"Decarcerate PA"

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Governor Corbett has cut millions from public education and social services while continuing to fund the state’s $685 million prison expansion plan.

We believe in a different set of priorities for Pennsylvania. Instead of sending more people to prison, we need to address the things that funnel people into the prison system. We want quality public schools, stable housing, jobs and job training programs, health care and food access, drug and alcohol treatment programs, community-based reentry services, and non-punitive practices that address the root causes of violence in our communities.

You can let Corbett know that he’s taking PA in the wrong direction! Follow us on twitter @decacreratePA, and retweet the photos to @GovernorCorbett using the hashtags #PAbudget and #NoNewPrisons.

Decarcerate PA is a grassroots campaign working to end mass incarceration in Pennsylvania. We demand that PA stop building prisons, reduce the prison population, and reinvest money in our communities.

For more info see:

http://decarceratePA.info


Theme by Day LP.
30th
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion at a protest of Governor Corbett’s visit to Philadelphia in May.Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Senate passed a budget that continues last year’s de-funding of public education and eliminates temporary cash assistance to the state’s most vulnerable residents. In the same budget, Governor Corbett continues to fund a $685 million expansion of Pennsylvania’s prison system, which will add three new prisons and expand nine existing facilities. On the last day of our Picture This! campaign, Decarcerate PA is calling on you to join us in fighting back against Governor Corbett’s broken priorities. The construction of new prisons will come at a steep price for generations of Pennsylvanians to come. The administration is just breaking ground on two new prisons, SCI Phoenix I and SCI Phoenix II, on the grounds of SCI Graterford in Montgomery County. The state is preparing to spend $400 million on these unnecessary prisons. There is still time for us to stop them. Tell Governor Corbett and your state representatives to cancel these prison expansion projects and invest instead in education, social services and a brighter, more hopeful future for our children. Call Governor Corbett at 717-787-2500 or tweet him @GovernorCorbett. Click here to find you legislators’ contact information. Even though the budget has passed, this fight isn’t over. Join us on at 4pm on July 17 in front of SCI Graterford to demand that Governor Corbett cancel these unnecessary prison expansion projects now. For more on Decarcerate PA’s prison moratorium campaign, and to join our efforts, visit www.decarceratepa.info. 
29th
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion visits the construction site of two new prisons in Montgomery County. As the Senate works out the final details of Pennsylvania’s austerity budget, construction is set to begin on two expensive, unnecessary prisons in Montgomery County.  While the current version of the 2012-2013 has some improvements over Corbett’s original proposal, it eliminates General Assistance and fails to restore last year’s devastating cuts to basic and higher education.  Meanwhile, lawmakers across the political spectrum have failed to take up the issue of funding for prison growth.  The budget continues to fund a $685 million expansion of Pennsylvania’s prison system, which includes building three new prisons and expanding nine others. The largest of these construction projects are the two new prisons, named SCI Phoenix I and II, slated to be built on the grounds of SCI Graterford.  The prisons cost $400 million to build and will house both a 100 bed death row and a women’s unit.  If the legislators really cared about PA’s future, they would demand that these projects be canceled and that the money be redirected to essential public services.  Building new prisons is not the answer to prison overcrowding.  Pennsylvania needs to reduce the prison population by reforming its misguided arrest, sentencing, and parole practices, and by fully funding the things that keep people out of prison.  We need quality public schools, stable housing, jobs and job training, health care and food access, drug and alcohol treatment programs, community-based reentry services, and non-punitive practices that address the root causes of violence in our communities. Pennsylvania doesn’t need and can’t afford more prison beds.  Join with Decarcerate PA to demand that PA build communities, not prisons!  To learn more, visit www.decarceratepa.info, find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/DecarceratePA and follow us on Twitter @DecarceratePA.
28th
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion at Skippack Elementary School in the Perkiomen Valley School District. Skippack Elementary School is just a few minutes Graterford prison, where the Corbett administration is undertaking a controversial $400 million project to build two new state prisons. Meanwhile, schools in Montgomery County lost $18 million due to Corbett’s drastic cuts to education funding last year. As negotiations for the coming year’s budget draw to a close, it appears that Governor Corbett has been mostly unsuccessful in his attempt to drain even more funding from basic education. Even as legislators have worked to prevent education from deeper cuts, no action has been taken to restore last year’s unsustainable $860 million cut to K-12 education, which has devastated school districts across the state and cost the state over 14,000 education jobs. Yet Governor Corbett pushes ahead with expensive prison construction that, because it is funded with bonds, will drain resources from Pennsylvania’s schools and social services for years to come. Join us in demanding that Governor Corbett cancel his $685 million prison expansion project and invest instead in adequate funding for our schools and communities!  Tweet @GovernorCorbett, @PAHouseDems, @PAHouseGOP, @PaSenateDems & @PASenateGOP and demand that they fund schools and communities, not prisons! Or call Governor Corbett’s office at 717-787-2500. For more on Decarcerate PA’s demand for a prison construction moratorium, visit: www.decarceratepa.info
26th
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion in front of a foreclosed home in West Philly. Governor Corbett’s proposed budget for 2012-2013 will eliminate funding for Pennsylvania’s Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP). For the past 28 years, the program has provided loans to homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage due to a job loss or other temporary hardship and are in danger of losing their home. Governor Corbett already slashed the program’s budget to $2 million last year - such a drastic cut that the program announced it would not be able to continue operating. According to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, HEMAP has saved the homes of more than 46,000 Pennsylvanians from foreclosure. At the same time as Governor Corbett is taking away a critical safety net that helps keep Pennsylvanians in their homes, he is spending $685 million to build three new prisons and expand nine existing facilities. Instead of helping Pennsylvania residents maintain safe, stable homes for their families that will allow them to grow and succeed, Governor Corbett is choosing to invest in more unnecessary prison cells. Tell Governor Corbett and the PA legislature that we want homes, not prisons! For more on HEMAP’s years of success in helping people stay in their homes, see: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704561004575013263982822140.html For more on Decarcerate PA’s demand for a moratorium on prison construction, visit: www.decarceratepa.info
25th
June

