Now THAT’S refreshing!
It’s important to be on the right side of history. It’s another thing to be leading it.
Philadelphia City Council emerged this week at the forefront of a growing, global movement to challenge the might of Big Soda for the sake of the consumers. The soda tax, now 1.5 cents/ounce on sugar-laden drinks and diet sodas (as opposed to 3 cents on just the sugary stuff), will fund the expansion of high quality pre-K and provide safer spaces for our children to grow up in.
From the outset, educators, advocates, and most importantly, Philly families were determined to make one of the most ambitious and meaningful investments in our children a reality. City Council, led by Council President Darrell Clarke, who masterfully brokered the final deal, has found the means to fund it. Come a final vote on June 16, the plan for 6,500 new pre-K spots, revamping rec centers, libraries, parks, and establishing 25 community schools will finally be in play.
You’ve called, emailed, tweeted your support for the soda tax and Council has answered. But it wasn’t easy and some work remains. That’s why, ahead of the final vote, they need to hear from you one more time.
Over the next few days, take a few minutes to reach out and thank them for their grit and hard work. While opponents of the tax continue to lobby our elected officials, it’s crucial that Council knows we appreciate they had our kids’ back and we have theirs.
Not a drop in the bucket
Children who suffer the life changing consequences of lead poisoning in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester Counties do so because of lead-laced paint aging houses. But, as we saw in Flint, Michigan, the threat could come from the water they drink.
One year after Flint’s lead-tainted water crisis, 5 percent of tested children had blood lead levels above the Center for Disease Control’s safety threshold. Eleven states have rates that are higher.
Pennsylvania is one of them, with 9.4 percent of tested children registering above the CDC’s threshold.
Thanks to a report from Reuters News Agency, we know undertesting of blood lead levels in children is a national issue. While top performing states repeatedly test 80 percent of their kids, other states are rarely as consistent or comprehensive.
Despite having lead-contaminated children at rate twice as high as Flint, Pennsylvania only tests around 23 percent. At $7 per test, we must do better.
As lead poisoning can be debilitating and is untreatable, prevention efforts are key.
That’s why PCCY joined Philadelphia Councilwomen Cindy Bass, Blondell Reynolds Brown and Helen Gym at a press conference on new bills to protect kids. Last week, a class-action suit was filed against the city claiming high levels of lead in tap water went unreported by the Water Department, and, the suit alleges, the city tried to conceal the test results.
The proposed legislation would require city public schools and day-care centers to test water for lead and compel landlords to inform tenants of any lead pipes that connect to water mains.
State pre-K funding could be on the chopping block! Join us as we visit legislators in Harrisburg and help make Pre-K for PA happen. Find out more–
Call Shirlee: 215-563-5848 x34 OR Click here to send your legislator an email right now!
A year after Flint’s switch to corrosive river water, nearly 5% of children tested there had blood lead levels above the CDC’s threshold. Across Pennsylvania, that number is 9.4%. READ MORE
With the final soda tax vote on June 16, there’s still vital work to do. Call Philly Council President Darrell Clarke and his council colleagues and thank them for their great leadership on pre-k and safer spaces for kids. Or retweet the many messages of thanks at @rkidsrworthit!
“Philadelphia has now created an entirely new level of momentum.” Kelly Browell, Dean of Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University. READ THE NYTIMES STORY