DRPA Announces Bond Rating Upgrades by Moody’s Investors Service

Ratings agency cites DRPA’s solid metrics in recent fiscal years and management’s tight control over costs

Camden, NJ – Today, Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) officials announced that the independent credit agency, Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) has upgraded the ratings on the bi-state agency’s outstanding Revenue Bonds to A1 from A2 and the rating on its outstanding Port District Project (PDP) bonds to Baa1 from Baa2. Moody’s previously upgraded these bonds in 2017.

Moody’s cites “solid metrics in fiscal year 2018 and expected for 2019” and projects that “management will continue to maintain a tight control over costs” as reasons for the ratings upgrade rationale. The ratings report also reflects Moody’s view of the following DRPA strengths:

Very strong liquidity with a decline slightly with cash on hand in the next few years due in part to fund a $810 million 5-year capital plan for 2020-2024;

No toll increases through at least 2023. Tolls were last increased in 2011;

Changes in debt structure including the elimination of swaps and variable rate debt;

No debt issuances planned in the next 24 months; and

Investment in enterprise resource planning and other technology.

“With this ratings upgrade, the financial community is recognizing the unprecedented levels of investment DRPA is making in our bridges and PATCO line, and also in our people through training and technology,” said John T. Hanson, DRPA CEO and President, PATCO. “We are able to continue to do all this while making a commitment to freezing tolls until at least 2023.”

“The upgrades by Moody’s, reinforces the fact that the DRPA has achieved and sustained a superior level of financial performance for almost a decade,” said James M. White, DRPA Chief Financial Officer. “This rating action also reflects a high level of operational excellence at the DRPA’s bridges, on the train line, and among administrative support staff.”

These latest upgrades join several other upgrades over the past several years by both Moody’s and S&P Global Ratings (S&P), in recognition of DRPA’s continued financial stability and financial performance. DRPA’s excellent financial state and annual cash flows support the funding of the Authority’s $810 million in capital projects necessary to maintain, improve and upgrade four bridges and the PATCO transit line. Major projects include: Ben Franklin Bridge Suspension Span & Anchorage Rehabilitation ($217M); Whitman Bridge Corridor Rehabilitation at I-76 ($74M); PATCO Franklin Square Station Reopening ($29M); bridge painting ($161M); and elevator installations at PATCO stations ($38M).

To view the Moody’s Investors Service press release,

click here

LOTTERY POSTS RECORD SALES AND STATE CONTRIBUTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019

TRENTON (Feb. 3, 2020) –

The New Jersey Lottery posted record sales and a record contribution to the State according to the latest Audit Report for Fiscal Year 2019 released today, which is available for review on the

Lottery’s website

In Fiscal Year 2019, the Lottery generated $3.48 billion in sales, a $182 million increase over the prior year. The substantial increase in sales translated into a record contribution to the State in Fiscal Year 2019 of over $1.10 billion, which is used to support New Jersey’s public employee pension system. The success was shared by New Jersey players, who won more than $2 billion in prizes, and retailers, who earned $198 million in commissions.

“Impressive jackpots were an important component of total Lottery sales during Fiscal Year 2019,” said New Jersey Lottery Acting Executive Director James A. Carey, Jr. “Mega Millions had a $1.5 billion jackpot in October 2018 and also brought a $267 million jackpot to a New Jersey ticketholder in March 2019. Powerball jackpots performed well too, with a $687 million jackpot in October 2018 and a $768 million jackpot in March 2019. The high jackpots drove combined sales of the two multi-state games to approximately $521 million.”

In May of 2019, the Division of State Lottery amended the services agreement with its sales and marketing vendor Northstar New Jersey Lottery Group, which revised the formula for calculating the incentive payment owed to Northstar in Fiscal Year 2019 and in future years, and increased the performance targets that are used to calculate any incentive payment owed to Northstar. As a result, the incentive compensation paid to Northstar for FY 2019 totaled $26.1 million, significantly lower than the $33.9 million incentive payment that would have been owed to Northstar in FY 2019 under the previous contractual terms, saving taxpayers $7.8 million. For comparison purposes, in Fiscal Year 2018, the Lottery paid $31.8 million to Northstar in incentive compensation. Under the new contract terms, in FY 2019, the incentive compensation dropped, even as sales increased from $3.299 billion to $3.482 billion.

