Gettysburg DFA has been working since 2004 to:

• Encourage dialogue on public issues in our community

• Build community by promoting and connecting local organizations and initiatives

• Protect and strengthen our democracy – “government of the people, by the people, for the people” – at every level, local, state, and national. 

We recognize that accomplishing these goals requires “understanding and respect among the Adams County residents of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.” We celebrate and honor the ancestries of every member of our vibrant community.

Gettysburg DFA has also sponsored a variety of organizations that have focused on a specific important purpose, including elimination of gerrymandering (Fair Districts) and promotion of economic justice (Green Gettysburg).

Among many other activities, Gettysburg DFA is the host to some of the best writing about politics, poverty, and opportunity anywhere. Just within the past year, writers such as Mark Berg, Sandy Busche, Kathy Ciolino, Dennis Cope, Tom deLoe, Wesley Doll, Jeanne Duffy, Carolyn George, Emily Kissner, Will Lane, Robert Lasco, Dwight Michael, Leon Reed, Baird Tipson, and Jenine Weaver wrote thoughtful pieces on issues of importance to our diverse community.

Poverty and inequality

Poverty and inequality have been major DFA focuses for several years. We have explored the issues of the local economy, the workforce, housing, transportation, nutrition, and incarceration in a number of reports and essays. Our members have been active in initiatives related to prison reform and have volunteered at the food pantry, homeless shelters, the prison, and other organizations concerned with poverty. We also sponsored a major, year-long analysis of Poverty in Adams County, which is being released during this virtual festival. 

Corona, poverty, and the way from here, by Leon Reed (June 6)

Rich get richer, Pandemic notwithstanding, by Mark Berg (May 20)

Two America’s: Income inequality in the US, by Tom DeLoe (December 20, 2019)

The invisible families of Adams County, by Jenine Weaver (September 16, 2019)

Healthcare

Heroes Act for the Health of America, by Sandy Busche (July 9)

Healthcare options for the jobless and uninsured, by Jeanne Duffy (May 14)

End surprise medical bills, by Jeanne Duffy (April 29)

10 million jobs lost, healthcare as well?, by Dwight Michael (April 9)

New Rx affordability board in PA, by Sandy Busche (March 12)  

Why can’t Congress end surprise medical billing, by Baird Tipson (February 18)

A vision for healthcare reform in Pennsylvania, by Jeanne Duffy (November 14, 2019)

Education

The Education Task Force began several years ago when DFA held a planning, goals and objectives workshop in the multipurpose room of a church.  Someone suggested we form a breakout group on local schools.  Along with a few other task forces, the Education Task Force was created.

Since then  the task force has performed several roles. The task force has  lobbied in Harrisburg, demonstrated on Lincoln Square, and provided speakers for the DFA first Wednesday meet-ups. The task force also regularly produces an op-ed piece for the Gettysburg Times. These are written by task force members or by non task force members with particular expertise about educational issues.

Recent topics examined by the Education Task Force include: the importance of affordable child care and the costs to the economy and society of not having it; the challenges of converting to digital education during the pandemic; the benefit of the Adams County Technical Institute; property taxes; and the costs and performance issues in private cyber charter schools.

Child Care: Who Needs It?, by Kathy Ciolino (August 27)

Safely reopening out schools, by Dwight Michael (August 13)

When classrooms go digital – a teacher’s view, by Emily Kissner (June 25)

Operating a school district and providing remote learning during Covid-19, by Wesley Doll. (April 23). Upper Adams School superintendent Wesley Doll wrote on the challenges of operating during the pandemic.

College is great, but…, by Dennis Cope (February 27). Dennis wrote on the benefits of technical education and the newly opening Adams County Technical Institute.

School property taxes, by Robert Lasco (December 26, 2019)

Reality check, by Dennis Cope (October 24, 2019)

Worried about school taxes? Follow the money, by Kathy Ciolino and Dennis Cope (August 22, 2019)

Cyber charter schools: Are local alternatives a better choice?, by Robert Lasco (June 27, 2019)

Government Accountability

The government accountability and political reform task force is concerned with preserving the democratic process and improving the effectiveness of government programs at the national, state, and local level.

Good or Bad Government? By Jeanne Duffy (August 18)

Consequences of four decades of attacks on federal government, by Leon Reed (July 25)

Election chaos 2020, by Tom DeLoe (July 14)

Save the mail, by Carolyn George (May 28). Carolyn anticipated the later controversies by writing about the importance of secure mail service and the dangers of disruption back in May.

#AdamsCountyCounts, by Leon Reed (March 12).  The chair of  the Adams County Complete Count Committee wrote about the importance of a complete census count.

Legislative misunderstanding of the minimum wage, by Mark Berg (December 3, 2019) 

Coronavirus impacts and recovery

The meaning of our masks, by Jeanne Duffy and DFA members (June 20)

Drop the politics by Will Lane (June 18)

After Coronavirus, what’s next? By Tom deLoe (June 11)

Poverty in Adams, post (or trans-) Corona, by Leon Reed (April 28)

What will the post-Covid economy be like, Part 2, by Leon Reed (April 7)

What will the post-Covid economy be like, Part 1, by Leon Reed (April 7)

Coronavirus’s impact on the Pennsylvania economy, by Mark Berg (April 7)