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Picture This! the Real Cost of Prison Expansion visits Perkiomen Valley Middle School in Montgomery County.   Counties across the state of Pennsylvania are hit hard by Corbett’s budget cuts.  Since the 2010-2011 budget, funding for Montgomery County school districts was slashed by over $18 million.  This year, Corbett’s proposed 20% cut to the Human Services budget threatens PA’s most vulnerable residents and could impact programs that assist seniors, children, people with disabilities, and low income families.  These cuts also threaten the jobs of people who work for these programs.  In Montgomery County alone, 40,000 residents work in the human services field and could be negatively affected.   Less than two miles away from the Perkiomen Valley Middle School, Construction is just beginning on SCI Phoenix I and II, the controversial 4,100-bed prisons being built on the grounds of SCI Graterford.  These new prisons are just part of the $685 million prison expansion plan being pushed forward by Governor Corbett.  The $18 million cut from Montgomery County Schools is equal to the cost of building 180 new prison beds.  Cancelling these expensive and unnecessary prison projects would free up money that could instead go to fund schools, healthcare, and essential services. For more on Decarcerate PA’s campaign for a moratorium on prison construction, visit: www.decarceratepa.info, or find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/decarceratePA For a county-by-county breakdown of school district cuts see: http://www.psea.org/apps/budget/budgetimpact.aspx).   
24th
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion at a speak-out against the school-to-prison pipeline in Malcolm X Park. Over the past two years, Governor Corbett and the Pennsylvania legislature have slashed state funding for basic and higher education. Last year, a total of $860 million was taken from K-12 education statewide. At the same time, Corbett has moved rapidly ahead with a $685 million expansion of the state’s prison system that involves building three new prisons and expanding nine existing facilities.  When the state decides to prioritize building new prisons over supporting quality education for our children, they are perpetuating the school-to-prison pipeline. When young people don’t get the resources they need in school - high quality teachers, small classrooms, up-to-date materials, counselors to help them talk through problems, nurses to help them stay healthy - it increases the chances that they will be pushed out of school and down a path that all too often leads to incarceration. By choosing to invest in prison cells instead of classrooms, Governor Corbett is telling our young people that prison is his vision for their future.  We demand that Governor Corbett and Pennsylvania legislators fix their broken priorities and invest in education, not incarceration. Join us in demanding a brighter future for Pennsylvania’s children. Tweet @GovernorCorbett, @PAHouseDems, @PAHouseGOP, @PASenateDems or @PASenateGOP and tell them to take the funding for unnecessary new prisons out of this year’s budget and reinvest it in education, healthcare & social services. You can also call Governor Corbett at 717-787-2500. For more information on how Governor Corbett’s education cuts have impacted your local school district, visit: www.psea.org/apps/budget/budgetimpact.aspx For more on Decarcerate PA’s campaign for a prison construction moratorium, visit: www.decarceratepa.info 
23rd
June

