Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has remained stagnant for 13 years. The current minimum wage of $7.25 was put into effect in 2009 as a result of Federal guidelines.

The old adage that a rising tide lifts all ships still holds true. The PA Budget and Policy Center estimates that 1.6 million Pennsylvanians- or a quarter of the work force- will get a raise if the minimum wage reaches $15 an hour.

It’s far past time to raise the minimum wage in Pennsylvania. Right now, 11 states and Washington D.C. have enacted minimum wages at $15 an hour or higher, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

We must empower people in the workplace. Providing safe and equal working conditions is the first step. We will not stand for a person’s job or promotion to be leveraged for sex. We will not stand for a person’s livelihood to be taken away from them because they reported workplace harassment.

Small businesses improve the economy from the ground up, create new jobs, and build wealth at the community level. We must foster an environment that provides minor owned businesses with opportunities to be establish and grow that have been previously unattainable. Focused small business loans, access to capital for growth, technical assistance, and employee training support are on the Senate Democrat agenda.

Whether it’s to attract multi-national corporations or provide that last bit of financing for a mid-size company to grow, we must step up to provide the competitive advantage necessary for Pennsylvania to be business friendly. We have worked hard to make our tax climate more business friendly. We have provided many tax credits and exemptions to attract and retain companies. But we plan to do more to grow our business community.

Property taxes are antiquated, unfair, and in equitable. They are further a deterrent to people aging in the homes that they have worked throughout their lives to own. And they act as a disincentive to homeowners improving and maintaining their homes. The Senate Democrats have a plan to provide substantial property tax relief and eliminate the property taxes of 60% of homeowners by providing rebates. But as a caucus, we’re willing to talk about any plan that fairly eliminates residential and farmstead property taxes.

Recently, we successfully fought for a 2022-2023 fiscal budget that provided $140 million for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax and Rent Rebate program. The additional funding was supported by American Rescue Plan dollars and provided an increase to current eligible applicants. While the increase was a win that went directly into the pockets of Pennsylvanians, Senate Democrats will continue to fight for further expansion for the program to include even more individuals.

The PIT rate of 3.07% in Pennsylvania is among the lowest in the country in states that impose the tax. Included in paying the PIT are many businesses that have a structured as “pass-through entities.” The Senate Democrats have a “Fair Share” plan that will lower the PIT for individuals, while treating business or passive income differently. This will raise money, potentially to pay for property tax relief, reduce individual income tax bills, and tax business income more closely to corporate income.