In the current debate on health care reform, nonprofit employers run the risk of being excluded from reform package provisions that could ease the burden of high health care costs on employers and their workers. Earlier in October, the Senate Finance Committee approved health care bills that do provide help to nonprofit employers. The Senate [...]

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved Bill no. 1531 by a vote of 103-98.  The bill replaces proposed taxes on arts, culture, and small games of chance with levies on smokeless tobacco, cigars, and natural-gas drillers. The budget now moves back to the Senate, where leadership has vowed to fight it. Arts and cultural groups [...]

Several hundred people turned out this Friday for a lunchtime rally and march along the Avenue of the Arts in center city Philadelphia, protesting the Pennsylvania state budget plan, which call for an eight-percent sales tax on tickets to certain arts and entertainment venues, museums, live stage shows and even zoos. State senators Daylin Leach, Larry [...]

While a state budget is still to-be-determined, Philadelphia’s arts and culture hangs in the balance of pending legislation in the General Assembly. If the city budget approved by Mayor Nutter and City Council cannot be satisfied by changes in pension payments and a temporary city sales tax increase by the General Assembly, the deficit will [...]

From the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance… It’s hard to believe that a little over a month ago, Senate Bill 850 appeared on our radar with the threat of losing all arts and culture funding in Pennsylvania. Since then, advocates in Greater Philadelphia and all across the state have taken serious action – tens of thousands [...]

Early this morning, Congress unveiled the Conference Report of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and this afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the final version of the bill by a vote of 246-183. The Senate is expected to vote on the final version of the bill later tonight. What’s [...]

This past Friday, February 6, the Senate passed Senator Coburn’s Amendment 309, which prohibits funding for museums, theaters, art centers, zoos, and aquariums in the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. To the dismay of many, the amendment passed by a wide vote margin of 73-24, including support from Pennsylvania Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey. [...]

By Stephan Salisbury Inquirer Culture Writer ‘If anyone wants to refer to me as czar,” said Gary Steuer, gesturing toward one of his flaking office walls, “they can look at the peeling paint.” The city’s new arts czar chuckled in a hearty, if mildly wistful, way. Just six weeks into his job in the newly [...]

The results of our summer and fall forums will be presented to citizens along with community and political leaders at The Big Canvas Confab. Sign up here to attend the Dec. 6 event, which will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the Radisson Valley Forge Hotel & Convention Center. (Read more about the event in [...]