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Picture This! the Real Cost of Prison Expansion says “Corbett, quit playing games with our tax dollars!” During his time as governor, Corbett has cut millions from education, healthcare, environmental protection, and social services.  At the same time, he is spending $685 million on prison growth, and another $1.8 billion for the annual operating budget of the Department of Corrections.  But that’s not all.  His proposed 2012-2013 budget includes an additional $275 million in tax breaks for corporations through the continued phase-out of the capital stock and franchise tax.  In addition to these tax breaks, Corbett is planning to give Shell Oil, one of the worlds’ wealthiest corporations, a $1.65 billion economic incentive package for them to open a petrochemical plant in Western PA.  The Shell Plant is being built in a tax-free zone and will already not be paying Pennsylvania taxes.  Corbett claims Pennsylvania is broke.  These numbers make it perfectly clear: the only thing “broke” is his priorities.  For more on Decarcerate PA’s demand for a prison moratorium, visit http://www.decarceratepa.info, find us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DecarceratePA and follow us on Twitter @DecarceratePA.  
22nd
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion at the Marian Anderson rec center in Philadelphia. Governor Corbett has taken drastic steps to shrink the state’s budget over the past two years, in large part to demonstrate that he will not raise taxes. But when state support for critical social services evaporates, the funding burden is shifted more heavily onto counties and municipalities, often forcing them to raise taxes locally. After last year’s massive cuts in state funding for basic education, at least 223 school districts statewide are considering tax increases this spring simply to enable their schools to continue operating. At a hearing in Monroeville last week, local school officials told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee about cuts they’ve been forced to make to kindergarten, the arts, key teaching and administrative positions and transportation - even with tax increases boosting their local support.  In many counties across Pennsylvania, the cuts extend to rec centers, libraries, and after school programs as well.   Governor Corbett has not prevented Pennsylvanians’ taxes from going up. He has merely passed the buck. Cities like Philadelphia are forced to raise taxes even as they make tougher and tougher decisions about which necessities to keep and which to cut. At the same time, Corbett has stubbornly pushed ahead with a controversial, tax-payer funded $685 million expansion of the state’s prison system.  Tell Governor Corbett that you want a state that builds our communities, not prisons! For more on Decarcerate PA’s demand for a prison moratorium, visit www.decarceratepa.info, find us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DecarceratePA and follow us on Twitter @DecarceratePA.
21st
June

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Picture This! the Real Cost of Prison Expansion visits the “Faces that Shape Us” mural in South Philly Governor Corbett’s proposed 2012-2013 budget cuts over $300 million from General Assistance and Medical Assistance programs.  These cuts come after 150,000 people, including 88,000 children, were already cut off of medical assistance in Corbett’s first year as governor.  He also proposes consolidating several human services programs into county block grants, resulting in a 20% cut to funding for child welfare programs and programs that serve individuals and families struggling with mental and behavioral health issues, intellectual disabilities, and homelessness.  The bottom line:  Corbett’s budget is bad for the health of Pennsylvania’s children. Today, the governor and key legislators announced that they believe they have reached a budget deal.  Details have not been released, but lawmakers have said that the new budget does not restore the General Assistance funding.  Meanwhile, the budget continues funding the $685 million prison expansion.  The $300 million cut to General Assistance is equal to the cost of about 3000 of the 5,000-plus new prison beds that are currently being built in Pennsylvania. For more on how the cuts to General Assistance will affect Pennsylvanians, see: http://pacaresforall.org/ To learn more about Decarcerate PA’s campaign, visit http://www.decarceratepa.info, find us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DecarceratePA and follow us on Twitter @DecarceratePA.  
20th
June

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Picture This! the Real Cost of Prison Expansion visits the Capitol in Harrisburg. Right now, lawmakers in Harrisburg are working to pass the Pennsylvania budget by the June 30th deadline.  Governor Corbett’s proposed budget cuts $78 million from basic education, $264 million from higher education, $319 million from General Assistance, and millions more from environmental protection, homeowners assistance, and healthcare and mental health services. The proposed budgets coming from the House and the Senate would restore some funding for education, healthcare, and environmental protection, but still fall far short of providing adequate funding for our schools, families and communities to thrive.   And neither the House nor the Senate has challenged the $1.8 billion budget for the Department of Corrections or the $685 million being spent on building new prisons.  Canceling the massive expansion of the prison system would make over $600 million available for the state to spend on education, healthcare and the other vital services that PA really needs.  Contact your legislators and let them know that PA should be building communities, not prisons.  You can find their contact info here: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/index.cfm?CFID=108176974&CFTOKEN=74743908 To learn more about Decarcerate PA’s campaign, visit www.decarceratepa.info, find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/DecarceratePA and follow us on Twitter @DecarceratePA.
19th
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion visits the construction of SCI Benner Township, a new 2,000-bed prison being built in Centre County. Every day until the budget passes, Picture This! is highlighting the real cost of Governor Corbett’s $685 million expansion of Pennsylvania’s prison system. Today, we show where all that money is going.  While Governor Corbett’s 2012-2013 budget continues his attack on funding for education, health care, social services and environmental protection, the Benner Township prison alone costs $200 million to build. Once completed, it will house 2000 people and cost at least $66 million a year to operate. While pushing ahead with this unnecessary new prison construction in Centre County, Governor Corbett has cut almost $5 million from Centre County school districts since 2010. To learn more about Decarcerate PA’s campaign for Pennsylvania to fund communities not prisons, visit www.decarceratepa.info, find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/DecarceratePA and follow us on Twitter @DecarceratePA.
18th
June

