PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMY LEAGUE INC
1800 JOHN F KENNEDY BLVD NO 460, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103 www.economyleague.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMY LEAGUE (PEL) IS AN INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION COMPRISED OF THREE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES: PEL, SOUTHEASTERN PA, LLC, DBA ECONOMY LEAGUE OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA; THE PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMY LEAGUE OF SOUTHWESTERN PA, LLC, DBA THE PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMY LEAGUE OF GREATER PITTSBURGH; AND THE PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMY LEAGUE, CENTRAL PA, LLC. PEL'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ON EMERGING ISSUES IN ORDER TO STIMULATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ACTION AND TO MAKE PENNSYLVANIA A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND DO BUSINESS. ITS PURPOSE IS TO CREATE A KNOWLEDGEABLE CORPORATE AND CIVIC AUDIENCE TO HELP ENSURE THE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND ITS REGIONS.

THE PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMY LEAGUE ("PEL") IS AN INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH ENTITY.

PEL, SOUTHEASTERN PA, LLC, DBA ECONOMY LEAGUE OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA (ECONOMY LEAGUE OR ELGP):THE ECONOMY LEAGUE OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA IS THE REGION'S INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN "THINK-AND-DO" TANK. ELGP ADDRESSES CRITICAL ISSUES FACING GREATER PHILADELPHIA BY PROVIDING IMPACTFUL RESEARCH, CONNECTING DIVERSE LEADERS, AND ADVANCING SHARED SOLUTIONS. ELGP ENVISIONS A THRIVING GREATER PHILADELPHIA REGION POWERED BY INFORMED AND COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP.IN 2019 THE ECONOMY LEAGUE REFINED ITS 2018 STRATEGIC PLAN AND CREATED 5 DISCRETE PROGRAMMATIC LINES, EACH WITH ITS OWN STAFF LEAD AND PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT; THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CREATED A PROGRAM COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND GUIDANCE. THESE PROGRAM LINES ARE THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE (GPLEX), FOCUSED ON BUILDING 'CIVIC MUSCLE' VIA AN ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT; PHILADELPHIA ANCHORS FOR GROWTH & EQUITY (PAGE), WHICH HARNESSES INSTITUTIONAL PURCHASING POWER TO DRIVE JOBS AND GROWTH AMONG DIVERSE LOCAL BUSINESSES; POLICY HUB, A DATA PORTAL AND ANALYSIS SERVICE DESIGNED TO FACILITATE INFORMED DECISION MAKING BY POLICY MAKERS AND ADVOCATES; IMPACT LABS, A CIVIC SOCIAL IMPACT LAUNCHPAD DESIGNED TO SPUR CIVIC INNOVATION ADDRESSED AT TACKLING THE REGION'S MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS; AND OUR CIVIC CONSULTING ARM, A FEE-FOR-SERVICE PRACTICE THAT LEVERAGES THE ECONOMY LEAGUE'S NETWORKS AND DEEP EXPERTISE TO HELP PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES TACKLE COMPLEX PROBLEMS.THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE (GPLEX) IS AN INITIATIVE OF THE ECONOMY LEAGUE AIMED AT BUILDING "CIVIC MUSCLE" BY CREATING A CADRE OF WELL-INFORMED AND NETWORKED BUSINESS, CIVIC, NONPROFIT, AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS. THROUGH IN-REGION PROGRAMMING AND OUT-OF-REGION LEARNING VISITS, GPLEX EXPOSES LEADERS TO BEST PRACTICES, FORGES NEW CONNECTIONS ACROSS SECTORS AND INDUSTRIES, AND DEEPENS PARTICIPANTS' UNDERSTANDING OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA'S POTENTIAL. THE ECONOMY LEAGUE HELD ITS 14TH GPLEX IN PHILADELPHIA FROM SEPTEMBER 18-20, 2019. NEARLY 250 EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED LEADERS FROM DIVERSE SECTORS, INDUSTRIES, AND COUNTIES CONVENED FOR A DEEP DIVE INTO THE REGION'S INNOVATION SECTORS. GPLEX PARTICIPANTS BUILT NEW CONNECTIONS WITH REGIONAL LEADERS FROM ACROSS DEMOGRAPHY, GEOGRAPHY, AND SECTOR.PHILADELPHIA ANCHORS FOR GROWTH & EQUITY (PAGE) IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ECONOMY LEAGUE, THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA'S COMMERCE DEPARTMENT, AND THE CITY'S MAJOR EDS-AND-MEDS INSTITUTIONS. PAGE ANALYZES THE WAY THESE INSTITUTIONS SPEND THEIR PROCUREMENT DOLLARS AND IS BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP THE INSTITUTIONS SHIFT MORE OF THEIR ROUGHLY $5 BN IN ANNUAL SPEND TO LOCAL DIVERSE BUSINESSES. PAGE HAS GARNERED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS THEMSELVES AS WELL AS THE JP MORGAN CHASE FOUNDATION, TD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, AND THE AMERISOURCE BERGEN FOUNDATION TO DATE. THE 2019 PAGE SUMMIT ATTRACTED OVER 300 PARTICIPANTS AND SERVED AS A MATCHMAKING PLATFORM TO CONNECT DIVERSE LOCAL BUSINESSES WITH CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES AT ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1909, THE ECONOMY LEAGUE HAS BEEN A RESOURCE FOR IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT INTO OUR REGION'S ECONOMIC HEALTH. ELGP CONTINUES TO MAKE PROGRESS IN CREATING POLICY HUB, A STATE-OF-THE-ART DATA PORTAL THAT IS AGGREGATING ALL SORTS OF CIVIC DATA INTO A USER-FRIENDLY PORTAL THAT WILL BE AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR POLICYMAKERS, JOURNALISTS, AND CIVIC LEADERS. ELGP HAS ALREADY STARTED USING THE PORTAL TO GENERATE NEW INSIGHTS VIA THE LEADING INDICATORS NEWSLETTER, AND PLANS ARE IN THE WORKS TO CREATE A LOCAL VERSION OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE TO PROVIDE UNBIASED FISCAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT NEW PROGRAM LINE DEVELOPED IN 2019 IS IMPACT LABS. PILOTED EARLY IN THE YEAR WITH THE FULL CITY CHALLENGE, A CITYWIDE IMPACT CHALLENGE FOCUSED ON PHILADELPHIA'S DUAL ROLE AS A VIBRANT FOOD ECONOMY PLAGUED BY SUBSTANTIAL FOOD-RELATED CHALLENGES SUCH AS FOOD INSECURITY, OBESITY, AND DIABETES, THE ECONOMY LEAGUE QUICKLY ESTABLISHED IMPACT LABS AS AN INNOVATION PLATFORM. INDEPENDENCE BLUE CROSS APPROACHED THE ECONOMY LEAGUE TO APPLY THE IMPACT LABS MODEL TO SIGNIFICANT HEALTH CHALLENGES FACING MILLENNIALS, AND THUS WAS BORN THE WELL CITY CHALLENGE, A THREE-TRACK INCUBATOR AND ACCELERATOR THAT WILL SURFACE AND DEVELOP COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS TO THE ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN HEALTH OF AMERICA RESEARCH FROM THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION. THIS WILL BE A YEAR-LONG PROJECT.AND FINALLY, THE CIVIC CONSULTING PRACTICE DEEPENED ITS WORK WITH TEMPLE UNIVERSITY AND THE LENFEST FOUNDATION ON THE LENFEST NORTH PHILADELPHIA WORKFORCE INITIATIVE (LNPWI), A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO BRINGING MORE NORTH PHILADELPHIA RESIDENTS INTO THE LABOR FORCE BY CREATING CAREER PATHWAYS INTO JOBS AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY AND TEMPLE HEALTH SYSTEMS AND THEIR MAJOR SUPPLIERS. IT ALSO PRODUCED MAJOR REPORTS ON THE PHILADELPHIA FOOD ECONOMY AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF PARDONS.

