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Temple University Center on Regional Politicswww.temple.edu/corpCenter on Regional Politics

A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

As Southeastern Pennsylvania’s largest publicly supported university, Temple has established a Center on Regional Politics to provide elected officials and other public and private sector leaders with a forum to seek consensus on policies to improve the quality of life and economic opportunities for residents of our five-county region (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadel-phia).

Our mission is to provide neutral ground and intellectual resources to encourage and support interactions among leaders throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, with the goal of developing evidence-based policies that respond to the region’s needs and promote its broad civic and economic interests.

Our focus will be on the politics of public policy, or iden-tifying the most promising practical strategies to achieve optimal policy results. The center will not lobby for specific measures but will help the region’s leaders assess options and recommendations for addressing challenging issues.

Our most important assets in pursuing these goals are more than 90 elected officials, public sector executives, and business, labor, and civic, and non-profit leaders who have joined our Board of Fellows. Their advice and input and the guidance of the center’s Executive Committee will shape our agenda and be vital to our success. We thank these leaders for their interest in this project and the William Penn Foundation and Temple for their finan-cial support.

Joseph P. McLaughlin, Jr., PhDDirector, Center on Regional Politics (CORP)

PUBLIC PENSIONS, TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, AND ENERGY TOP CORP’s

INITIAL AGENDA

Temple’s new Center on Regional Politics will focus on steps to improve the economic competitiveness of South-eastern Pennsylvania in three broad areas: addressing public pension liabilities, funding transportation infrastruc-ture, and responding to opportunities to lower energy costs and participate in the growth associated with the production of shale gas in the state’s northern and western counties. These were the priorities decided by the center’s Executive Committee at its first meeting May 30.

Public Employee Pensions

Executive Committee members felt that the public does not have a good understanding of the degree to which public employee pensions are straining the ability of the state, county and municipal governments, and school dis-tricts to maintain, let alone improve, basic services.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Chester/Dela-ware), who are co-chairs of the center’s Committee on Fiscal Policy and Governance, will have lead responsibility for overseeing the center’s efforts to identify options for addressing unfunded pension liabilities and for improving public understanding of the scope and magnitude of the problem.

Given the significant impact that public pension liabilities are having on governments in the region, the Committee on Economic Development, co-chaired by State Represen-tative Michael Gerber (D-Montgomery) and Rob Won-derling, president of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and the Committee on Urban Affairs, co-

Center On Regional Politics

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Bulletin | Volume 1, Number1| Fall 2012

chaired by State Senator Anthony Williams (D-Delaware/Philadelphia) and State Representative Chris Ross (R-Ches-ter), will share oversight on this issue.

Transportation Funding

CORP’s Executive Committee also endorsed exploring options, both regional and statewide, to achieve sustain-able funding for improving and maintaining transportation infrastructure in the region, including not just highways, bridges, and transit, but ports and the region’s airports. Senator John Rafferty, chairman of the Senate Transporta-tion Committee, and Feather O. Houstoun, former chief financial officer of SEPTA, will have lead responsibility for the center’s work on this assignment.

In August 2011, Governor Corbett’s Transportation Fund-ing Advisory Committee (TFAC) issued a report that quantified Pennsylvania’s transportation needs at approxi-mately $3.5 billion. The report suggested that this amount will increase to $7.2 billion in ten years if no action is taken and offered specific actions to find $2.5 billion in recurring annual revenue for transportation.

In developing the recommended funding package, TFAC was directed to not consider the following options: rais-ing the flat gas tax at the pump, leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike or changing the ownership structure of the Penn-sylvania Turnpike, assuming additional non-state-controlled resources, or changes in federal assistance or federal law.

Specific recommendations included raising the driver’s license and vehicle registration fees, adopting biennial registrations and eight year driver’s licenses instead of the current four years, and removing the cap from the Oil Company Franchise Tax. The commission also recom-mended providing local governments with options to raise revenues to support transportation needs and passing public-private partnership legislation. (Both the House and Senate have since passed differing versions of Senate Bill 344, sponsored by Senator Rafferty.)

