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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 14, 2013 11:20 AM |
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| From: | Representative Frank Dermody |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | DERMODY- Increase Funding for Senior Programs |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation that would provide more than $120 million in additional state funding for senior programs next fiscal year, without the need to privatize the Pennsylvania Lottery. Under this proposal, state funding for senior programs would be guaranteed to increase in the next fiscal year, 2013-14, by at least the same amount funding increased this year – more than $120 million in 2012-13. This proposal would retain the more than $50 million increase proposed by Gov. Corbett for the Aging Waiver Program for in-home services to seniors, the OPTIONS program for care management, home-delivered meals, protective services and in-home services for seniors, the 52 Area Agencies on Aging and a new Senior Center Modernization program. Additionally, I would direct $70 million to be divided among the following programs according to the proportional share of funding the programs would receive under Gov. Corbett’s proposed 2013-14 budget: PennCARE (which includes the 52 Area Agencies on Aging and full- and part-time senior centers); family caregiver support; Alzheimer’s outreach; grants to senior centers; home and community-based services; property tax and rent rebates; and free transit and reduced-fare shared rides. The additional funding would be used entirely for senior programs and could not be used for administrative expenses for any agency or private contractor, including expenses such as: advertising, vendor transition fees, bonuses, commissions, prizes and general government operations. Additional funding for senior programs is possible because the Lottery Fund currently has a projected $187 million surplus. Gov. Corbett’s proposed 2013-14 budget projects that surplus to grow to $200 million at the end of the next fiscal year. This proposal would maintain a sizeable surplus for the lottery, while also keeping $50 million in the Lottery Fund’s reserve. |
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