The Lottery is the State’s fifth largest individual revenue producer benefiting the residents of New Jersey. Since its inception in 1970, the Lottery has contributed over $28 billion to the State, helping to bolster the public employee pension system for teachers, police and fire personnel and other public employees, as well as supporting businesses and communities throughout New Jersey.

Black History Month Inspired Collection

Philadelphia, PA (February 2020)

– Every February, the celebration of Black History Month observes the importance of African Americans in United States history. Nigerian-born entrepreneur and fashion designer Addie Elabor and her clothing line

D’IYANU

celebrate these achievements regularly by encouraging self expression and empowering individuals to express their cultural pride through all of their collections. With its official release on January 24, 2020, Elabor and her team present

D\’IYANU’s Black History Month Collection.

Inspired by traditional African prints, the Black History Month Collection features fashionable formal wear for men, women, and children. Ladies can make a bold statement in

African print maxi dresses, maxi skirts, peplum blazers, matching pants, and head wraps.

Men are sure to stand out in colorful, African-inspired prints in long and short sleeved tee shirts. The collection also includes matching designs for children to create a photo-worthy family look. The eye-catching patterns and vibrant prints, ranging from

$19.99-109.99

, set this collection apart while still offering the affordable price range of the previous collections.

D’IYANU welcomes customers interested in the Black History Month Collection to visit their Norristown showroom. Located on

910 E. Main St.

, the beautiful showroom is open

Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

and offers guests a uniquely intimate personal shopping experience. Elabor and her team of stylists are available onsite either by appointment or walk-in to answer questions about fit, fabric selections, and help inspire confident and bold D’IYANU wardrobes. The collection is also available

online

Connect and follow the latest trends with D’IYANU on

Facebook,

Twitter

, and

Instagram

. Shop the 2020 Black History Month Collection and best sellers on their

website

For media inquiries and/or interview requests, please contact

mara@PhillyPRGirl.com

###

About D’IYANU

The tough, competitive, and nerve-wrecking fashion industry didn’t stop designer Addie Elabor from following her heart and launching

D’IYANU

in January of 2014. Iyanu translates to “miracle” or “wonderful” in the Nigerian Yoruba language, and D’ means “of” or “from” in French. With the combination of her Yoruba and French background, the name

D’IYANU

, “of something wonderful” was established to remind everyone they are uniquely made and to dress like it. Addie also made it her purpose to help build schools and clinics for underdeveloped communities in Nigeria and other African countries.

The Afua is sure to be your next favorite maxi dress.The gorgeous African Print (Black Gold Mudcloth) is bold and vibrant. At the top, the Afua dress has an off the shoulder cut. It features a unique high-low cut at the bottom which leaves room to show off your best heels.

The Men\’s Bomani African Print Long Sleeve V-Neck Tee in the black and gold mudcloth print is especially made for the culturally confident gentleman. Rock African print in style by pairing the look with dress pants or blue jeans to achieve a day to night look.

Dress your little one in our comfortable Umi African Print Kid\’s Color Block Tee. Your child can represent their heritage while looking dope. From the classroom to the playground, this versatile piece can be worn in any setting.

Philadelphia\’s Financial Health Given Failing Grade

By Alan Krawitz |

The Center Square

The Philadelphia skyline. Sean Pavone | Shutterstock.com

HARRISBURG PA (January 2020)–A new report by government finance watchdog Truth in Accounting (TIA) has named Philadelphia as one of four cities to receive an F for its poor financial health.The TIA report \”

Financial State of the Cities

,\” which found widespread debt in city halls across the nation, cited Philadelphia as having the fourth largest taxpayer burden at $25,500, behind Honolulu at $26,400, Chicago with $37,100 and New York City with the largest taxpayer burden in the nation at $63,100.

Pittsburgh wasn\’t dramatically better, finishing 12th worst with a taxpayer burden of $15,600.

