Fall 2022
Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Matters is published quarterly by the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, 100 State Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101, tel 800-345-5353, and is a benefit of membership in the association. Articles do not necessarily reflect the view or position of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association. Editorial coverage or permission to advertise does not constitute endorsement of the company covered or of an advertiser’s products or services, nor does Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Matters make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertiser’s offer. ©2022 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in print or electronically without the express written permission of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association. PRLA 2022 OFFICERS CHAIRMAN Tom Neely Thomas A. Strauss Inc.—Lancaster Chapter VICE CHAIR Cynthia Smith Hoss’s Family Steak & Sea / Marzoni’s Brick Oven & Brewing— Keystone Chapter TREASURER Derek Beckman Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia South at the Navy Yard— Philadelphia Chapter IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Bill Covaleski Victory Brewing Company—Brandywine Chapter PRLA STAFF PRESIDENT & CEO Joe Massaro | jmassaro@prla.org OPERATIONS MANAGER Eric Adams | eadams@prla.org SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY & ENGAGEMENT Ben Fileccia | ben@prla.org DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES Christine Preuss | cpreuss@prla.org DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & HUMAN RESOURCES Diane Dwyer, CPA | ddwyer@prla.org SENIOR DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Lauren Brinjac | lbrinjac@prla.org SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS Zak Pyzik | zpyzik@prla.org DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION Hope Sterner | hsterner@prla.org PROGRAM & EVENTS COORDINATOR Pamela Fink | pfink@prla.org DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & ENGAGEMENT Heidi Howard, CMP | hhoward@prla.org DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Stephanie Otterson | sotterson@prla.org COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Kendra Stutzman | kstutzman@prla.org ACCOUNTING MANAGER Paula Judd | pjudd@prla.org PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY GENERAL COUNSEL Shumaker Williams, P.C. Keith Clark GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Frank DiCicco Associates, Philadelphia Andrew Zalenski, Greenlee Partners, Harrisburg Clint Cullison, Madison Stromswold ACCOUNTANT & INDEPENDENT AUDITORS Brown, Schultz, Sheridan & Fritz John Bonawitz, CPA INVESTMENT ADVISORS Conrad Siegel Tara Mashack-Behney Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Matters is a publication of the PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIATION 100 State Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101 800-345-5353 | www.prla.org | info@prla.org For Advertising Information: Grandt Mansfield Senior Account Executive 503-445-2226 | grandt@llmpubs.com Creative Design LLM Publications Katie Jo Stewart, Designer katiejo@llmpubs.com INSIDE THIS ISSUE 4 Industry Outlook 6 Chairman’s Message 8 GA Team Letter 10 Legislative Champions 12 Fresh Faces 16 Membership Benefit Spotlight 18 Philly and Pittsburgh Happenings 20 Education & Training 22 Political Action Contributions 24 2022 PRLA PAC Contributors 26 Welcome New Members p 10
4 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 INDUSTRY OUTLOOK Welcome to the Legislative Issue. This edition of Restaurant & Lodging Matters is dedicated to legislative affairs, a cornerstone of PRLA’s activities. In this issue, we’ll reflect on the last two-year session in Harrisburg and beyond. The Legislative Champions feature on page 10 highlights those elected officials who have supported our industry during their tenure but won’t be returning to Harrisburg next session. Additionally, we’ve broken down how your contributions to our Policial Action Committee (PAC) have been dispersed in support of PRLA’s advocacy priorities. Of note, 91 percent of the candidates supported by the PRLA PAC will be state lawmakers in 2023. The PRLA PAC is a critically important tool to achieve legislative success and directly linked to how much we can do. PAC contributions allow us to support candidates who take policy positions which support our industry. Our government affairs team will tell you good public policy starts with good elected officials. Help us support these individuals so we may grow our voice and influence, by contributing to PRLA’s PAC in 2023. One-time or recurring contributions of any size can be made online or by contacting the PRLA Office. The new, 2-year legislative session began January 3 in Harrisburg. There are many fresh faces in the halls of the Capitol, with nearly 50 new Senators and Representatives elected in November. We also have a new face in the Governor’s office in Josh Shapiro, whose inauguration is on January 17. All this change presents PRLA with an exciting opportunity to build new relationships and nurture existing ones. We will continue our popular legislative roundtables to foster direct relationships between our members and their elected officials. A typical legislative session sees some 3,000 to 4,000 new pieces of legislation introduced. Though likely less than 400 will become law, those that do could either support the growth of our industry or make it more difficult for businesses and the people they employ. The PRLA Policy Committee will meet at the end of January to set our policy objectives and priorities for the next legislative cycle. We will share the results of that discussion in the Daily Update. While our legislative system may seem foreign or distant, you can personally engage through PRLA and help ensure that we are appropriately influential in the process. • Joe Massaro PRLA PRESIDENT & CEO Industry Update “We’re also developing new events to give members opportunities to engage with their senators and representatives.”
