An update on HB 1768.

As it stand right now, it doesn't appear that we are going to get HB 1768 passed this session. It did not come out of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee and the Senate session only has a few days left on their schedule.

What can't go unnoticed is the action you all have taken as the members of the PPFFA. As Art said at the convention in May, “…we all need to take ownership in this organization…”, and I believe we are on our way there. We can assist in taking the ownership of the organization by acknowledging the importance of the PPFFA FIREPAC. Last year we received a total of $6,500 in contributions, which is a significant drop off from the previous year. If we are going to play with the "Big Dogs" in Harrisburg we have to have the financial resources of the other competing organizations. Our membership must begin to make a conscious effort to begin promoting and donating to the PPFFA FIREPAC. It will only make our organization stronger.

It is inspiring to see that this organization in a matter of several days can send over 6,000 electronic emails to the members of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee. This grass roots effort has brought this piece of legislation further than it has ever gone before. This could not have been achieved without the work done by all of the members of the PPFFA.

We can make a difference, but we need to take ownership in this organization. Let's begin over the next few months to show how close we came with HB 1768 that we can achieve our goal to make this a law in the next session in 2009. There is nothing we can’t do with grass roots involvement, FIREPAC contributions, and commitment.

Keep up the good work, and talk to you all soon.

Jerry Tedesco

Vice President, PPFFA

412-916-2197 cellphone

412-673-1995 home

412-675-5070 station

jtedesco@ppffa.org