Let’s face it. We have a flawed economy when ordinary Pennsylvanians work longer hours for lower wages. It’s time to level our state’s economic playing field and ensure our working families can build a sustainable, middle-class life.
Pennsylvania Democrats believe that our state is open for business – but every new investor should pay their fair share. In the Senate, I’ll work hard to ensure that corporations pay their fair share in taxes, are good neighbors to our communities, and benefit all our residents.
Increasing the Minimum Wage
If you work full time, then you should be able to afford to live a comfortable life. More than 70 percent of Pennsylvanians support raising the state’s minimum wage – including a majority of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.
- That’s why I support Senate Bill 12, which calls for an immediate $12/hour minimum wage, with an increase to a $15/hour minimum by 2025.
Encourage and Incentivize Small Business Development
Small businesses are the backbone of our regional economy, and we need to do all we can to help them thrive. Harrisburg needs to do more for our small business owners by eliminating unnecessary red tape, opening up access to credit, and simplifying taxes.
That’s why I work hard to:
- Expand the loan programs available to our small businesses
- Develop new pathways to technical assistance for our entrepreneurs
- Incentivize the creation of expanded employee training programs.
Preparing for a Changing Economy
We need to empower Pennsylvania’s working people to compete in the fast-changing 21st-century economy. This means creating nimble and innovative job training programs that can prepare residents for the ever-changing challenges of our modern world.
Rebuilding our Infrastructure
We’ve done a lot to repair our region’s crumbling infrastructure, but we must do more. Our bridges, airports, and public transportation systems are vital to the success of our economy, and infrastructure projects create jobs that put Pennsylvanians back to work.
- I pushed for Act 89, which sought to create a public financing plan to keep our public transit systems safe and strong.