6 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE In my final Chairman’s Message column of the year, I want to thank you for engaging with PRLA and your communities to help us change the conversation around our industry. Workforce development has been the focus of my tenure and will continue to be a priority of PRLA in 2023 and beyond. We’ve talked about how critical it is for us to engage students to build up the future of our workforce. This is the long-game but it’s one I think we must remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting. This fall, PRLA and the PRLA Educational Foundation hosted a workshop for middle and high school students from Central Pennsylvania. Students participated in hands-on cooking and pastry demonstrations, learned about fine-dining etiquette, and spoke with industry leaders across multiple sectors on career pathways. It was an exciting and engaging experience for the students who participated, and we hope to replicate its success in locations around the state. This edition of the magazine focuses on legislative affairs. Our elected officials are another crucial audience when comes to changing the conversation around our industry. The decisions they make in Harrisburg can directly impact our ability to run our businesses. It’s critically important that they understand how we are an industry of first jobs, second chances, and career pathways. Our PAC continues to be an instrumental tool in supporting legislators who support our industry and understand its value as an economic driver. If you have not yet contributed to the PRLA PAC, I encourage you to do so today. Another facet of legislative and government affairs is building our relationships with the state agencies that can help us achieve our workforce development goals. Whether it is collaborating with the Department of Education on secondary education or the Department of Labor & Industry on workforce development boards. These relationships will only help us advance our industry. While our work is on-going, I’m proud of our achievements in 2022 and appreciative of your engagement and support. I’m also incredibly grateful to the professional PRLA team for the hard work they perform day in and day out to advance and support our industry. Our members get stuff done and I look forward to seeing what 2023 brings PRLA and our industry under the leadership of incoming chair, Cynthia Smith. • Tom Neely THOMAS A. STRAUSS INC. LANCASTER CHAPTER Changing the Conversation “Our PAC continues to be an instrumental tool in supporting legislators who support our industry and understand its value as an economic driver.”
8 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 The pandemic brought challenges and concerns that many of us never considered having to tackle. Forced closures, unpredictable mandates, and constant uncertainty plagued the industry for nearly two years. Even after mask mandates went away at the state level, operators were navigating through mitigation happening at the local level in places like Philadelphia. PRLA fought tooth and nail to assure that your voices were heard, that your concerns were addressed, and that the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries had a seat at the table when decisions were being made about your business. Despite the pandemic being over and mitigation orders having been lifted, operators in the industries we serve continue to face new challenges and difficulties every day. The workforce shortage has kept business from truly returning to “normal,” the supply chain disruptions and rising costs on raw materials have left many operations in a position where it’s impossible to make a profit, and unpredictability in the economy continues to keep us all on our toes. We can’t fix the problems of the past, and unfortunately there’s much we can’t control when it comes to things like the economy, but what we can do is promise all of you that the industry will always have a voice and heavy hand when decisions are made in Washington, Harrisburg, and in cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. With the new year comes new opportunity. Pennsylvania will welcome a new governor in 2023, along with nearly 40–50 new State Senators and State Representatives. As the largest freshmen class of legislators prepare for their first couple of months at the capitol, PRLA is hard at work, with your help, mapping out the priorities that matter most to you and your businesses. There will be new platforms, new ideas, and new faces in Harrisburg in 2023, and PRLA is as prepared as ever to fight for the causes that matter most to you. We’re excited about all there is to accomplish, and we’re looking forward to accomplishing so much together. Sincerely, PRLA’s GA Team Lauren Brinjac & Zak Pyzik GA TEAM LETTER Lauren Brinjac Zak Pyzik
Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 9
10 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 Representative Stan Saylor Majority Chair, House Appropriations Committee Congratulations to Representative Stan Saylor on his retirement and such a long and fulfilling career in the PA House of Representatives. Representative Saylor has proudly represented the 94th House District, which includes parts of York County, since first being elected in 1992. Chairman Saylor has been a strong advocate for the hospitality and tourism industries here in Pennsylvania, and rarely ever missed a meeting or event with PRLA members. Our members in York recently had a chance to connect with Rep. Saylor at a roundtable event a couple of months ago. Best of luck to Chairman Saylor on future endeavors! LEGISLATIVE CHAMPIONS Senator John Yudichak Majority Chair, Senate Committee on Community, Economic, and Recreational Development. Senator John Yudichak has served as the 14th District’s state senator since 2011, representing parts of Carbon, Luzerne, and Monroe Counties. As Majority Chair of the Senate CERD Committee, Senator Yudichak has always put the concerns of the Pennsylvania tourism industry front and center. Chairman Yudichak had regularly reached out to PRLA for our input on legislation, for suggestions on new ideas, and always gave the industry a seat at the table when big decisions were being made. Congratulations to Chairman Yudichak on a long and successful career. We’re wishing you a very happy retirement! We’re very fortunate at PRLA to work with so many legislators that support the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries in Pennsylvania. We wanted to take an opportunity to recognize some of the elected officials that have been such big champions for the industries we represent, but that will not be here in 2023.
Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 11 Most Enthusiastic Issue Champion/Bill Sponsor Representative Valerie Gaydos – Association Health Plans Excellence in Legislative Leadership House Liquor Control Committee Chairman Carl Metzger Tourism Spirit Award House Tourism Committee Chair Mary Jo Daley Best Attendance at PRLA Events Representative Regina Young Staff Achievement Award Stephen Rudman – Director of Legislative Affairs, Department of Agriculture Representative David Millard Majority Chair, House Tourism Committee As the Majority Chair of the House Tourism Committee, Representative Millard would regularly engage PRLA for our thoughts and ideas on how to make the travel and tourism industry here in the commonwealth the best that it could be. Chairman Millard has a true passion for Pennsylvania and all that we have to attract visitors, and the Chairman worked tirelessly to travel and tour the state, and to ultimately familiarize himself with all the great things that each local region in Pennsylvania has to offer. Chairman Millard has been a real champion for PRLA over the years and has always supported the issues most important to our members. Congratulations Chairman Millard on a wonderful career! Wishing you a happy retirement! In Memory Of – Representative Jeff Pyle Former Majority Chair, House Liquor Control Committee Representative Jeff Pyle was born in Kittanning, Pa., and represented the 60th House District from 2005 to 2021. Rep. Pyle unfortunately passed away on September 14, 2022, but his spirit will live on in many of us, and especially at the PA Capitol Building. Rep. Pyle was loved by his colleagues and his constituents. He was a strong advocate for restaurants in Pennsylvania, and served as Majority Chair of the House Liquor Control Committee until 2021. One of the final bills filed by Rep. Pyle was HB 427, which would increase the liquor licensee discount from 10 percent to 15 percent. He worked closely with PRLA and fought tirelessly for a better Pennsylvania, and he was a big ally to the business community. PRLA and many others will miss Rep. Jeff Pyle. We thank him for all of his support and offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends closest to him.
12 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 FRESH FACES There will be nearly 50 new faces in Harrisburg when the Legislature returns for the 2023–24 session. Here’s a list of the new senators and representatives elected this year. To learn a little bit more about each individual, download the New Member Bios prepared by the PRLA’s outside lobbying firm, Greenlee Partners.
Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 13 Senators Sen. Frank Farry (R-6), serving Bucks County Sen. Nick Miller (D – 14), serving Northampton and Lehigh Counties Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R – 16), serving Lehigh County Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R – 24), serving Montgomery (part) Sen. Greg Rothman (R – 34), serving Perry and Cumberland Counties Sen. Rosemary Brown (D – 40), serving Monroe (part) and Northampton (part) Counties Representatives Rep. Jake Banta (R – 4), serving Erie County (part) Rep. Marla Gallo Brown (R – 9), serving Lawrence County (part) Rep. Stephanie Scialabba (R – 12), serving Butler County (part) Rep. Joshua Siegel (D – 22), serving Lehigh County (part) Rep. La’Tasha Mayes (D – 24), serving Allegheny County (part) Rep. Paul Friel (D – 26), serving Chester County (part) Rep. Tim Brennan (D – 29), serving Bucks County (part) Rep. Arvind Venkat (D – 30), serving Allegheny County (part) Rep. Mandy Steele (D – 33), serving Allegheny County (part) Rep. Andrew Kuzma (R – 39), serving Allegheny (part) and Washington (part) Counties Rep. Joe D’Orsie (R – 47), serving York County (part) Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El (D – 49), serving Lancaster County Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa (R – 51), serving Fayette County Rep. Greg Scott (D – 54), serving Montgomery County Rep. Jill Cooper (R – 55), serving Westmoreland County Rep. Dallas Kephart (R – 73), serving Cambria and Clearfield Counties Rep. Paul Takac (D – 82), serving Centre County Rep. Jamie Flick (R – 83), serving Lycoming and Union Counties Rep. Thomas Kutz (R – 87), serving Cumberland County Rep. Wendy Fink (R – 94), serving York County Rep. Tom Jones (R – 98), serving Lancaster (part) and Lebanon (part) Counties Rep. John Schlegel (R – 101), serving Lebanon County Rep. Dave Madsen (D – 104), serving Dauphin County Rep. Justin Fleming (D – 105), serving Dauphin County Rep. Joanne Stehr (R – 107), serving Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties Rep. Robert Leadbetter (R – 109), serving Columbia County Rep. Kyle Donahue (D – 113), serving Lackawanna County Rep. Dave Watro Jr. (R – 116), serving Luzerne (part) and Schuylkill (part) Counties Rep. Michael Cabell (R – 117), serving Luzerne County Rep. James Haddock (D – 118), serving Lackawanna (part) and Luzerne (part) Counties Rep. Alec Ryncavage (R – 119), serving Luzerne County (part) Rep. James Barton (R – 124), serving Berks (part) and Schuylkill (part) Counties Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D – 129), serving Berks County (part) Rep. Joseph Adams (R – 139), serving Pike (part) and Wayne Counties Rep. Donna Scheuren (R – 147), serving Montgomery County (part) Rep. Christopher Pielli (D – 156), serving Chester County (part) Rep. Carol Kazeem (D – 159), serving Delaware County (part) Rep. Lisa Borowski (D – 168), serving Delaware County Rep. Patrick Gallagher (D – 173), serving Philadelphia County (part) Rep. Kristin Marcell (R – 178), serving Bucks County (part) Rep. Jose Giral (D – 180), serving Philadelphia County (part) Rep. Benjamin Waxman (D – 182), serving Philadelphia County (part) Rep. Tarah Probst (D – 189), serving Monroe and Pike Counties Rep. G. Roni Green (D – 190), serving Philadelphia County (part) Rep. Tarik Khan (D – 194), serving Philadelphia County (part) Rep. Anthony Bellmon (D – 203), serving Philadelphia County (part)
14 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022
JANUARY 1/4 Philadelphia 1/4 Monroeville 1/5 Erie 1/9 Pittsburgh 1/16 Scranton 1/17 Lancaster 1/18 Harrisburg 1/23 Uniontown 1/24 Washington FEBRUARY 2/1 Philadelphia 2/6 Altoona 2/7 Pittsburgh 2/13 Lancaster 2/14 Allentown 2/15 Harrisburg 2/28 York MARCH 3/1 Philadelphia 3/6 Pittsburgh 3/7 State College 3/13 Lancaster 3/14 Wilkes-Barre 3/15 Harrisburg 2023 Upcoming Classes APRIL 4/3 Erie 4/4 Greensburg 4/6 Pittsburgh 4/10 Philadelphia 4/11 York 4/12 Monroeville 4/17 Harrisburg 4/18 Lancaster MAY 5/1 Pittsburgh 5/8 Philadelphia 5/9 Wilkes-Barre 5/16 Lancaster 5/18 Harrisburg 5/22 Scranton 5/23 Allentown JUNE 6/1 Altoona 6/5 Philadelphia 6/6 York 6/12 Harrisburg 6/13 Lancaster 6/14 Pittsburgh CLASS OPTIONS AND PRICING Classes start at 8 a.m. ServSafe® Manager Book via Priority Mail, Study Portal Access, Live Class, & Written Exam at class ($159 plus S&H) ServSafe® Manager Online Course with Exam at Live Class ($179 plus S&H) Exam Only No class or training materials ($99) Retesting ($55) REGISTER prla.org/servsafe (800) 345-5353 GIVING BACK PRLA ServSafe profits are reinvested in industry education, outreach and advocacy programs. Support your industry. *Philadelphia Department of Health regulations require class time for certification. NOTE: Class materials will not be sent until payment has been received for class.
