Doing Whats Right: Amayas Story: Haywood Family Series

Until a revenue package is agreed on by the House, Senate and Governor Wolf, the millions slated to go to these schools will not be approved. Tuition is already set and in many cases, paid for the academic year. If these schools are required to borrow or find money otherwise to make up for the funding they usually receive from the state, it is the students next year who will have to pay the difference. Pennsylvania residents already have the second-highest level of student debt in the country. By not addressing the revenue package, the House stands to add to the financial burden.

A few weeks ago, I joined colleagues in the Senate, as well as several Philadelphia-area State Representatives, at Temple University to bring attention to the impending funding crisis. The young people in our colleges and universities today represent the Pennsylvania of tomorrow. They have worked hard their entire academic careers to gain admission into schools like Pitt, Temple, Penn State and Lincoln.

Additionally, Democratic members of the House have discussed including raising the minimum wage as a component of the deal they reach. I am encouraged by this and will hold a press conference next Thursday, 17 August to urge legislators to incorporate raising the minimum wage into the final deal. We need to pull Pennsylvanians out of poverty pay. The Senate voted yesterday on a revenue package, one month into the fiscal year, to balance the Pennsylvania budget.

Senate leadership came together to reach an agreement. While I ultimately voted no, I do recognize the complexity involved in reaching a difficult compromise and thank my colleagues for their efforts. The House has yet to do the same. Like with all compromises, there are pros and cons to what was passed. We have been fighting for a tax on shale for more than a decade and won. It also imposed teacher layoff provisions that ignore seniority that I oppose.

I am not opposed to raising taxes when appropriate. Like with all things in life, if you want something, you should be prepared to pay for it. This plan would not increase sales or income taxes. However, the Senate did approve taxes on natural gas, electricity and telephone usage. When we raise taxes on everyday people without paying them a reasonable wage, we must consider the impact on their wallets. There are more than one million Pennsylvanians in low-wage and poverty pay jobs. Without raising the minimum wage, we continue to make it difficult for so many hard-working moms and dads to make ends meet for their families.

The legislature has consistently taken steps to ease the burden for businesses. Until they vote, Pennsylvania is still in limbo. Two weeks after the deadline for adopting a budget, the GOP-controlled legislature has failed. Much like interest paid on credit cards, this money is not going toward anything useful.

Part of the solution of the GOP controlled legislature is to borrow over a billion dollars. This is a mistake that could be avoided. The commonwealth continues to depend on the average, hard-working Pennsylvanian to contribute too much of their income to pay for too much of the services and resources we all make use of. For too many years, Harrisburg has been led by a fiscally reckless majority. Raiding reserves and rainy day funds, and other questionable accounting gimmicks, will not work. The spending portion of the budget that was passed on 30 June includes the below:. Funding will remain even for many programs, including grants given to private colleges, transportation for public education, adult probation, childcare, libraries and public higher education.

The agency consolidation advocated for by Governor Wolf will only combine the Department of Health and Department of Human Services into one. Our state lags in job creation because consumer spending is constrained by low wages. Expanding gambling further takes money away from these same hard-working Pennsylvanians to pay for the obligations of all residents. While the Senate has temporarily avoided a complete wreck, this is not the best route for the commonwealth and the Senate still needs to determine where the money to pay for the above will come from.

In the last days of session before Summer recess, the following legislation passed:.

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Senate will be back in session on Wednesday, 5 July to discuss the final revenue proposal to pay for the expenses authorized by the bill we just passed. Last week I received a letter from the department heads of Human Services, Aging, Health, and Drug and Alcohol regarding proposed cuts to services for families and communities. I also received a letter from the State Treasurer and Auditor General regarding extensive borrowing that has been necessary to make ends meet. Both letters were shocking due to the extent of the damage that could result if these actions continue to move forward.

These cuts mean that 1, people will be without access to treatment for substance abuse. Thus, people will lose essential services so that they may stay in their communities. This too would preserve the care that many Pennsylvanians rely on and reduce the extensive borrowing. Either of these tax increases offer a commonsense alternative to the expansion of gambling and the disastrous cuts that have been proposed.