The taxpayer burden, according to TIA, is the amount that each local taxpayer would have to contribute for their city government to pay off all its bills.

TIA notes that the study sheds new light on exactly how much debt will fall into future taxpayers’ laps.

The report looked at the 75 most populous U.S. cities and found that Philadelphia was one of four that accumulated taxpayer burdens more than $20,000.

Calling the findings a \”catastrophic challenge for city lawmakers,\” TIA analysts took their data from the fiscal 2018 audited Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports, which are on file in city halls across the country, and TIA says \”are not analyzed on this scale by any other organization.\”

“Taxpayer Burdens occur when politicians decide to make promises on paper without fully funding the programs,” said TIA founder and CEO Sheila Weinberg. “We need to fix the wording of balanced budget requirements so civil servants can count on their retirement programs, and future generations are not forced to pay for our bills.”

The report says that Philadelphia’s substantial taxpayer burden is related to poor budgeting practices that have allowed the elected officials to claim they are meeting the city’s balanced budget requirement while putting the city more than $14 billion in debt.

Billions of dollars of earned and incurred compensation costs, TIA explains, were related to pension and retiree health care and have not been included in the budget calculation. In essence, benefits were promised, but elected officials have chosen to use money that could have been used to fund these benefits for other purposes.

Pittsburgh came under similar criticism from TIA.

\”Pittsburgh’s financial problems stem mostly from unfunded retirement obligations that have accumulated over the years,\” the report stated. \”Of the $1.8 billion in retirement benefits promised, the city has not funded $915.2 million in pension and $408.6 million in retiree health care benefits.\”

Weinberg added that all \”75 cities studied have balance budget requirements for very good reasons … They are intended to avoid the crushing debt Philadelphia now has and to promote accountability by not allowing elected officials to push current costs onto future taxpayers.”

As a result, Weinberg says, some 63 cities, including Philadelphia, have used misleading budgeting practices to circumvent the intentions of its balanced budget requirement and the result is a per taxpayer burden of $25,500, which future taxpayers will shoulder unless government services and benefits are cut.

Moreover, a consequence of the city\’s shoddy budgeting means that citizens have not had the \”information needed to be knowledgeable participants in Philadelphia\’s financial decision-making processes,\” she added.

However, TIA says that it\’s not all gloom and doom in Pennsylvania\’s two largest cities.

\”The good news,\” Weinberg says, \”is that Philadelphia and the other cities studied are now reporting all of their retirement debt on their balance sheets.\”

New government accounting standards required state and local governments to start reporting their pension liabilities on their balance sheets three years ago and their retiree health care liabilities last year.

Weinberg concludes, “This is a huge step for government transparency, because elected officials and citizens can now go to their Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and get a more accurate picture of their government’s finances.”

published here by the GLOUCESTERCITYNEWS.NET WITH PERMISSION

PA Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell Guilty of Spending Charity Donations on Vacations/Luxury Items

By Kim Jarrett |

The Center Square

Harrisburg PA (January 2020)–A former Democratic state representative who officials say took money from her nonprofit and spent it on vacations and luxury items was sentenced to three months behind bars.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell (center) will resign from the Legislature and plead guilty to corruption charges, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Photo courtesy of Rep. Johnson-Harrell\’s website

Former Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell also was sentenced to 8½ months of house arrest, 11½ months on parole, and then two years of probation following her guilty plea to felony charges of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, perjury, and misdemeanor charges of tampering with public records, according to a statement from Attorney General Josh Shapiro. She pleaded no contest Thursday to two misdemeanor charges of reporting by political candidates and committees, statement of financial interests in a Philadelphia courtroom.

Johnson-Harrell was the founder of the Philadelphia-based Motivation, Education and Consultation Associates (MECA). The nonprofit operated personal care homes starting in 2013 for people who could not support themselves for a variety of reasons.

After officials found residents in unlivable conditions, the homes were abruptly shut down by MECA, “kicking residents to the curb, leaving them to find new living arrangements or enter into actual treatment,” Shapiro said when announcing the charges against Johnson-Harrell in December. “But Johnson-Harrell continued to collect monthly rent payments from MECA funds for these properties despite the fact that the organization was no longer using them.”