Membership Benefit: Helping Hotel Owners By Katie Amodei Stop Human Trafficking 16 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022
Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 17 In today’s hospitality environment, it is smart to focus on human trafficking prevention as a foundational strategy. Traffickers often attempt to use hotels to commit the exploitation of vulnerable people. Unhindered, this can lead to legal risks, reputational risks, business disruption, financial implications, and most importantly—ethical risks— since human trafficking is such a serious human rights issue. There is no doubt that hoteliers do not want their businesses to be abused by traffickers, or the safety of their guests to be jeopardized. That’s why PRLA has teamed up with the nonprofit, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), to help keep members informed on how to recognize and respond to potential human trafficking situations. This partnership is helping hotel and motel owners get the most from their member benefits by offering a free videobased human trafficking prevention training for all lodging facility staff and managers. BEST was founded 10 years ago and is the first nonprofit organization in the country dedicated entirely to working with businesses to disrupt human trafficking. BEST strives to help hoteliers learn how to prevent, detect, and report suspected human trafficking activity to keep children and vulnerable people safe from human trafficking. And they help protect hotels from being a venue where traffickers can conduct their abuse and exploitation. The hospitality industry is highly vulnerable to human trafficking, especially when it comes to child commercial sexual exploitation and forced sex trafficking. BEST created their Inhospitable to Human Trafficking training specifically for the hospitality industry. This training takes 30-minutes, is available in English or Spanish, and it can be delivered to staff as a group training or taken individually on a computer. This free video-based training clearly shows why hotels are vulnerable to human trafficking, and how to identify the critical intervention points where signs of trafficking can be spotted. Other key takeaways for staff include the difference between sex trafficking and labor trafficking, the definition of the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and how to spot the indicators of human trafficking. BEST also created an additional training module that’s just for managers and owners to help hotel executives learn how to appropriately respond when a team member reports a suspected human trafficking situation. The manager training module includes information on how to safely report human trafficking in a way that helps protect victims, staff, and other guests. Over the past year, BEST has been able to train thousands of hotel employees to be able to spot and report suspected human trafficking incidents. In a recent study, researchers from Arizona State University evaluated the training. They surveyed hospitality workers before and after taking the training. Before training, 22 percent of respondents said they had high or very high knowledge on how to recognize sex trafficking in hotels. After completing the training, reports of high or very high knowledge increased to 83 percent of respondents. Additionally, 97 percent of the employees surveyed said the training will positively impact their ability to prevent human trafficking in their hotels. To take the free Inhospitable to Human Trafficking training offered by PRLA, contact Director of Education Hope Sterner at hsterner@prla.org. Katie Amodei is the Director of Development & Communications for the Seattle-based nonprofit, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking. Their goal is to inspire more employers to make a difference in the fight against human trafficking through awareness raising, consultation, training, and providing employment opportunities for survivors.