THE PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMY LEAGUE OF GREATER PITTSBURGH (PELGP) EXECUTES A SHARED AGENDA WITH THE ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (ACCD OR THE CONFERENCE). THE 2018-19 AGENDA FOCUSED ON TAKING MEANINGFUL STEPS TO CREATE A NEXT GENERATION ECONOMY FOR ALL AND ON LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR REGIONAL VITALITY BY IMPROVING QUALITY OF PLACE, THE POTENTIAL OF OUR PEOPLE AND STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY. THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF 2019 ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO ADVANCE THIS WORK.ECONOMY IN 2019 EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE REGION'S ECONOMY FOCUSED ON SUPERCHARGING BUSINESS INVESTMENT. CHIEF AMONG THESE EFFORTS WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MODERNIZED APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. TO LEAD EFFORTS TO DEVELOP NEW BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND EXPANSION (INCLUDING FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT) AND TALENT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION STRATEGIES, MARK ANTHONY THOMAS, A NATIONAL LEADER IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH EXPERIENCE IN NEW YORK, ATLANTA, AND LOS ANGELES, WAS RECRUITED TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE PITTSBURGH REGIONAL ALLIANCE, THE CONFERENCE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AFFILIATE. UNDER THIS NEW LEADERSHIP, WE LAUNCHED A NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOCUSED ON SUPERCHARGING BUSINESS INVESTMENT GROWTH AND ALIGNING TALENT ATTRACTION EFFORTS.- LEVERAGE REGIONAL ASSETS ACROSS HIGH-INVESTMENT SECTORS [ENERGY, HEALTH, LIFE SCIENCES, CREATIVE] TO CATALYZE INTEREST AND LOCAL JOB GROWTH.- POSITION THE REGION AS THE LOCATION OF CHOICE FOR FAST-GROWING, DEEP-TECH, RESEARCH-DRIVEN INVESTMENTS [ROBOTICS, IOT, AI, CYBER, MOBILITY]. - PROMOTE THE REGION'S INDUSTRIAL, FREIGHT, AND PRODUCTION CAPABILITY TO ATTRACT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, WITH A FOCUS ON DOWNSTREAM OPPORTUNITIES AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT.- PARTNER WITH THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP INITIATIVES TO INCREASE THE POOL OF LOCAL TALENT IN GROWTH SECTORS.- DEVELOP CONTENT AND PROGRAMMATIC INTERVENTIONS TO EQUIP BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS WITH THE TOOLS TO ATTRACT NEW GRADUATES, FOREIGN AND DIVERSE TALENT, AND HIGH-DEMAND TALENT.- ATTRACT THE LEADING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES, WHO CULTIVATE A VIBRANT INNOVATIVE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL TALENT, TO THE REGION. IN SUPPORT OF THIS NEW STRATEGIC APPROACH, A REGIONAL REBRANDING INITIATIVE WAS LAUNCHED RESULTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW REGIONAL BRAND POSITION, WITH A TARGETED LAUNCH DATE OF MID-2020. WE SUCCESSFULLY PUSHED BACK AGAINST ATTEMPTS BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO CUT FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND OTHER KEY FEDERAL RESEARCH FUNDING STREAMS FOR PITTSBURGH INSTITUTIONS. THE FY 2019 BUDGET CONTAINED INCREASES OVER PRIOR YEAR LEVELS AS WELL AS OVER THE ADMINISTRATION'S REQUEST. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS RESULTED IN 20 BUSINESS EXPANSIONS AND LOCATIONS ACROSS OUR REGION, ATTRACTING $213 MILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT, AND PAVING THE WAY FOR THE CREATION AND RETENTION OF 1429 JOBS. AS PART OF THE RETOOLED EFFORTS, WE DEVELOPED AN INNOVATION DRIVEN BUSINESS EXPANSION STRATEGY. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WERE FORMED TO SUPPORT THE INNOVATION DISTRICT AND TO BUILD OUT THE REGION'S TECH ECOSYSTEM. COLLABORATIVE REGIONAL MARKETING AT THRIVAL (INCLUDING AN AMPLIFIERS TOUR), WORLD AI SUMMIT, LIFE SCIENCES WEEK, INNOVATION RESEARCH EXCHANGE CONFERENCE AND PLANNING FOR LIFTOFF 2020, AND A SERIES OF CORPORATE INNOVATION ROUNDTABLES THAT ENGAGED 70 REGIONAL BUSINESSES, SUPPORTED THESE EFFORTS. A NEW EFFORT TO BETTER ALIGN PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND UNIVERSITY RESOURCES FOR TARGETED BUSINESS GROWTH IN THE INNOVATION SECTOR WAS INITIATED.PEOPLE:WE DEVOTED MUCH OF OUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO ELEVATING AND RETAINING THE PEOPLE EMPLOYERS NEED IN ORDER TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN INVESTING IN THE PITTSBURGH REGION.THESE EFFORTS INCLUDED SUPPORTING LAWS TO IMPROVE CAREER READINESS AND INITIATIVES TO MARKET THE REGION TO COLLEGE STUDENTS, HALF OF WHOM LEAVE PITTSBURGH AFTER GRADUATION. TO BETTER PREPARE AND RETAIN YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR REGION, WE SUPPORTED A LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE OF STATE CAREER READINESS BILLS, INCLUDING ACT 76, WHICH BECAME LAW. THE ENACTMENT OF ACT 76 IMPROVED CAREER AWARENESS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH AND INCLUDED SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE CONFERENCE FIRST NOTED IN OUR INFLECTION POINT STUDY. ACT 76 IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW THE CONFERENCE CAN TURN RESEARCH RESULTS INTO