For Immediate Release: June 2, 2017
Contact: Krysta Curl, krysta.curl@movementcomms.com or 202-568-0726.
MEDIA ADVISORY: Healthcare Professionals Come to Harrisburg to Demand a Budget That Puts People First
HARRISBURG – As budget negotiations ramp up, a diverse coalition of groups from across the state, including healthcare professionals, education advocates, community service organizations, faith-based groups, environmental groups and labor, will hold a press conference and rally Monday, June 5 at 12:15 PM in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg to demand that legislators pass a budget that puts people first.
“I’ve seen what budget cuts do first hand,” said Donna Heimbach, a CNA from State College with almost 20 years of experience caring for seniors. “At my job it means not having the supplies we need to care for residents and not being able to pay enough to keep or hire good workers. We can’t let our elected leaders keep cutting essential services to our most vulnerable citizens. It’s time we stood up and demanded a budget that works for all of us.
The rally and press conference, organized by the Pennsylvania’s Choice campaign, is part of a larger Budget Day of Action, with a number of activities throughout the day in Harrisburg. Hundreds of Pennsylvanians will be taking part in rallies, lobby visits, and a march – a basic schedule of events for the day is below.
At the rally and press conference, Pennsylvania’s Choice organizations and individuals are coming together to highlight the stark choice Pennsylvania faces today when it comes to how lawmakers are crafting the state budget – if the state cannot fix our upside-down tax system and secure new revenues, we will face devastating cutbacks to government funding for education, human services, protecting clean air and water, and many other programs that are critical to Pennsylvanians every single day.
WHAT: Press conference to call for a budget that puts people first
WHO: Hundreds of healthcare professionals will join other residents and community activists
WHEN: Monday, June 5, 12:15 PM
WHERE: Capitol Rotunda
OTHER EVENTS DURING THE BUDGET DAY OF ACTION:
11:00 am — Disabilities Funding Rally, convened by the Arc of PA, begins in the Main Rotunda
1:00-2:30 pm —Constituents make legislative office visits
2:30 pm — March for Fair Funding of the Budget, convened by SEIU, begins at the corner of Commonwealth Avenue & Walnut Street. The march will proceed through downtown Harrisburg, stopping at key locations to rally for investment in PA communities, shale tax, corporations paying their fair share, and raising the minimum wage.