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Picture This! the Real Cost of Prison Expansion at Greenwood Furnace State Park Governor Corbett’s proposed budget cuts $2.6 million from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, including a $1.4 million cut to the state parks.  His budget also eliminates $36.1 million in funding for DCNR from the Keystone Recreation, Parks and Conservation Fund, which has helped support the development and rehabilitation of more than 2,600 community parks and natural areas and enabled more than 200 local libraries to expand and renovate their facilities.  Since taking office, Corbett has cut $376.5 million from environmental programs, while at the same time giving massive tax breaks to oil and natural gas companies who are destroying PA’s environment.  For a complete list of these cuts, see http://conservationadvocate.org/state-budget/ Corbett’s budget also continues to fund the $685 million prison expansion plan, which adds 5,000+ beds to Pennsylvania’s prison system.   Corbett’s proposed $2.6 million cut to DCNR is equal to the cost of about 26 new prison beds. To learn more about Decarcerate PA’s campaign for Pennsylvania to fund communities not prisons, visit www.decarceratepa.info, find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/DecarceratePA and follow us on Twitter @DecarceratePA.
17th
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion visits the Nittany Lion at Penn State University. Governor Corbett’s proposed budget for 2012-2013 continues his attack on higher education, slashing $64 million from Penn State’s funding.  Under Corbett’s proposed budget, 14 state universities would see their state funding cut by 20%, and state-related universities - Penn State, Temple, Lincoln and the University of Pittsburgh - would lose 30% of their state support. At the same time, Governor Corbett has continued to push forward with a $685 million expansion of PA’s prison system, which will add more than 5,000 unnecessary new prison beds. Corbett’s proposed $64 million cut to Penn State’s funding is equal to the cost of about 640 new prison beds. For more on the impacts of Governor Corbett’s higher education cuts, see: http://articles.philly.com/2012-02-07/news/31034480_1_state-universities-funding-cuts-state-funding For more on Decarcerate PA’s demand for a prison construction moratorium, visit: www.decarceratepa.info 
16th
June

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Picture This! the Real Cost of Prison Expansion at the Living Independently For Elders Center.    Governor Corbett’s proposed budget cuts $161 million from nursing home care.  These cuts are just one part of Corbett’s $300 million cut to the Medical Assistance budget, which thousands of Pennsylvanians depend on for life-sustaining medical care.  This comes at a time when Pennsylvania has one of the largest and fastest growing populations of older adults in the nation.  Many older Pennsylvanians already have difficulty accessing affordable care, and Corbett’s cuts threaten to make the situation much worse.  However, Corbett’s budget continues to fund the $685 million prison expansion plan, which adds 5,000+ beds to Pennsylvania’s prison system.   Corbett’s proposed $161 million cut to nursing home care is equal to the cost of about 1610 new prison beds. For more on how the budget cuts will affect nursing home care, see http://uppersaucon.patch.com/articles/cuts-to-nursing-home-care-pa-s-plan-to-balance-budget To learn more about Decarcerate PA’s campaign for Pennsylvania to fund communities not prisons, visit www.decarceratepa.info and follow us on Twitter @DecarceratePA.
15th
June

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Picture This! The Real Cost of Prison Expansion asks Governor Corbett, “Where is the love?” Governor Corbett’s proposed 2012-2013 budget would continue his attack on public education, health care, and social services. His budget cuts $78 million from basic education, $264 million from higher education, $319 million from General Assistance, and millions more from environmental protection, homeowners assistance, and healthcare and mental health services.  He claims these drastic cuts will somehow benefit the state. But if Governor Corbett really loved Pennsylvania, he would focus on funding the vital industries and support systems that help Pennsylvanians grow, learn and stay healthy. At the same time, Governor Corbett is moving ahead with a $685 million project to build three new prisons and expand nine existing facilities. Each new prison will contain about 2,000 new beds and cost $200 million to build. For each new prison bed, Pennsylvania taxpayers will pay about $100,000. In all, this expensive construction will add over 5,000 new beds to the prison system at a time when Governor Corbett’s own Department of Corrections Secretary, John Wetzel, acknowledges that thousands of men and women are currently incarcerated in PA beyond their minimum release dates due to programming wait lists and bureaucratic backlogs.  If Governor Corbett cared about Pennsylvanians, he would invest in education, healthcare and other industries that promote a brighter future, not more unnecessary prison beds. Join Decarcerate PA in asking Governor Corbett, “Where is the love?” For more on Decarcerate PA’s campaign, visit: www.decarceratepa.info For more details on the impact Governor Corbett’s proposed budget cuts, visit: http://pennbpc.org/