Energy

Lead responsibility for the center’s energy agenda will be shared by the Committee on Energy and Environment, co-chaired by Josh Shapiro, chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners, and Nicholas DeBenedicitis, chairman and CEO of Aqua America, and by the Committee on Economic Development, co-chaired by Gerber and Won-derling. Estimates of the amount of natural gas contained within Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale formation vary widely, but there is no doubt this industry is creating thousands of

new jobs concentrated largely in the counties where drill-ing is occurring. The question remains as to how South-eastern Pennsylvania can respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by this very promising industry while also addressing significant environmental concerns.

One result of the dramatic steps taken by public and pri-vate sector leaders to save the Delaware River refineries from abandonment and thousands of jobs from being lost is that the region’s port may become a significant exporter of natural gas. The refinery story is also significant because it required a remarkable effort by federal, state, and local officials working across party and city-suburban lines with business and labor leaders to avert a disaster that seemed at the outset inevitable. CORP has a case study in prog-ress to document an achievement that may hold lessons for addressing other regional challenges.

Pennsylvania produced natural gas also has the potential to help reduce energy costs in the region through increased use by businesses and governments for facilities and vehicles. The center will also work with organizations like the US Department of Energy’s ground-breaking Energy Efficient Buildings Initiative at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, which is developing innovative technologies for retrofit-ting commercial and residential buildings and fostering the development of policy and market incentives to support the emergence of a new retrofit economy.

Other Initiatives

The center also will explore ways to raise the quality of the region’s workforce, support the city and suburban hospitality industries, and reduce local government costs. The Education and Workforce Development Committee, co-chaired by Rob Loughery, chair of the Bucks County Commissioners, and Patricia Coulter, president of the Urban League, will support the public pension initiative insofar as it affects school district finances and will focus on efforts to connect workers to jobs and to prepare the workforce for opportunities presented by changes in the state and regional economies.

In the wake of the US Supreme Court ruling upholding Presidential Obama’s health care plan and the legislature’s authorization of demonstration block grants in 20 counties, the center will revisit an agenda for the Health and Human Services Committee co-chaired by Senator Vincent Hughes, minority chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Daniel J. Hilferty, president and CEO of Independence Blue Cross. The block grant demonstration projects have been approved in Bucks, Chester and Delaware Counties.

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Bulletin | Volume 1, Number 1| Fall 2012

Center on Regional Politics Executive Committee (Co-Chairs)

Economic Development The Honorable Michael F. Gerber, Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesRob Wonderling, President & CEO, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce

Education and Workforce Development The Honorable Robert G. Loughery, Chair, Bucks County CommissionersPatricia A. Coulter, President and CEO, Urban League of Philadelphia

Energy, Environment and Land Use The Honorable Josh Shapiro, Chair, Montgomery County CommissionersNicholas DeBenedictis, Chair and CEO, Aqua America, Inc.

Fiscal Policy and Governance The Honorable Michael A. Nutter, Mayor, City of PhiladelphiaThe Honorable Dominic Pileggi, Majority Leader, Senate of Pennsylvania

Health and Human Services The Honorable Vincent J. Hughes, Member, Senate of PennsylvaniaDaniel J. Hilferty, President and CEO, Independence Blue Cross

Transportation The Honorable John C. Rafferty, Jr., Member, Senate of PennsylvaniaFeather Houstoun, former CFO, SEPTA

Urban AffairsThe Honorable Anthony H. Williams, Member, Senate of PennsylvaniaThe Honorable Chris Ross, Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives

At-Large MembersThe Honorable Chaka Fattah, Member, U.S. House of RepresentativesThe Honorable James W. Gerlach, Member, U.S. House of Representatives

Center on Regional Politics Board of Fellows

Federal ElectedThe Honorable Chaka Fattah Member, U.S. House of RepresentativesThe Honorable James W. Gerlach Member, U.S. House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Patrick Meehan Member, U.S. House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Allyson Y. Schwartz Member, U.S. House of Representatives

State Elected The Honorable Jim Cawley Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate The Honorable Robert M. McCord Treasurer, State of Pennsylvania



Center on Regional Politics Board of Fellows (continued)

State AdministrationCarol Aichele Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and former Chair, Chester County CommissionersAdam Gattuso Director SE Region, Governor Corbett

