There is a general malaise spreading across Pennsylvania, which is ironic considering the adoption of the commonwealth’s tourism motto in 2016: “Pennsylvania. Pursue Your Happiness.”
Pennsylvanians are leaving and neither newborns nor newcomers are taking their places. Across the country, while states such as Utah and Nevada grow, Pennsylvania is losing population. Furthermore, Pennsylvania has the second highest percentage of elderly (65 and over) among states at a time when its number of high school graduates is declining.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified Pennsylvania as one of the top five states hit hardest by the opioid epidemic plaguing our country. In January, Gov. Tom Wolf took the unprecedented step of declaring the epidemic a “disaster emergency.”
Sadly, one area of growth is the dollar store. Dollar stores are ubiquitous across the commonwealth. According to a recent report, “Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, the three biggest chains, have more than 1,200 locations in Pennsylvania. That’s about a 50 percent increase in the past decade.” The growth of dollar stores is symptomatic of an economy in which everyday Pennsylvanians are struggling to make ends meet.
According to US News’ Best States Index, when it comes to higher education, Pennsylvania ranks dead last among the 50 states based on several indices. Compared to students in most other states, those in Pennsylvania, on average, face higher tuition and fees and rack up more debt by graduation. A recent College Affordability Diagnosis rates Pennsylvania 49th in terms of affordability.
Ask anyone what Pennsylvania is known for, and they are likely to rattle off things such as Hershey chocolate, history (the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Gettysburg), cheese steaks, hunting and Sheetz/Wawa stores (depending on the region), but are these enough to entice young Americans to pursue their happiness here?
As Mr. Wolf, a Democrat, has pointed out, a skilled and educated workforce attracts investment and jobs, hence, education is an “essential” investment. While he should be credited for leading the charge to restore funding cuts to K-12 schools and colleges and universities made during the previous administration, education should be a bipartisan issue and not used as a political football. Many public universities are nestled in conservative enclaves of the state, and Republicans should be just as interested in promoting access to affordable, high-quality education for their constituents as Democrats.
Consider the “Pennsylvania Promise” proposed by the Keystone Research Center and the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center. This proposal would grant free tuition to any of the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education schools and 14 public community colleges for qualifying Pennsylvania students living in households with less than $110,000 in income. It also would provide discounted tuition rates for state-related universities.
Proposals like this are not a fantasy of liberals. Several states offer varying types of tuition-free support for higher education, including red states such as Tennessee and Arkansas. The Pittsburgh Promise, offering scholarships to graduates of city high schools, has broad support.
There is still hope in Pennsylvania, but the day of reckoning is coming. So, what must be done?
Investing more in all levels and types of education — including liberal arts, STEM, professional disciplines and vocational fields — would empower the next generation of Pennsylvanians and, over time, revive a state that has so much to offer.
Unfortunately, the debate over investing in education is highly susceptible to the politics of the gubernatorial election this November. Already, state Sen. Scott Wagner, a Republican candidate from York County, has confronted PASSHE representatives in budget hearings and wants the system to spend less at a time when they are asking for more.
Making high-quality education both affordable and accessible would pay dividends for Pennsylvania but requires both Republicans and Democrats to make bold choices.
While there is no shame in patronizing or working for a dollar store, Pennsylvania must foster more growth in other sectors. The fact that both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are among the finalists for Amazon’s second headquarters raises this question: If the commonwealth does not show a willingness to invest adequately in itself, can we can expect others to do so? Which leads to this question: Is it more likely that young people will come to Pennsylvania to contribute their talents and pursue their happiness if they see Amazon expanding or Dollar General?
Jonathan C. Rothermel is a professor of political science at Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pa.
First Published: March 11, 2018, 5:00 a.m.
