senate lawmakers pass a motion to disapprove the measure. This action is widely considered symbolic, however, as any disapproval legislation would have to overcome a likely veto by Gov. Wolf.