Johnson-Harrell diverted an estimated $500,000 to her personal and campaign accounts, according to Shapiro’s office.

“This Philadelphia community would have been in a better place had this former public official invested MECA’s money into the people who needed the care she promised,” Shapiro said. “Instead, the community received no help as Johnson-Harrell spent MECA money on fur coats, Porsche car payments and expensive vacations for herself.

Johnson-Harrell stepped down in December after Shapiro announced the charges, and she disputed some of the allegations against her but said she intended “to accept responsibility for any actions that were inappropriate.”

The legislative seat was formerly held by Democrat Vanessa Lowery Brown, who resigned after she was convicted in December of 2018 on bribery charges. Johnson-Harrell took office in March 2019 after winning a special election.

“Corruption erodes the trust that is built between government entities and citizens,” Shapiro said. “Philadelphia is entitled to honest services and, hopefully, the good people here will begin to receive them now that justice has been served.”

A special election to fill Johnson-Harrell’s seat will be held Feb. 25.

published here with permission of The Center Square

Parks in Pennsylvania Face $500M Deficit

By Dave Fidlin |

The Center Square

HARRISBURG PA–Rising costs and stagnant income is leaving Pennsylvania’s 121 parks with a projected deficit of about $500 million to address ongoing maintenance needs, a state official revealed recently.

Paul Zeph, head planner of the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks, went before members of the House Tourism Committee on Jan. 15 and discussed the

Parks for All

plan, which was recently refreshed after last going under the microscope in 1992.

In his testimony to the House panel, Zeph touched on a number of issues related to state parks, but the one piece of insight that garnered the most attention was the anticipated shortfall. When Parks for All was last updated, Zeph pointed out budgetary deficits at the time hovered around $100 million.

“We’re scratching our heads on how to go forward,” Zeph said. “We may have to shut down some facilities, we may have to make some parks a little more remote. We’re not sure, but we are identifying that we have a need.”

In 2017, the Bureau of State Parks conducted a survey, which yielded about 14,000 responses, and Zeph said he thought the feedback could serve as an important guide in how to proceed.

Pennsylvania residents have long enjoyed visiting state parks for free – the thinking, Zeph said, being the cost is covered through taxes – and there was minimal support for imposing an admission cost at this point.

Another middle-of-the-road scenario, calling for scaling down amenities at some of the state’s lesser used parks and giving them more of a rustic designation could also be on the table.

“There was some mild support for that,” Zeph said.

Several committee members weighed in on the issue. State Rep. Dan Moul, R-Gettysburg, questioned if at least one of the state’s larger parks could have a ramped up, amenity-rich emphasis on tourism that would extend beyond the park system’s current traditional base of day-trippers.

“We do have some state parks that have big enough lakes,” Moul said. “There’s a way we could bring more people into the commonwealth and have them spend money.”

But Zeph said such a scenario could lead to unforeseen circumstances. Other states, he said, have encountered financial losses in the long run for similar proposals.

“The bigger you get, the more the commonwealth winds up paying for these kinds of facilities,” Zeph said.

State Rep. Mark Longietti, D-Hermitage, said he was concerned with the rising deficit of parks maintenance. With inflation taken into account, Longietti said he is concerned the figure will only rise in the years ahead.

“It’s frustrating. It’s a conundrum,” Zeph said in response, pointing out there are no easy answers to the questions.

As for the survey itself, Zeph said there was one aspect of the responses that jumped out at him as the results were tabulated.

“I was surprised by the uniformity of responses,” he said. “By and large, people seem pretty happy with the system.”

Further discussion of the deficit and other aspects of the Parks for All plan is anticipated as 2020 gets underway.

