Jacklyn Isasi

It may seem that Pennsylvania just finalized a state budget, but when that budget is nine months late it means the deadline for the next budget comes quickly. Lawmakers will spend the next four weeks attempting to finalize a state budget for 2016-17. Whether the Governor and the General Assembly can arrive at a compromise plan to meet the June 30 deadline is anyone’s guess.

The AARP Block Party—a live experience that will pop up at major events around the country—will make its third stop at the Odunde Festival in Philadelphia on Sunday, June 12th from 10 AM - 8 PM at the intersection of Grays Ferry Avenue and Pemberton Street.

Buckle your seatbelts – PA’s Primary Election is almost here

Pennsylvania’s two largest communities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, have embarked on an ambitious process as members of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly communities. This sounds like a lofty title but the true meaning of this designation is critical for the future of the people that live in these communities.

AARP is a proud sponsor of the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show and engaged over 30 volunteers to speak to attendees about Life Reimagined, a program designed to help people live their best lives.

Although a fight is expected to break out between the General Assembly and the governor about the overall framework of the 2016/17 state budget, there are areas of agreement between legislators and the Administration. One of these areas of critical importance to older Pennsylvanians, is how revenues from the Pennsylvania lottery will be spent.

Harrisburg, PA: Governor Tom Wolf presented his FY 16-17 budget in the annual budget message to the Pennsylvania General Assembly on Tuesday, February 9 th, but the budget itself was almost irrelevant to the event. Here are three takeaways for you and your family to consider in the coming months.

Over the past week, the talk of the town has been the winter blizzard that is set to hit tonight. Rumor is that Pennsylvania will get about 18 inches of snow, and have wind and snow drift. Schools are letting out early. Shopping center shelves are emptying out. People are taking precautions and you should be doing the same!

The budget discussions in Harrisburg reflected the winter weather this week – they appear to have gone into a deep freeze. With no movement anticipated for the near future on resolving the remaining budget concerns, it seems appropriate to discuss another issue on AARP’s legislative priority list for 2016 – the passage of the Caregiver, Advise, Record, and Enable (CARE) Act.

After a tumultuous end to 2015 in Harrisburg, 2016 has begun rather quietly. Perhaps the biggest political news of the first half of January has been the number of state legislators who have announced they will not be running for re-election. The total does not seem historically high yet (11 legislators have announced their retirements), but it is unusual that this many incumbents have opted to make their futures known a month before the February 16 filing deadline for the April 26 primary election. It is very likely in the coming weeks more legislators will decide to leave the General Assembly at the end of 2016. These retirements add to the twelve seats that became open in 2015 because of resignations and have been filled (or are in the process of being filled) with newly-elected replacements, plus a number of incumbents who are running for higher office. The result will be a 2017-18 General Assembly with an unusually high number of freshmen legislators roaming the halls of the Capitol.