weeklypress.com · ucreview.com · october 31 • 2012 3


Political updates on the State & Local Level


WeeklyPRESS Review


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he UC Review and Weekly Press compile political news that affects voters each week on the city and state level to keep readers more abreast of local politics. If there’s an issue you would like included in this column, please email it to news- desk@pressreview.net by the Monday, noontime deadline!


State Sen. Vincent Hughes recently applauded a settle- ment between the Penn- sylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) and Philadelphia¹s Community Legal Services (CLS), as well as a number of other advocacy groups that could mean the reinstatement of Medicaid benefits for tens of thousands of Pennsyl- vanians, including 89,000 children.


For over a year, these families have been bereft of much needed medical ben- efits, Hughes said. “These families have had to strug- gle with costly medical bills or have simply gone with- out medical care because they could not afford it. I am pleased that this issue has been resolved and that these individuals who er- roneously had their benefits


taken away could have their medical assistance restored.” Following a letter from the Obama Administration urging DPW to ensure that no one had been wrongly removed from Medicaid rolls, settlement was reached Tuesday evening between DPW and CLS which pro- vides that more than 100,000 Pennsylvanians who lost Medicaid benefits last year have 35 days to reapply for their benefits.


Hughes added that in the upcoming weeks, those indi- viduals previously ruled in- eligible for Medicaid will re- ceive a letter printed on blue paper informing them of their right to appeal. These individuals will then have 35 days from the date of the letter to fill out the Medical Assistance Reinstatement Form, included with the let- ter, and mail or fax it to 717- 346-0363. Included with the mailed or faxed form should be recent pay stubs for indi- viduals who are employed, and if possible, medical bills and receipts for medical bills paid since the loss of their Medical Assistance. State Sen. Anthony H. Wil- liams’ measure that will help the City of Philadel- phia move forward with


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Philadelphia County alone. Due to the sheer volume of outage is the region, PECO is reporting it may still take up to a week for all power to be restored. Brown said residents


the Nutter administration¹s Actual Value Initiative (AVI) property tax reassessment plan was signed into law on Wednesday evening by the governor.


The new law includes lan- guage from a bill Williams authored that suspends the state-established millage rate to give the city control to set its own rate. It also allows a limited exception to City Council to lower or adjust the city-established portion of the of the school district tax rate for three years -- the initial AVI year and two years after that. The actions will correspond with


the anticipated significant increase in property tax assessments in 2013. The new law also expands the use of voter approval of borrowing in county home rule charters. State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown, advises Philadel- phia residents that recover- ing from all the effects of Sandy will be a long-term process. At the peak of the storm, PECO reported near- ly 850,000 of their customers lost power. As of Wednes- day morning, almost half of all their customers had their service restored, but 50,000 remained out of power in


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who are still without power and who need shelter, the Red Cross is maintaining a pet-friendly shelter at West Philadelphia High School, 4901 Chestnut St., as long as necessary. Residents who go to the shelter should take identification, medica- tions, food and water, and personal care items, plus any pet necessities. Brown’s office is also ready to act as an agent for residents of the 190th Legislative District as they recover. Her staff will aid in communications with state and local government officials if necessary. Her office can be contacted at 215-879-6615.


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