ACTION THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY ON IMPORTANT ISSUES. TO HELP ADDRESS REGIONAL TALENT SHORTAGES, WE CONDUCTED A SUCCESSFUL PILOT FOR THE PITTSBURGH PASSPORT SERIES, AN INITIATIVE TO INTRODUCE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND THE REGION'S QUALITY OF LIFE. THE PILOT ENGAGED MORE THAN 35 REGIONAL COMPANIES AND 1,350 INTERNS FROM 25 COUNTRIES. WE PARTNERED TO LAUNCH EFFORTS FOR MORE INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE WORKPLACES AND MORE INCLUSIVE SUPPLY CHAINS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VIBRANT PITTSBURGH, WE LAUNCHED AND EXECUTED THE VIBRANT INDEX THE REGION'S FIRST DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION-FOCUSED DIAGNOSTIC TOOL TO CREATE MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES. THE INDEX CAPTURED INPUT ON A RANGE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INDICATORS FROM 51 REGIONAL EMPLOYERS AND IS BEING USED TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BEST PRACTICES PLATFORM. WE LAUNCHED A SUPPLIER DIVERSITY STRATEGY, WHICH INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF A PROTOTYPE FOR CAPACITY BUILDING IN DIVERSE SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT AND FOR CONNECTING MBES TO CORPORATIONS. WE ENGAGED 25 CORPORATIONS INTERESTED IN DIVERSIFYING THEIR SUPPLIER BASE AND FOUR PARTNERS SUPPORTING MBES. THROUGH TWO WORKSHOPS WE CREATED MORE THAN 80 CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME THEIR CUSTOMERS. IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE ADVOCACY AGENDA, WE MANAGED AND LED SEVERAL KEY COALITIONS INCLUDING: COMPETE PA A COALITION OF OVER 130 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA ADVOCATING FOR A BETTER AND MORE COMPETITIVE TAX STRUCTURE IN PENNSYLVANIA; GREAT LAKES METRO CHAMBERS COALITION A COALITION OF GREAT LAKES METRO CHAMBERS WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER FOR ADVOCACY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL ON SHARED PRIORITIES; AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA PARTNERSHIP OF CHAMBERS A COALITION OF OVER 30 LOCAL AND REGIONAL CHAMBERS FROM THE PITTSBURGH REGION FOCUSED ON THE PRIORITIES OF MAIN STREET BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. PLACE:WE ALSO KNOW THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE REGION AND PEOPLE WHO CHOSE TO STAY IN THE REGION, WE NEED TO HAVE STRONG COMMUNITIES WHERE WE ARE INVESTING. IN 2019 WE MADE MEASUREABLE PROGRESS IN STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR REGION.WE FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN THREE KEY AREAS: OVER THE SEVEN YEARS SINCE ITS INCEPTION, OUR STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES PARTNERSHIP (SCP), A PROGRAM MADE POSSIBLE BY THE DOUBLING OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TAX CREDIT, WHICH WE SUPPORTED, HAS ENCOURAGED PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT IN SEVEN TRANSITIONING COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR REGION. THESE COMMUNITIES INCLUDE: CONNELLSVILLE, HOMEWOOD, MCKEES ROCKS, MT. OLIVER/KNOXVILLE, SHARPSBURG, WASHINGTON AND WILKINSBURG. DURING THIS TIME CONFERENCE MEMBER COMPANIES BENEFITED FROM A STATE TAX CREDIT THAT ENABLED $15.5M TO BE INVESTED ACROSS THESE COMMUNITIES. THE INVESTMENT SUPPORTS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION EFFORTS AND JOB CREATION.IN 2019, THE SCP EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NINE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING BEAVER FALLS, BLOOMFIELD, BUTLER, BRADDOCK-RANKIN-SWISSVALE-NORTH BRADDOCK, FINEVIEW-PERRY SOUTH, HAZELWOOD, HILL DISTRICT, PENN HILLS AND MUHALL-WEST HOMESTEAD-HOMESTEAD. THESE ADDITIONS REPRESENT BOTH EMERGING AND ALSO MORE EXPERIENCED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS. A PEER NETWORKING PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED. IN SERVICE TO BOTH OUR ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK, THE CONFERENCE-STAFFED STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND (SIF) - A PRIVATE GAP FINANCING FUND FOR REAL ESTATE PROJECTS EXPECTED TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - REALIGNED ITS INVESTMENT STRATEGY TO PRIORITIZE LOANS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND CATALYTIC GROWTH AND REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION. THIS INCLUDES COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS REQUIRING RESOURCES, INCLUDING OUR SCP COMMUNITIES. IN 2019 THE FUND INVESTED $8.6 MILLION FOR 2 PROJECTS, FOR A TOTAL OF $158 MILLION IN 62 PROJECTS IN ITS 24-YEAR HISTORY. OVERALL, THE SIF HAS SUPPORTED $1.1 BILLION OF DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE REGION. A SISTER FUND TO THE SIF THE POWER OF 32 SITE DEVELOPMENT FUND WHICH PROVIDES GAP FINANCING TO PREPARE SITES FOR VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A PREFERENCE FOR BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AND INVESTING IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ALSO CONTINUED INVESTING ACROSS THE TRI-STATE REGION. IN 2019, THE FUND INVESTED $12.3 MILLION FOR 2 PROJECTS, FOR A TOTAL OF $37.1 MILLION IN 6 PROJECTS SINCE 2014.

