Articles

The Pennsylvania Economy League’s “IssuesPA 2006” initiative has been recognized as the “most effective” among state-level educational efforts across the nation.

The Governmental Research Association (GRA) recognized the effort at its 94th annual conference in Denver, Colorado.

Initially launched in 2002 around the gubernatorial campaign, IssuesPA is a non-partisan, statewide awareness project focused exclusively on raising the issues most critical to Pennsylvania’s future.

“When IssuesPA was launched in 2002, we were in the minority in believing that people wanted substance about the candidates -- we called it ’campaign information reform,’” said Steve Wray, Executive Director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia and former project director for IssuesPA. “And because the issues don’t go away after the election, we were able to grow the website into the year-round source for issues research, non-partisan analysis of legislation, examination of the state’s budget, and much more.”

In 2006, the project included the website, articles about the key issues, polling on the issues, a gubernatorial candidate questionnaire and a speakers bureau. The 2006 activities also featured a four-part television series focused on the issues. This ground-breaking partnership between the Economy League and the state’s public television stations was a focal point of the 2006 effort.

“The IssuesPA 2006 television series provided a unique opportunity to work collaboratively on policy education statewide and helped to create a strong working relationship among the stations and with the Economy League,” said Kathleen A. Pavelko, president and CEO of WITF Inc. “Through this collaboration, the public television stations are able to provide perspective on how policy issues impact the state and its distinctive regions.”

In this partnership, the Economy League and the Pennsylvania Public Television Network (PPTN), and specifically WITF (Harrisburg), WHYY (Philadelphia), WQED (Pittsburgh) and WLVT (Lehigh Valley) launched a series of four hour-long programs. They aired statewide in October and featured “The Future of Pennsylvania’s Cities and Towns,” “Health Care,” “Pennsylvania’s Changing Demographics” and “The Role of Leadership.”

“Based on recognition from national organizations like this and on the feedback from viewers statewide, it’s clear there is an appetite for issues-based television programming,” said Stephen H. Stetler, executive director of the Pennsylvania Economy League, Inc. “We look forward to working with PPTN and all the network stations to produce more educational television programming like this in the years to come.”

“The Pennsylvania Economy League is a premiere policy research organization in the state, and the public television stations throughout Pennsylvania are renowned for their commitment to educational outreach,” said Lynne D. Schmidt, Vice President of Government and Community Affairs for PPG Inc. and Chairman for the Pennsylvania Economy League State Board. “This unique partnership draws on the strengths of each entity to create independent, engaging, and informative resources on key policy issues for Pennsylvanians in every region.”

IssuesPA 2006 was funded in part by The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Pittsburgh Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, the Pennsylvania Public Television Network and the members of the Pennsylvania Economy League.

The Pennsylvania Economy League is an independent nonprofit public policy research organization. It is a force for positive change -- the state’s leading regionally based, statewide public policy organization. Working with Pennsylvania’s public and private sectors, the Economy League provides independent research and insight on emerging issues to stimulate public and private action to make Pennsylvania a better place to live, work, and do business.

The Pennsylvania Public Television Network (PPTN) is a technology service agency and a grantor to PPTN member stations in Pennsylvania to advance educational, cultural and civic opportunities and support public safety. PPTN is accountable for Commonwealth funds and supports PPTN’s public media organizations in their service to the citizens of the Commonwealth.

WITF, Inc., is a trusted, valued supplier of programs and services that both satisfy and stimulate curiosity for residents in every community in the central Pennsylvania region. WITF broadcast services reach audiences in over 17 counties in central Pennsylvania. The company comprises public broadcasting stations WITF-TV, WITF-FM, news networks RadioPA Networks and Public Radio Capitol News, monthly regional magazine Central PA, WITF.org, WITF Educational Services, Top Flight Media and Media Solutions.

The Governmental Research Association (GRA), founded in 1914, is the national organization of individuals professionally engaged in governmental research. The purpose of the Association is to encourage individuals and organizations to engage in governmental research in the general interest. Governmental research involves the collection, analysis, and distribution of factual information on governmental activities to citizens and officials for the improvement of government and the reduction of its cost.