“We need to mine a little deeper on some of these questions,” Zeph said. “We do have more work to do. This isn’t the end. But this has given us a good starting point.”

published here with permission of The Center Square

Quick and Easy Ways to Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly

Gloucestercitynews.net (January 31, 2020)–People are thinking a lot more about their carbon footprint these days, the idea of making your home eco-friendlier is not new, but it is becoming essential. From those who want to reduce their

image unsplash.com

environmental impact to those that are preparing their home to sell, being more environmentally conscious is more popular than ever. Make the right eco-friendly changes to your home, and you can even add value to your property, meaning that you can advance up the property ladder even faster. If you\’re looking for ways to make cost-effective changes to your carbon footprint, here are some of the greenest ways to make your home eco-friendlier.

Water Waste

As one of the more expensive utility bills, it always pays to be smarter about your water use. When it comes to being environmentally aware, most people look at electricity consumption, but your use of water is just as vital. Think about the many ways that you can save water, starting with making repairs on any leaking pipes or

a dripping faucet

. Consider installing a showerhead that comes with a low-flow option, and you can save thousands of liters of water every year.

Get Hot and Stay Cool

Temperature is where a lot of people fail when it comes to their carbon footprint. Relaxing at home if it’s too cold or too hot can be very frustrating, so it’s always tempting to play with the air-con or heating system to get the right temperature

to relax in. Check your air-conditioning system and your furnace, making sure to

make a note of your SEER and AFUE

. These two measurements will give you a much clearer idea of your energy efficiency and can have a large bearing on your utility bills.

Always Insulate

One of the most effective ways to use less energy is to need less. Insulated walls and attics prevent cooled or heated air from escaping outside, meaning that you aren’t going to be wasting your energy by constantly adjusting the temperature. You can even go beyond traditional materials by investing in more

eco-friendly materials for your insulation

. Sheep\’s wool and cotton are common options for greener insulation, but there are many materials to consider if you want to improve your insulation and remain environmentally conscious.

Eco-Aware Lighting

Most people have already looked at energy-efficient light bulbs, but if you haven’t researched them lately, then you might be amazed by the drop in prices. While the cost of energy-saving light bulbs used to be quite prohibitive, modern options are much more wallet-friendly. Remember, you don’t have to swap every lightbulb immediately. Buy one or two energy-efficient bulbs every payday and replace your older lightbulbs with the newer bulbs as needed. Take your time, and you’ll soon have all of the

environmentally friendly lighting

that you’ll need.

Turning your home int0 somewhere more eco-friendly doesn’t have to mean huge disruption or costs. Often, it is the small changes to your home that will have the most impact. Whether you\’re putting your property on the market or you want to reduce your carbon footprint, these quick and easy eco-friendly tips could save you a fortune and boost the asking price of your home.

Love Your Money: U.S. Spends $113.5 Million to Give Rural America High Speed Internet

In the last few weeks alone the U.S. government has spent a whopping $113.5 million to help bring

Gloucestercitynews.net graphics

high-speed broadband to several rural areas throughout the country. In some of the cases multi-million-dollar investments will provide high-speed internet service to just a few hundred households, raising serious questions about the taxpayer investment. The money flows through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) via a Trump administration program known as

ReConnect

that will ultimately dole out hundreds of millions of dollars for the cause.

The program was launched as a result of President Donald Trump’s

Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity

established in April 2017 to identify legislative, regulatory, and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. Headed by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, the task force includes 22 federal agencies and local leaders typical for bureaucratic government adventures. The government officials made dozens of recommendations

outlined in a

lengthy report

that essentially asks American taxpayers for a monstrous investment. The goal is to provide rural America with world-class resources, tools and support to build robust, sustainable communities for generations to come, according to the USDA.

Key among the issues preventing this is high-speed internet availability, the task force found. It also recommends modern utilities, affordable housing, efficient transportation and reliable employment to improve quality of life as well as economic development and a better workforce. So far, most of the taxpayer investment has gone to internet, though it may not seem like the most urgent of the issues pressing rural America. This may be especially true since rural America includes around 46 million of the nation’s roughly 325 million people, according to the task force figures, which also reveal that rural America includes 72% of the nation’s land. “Rural America is home to many different racial and ethnic demographics and a wide array of economic activities,” the task force report states. “These residents live in a variety of settings, from counties bordering suburbs to remote and isolated areas.”