It’s been an exciting year for hospitality, travel, and tourism in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, despite a rough start in early 2022 with continued uncertainty and threats of pandemic-related mitigation. While there have been both ups and downs this past year, we’re happy to report that the industry in Philadelphia is thriving and has lots of opportunity ahead. Recently, FIFA announced that Philadelphia would be one of 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico that will host the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. The games are sure to help bring additional business to the region. Just a couple of months ago, we saw how much economic activity could be generated by a major sporting event—it’s been reported that the Phillies run to the World Series this past fall generated $78 million in total impact to the local economy, according to the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau. While Philadelphia prepares for 2023 and the new and unique visitors the city will likely greet, PRLA has been hard at work helping the industry create new opportunity for revenue and growth. During the pandemic, PRLA fought to expand outdoor dining options for Philly operators, which included an expansion of the sidewalk café program and the ability to establish streeteries with additional seating. We’re proud to report that streeteries are here to stay! We’ve worked with City Council and the Administration to assure that streeteries become a permanent fixture in the local Philadelphia economy. The program is not perfect, however, Philadelphia has become one of the first cities to create a permanent path forward for streeteries to operate. What we’ve learned about outdoor dining is that it’s a win-win-win. Philadelphians love the opportunity to eat outside in the city they love, businesses love being able to provide the service to customers, and visitors enjoy the vibrancy and atmosphere when dining outside. We’ve even heard some refer to Philadelphia as the “Paris of the United States!” We’ve also heard from many of you, operators in the industry, that you have been challenged with rising costs on raw materials, credit card processing fees, and that you’ve faced significant difficulties as it relates to the supply chain. In order to help mitigate those costs, we’ve worked with City Council on bill #210670, which has now been enacted as law in Philadelphia. The legislation caps the service fees that third-party companies can charge restaurants at 15 percent—10 percent for delivery and 5 percent for marketing and other fees. Restaurants that are interested in negotiating contracts with more premium services, however, are still able to do so. The bill also includes PHILLY HAPPENINGS language that allows the city to enforce the law and fine companies that overcharge. While we’re happy to celebrate a few wins, there’s certainly still a lot of work to be done. PRLA will continue to work with operators in the city and City Council to address concerns related to the outdoor dining program. It’s our goal to make this program the best in the nation, which we believe we can do, with your help. Lately, you’ve likely noticed a lot of changes as it relates to Philly government. That’s because the city will be electing a new Mayor in 2023. A handful of City Council members have resigned their seat on City Council, and have thrown their hats in the ring for mayor. City Council is now back to its normal size. We’re looking forward to working with the new City Council and we have some exciting ideas to share with you that will ultimately give the industry an opportunity to engage those candidates running for mayor. There’s a lot on the docket in 2023 and Philadelphia is going to be a very busy place. We appreciate the advice and guidance our Philadelphia members have provided PRLA as we look to navigate through the issues and challenges most important to the industry. It’s been a busy 2022, and we’re excited for all that we can accomplish together in 2023. Thank you for all the support! 18 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022
Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 19 Outdoor Dining Pittsburgh City Council in February— with support from PRLA—unanimously approved a bill to make permanent the outdoor dining options available to operators during the COVID-19 mitigation orders. Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) finalized their guidelines implementing the program. Of note, the hours of operation for street cafes must be the same as the associated business but no earlier than 7 AM and no later than 10 PM Sunday through Thursday and no later than 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. Businesses in residential zoning districts are limited to hours of operation no later than 10 PM every day, including Friday and Saturday. As of this writing, PRLA is anticipating updated guidance from DOMI on winterization of outdoor set-ups as well as outdoor cooking. Plastic Bag Ban Pittsburgh City Council in April passed an ordinance that will ban most single-use plastic bags and implement a fee of no less than $.10 for paper bags. The ban goes into effect in April 2023. This measure is quite similar to one that already is in place in Philadelphia. Short-Term Rentals Following a shooting at an Airbnb property in the City, Pittsburgh City Council in April introduced legislation to regulate short-term rental units. PRLA has long advocated for a level-playing field for our hotels and PITTSBURGH UPDATE bed and breakfasts as it relates to these online home-sharing platforms, not just to eliminate unfair competition, but also to ensure the health and safety of Pennsylvania visitors. City Council received considerable feedback from stakeholders (including PRLA) during a public hearing in May, and as of this writing, amendments to the legislation are still being drafted. Business License Elimination Pittsburgh City Council this spring voted to eliminate several business licenses that the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections determined to be duplicative and/ or unnecessary and burdensome both for both the City as well as the businesses community. These are the Transient Merchants License, Trade Fairs License, Amusement Places and Producers License, Mechanical Amusement Devices License (e.g. jukebox or video game), and Sign Maintenance Certification.