I hope you will join me in supporting these necessary steps for the sake of our communities. Last week, the Senate voted to expand gambling in Pennsylvania. Fantasy sports contests, interactive gaming kiosks in airports, online gambling and iLottery would be authorized and taxed. The legislation still needs to pass in the House and receive approval from Governor Wolf, but we should remain cautious. As of now, the expansion of gambling is the likely source. This poses an issue for several reasons. Frequently, those who can least afford to gamble are those that do.

Rather than requiring high-earners and corporations to pay their fair share as they would with the Fair Share Tax Plan , the expansion of gambling would continue to rely on average, hard-working Pennsylvanians to pay more toward funding state government services.

Projected taxes from gambling are often inflated. Additionally, older Pennsylvanians may suffer. The Pennsylvania State Lottery makes many valuable programs for seniors possible. Though more revenue is expected with the implementation of the iLottery, it is only logical to assume the dollars that have historically gone to the Lottery will be siphoned away with expanded gambling options. With less than 30 days to go until the budget deadline, we are still headed in the wrong direction. First, their budget does not address the low pay of hard-working Pennsylvanians, alongside the disappearance of good paying jobs.

These individuals must choose between paying rent, putting food on the table or buying necessary medication. No hard-working person should have to make these choices because of low pay. Three out of five small business owners support raising the minimum wage. It makes basic economic sense.

The American economy is a consumer economy. The more consumers buy, the more businesses sell. The more you pay people who are in need, the more they can buy. Those who gamble are generally least able to afford it, and yet they are expected to do more to help cover the state budget gap. Plus, the House GOP continues to offer breaks to those industries and individuals who can actually afford to pay.

What does that mean? We need to turn around. Senator Vince Hughes and I have proposed a Fair Share tax, which would cut taxes for most Pennsylvanians and raise them for the wealthiest.

Under the Fair Share Tax plan, the rate on certain categories of income would be raised, while the rate on wages and interest would be reduced. The House GOP budget is taking us toward a dead end. A final budget will need to be approved before 30 June. The current iteration will likely be addressed in the Senate soon.

I will continue to provide biweekly Budget eBlasts, and encourage you to follow me on Facebook and Twitter for more frequent updates. Last week, Governor Wolf allowed the latest Republican budget to pass without his signature. Governor Wolf made the decision to let the budget pass so that our schools do not face the threat of another shutdown this year; however, the Governor has made it clear that the math in this budget does not add up.

Spending in the latest Republican budget simply does not match revenue. House Republican leadership spent nine months trying to avoid raising state taxes, and they succeeded. State taxes will not go up this year. What does that mean for everyday Pennsylvanians? Local taxes will go up as they have in the past in order to support basic programs — including schools — that are not receiving adequate state support.

Where do we go from here? We must increase citizen advocacy for a sustainable reinvestment in Pennsylvania in the budget and thereafter. Organized citizens must come together to demand we build a 21st Century Pennsylvania. While a responsible budget will come at a cost, the burden on everyday people should be minimized and good corporate citizenship must be encouraged.

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I am in the process of reviewing fair taxation proposals that would fit this set of principles. This is the last Budget Watch for the budget. Updates on the budget will resume later this year. At the meeting, I will answer questions on the state budget and provide suggestions for citizen advocacy. I also encourage you to begin using the Citizen Advocacy Hub that can be found on my website.

This new feature allows you to easily contact your state legislators by phone and email about issues such as school funding and raising the minimum wage. Tools such as these can increase our effectiveness as citizen advocates this year. We have schools, universities and agricultural programs in desperate need of state funding, but what Republicans handed us was a spend-only bill that does not match our available funds. With that kind of deficit, we would be forced to make additional cuts to education in the months ahead.

Funding education is one of my highest priorities and we must make the necessary investment in these pathways to opportunity across the state; but, you cannot make a sustainable investment with money you do not have. That is why I have sponsored revenue-generating legislation — including a shale severance tax — to fund education.

I encourage Governor Wolf to keep schools open by the means available to him for as long as he can. However, I do not live in a fantasy world where we can invest in education with invisible money. A budget with sustainable revenue for our schools is the best path forward. This week, Raise the Wage PA has organized a Week of Action to tell these legislators to stop blocking dignified wages. I encourage you to find an event and contact community organizers listed in your area so that your voice is heard.

