FRANK DERMODY DISTRICT OFFICE DEMOCRATIC LEADER 33RD LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT HARMAR I 33 I FREEPORT ROAD ROOM 423 MAIN CAPITOL CHESWICK, PENNSYLVANIA I 5024 PO BOX 202033 PHONE: (724) 274-4770 HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA I7 I ?O-2O33 FAX: (7?4) 274-AAl4 PHONE: (7 I 7t 7A7-3566 FAX: (7 l7) 7A7-A060
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COM MONWEALTH OF PEN NSYLVANIA HARRISBURG December 17,2018
The Honorable Tom Wolf Governor of Pennsylvania 225 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg,PA 17120
Dear Governor Wolf:
Your re-election by a large margin demonstrated once again that people support your approach to improving the lives of the hard-working families of Pennsylvania. We, -erob"m of the Hour" Democratic Caucus, stand ready to work with you to deliver on the voters' mandate. One of the many issues on which voters want to see more progress is access to high-quality pre-kindergarten education. You ran on that issue and so did many of us. Now, as Democrats, we must turn that campaign message to action and deliver on that promise.
Our caucus has many policy goals on which we look forward to working with you in the months ahead. We write today to set a marker that the first policy we hope to accompiish with you is to ensure every eligible Pennsylvania preschooler can attend a high-quality Pre-K program. Specifically, this can be advanced by a budget proposal that will grow Pre-K and Head Start funding to enable at least 10,000 more of Pennsylvania's at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds to enroll during the 2019-20 fiscal year.
With your leadership over the last four years, the state made admirable progress expanding pre- K access to more than 12,000 additional children. Despite this impressive expansion, more than 106,000 eligible 3- and 4-year-old children still lack access because of inadequate program funding. That's why we ask you to work with us by proposing in your next budgei u UotO plan to substantially expand funding so that 10,000 more children can attend high quality pre-K. We understand that we will need to find ways to fund this ambitious goal iniide the confines of the budget and we pledge to work with you to make that possible.
In this election, Pennsylvania voters embraced our campaigns' shared vision of educational opportunity for all children. As Democratic legislators, newly elected and returning, we are proud to work with you to deliver for those voters who sent all of us to Harrisburg. There's no better first step we can take than growing access to state funded high-quality Pre-k for 10,000 more of Pennsylvania's most at-risk children.
Thank you for your consideration ofthis request and for your continued leadership. Sincerely,
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
Rep. Frank Dermody
Democratic Leader Dishict 33: Allegheny and Westmoreland counties
Rep. Jordan A. Harris Democratic Whip District 186: Philadelphia County
Rep. Matthew Bradford
Democratic Appropriations Chairman District 70: Montgomery County
Rep. Ryan A.Bizzano Dishict 3: Erie County
Rep. Kevin Boyle District 172: Montgomery and Philadelphia counties
Rep. Tim Briggs District 149: Montgomery County
Rep. Donna Bullock Dishict 195: Philadelphia County
Rep. Danilo Burgos District 197: Philadelphia County
Rep. Frank Burns District 72: Cambria County
Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone District 127: Berks County
Rep. Michael B. Canoll District I l8: Lackawanna and Luzerne counties
Rep. Morgan B. Cephas District 192: Philadelphia County Rep. Joseph Ciresi District 146: Montgomery County
Rep. Carolyn Comitta District 156: Chester County
Rep. Scott Conklin District 77: Centre County
Rep. Mary Jo Daley District 148: Montgomery County
Rep. Austin Davis District 35: Allegheny County
