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Conference Overview

Mark Price, Ph.D., the Keystone Research Center's Labor Economist, and Ethan Pollack, a Fiscal Policy Analyst with the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., led off the conference with a look at the impact that the Recovery Act has had on jobs and the economy.

Dr. Price presented estimates from the Council of Economic Advisors showing that, absent the Recovery Act, Real Gross Domestic Product would have declined by an estimated 3.3% in the second quarter of 2009, rather than the actual dip of 0.7%. The third quarter would have seen a further drop in GDP, rather then the 2.2% growth in GDP the economy recorded. For Pennsylvania, Dr. Price explained, an additional 84,000 people would have been put out of work, were it not for the Recovery Act.

Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.

Mr. Pollack looked into the future, warning that without additional recovery funding, the economy could risk falling back into recession. He quoted Mark Zandi, the Chief Economist for Moody's Economy.com, who said in early January, “I would provide more stimulus … $150 or $200 billion dollars … We need to make sure that we don’t get back into recession.” Mr. Pollack outlined a five-point jobs plan that includes enacting a new job creation tax credit; creating public service jobs; strengthening the public safety net; increasing investments in infrastructure; and providing fiscal relief to states and local governments.

Department of General Services Secretary James Creedon, who is also serving as the Commonwealth's Chief Implementation Officer on Recovery Act funding, led the second plenary session, "Putting Federal Dollars to Work—An Overview of the Recovery Act in Pennsylvania." He also mentioned the Council of Economic Advisors’ findings that 84,000 jobs in Pennsylvania have been directly or indirectly impacted by Recovery Act funding. In November alone, Secretary Creedon said 3,829 people were put to work on Department of Transportation projects while another 5,298 were put to work on water, wastewater and other infrastructure projects through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).

Secretary Creedon offered a glimpse into upcoming Recovery Act projects related to alternative energy, health care IT, and other technology projects and plans to seek a $400 million competitive grant for education projects through the Race to the Top program. He urged anyone interested in knowing how recovery dollars are being spent to check out the Commonwealth's Recovery Act web site at www.recovery.pa.gov. Click here to watch video from Secretary Creedon's presentation.

Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. delivered the keynote speech. He reminded conference participants how a lack of financial regulation and oversight pushed the American economy into the worst recession since the Great Depression. He explained how the Recovery Act saved the country from plunging into a second Great Depression. The Senator pointed out that the swing from a -6.4% Gross Domestic Product negative growth in the first quarter of 2009 to 2.8% positive growth in the third quarter was the largest two quarter swing since 1981.

With unemployment still high, the economic recovery is fragile, Senator Casey said, but the country is moving in the right direction. The Senator also talked about the vital role health care reform will play in continuing to move the country toward economic recovery, and efforts in Congress to advance a jobs bill that will put more people back to work. Click here to watch video of Senator Casey's keynote speech.

During the lunch panel, Mike Leachman of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, D.C. and Kenneth Stephens of the Legal Aid Society of New York took on the question of what role the Recovery Act has played in keeping people out of poverty.

Mr. Leachman explained that at the national level, the Recovery Act saved between 1.5 million and 2 million jobs. The Recovery Act lifted almost 200,000 Pennsylvanians out of poverty by saving or creating jobs, increasing unemployment benefits and Earned Income Tax Credit payments, and other measures. Recovery Act dollars also helped states fill 30% to 40% of their budget gaps, preventing dramatic cuts in safety net programs and education at exactly the time they were most needed. Click here to watch video of Mr. Leachman's presentation.

Mr. Stephens urged the audience to push the state Legislature to draw down additional funds through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program for the poorest Pennsylvanians.

Conference presenters identified three outstanding issues related to recovery funding that Pennsylvania must address: tapping the TANF funds, reforms to the unemployment insurance system to draw down additional federal dollars, and the need for the federal government to continue the enhanced Medicaid funding match with the states.

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Photos from the Conference

Keystone Research Center Executive Director Stephen Herzenberg, Ph.D., welcomes conference attendees.

Deputy Secretary of General Services Peter Speaks addresses a workshop session on community impact and regional equity. Also on the panel are (from left to right): Della Clark of The Enterprise Center, Sharon Ward of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center and Bernadette Turner of the Regional Equity Monitoring Project.

Keystone Research Center Labor Economist Mark Price, Ph.D., discusses the impact of the Recovery Act on the Pennsylvania economy.

Ethan Pollack, a Fiscal Policy Analyst with the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., warns that without additional recovery funding, the economy could risk falling back into recession.

Elizabeth Hersh of The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania leads a workshop on how the Recovery Act is impacting local government and housing.

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Bill Geoge introduces Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.

Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. delivers the keynote address.

Eileen McNulty of Pennsylvania Stimulus Oversight Commission (right) is joined by Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First (left) and Barry Kauffman of Common Cause/Pennsylvania (center) to discuss transparency and accountability in recovery funding.

Department of General Services Secretary James Creedon, who is the Recovery Act's Chief Implementation Officer in Pennsylvania, explains how recovery funds have been put into action in Pennsylvania.

Kenneth Stephens of the Legal Aid Society of New York discusses important Recovery Act provisions aimed at keeping people out of poverty.

Teresa Colarusso of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (center) is joined by Scott Sheely of the Lancaster Workforce Investment Board (left) and Seth Green of the Job Opportunity Investment Network (right) to talk about the impact of recovery funding on education and the workforce.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger (speaking) addresses a session. Seated to his right is Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William George.

Sharon Ward, Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, (center with microphone) takes her turn during a roundtable discussion on the lessons learned from the implementation of the Recovery Act in Pennsylvania and what the next steps are for Pennsylvania and U.S. jobs.