Governor Corbett Signs Unemployment Benefits Extension, Reform Bill

HARRISBURG—

— Just days before 45,000 Pennsylvanians were to lose unemployment benefits on Friday, the Republicans who control the Pennsylvania House and Senate said Wednesday they'd reached an agreement to keep the cash flowing even as they moved to wring future savings out of the system.

The state House began debate Wednesday evening on an amendment to an already-approved Senate bill that would tighten eligibility requirements and drive down costs by, among other things, requiring people to look for work and to spend their severance packages before receiving full benefits.

http://tinyurl.com/3bvwqsr

Thank you Desperate. Now I can have a good nights sleep and can start again on 589. Dazed

I am waiting till Corbett signs this thing before I can breathe a little easier, but all this sounds like some good news for a change.

589 needs to be addressed now. What I can't figure out is, I understand that Camp will not let it out of committe, but why is Lee and the co-sponsers not screaming at the top of their lungs about getting this debated since we have a 9.1% "official" UE rate? Now is the time. Desperate and all the other Forum mods are right when they say that if this goes till the fall, those in the first wave of unemployed will be forgotten again.

I wish this would happen in Arizona, but our governor refuses to call a special session. 15,000 people in AZ will not get their EB extended. This is wrong and heartless. Jobs are scarce in AZ. I am emailing and calling all day today.

It is heartless, you are right their. The problem in AZ is, in my opinion many of your republicans are the more extreme tea party types. You cannot work with, or negotiate with those types of people. It is their way or no way. I think that is one of the problems holding up 589. I am praying that Arizona will get the fix as all other states should as well. After all the tax cuts for the rich was part of the unemployment deal that was agreed upon back in December.

Thank you Atctz. I have been saying this since they started these cut backs. If the tax cuts are not being stopped than neither should the unemployment checks. This won't help the 99ers, but, jobs are not being created and here we are 6 months in and the tax cuts have not created those jobs that they were supposed to, as "taxes are job killers".

Can anyone explain to me how, when you have a business, start a business etc, do you not know that you need to have x amount of cash for operating expenses and they include taxes? Did these business owners just realize it costs money to make money. They claim the unemployed are "entitled", seems to me anymore that if you own a business, you are far more "entitled". It's time for everyone to pay their fair share based on income. Get rid of the loopholes, tax breaks and do business the way it should be done, not with lawyers and accountants trying to skirt the law with loopholes. Is it any wonder we are broke. We continue to cut revenue and spend like we still have it coming in. If they would do a work match, skills match bill and get the millions of unemployed back to work at living wages that meet our obligations we would have the proper amount of revenue coming in and we wouldn't be in this mess. I am not a genius, but I figured this out three years ago, why can't they realize this. Revenue from the unemployed getting back to work alone would greatly help consumer confidence, buying, it would ease employers minds to continue hiring and invest, infrastructure would begin, and it better soon, because utilities, rails, bridges and sewers and aging, unsafe and not nearly large enough to accommodate all the growth we have had in the last 50 years. We won't even get into housing and construction. If this keep up we will have an enormous glut of rental housing and no homeowners, wait until that happens and the states are not getting their share of revenues from property taxes and school taxes. We will have far more joining the ranks of the unemployed.

There is a recall petition now to recall Russell Pearce. He sits on the AZ legislature and should be removed. He is Republican and against any help for the 15,000 unemployed. There are more than enough signatures to get rid of him. No compassion for the people who are suffering and since our state has 9.1% unemployment, few jobs are available. I know, I've been looking for almost a year and a half. Only job I can find is doing volunteer work. The unemployed do contribute...we pay our rent, we buy groceries, we do help the economy and now we will really suffer. And the unemployment check in AZ is very low...$214/week. Federal EB does not cost our state. I hope people remember in November.

I think that since Arizona does not want the benefits to continue, then tax cuts for the wealthy should be discontinued in that state as well. That was the deal. I know that state eb may be somewhat different from federal benefits but I still think that rule should apply.

What I am upset about is no Dems seem willing to go out and say something like that. I don't understand why they are so silent on all this. Now is the time to start making noise, not only on local unemployment benefits but on things like 589 as well.

Hurray for PA!!

Saying prayers for our AZ folks

PA State Rep. Ryan Aument
Senate Bill 1030, which addresses reform to unemployment compensation system has just been passed 194-0 by the House. A great bipartisan accomplishment that will stimulate our economy by helping to save and create jobs.

THANK GOD ALL OF OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED FOR NOW!!/Good came back from my interview the supervisor's boss wants to interview 3 people next week and then they will make a choice mind you I had to sign a drug test /criminal backround/not even hired /this is crazy and its a customer service job/I have been working for 20 yrs and have a bachelor's degree
CRAZY THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE 3 YRS AGO THEY WOULD SAY YOUR HIRED

do you mean you had to sign you were drug free and not a criminal or you have to have a drug test and allow a background check.
Dazed

Sick & Tired wrote:Hurray for PA!!

Saying prayers for our AZ folks

We have legislators who lack compassion for the unemployed in AZ. I will remember when I vote. We need to clean house.

Thanks for the PA update, now if only the AZ legislators would do the right thing and get something passed for their unemployed citizens. This is really a no brainer, prayers for the AZ unemployed.

Praying and sending an email as well.

With 9.1% unemployment Arizona politicans need to step up and do the right thing. Their is no excuse for not continuing EB with a 9.1 % level!

Atctz wrote:With 9.1% unemployment Arizona politicans need to step up and do the right thing. Their is no excuse for not continuing EB with a 9.1 % level!

I live in Phoenix and believe me, the unemployment rate is much higher. I've been on the phone all morning and emailing my legislators but no response. I'm fed up with all politicians. They are heartless and cruel. Once they get into office they could care less about their constituents. This inaction by the legislators will definitely hurt our already struggling AZ economy.

I have a brother in law that lives near Phoenix. I have heard how bad it is. Let's face it, it's bad just about everywhere. The true national UE rate is not 9.1, but much higher. I think anyone who is unemployed and informed knows this, but the general public is clueless. The only "good" news and I use that term loosly is, eventually the truth is going to catch up with our elected leaders. When enough people drop off the rolls and the numbers finally just don't add up to even the most uninformed,the truth will be known. God knows how much we will all suffer before that happens.

I'm glad for you folks in PA.

I do think Arizona will eventually pass their EB fix the same as North Carolina did Laine25 , but it took like 2 months and let's pray it does not take that long for you folks.

Atctz wrote:I do think Arizona will eventually pass their EB fix the same as North Carolina did Laine25 , but it took like 2 months and let's pray it does not take that long for you folks.

I hope you are right, but I don't think so. Our governor and the legislature have no compassion for the 15,000 of us who will lose our EB benefits. I've been talking all day to people and nobody thinks it will happen.

Laine, if you have a list of the crucial AZ reps to target, I will write to them.

And I do have to acknowledge that two of the Republicans that I e-mailed on that AFL-CIO list replied: Todd Stephens and John Taylor. Both looked like quickly dashed off replies, which suggests to me that they were not written by staff, but personally. Or maybe they just have sloppy, lazy staff--but I prefer to believe the better of the two.

yes someone type up a letter with a link so we can sign it forarizona

This doesn't affect HUP EB does it? Will the stop date for HUP EB (due to the decrease in unemployment rate) be after 6/11 now because of this new development?