Turn your participation into power. Today, Governor Wolf used his power to raise the minimum wage for state government employees and contractors through an executive order. This action ensures state employees and contractors no longer receive poverty paychecks for their hard work.

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Unfortunately, employees who do not work for our government remain stuck with poverty pay because a few Republican senators refuse to vote on this issue. We have thousands of seniors stuck in low-pay jobs facing the same choice. They are stuck with wages that deny their dignity. A majority of the Senate agrees that we must raise the minimum wage. We are blocked by a few members of Republican leadership that are getting in the way of a raise for over one million hardworking Pennsylvanians. It is time that they free the pay we deserve and allow Pennsylvanians their dignity. Today I call on all citizens to contact their legislators to demand a vote to raise the minimum wage.

I encourage you to watch all of the budget hearings online. Senators not on the Appropriations Committee are invited to join the committee for hearings in areas of individual expertise. Because we remain with only a partial budget for this year, these hearings that are meant to focus on the budget will likely also involve questioning on the budget. I encourage you to watch the budget hearings as they take place this year. You can watch the hearings through a livestream online.

Here is the schedule for budget hearings this week:. Last Tuesday, Governor Wolf fulfilled his duty to Pennsylvanians by delivering his budget message for The budget address is an annual requirement for each governor, but the message this year was unusual. Agreed upon increases in education, human services and job creation are missing.

In his address last week, the Governor made it plain that we are headed toward financial disaster at the same time as we are abandoning our children. Spending that is obligatory — on prisons, troopers, nursing homes, and federal matching programs — could not be cut. On the other hand, our state government is already shrinking according to a report from the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center. Last year, we had fewer employees than in Instead of cutting critical services further, we could make ends meet with an income tax increase from 3. The return on this investment is a financially stable commonwealth.

As I have said repeatedly, it is time to invest in each other — not turn our backs on our future. Although it is a new year, the fight for everyday Pennsylvanians has not changed. They continue to put the interests of shale drilling companies ahead of everyday people and refuse to tax shale extraction. It is time that those who stand in the way of the rights of hardworking Pennsylvanians move over and allow school funding, a raise in the minimum wage and property tax cuts for seniors. Unfortunately, there is little positive news to report regarding the completion of the state budget.

There is a supplemental appropriations bill to pay Department of Corrections expenses now under consideration. Additionally, legislation that contains supplemental appropriations for schools, agriculture and other items vetoed by Governor Tom Wolf are also subject of discussion. However, returning to the budget framework looks unlikely at this time. What you may not know about Commonwealth finances is that significant corporate tax breaks have dramatically reduced revenue for the state. Over the past several years the repeal of the Capital Stock and Franchise tax has cut corporate tax revenue significantly.

If these breaks were not put into place, investments in education, job creation and restoration of human services funds would be possible. Pennsylvania like a few other states cut corporate revenue without a plan for covering expenses. Presenting a spending plan with the expanding revenue gap and no new taxes can only be achieved with gimmicks.

No governor has faced this kind of dilemma in modern Pennsylvania history. I continue to support Governor Wolf in the mission to fund the schools, restore human services cuts, invest in job creation and find the revenue to move the state forward. Without a full state budget, my office did not have the technology to send out Budget Watch updates for the past three weeks. Funding for school districts and corrections are less than half of what is needed. Investments in job creation and human services are woefully inadequate.

In order to get to a responsible budget for this year, we are challenged by a combination of House GOP math, the upcoming elections and a committed Governor. First, House GOP math produced what they call a balanced budget. Obviously, these two numbers are not equal. Legislators fear losing elections.

Raising taxes is a threat to re-election. The primary elections are on April 26, Third, the Governor does not accept irresponsible GOP math. In addition, the Governor is not willing to allow the state to continue to go backward without necessary re-investments in schools, jobs and human services. Therein lies the gridlock.

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At the same time, in two weeks the budget for will be presented by the Governor. The budget should be resolved before the budget negotiations begin. Citizens must raise their voices for a responsible budget in order to break the gridlock. The GOP budget would continue to underfund education, job creation initiatives, and human services to protect the most vulnerable.

On the other hand, he recognized the need for emergency funding for school districts, corrections, state universities, troopers and courts, among other activities of state government. Schools districts and corrections received only six months of funding, however.