Pennsylvania General AssemblyThe Honorable Andrew E. Dinniman Member, Pennsylvania Senate The Honorable Edwin “Ted” B. Erickson Member, Pennsylvania Senate The Honorable Vincent J. Hughes Member, Pennsylvania Senate The Honorable Shirley M. Kitchen Member, Pennsylvania SenateThe Honorable Daylin Leach Member, Pennsylvania SenateThe Honorable Dominic Pileggi Member, Pennsylvania SenateThe Honorable John C. Rafferty, Jr. Member, Pennsylvania Senate The Honorable Michael J. Stack III Member, Pennsylvania Senate The Honorable Christine M. Tartaglione Member, Pennsylvania SenateThe Honorable Robert M. Tomlinson Member, Pennsylvania SenateThe Honorable LeAnna M. Washington Member, Pennsylvania Senate The Honorable Anthony H. Williams Member, Pennsylvania SenateThe Honorable William F. Adolph, Jr. Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable Brendan F. Boyle Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Kevin J. Boyle Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Timothy P. Briggs Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Gene DiGirolamo Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Dwight Evans Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable Michael F. Gerber Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable Robert W. Godshall Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Kate Harper Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Tim Hennessey Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Babette Josephs Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable William F. Keller Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable Thomas H. Killion Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Michael H. O’Brien Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Cherelle L. Parker Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Tony J. Payton, Jr. Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Marguerite C. Quinn Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable James R. Roebuck, Jr. Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Chris Ross Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable Steven J. Santarsiero Member, Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Honorable John J. Taylor Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable W. Curtis Thomas Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Local Elected OfficialsThe Honorable Kathi Cazzone Vice Chairwoman, Chester CountyThe Honorable Mario Civera, Jr. Vice Chair, Delaware CountyThe Honorable Darrell L. Clarke President, Philadelphia City CouncilThe Honorable Ryan Costello Commissioner, Chester County




The Honorable Robert G. Loughery Chairman, Bucks CountyThe Honorable Tom McGarrigle Chairman, Delaware CountyThe Honorable Michael A. Nutter Mayor, City of PhiladelphiaThe Honorable Brian J. O’Neill Minority Leader, Philadelphia City CouncilThe Honorable Josh Shapiro Chairman, Montgomery County

Community/Civic/GovernmentalLaurie Actman Deputy Director for Management and Admin., EEB HubGeorge Burrell Attorney, Kleinbard, Bell, and BreckerJoseph M. Casey General Manager, SEPTAPatricia A. Coulter President and CEP, Urban League of PhiladelphiaPaul R. Decker President, Valley Forge Convention & Visitors BureauJack P. Ferguson President and CEO, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors BureauJohn Grady President, Philadelphia Industrial Development CorporationFeather Houstoun Former President, The William Penn Foundation; Former CFO, SEPTADebra Kahn Executive Director, Delaware Valley GrantmakersTom Kaiden President, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Patrick Killian Director, Delaware County Commerce CenterMeryl Levitz Executive Director, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp.Paul Levy Executive Director, Center City DistrictNeil I. Goldfarb Executive Director, Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health Robert F. Powelson Chairman, Pennsylvania Public Utility CommissionSharmain W. Matlock-Turner President, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs CoalitionBarry Seymour Executive Director, Delaware Valley Regional Planning CommissionSteven T. Wray Executive Director, The Economy League of Greater PhiladelphiaAhmeenah Young President, The Pennsylvania Convention Center Business/LaborEmily L. Bittenbender Managing Partner, Bittenbender Construction, LP Steven Scott Bradley Chair, African American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ, and DENick DeBenedictis Chair and CEO, Aqua America, Inc.Patrick J. Eiding President of Philadelphia Council AFL-CIOVarsovia Fernandez President and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of CommercePatrick B. Gillespie Business Manager, PBCTC, AFL-CIODaniel J. Hilferty President and CEO, Independence Blue CrossThomas G. Morr President and CEO, Select Greater PhiladelphiaStephen S. Tang President and CEO, The Science Center Anthony Wigglesworth Associate Director, Phila. Area Labor-Management Committee Robert C. Wonderling President and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce




AcademiaCarolyn T. Adams Director, Metro. Phila. Indicators Project, Temple UniversityRichardson Dilworth Director, Center for Public Policy, Drexel University Jeffrey Featherstone Department of Regional and Community Planning, Temple UniversityKenneth E. Lawrence, Jr. Senior Vice President, Government, Community, and Public Affairs, Temple UniversityJ. Wesley Leckrone Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Widener University Joseph R. Marbach Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, LaSalle UniversityRandall Miller Professor, Department of History, Saint Joseph’s University Megan Mullin Associate Professor, Dept. of Political Science, Temple UniversityWilliam J. Stull Professor, Department of Economics, Temple University David B. Thornburgh Executive Director, Fels Institute, University of PennsylvaniaF. Carl Walton Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Lincoln University Craig Wheeland Associate Vice President and Professor, Villanova University