Is high-speed internet really so essential that the Uncle Sam must spend such huge sums of money? Does lack of broadband connectivity create a crisis? Broadband is defined by law as 10 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. The government’s initial funds “will generate private sector investment to deploy broadband infrastructure to provide high-speed internet e-Connectivity to as many rural premises as possible, including homes, community facilities for healthcare and public safety, schools, libraries, farms, ranches, factories, and other production sites,” according to the USDA. ReConnect offers unique federal financing and funding options in the form of loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in the targeted areas.

Let’s take a look at some recent examples of how the money is being allocated. So far this month alone the government doled out $113.5 million to bring rural America high-speed broadband, though it’s not certain when the projects will be completed so that roughly 14% of the population can surf the internet. The first investment, for

$23 million

, will improve rural e-Connectivity for 2,643 households and 78 businesses in North Dakota. The USDA’s North Dakota Rural Development director says broadband technology is a utility as important as water, sewer and electricity. Two days later the USDA announced another

$48 million

investment to bring high-speed broadband infrastructure to 22,600 rural households in Virginia. About a week later another

$11 million

went to similar projects in Minnesota and northern Iowa that will serve 1,395 rural households and more than 100 business. “When Americans are connected to high-speed internet, productivity and prosperity skyrocket,” according to USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky. “This task of providing rural Americans with broadband is of the highest importance for President Trump and his Administration. We cannot leave millions of Americans out of the successes of this booming economy simply because they do not have access to the internet.”

Capping off the month were allocations of

$5.7 million

for high-speed broadband projects that will serve 489 households, 24 farms and eight businesses in Nebraska and

$18.7 million

to bring 6,300 households and 383 farms in West Virginia internet. The last disbursement, announced just two days ago, is a

$7.1 million

grant to improve e-Connectivity for 1,250 households in north central Arkansas. It may seem like a hefty price tag, but the USDA assures it’s important because it will connect residents to opportunities in education, health care and economic development.

source

Judicialwatch.org

Philadelphia Councilman Johnson Reintroduces Legislation to Provide Property Tax Relief to Residents

PHILADELPHIA (JANUARY 24, 2020) —

Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson

(2nd District) reintroduced a bill yesterday during the new Philadelphia City Council term to provide property tax relief 220,000 homeowners citywide.

City Council approved an identical bill by a 17-0 vote last year, as introduced by Johnson on behalf of City Council

President Darrell Clarke

(5th District). that would increase the city’s existing

Homestead Exemption

for homeowners by an additional $5,000, raising it from $45,000 to $50,000. President Clarke remains a co-sponsor of the new Homestead Exemption bill.

“During this new Council term, I will continue the fight for property tax relief for all Philadelphians, including expansions of the Homestead Exemption and the

Longtime Owner-Occupants Program

(LOOP),” Johnson said. “Philadelphians need tax relief because spikes in property assessments have supersized tax bills in many neighborhoods. Yet, working families aren’t getting pay raises and most seniors are on fixed incomes. Too many homeowners have to choose between paying tax bills and paying for groceries or medication.”

“We know that Homestead and LOOP work. They have high participation rates and help families across the city, “Johnson continued. “Most LOOP enrollees are senior citizens who bought their homes decades ago, at low point in the market. But LOOP has helped save those households from displacement, according a 2017 study the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.”

In December, Council unanimously approved

bill number 190943

to raise the Homestead Exemption from $45,000 up to $50,000. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney didn’t sign the bill into law, saying he supported it but wanted to delay the discussion as part of the upcoming Fiscal Year budget discussion.

“I respect Mayor Kenney’s decision, but I am reopening discussions right away by reintroducing the Homestead legislation,” Johnson said. “If approved, my bill would help 220,000 homeowners citywide and cost the City of Philadelphia approximately $15 million per year. I think we can find the money with our current City of Philadelphia budget fund balance north of $300 million. It’s the right thing to do.”

The Homestead Exemption reduces the taxable portion of your property assessment by $45,000, starting with 2020 property tax bills, if a person owns a home in Philadelphia and uses it as a primary residence.

If Councilman Johnson’s legislation is approved by the full Council, it would raise the amount that homeowners would save to more than $700 a year.