Governor Wolf approved and vetoed parts of the GOP budget. He then urged the House and Senate to return to session to finish a responsible spending plan. GOP House leaders continue to block all change. House Republicans also fail to fully pay for government services to the commonwealth. I fear they are taking the Enron approach to money and shifting obligations off the balance sheet to create the appearance of a balanced budget.

They are so afraid of voting for modest sales or income tax increases that they will jeopardize the present and future of our commonwealth. Governor Wolf has asked the citizens of Pennsylvania to contact their legislators to urge them to pass a responsible budget. I ask the same. We will shortly find out if the governor vetoes this plan again. I know that people are frustrated with this process. Many legislators refuse to raise sales and income taxes to pay for 21st century schools.

For them, keeping state taxes low for businesses and individuals is a top priority. No legislator wants to raise taxes. I want our children to have the best education. A tax vote is necessary if we are to pay for schools, state troopers, parks, prisons, roads and bridges, nursing homes, and more that the public relies upon and helps our quality of life. Furthermore, as the state fails to pay its share for schools and imposes costs on schools, local school districts are forced to raise property taxes.

They have and they will continue to do so. Keeping state taxes low drives up property taxes. We begin budget negotiations in February. Now is the time to recommit to the long-term fight for investments in our future with accountability. Reports are indicating that Pennsylvania may be experiencing the worst budget impasse in over fifty years. It is now mid-December with no final budget agreement. Last week, we learned that some Republican members of the House had broken away from the budget framework agreed to by Republican leadership and Governor Wolf.

While the Senate passed budget legislation based on this framework last week, House Republican leadership has been holding closed-door meetings focused on a separate budget plan. Although there are reports of some progress in bringing House Republicans towards the budget framework passed by the Senate, the current status of our state budget remains without resolution.

As we near the end of the year, additional social service organizations and schools are facing the threat of closure due to lack of state funding. Some school districts say they may be unable to open their doors after the winter holidays if there is no budget in the new year. This week is critical for holding on to the budget framework that was agreed upon by state leadership. The Senate is voting on the budget compromise this week, beginning with spending and pensions that passed in the Senate today. I voted for the spending compromise, which includes historic funding restorations to education and renewed support for higher education, human services and job creation investments.

I voted against the pension plan, which would increase risk for employee retirement too much. Budget compromise votes will continue throughout the week in the Senate. This budget compromise, like all budgets, will include some wins and some losses for our district. Unfortunately, as the Senate begins voting on the budget, the House Republican caucus now appears split on supporting the compromise. Reports indicate that, at this late date, some Republican House members are crafting their own budget proposal that would provide less funding to schools, in exchange for no changes to liquor or pensions.

It is unclear how many House Republicans may support this alternate plan, but it is not supported by the Governor or by the Senate. The path forward for the commonwealth is approval of the budget compromise by the House. Then we can conclude what was due in June: Retrieved April 27, Retrieved May 4, Retrieved May 11, Retrieved May 18, Retrieved May 25, Broadcast Top 25 and network rankings".

Tv by the Numbers. Retrieved September 27, Retrieved October 4, Retrieved October 11, Retrieved October 18, Retrieved March 28, Retrieved April 5, Retrieved October 19, Retrieved October 27, Retrieved November 23, Retrieved December 1, Retrieved December 21, Retrieved December 28, Retrieved January 3, Retrieved May 22, Lucious Cookie Andre Jamal Hakeem. Retrieved from " https: Views Read Edit View history. This page was last edited on 18 October , at By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Following the events of "Past is Prologue", Hakeem leaves the altar, and a rooftop fight between Anika and Rhonda leads to Rhonda crashing down to a car, killing her. Anika gives birth to a girl named Bella Lyon, while Hakeem heads drunk to Tiana's house. Lucious uses Empire's new music-streaming service, Empire-X-Stream to pursue his music legacy and clashes with Tariq, who leads a federal task force to investigate him.

Cookie is willing to focus on anything besides Lucious. Andre starts having hallucinations of Rhonda. Lucious invites Tariq to a tense dinner with the Lyons. Jamal partners with Councilman Angelo Dubois to host a summit for gun violence awareness; Lucious tries to win over Cookie; Hakeem and Nessa start to record new songs together; Anika finds Tariq's hidden camera; Andre is racially profiled by the Police.