Rep. Tina Davis Dishict 14l : Bucks County
Rep. Jason Dawkins District 179: Philadelphia County
Rep. Daniel Deasy District 27: Allegheny County
Rep. Pamela A. Delissio Dishict 194: Montgomery and Philadelphia counties
Rep. David M. Delloso District 162: Delaware County
Rep. Tony Deluca District 32: Allegheny County
Rep. Maria P. Donatucci Dishict 185: Delaware and Philadelphia counties
Rep. Michael Driscoll District 173: Philadelphia County
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler Dishict 184: Philadelphia County
Rep. Isabell a F itzger ald District 203: Philadelphia County Rep. Marty Flynn District 113: Lackawanna County
Rep. Dan B. Frankel District 23: Allegheny County
Rep. Robert L. Freeman Dishict 136: Northampton County
Rep. Danielle Friel Otten Disfict 155: Chester County
Rep. Edward C. Gainey Dishict 24: Allegheny County
Rep. John T Galloway Dishict 140: Bucks County
Rep. Neal P. Goodman
Democratic Caucus Administrator District 123: Schuylkill County
Rep. Liz Hanbidge Dishict 6l: Montgomery County
Rep. Patrick J. Harkins Dishict 1: Erie County
Rep. Joseph C. Hohenstein District 177: Philadelphia County
Rep. Sara Innamorato Dishict 2l: Allegheny County
Rep. Mary Isaacson District 175: Philadelphia County
Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta Dishict 181: Philadelphia County
Rep. Patty Kim District 103: Dauphin County Rep. Stephen Kinsey District 201: Philadelphia County
Rep. William C. Kortz Dishict 38: Allegheny County
Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky District 161: Delaware County
Rep. Anita Astorino Kulik District 45: Allegheny County
Rep. Mark A. Longietti District 7: Mercer County
Rep. Maureen E. Madden District I l5: Monroe County
Rep. Steven Malagari Dishict 53: Montgomery County
Rep. Brandon Markosek District 25: Allegheny County
Rep. Robert Matzie District 16: Allegheny and Beaver counties
Rep. Steve McCarter District 154: Montgomery County
Rep. Joanna E. McClinton
Democratic Caucus Chairman District l9l: Delaware and Philadelphia counties
Rep. Jeanne McNeill District 133: Lehigh County
Rep. Robert Merski District 2: Erie County
Rep. Dan Miller Dishict 42: Allegheny County Rep. Gerald Mullery District 119: Luzerne County
Rep. Kyle Mullins Dishict I 12: Lackawanna County
Rep. Ed Neilson Dishict 174: Philadelphia County
Rep. Jennifer M. O'Mara Dishict 165: Delaware County
Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski District l2l: Luzeme County
Rep. Joseph A. Petrarca District 55: Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana counties
Rep. Adam Ravenstahl Dishict 20: Allegheny County
Rep. Harry A. Readshaw District 36: Allegheny County
Rep. James R. Roebuck Jr. District 188: Philadelphia County
Rep. Mark Rozzi District 126: Berks County
Rep. Christopher Sainato District 9: Lawrence County
Rep. Steve Samuelson Dishict 135: Northampton County
Rep. Ben Sanchez District 153: Montgomery County
Rep. Christina D Sappey District 158: Chester County
Rep. Mike Schlossberg Dishict 132: Lehigh County Rep. Peter G. Schweyer District 22: Lehigh County
Rep. Melissa Shusterman Dishict 157: Chester and Montgomery counties
Rep. Brian K. Sims District 182: Philadelphia County
Rep. Pam Snyder District 50: Washington, Fayette and Greene counties
Rep. Jared G. Solomon District 202: Philadelphia County
Rep. Mike Sturla
Democratic Policy Chairman District 96: Lancaster County
Rep. Wendy Ullman District 143: Bucks County
Rep. Greg Vitali District 166: Delaware and Montgomery counties
Rep. Perry Warren Dishict 3l: Bucks County
Rep. Joe Webster District 150: Montgomery Counfy
Rep. Jake Wheatley Dishict l9: Allegheny County
Rep. Dan Williams District 74: Chester County
Rep. Rosita C. Youngblood
Democratic Caucus Secretary District 198: Philadelphia County
Rep. Michael Patrick Zabel District 163: Delaware County