Johnson’s Homestead Exemption bill will now be assigned to a committee for a public hearing.

Transgender State Workers Sue Florida Demanding Support for Sex-Change Surgeries

Tom Fitton JudicialWatch.org

Around the country, and now in Florida, “transgender” activists are demanding all of us to pay for their sex-change surgeries.

Corruption Chronicles

has the

details

CNBNews graphics

In what appears to be a growing national trend, another public enterprise is being sued for failing to pay for transgenders’ costly sex-change surgery. The plaintiffs in this latest case are two veteran state workers—both men—in Florida who allege sex discrimination because the state’s insurance policy doesn’t cover surgical procedures to help make them women. One of them, Jami Claire, is a senior biological scientist at the University of Florida (UF), the state’s premier university, which is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The other, Kathryn Lane, is an attorney in the Tallahassee public defender’s office. Both men take hormones and undergo electrolysis to make them more feminine.

Now they want taxpayers in the Sunshine State to fund expensive surgeries to alter their genitals and face. Claire, who is 62 years old, and Lane, 39, claim to have gender dysphoria that requires gender-affirming care explicitly excluded by the state’s health insurance program, which covers more than 350,000 employees and dependents. “Gender dysphoria is a serious, but treatable, medical condition,” according to the federal

complaint

filed this week is U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. “Left untreated it can lead to debilitating distress, depression, anxiety, impairment of function, substance abuse, self-surgery to alter one’s genitals, or secondary sex characteristics, self-injurious behavior and even suicide.” That makes “gender-affirming care” medically necessary, the lawsuit says, adding that singling out transgender employees for unequal treatment constitutes “unlawful sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Equal Protection Clause.”

Claire, the UF scientist, is a Navy veteran who has been living as a female for more than two decades and has a “well-established social and professional identity as a woman,” the complaint says. In 1997 he was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and began taking hormones and undergoing electrolysis for hair removal. His wife and children disowned him and the “financial toll of the divorce” made gender-affirming treatments unaffordable so he stopped them until a few years ago. In 2016 Claire resumed gender affirmation treatments to “live authentically as a woman,” a medical necessity, the lawsuit says, because Claire experienced constant stress, anxiety, pain and anguish as a man. In 2018 Claire paid for a breast augmentation to feminize his body. Now he wants the state to pay for the surgical removal of his testicles, but his public insurance plan denied the procedure.

Lane, the attorney, also has a “well-established social and professional identity as a woman,” according to the complaint. He began experiencing gender dysphoria since the age of five but suppressed his “female identity” for many years, causing “severe depression and anxiety.” In 2012, Lane finally embraced his female identity and began hormone and facial/body hair removal treatments. Lane also began growing out the hair on his head to “be identified more easily as a female.” In 2015 he paid for breast augmentation surgery. The lawyer wants the state insurance plan to pay for an expensive cosmetic procedure known as “facial feminization surgery” essential to treating gender dysphoria. “Facial features play an important part in being recognized as a particular gender,” the lawsuit says. “The public’s ability to recognize an individual as transgender based on their facial features places that individual at risk of violence, harassment, and discrimination.”

Governments are increasingly being forced to pay for the pricey cosmetic treatments of transgender people who claim to be stuck in the wrong body. Thousands of dollars are annually spent to give transgender jail inmates nationwide hormone treatments, laser hair removal and makeup. In Massachusetts, a convicted murderer actually

sued

the Department of Corrections to pay for sex-change surgery. Last year a federal judge forced Wisconsin taxpayers to provide sex reassignment surgery and hormonal procedures for low-income transgender residents who get free medical care from the government. In his

ruling

, the federal judge wrote that Medicaid, the publicly funded insurance that covers 65.7 million poor people, cannot deny the medical treatment needs of those suffering from “gender dysphoria.” Officials estimate it will cost up to $1.2 million annually to provide transgender Medicaid recipients in the Badger State with treatments such as “gender confirmation” surgery, including elective mastectomies, hysterectomies, genital reconstruction and breast augmentation.

source JUDICIAL WATCH