Letters: CTE supports Centre County and state economy; Carbon fee would be starting point against climate change
CTE supports Centre County and state economy
February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) month in Pennsylvania and thanks to the career and technical education provided by institutions like the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, Centre County is home to an educated, skilled workforce that continues to grow.
Centre County employers support CTE because students gain on-the-job skills, complete a pre-apprenticeship or earn higher education credits – making them ready and willing to join the workforce.
Every student who wants to attend a career and technical education center – whether in Centre County or elsewhere in the state – should be able to do so. However, CTE is not available to all students who want to attend because many school districts simply cannot afford to enroll all interested students in those programs.
Policymakers understand the value of career and technical education, because they have invested in providing support to CTE over the last two state budget cycles.
Unfortunately, the governor’s 2020-21 budget proposal does not include increased investments. I hope members of the General Assembly will ensure that state funding for CTE is again increased so that every student who chooses to can pursue the coursework and learning opportunities that allow them to progress towards an industry-based credential in their chosen career.
Workforce development truly is key to the economic development of Centre County. Prioritizing funding for career and technical education in the final 2020-21 state budget will ensure that all students who wish to be career-ready after graduation are prepared and that no student lacks appropriate access to these programs.
Carbon fee would be starting point against climate change
The financial community is taking climate change more seriously than ever. Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, the largest financial asset management firm in the world, recently wrote to the companies in BlackRock’s portfolio. He told them that BlackRock now considers climate change to be a defining factor for companies’ long-term prospects. The letter cited effects of climate change on capital allocation and on risk assessments for municipal bonds, mortgages and flood and fire insurance.
Federal action will likely be needed to make significant progress against climate change nationwide. A good place to start would be with the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR 763). The bill imposes a fee on fossil fuels, but returns the net revenue collected to individual taxpayers and their families. Over 3500 U.S. economists, including 27 Nobel Prize winners, announced that a carbon fee is the most efficient way to reduce carbon emissions, and indicated that the revenue should be returned to U.S. taxpayers. A Columbia University study of HR 763 concluded that not only would the bill reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 36 to 38 percent in 10 years, but the dividend payments to taxpayers would offset the increases in fossil fuel prices, especially among middle- and lower-income groups. The bill exempts fossil fuels used for agricultural and military applications.