Center on Regional Politics- Staff

Joseph P. McLaughlin, Jr. - DirectorKelly D. Colvin- Associate DirectorMichelle J. Atherton- Senior Policy Writer and Publications EditorNathan R. Shrader- Graduate AssistantCharlene M. Wiltshire- Business ManagerLangston Swygert-Huzzy- Senior Administrative Specialist

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Symposium | January 11, 2013Building a Stronger Regional Economy

How Pension Funding Challenges and Energy Development Opportunities Will Affect Our Future

Penn’s Landing Hyatt - 201 S. Columbus BoulevardPhiladelphia, PA



The Metropolitan Philadelphia Indicators Project (MPIP)mpip.temple.edu

MPIP promotes regional thinking about our most important challenges by illuminating conditions and trends in the nine county region (defined as the central cities of Philadelphia and Camden along with the Pennsylvania counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery, and the New Jersey counties of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem). To promote regional thinking, MPIP maintains and updates a set of social, economic, and environmental indicators that portray the quality of life in the region’s communities, offering analyses of these indicators in occasional web reports and an annual report.

Resources and Programs Available through the Center on Regional Politics

The Institute for Survey Research (ISR)www.temple.edu/isr

Founded in 1967, ISR is one of the oldest and most prestigious academic survey research centers in the U.S., with more than 40 years of experience conducting national, state, and local surveys, statistical research, focus group research, needs assessments, and program evaluations. Its clients have included the federal government, foundations, and other national universities. ISR is one of only three academic survey research centers in the U.S. with the historical experience of implementing national computer-assisted in-person surveys. The institute collaborates with faculty and other researchers around the country on surveys and evaluations across a broad range of fields, topics and populations.

The Pennsylvania Policy Database Projectwww.temple.edu/papolicy

The Pennsylvania Policy Database Project is a free, online resource that provides access to more than 160,000 state and news media records and enables users to trace and analyze with a few mouse clicks the history of public policy in the Commonwealth since 1979. Designed for easy use by educators, students, researchers, policy makers, news reporters, and the general public, it is the first comprehensive state policy database of its kind. Staff of the project are available for training upon request.

The Pennsylvania Capital Semester and Internship Placementwww.temple.edu/ipa/opportunities/CapitalSemester.shtml

The Institute for Public Affairs, the umbrella organization of the Center on Regional Politics, sponsors an internship semester each fall in Harrisburg in association with Temple’s Harrisburg campus. Students have the opportunity to explore government affairs, policymaking and implementation first-hand while being full-time students and staying on track to graduation. The program is open to students from schools other than Temple University.

The Center on Regional Politics is also a point of contact for public officials, civic organizations, and non-profits looking to fill undergraduate and graduate student internship positions.

The Temple Papers on the Pennsylvania General Assemblywww.temple.edu/ipa/papers

The papers are a five volume exploration of the Assembly’s history, achievements, and evolving constitutional ground rules. They also survey changes in legislative structure and practice under discussion by experts, critics, and legislators themselves in Pennsylvania and across the nation as possible remedies to public discontent about governance in America. They are available in print by request, or on the Institute for Public Affairs’ website at www.temple.edu/ipa.

Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC)www.csc.temple.edu/

Headquartered on Temple’s Ambler Campus in Mont-gomery County, CSC develops and promotes new ap-proaches to protect and preserve quality of life through sustainable development.

The center acts a resource for government agencies, community organizations, and developers, providing objective information and services to improve decision-making relative to land use and water resources planning and development.

The Center on Regional Politics (CORP) is located in Temple’s Institute for Public Affairs and is associated with other Temple centers and projects that conduct policy-related research, a number of which are listed below. These resources can be accessed through CORP or directly through their websites.

Center on Regional Politics1114 W. Polett Walk (022-02)840 Anderson HallPhiladelphia, PA 19122-6090215-204-1600

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Center on Regional Politics

Symposium | January 11, 2013Building a Stronger Regional Economy

How Pension Funding Challenges and Energy Development Opportunities Will Affect Our Future

Penn’s Landing Hyatt - 201 S. Columbus BoulevardPhiladelphia, PA

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