Cookie asks superstar Kitty Mariah Carey to record a new song with Jamal, hoping to help him regain his ability to perform. Andre is falsely accused of more serious charges during the trial for his arrest. Hakeem and Gram vie for Tiana's attention, calling each other out in Diss tracks. Lucious plans to regain full control of Empire after releasing the Black half of Jamal's album and Cookie retaliates by declaring war on Lucious. Andre is confronted by Tariq, who wants him to turn on his father in exchange for having the charges dropped.

Just as Cookie inches closer to Angelo, Lucious starts seeing him as a threat. Jamal returns to see Freda Gatz, who has been brutally beaten in jail, and Shyne and Andre physically fight after the latter informs Nessa that Shyne is exploiting her. Lucious forces Shyne to sign her deal. Andre starts to have feelings for Nessa and they make love as Rhonda appears and encourages Andre. Jamal teams up with Hakeem for a performance that he thinks could help him face his fears; Cookie is caught off guard during a routine meeting with her probation officer.

Lucious informs Hakeem of Andre's developing romance to boost the music-streaming subscriptions on Empire-X-Stream. When Empire is hacked, the leak creates feuds between artists and among the Lyon family; Andre tries to prove his worth to the company; Lucious is determined to divide Cookie and Angelo; Jamal is caught in a love triangle. Cookie tries to set up the perfect family dinner to impress Angelo's mother, Diana; Jamal's use of old home videos chronicling Cookie's childhood cause her to face the truth about her father; Andre plans an unlikely duet.

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Cookie organizes a free park concert to strengthen Angelo's mass appeal as he works to win the mayoral bid. Meanwhile, Empire's assets are frozen by the FBI, forcing Lucious to ally with Shyne, unaware of his ulterior motives. Lucious announces a new album, "Inferno. Jamal bonds with a fellow musician in rehab, Tory Ash, and the two slip out to record a new song. Andre and Shyne's plan to kill Lucious hits a snag when Nessa and Tiana start feuding. Lucious must deal with the increasing tension between Leah, Cookie, and Anika, which is compounded further when evidence surfaces suggesting that Tariq is planning to turn the latter into an informant.

Andre and Shine meet with a Las Vegas club promoter to discuss doing business with Empire, but his abused girlfriend Giuliana kills him and reveals herself to be the real contact. Jamal informs D-Major that he will never be comfortable so long as he remains in the closet and Cookie struggles between her loyalty to Lucious and her chance to start fresh with Angelo. Hakeem is annoyed to find that, despite his 21st birthday approaching, the rest of the family is too busy to celebrate.

D-Major comes out of the closet in order to pursue a relationship with Jamal, only to find him sleeping with Philip.

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Anika contacts Lucious and returns home and he and Cookie threaten to let Leah kill her unless she turns on Tariq. At Hakeem's party, a new "friend" attacks a member of Tiana's entourage and Andre retaliates by stripping Hakeem of his XStream channel. Jamal warns Hakeem that he will never be taken seriously as an adult unless he starts behaving responsibly and Hakeem decides to spend the rest of the night with Bella. Lucious' condition worsens and Thirsty arranges for in-house treatment.

Jamal pushes ahead with a new single exploring the relationship between his parents, causing Cookie to reflect on the sacrifices she made for Lucious. Andre, Giuliana, and Shine seek a license for Empire's Vegas operation and Anika asks Cookie to raise Bella should something happen to her. A lawsuit is filed against Hakeem over the club incident and he rails against Thirsty's sleazy approach to fighting it. With Jamal's help, he makes a public apology.

Andre calls a board meeting to get the Vegas expansion approved. Lucious tries to fire him for "insubordination," but everyone, including Cookie, supports the idea. Angelo wins his primary and Lucious, bitter from defeat, performs "You're So Beautiful" at the victory party. It is subsequently revealed that he has a past with Giuliana.

Cookie catches Lucious playing a song he wrote for Giuliana during their affair and reveals that Angelo intends to propose to her. Giuliana and Andre prepare to meet with Vegas gaming commissioner Charlotte Frost to obtain their license. Anika's wiretap enables the Lyons to inform the FBI of Tariq's illegal investigation, but Lucious gives him a bag of money before he goes into hiding.