THE CONTINUING ISSUE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL DISTRESS REMAINS THE CENTER OF THE CENTRAL PA LLC RESEARCH, CIVIC LEADERSHIP EDUCATION ACTIVITIES, AND PROJECT AGENDAS DURING 2019. CONTINUING TO INFORM CIVIC LEADERSHIP ON PREVAILING TOPICS AND UP AND COMING PUBLIC POLICY DEBATES REMAINS THE MAIN FOCUS OF CENTRAL'S REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH. ASSISTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UNDER COMMONWEALTH SPONSORED PROGRAMS TO IMPACT LOCAL GOVERNMENT DISTRESS AND THE IMPACT OF CHANGES IN STATE LEGISLATION WERE THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF CENTRAL'S RESEARCH AND PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITY. ISSUES COVERED BY REGIONAL SPRING AND FALL ISSUES FORUM EVENTS AND MEMBERSHIP INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS INCLUDED THE DEBATE OVER THE NEED FOR AND THE AMOUNT OF ANY MINIMUM WAGE REVISION IN PENNSYLVANIA (SPRING 2019) AND THE GROWING GAP OF SCHOOL DISTRICT FINANCIAL HEALTH WITH A REVIEW OF THE 500 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN PA AND THOSE THAT WILL BE THE HAVES OR THE HAVE-NOTS AS FAR AS FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS INTO THE FUTURE. CENTRAL HELD 10 ISSUES FORUMS IN OUR REGIONS THAT COVER 40 COUNTIES OF PENNSYLVANIA'S 67 COUNTIES. MUNICIPAL FISCAL DISTRESS WAS ADDRESSED THROUGH OUR CONTINUING WORK AS COORDINATORS UNDER CONTRACTS WITH THE COMMONWEALTH FOR SIX ACT 47 FINANCIALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION, PEL CENTRAL PREPARED FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES WITH FUNDING PROVIDED BY THE COMMONWEALTH WITH LOCAL MATCHING FUNDING.PEL CENTRAL'S MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECT FOR 2019 CONTINUED CIVIC LEADERSHIP EDUCATION USING THE "COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS: THE TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES OF MUNICIPAL FISCAL DISTRESS IN PENNSYLVANIA, 1970 2014" REPORT THAT EXPLORED THE COMMONWEALTH'S BROKEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN THE FULL 250-PLUS PAGE REPORT, FUNDED BY A STATEWIDE COALITION OF NINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS AND RELEASED IN THE SUMMER OF 2017. DURING 2019, PEL CENTRAL ALSO PROVIDED A RESEARCH BRIEF TO THE COMMONWEALTH REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 1984 LEGISLATION THAT SET THE STANDARDS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDING IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE REPORT OUTLINED HOW THE 1984 STANDARDS IMPACT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS IN 2019 AND THE POTENTIAL FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO THE ACT TO BRING FUNDING MORE IN LINE WITH CURRENT NEEDS. THE CENTRAL DIVISION ALSO CONTINUED ITS MEMBERSHIP AND PUBLIC EDUCATION COMPONENT BY SCHEDULING MORE THAN 30 SEPARATE EVENTS TO EDUCATE PEL MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC REGARDING THE IMPORTANT ISSUES WITHIN THE PEL COMMITTEE REGIONS AND THE COMMONWEALTH AS A WHOLE.

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