20 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 EDUCATION & TRAINING ProStart Update Preparations are underway for the 9th annual Pennsylvania ProStart Student Invitational, which takes place on March 1 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College. Dozens of students from around the Commonwealth are vying for top honors in the culinary, management, and—for the first time—cake decorating categories. First-place teams will go on to represent Pennsylvania at the National ProStart Student Invitational in May in Washington, D.C. There are several opportunities for you to get involved in the state competition. • Sponsorships: Financial support helps us produce a unique experience for the students. It also helps us offset expenses so that we can direct more funds back into the program throughout the year, such as coordinating field trips and speakers. Sponsoring ProStart is an exciting opportunity for you to connect with the future of the industry and enhance their educational experiences. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. • Exhibiting: Are you struggling to fill open positions? Consider attending the PA ProStart Student Invitational as an exhibitor to showcase your business to the educators and students competing and spectating at the event. Engage with potential employees who are already learning about the skills they will need to have success in our industry. Sign up to exhibit here. • Volunteer: An event like PAPSI takes an army of volunteers to ensure success. Consider giving a few hours of your day to help on March 1. The creativity and passion on display will leave you energized about the future of the industry. For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, please contact Hope Sterner at hsterner@prla.org or (717) 963-8368. • Attend: If you are curious to see what the future holds, we encourage you to attend PAPSI 2023. It’s free to walk the floor or sit-in on management presentations. Stay for lunch for $25 to see which teams will represent Pennsylvania on the national stage. ProStart is a nationally accredited two-year program for high school students to create the next generation of hospitality industry leaders. With programs that garner skills ranging from culinary technique to management abilities, ProStart’s curriculum offers real-life experience opportunities and creates a foundation of useful skills that last a lifetime. ProStart aims to serve all communities, including rural, inner-city, and Department of Defense institutions globally. Taken as an elective track offered in high school and technical and vocational centers, ProStart teaches all facets of the industry, with educators ranging from family and consumer science educators to former professional chefs.
Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 21 PRLA PAC: Advancing Hospitality & Tourism in Pennsylvania Video
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTIONS The following chart lists the campaigns PRLA contributed to via our PAC in 2022: CAMPAIGN AMOUNT NOTES OF INTEREST Build PA PAC (Sen. Jake Corman - R-Centre) Sen. Mike Regan (R-York) Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) Sen. Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) Sen. Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia) Sen. Vince Hughes (D-Philadelphia) Sen. Dave Argall (R-Schuylkill) Jessica Florio (R) Senate Republican Campaign Committee Rep. Napoleon Nelson (D-Montgomery) Rep. Chris Quinn (R-Delaware) Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny) Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R-Allegheny) Rep. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery) Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh) Rep. Kate Klunk (R-York) Rep. Regina Young (D-Philadelphia) Rep. Mary Jo Daley (D-Montgomery) $1000 $1500 $2000 $1000 $500 $500 $500 $1000 $1000 $500 $500 $3500 $500 $1000 $500 $500 $300 $500 $500 $500 22 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 President Pro Tempore Chair, Senate Law & Justice Committee Senate Majority Leader Senate Minority Leader Senate Minority Whip Minority Chair, Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee Candidate for 44th Senate district (Montgomery) Secretary, Liquor Control Committee Minority Chair, Tourism and Recreational Development Committee
Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 23 Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) Rep. Joe Ciresi (D-Montgomery) Rep. Frank Farry (R-Bucks) Rep. Keith Greiner (R-Lancaster) Rep. George Dunbar (R-Westmoreland) Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar (R-Somerset) Rep. Dan Deasy (D-Allegheny) Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams) Rep. Craig Staats (R-Bucks) Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre) Rep. Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) Rep. Steve Malagari (D-Montgomery) Rep. Joanna McClinton (D-Delaware) Rep. Steve Mentzer (R-Lancaster) Rep. Jack Rader (R-Monroe) Rep. Abby Major (R-Armstrong) Rep. Bud Cook (R-Washington) Rep. Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion) Rep. Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) Rep. Greg Rothman (R-Cumberland) Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster) Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver) Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski (D-Luzerne) Rep. Dawn Keefer (R-York) Steve Ertle (R) House Republican Campaign Committee $300 $500 $500 $250 $500 $500 $500 $500 $300 $1500 $1000 $500 $1000 $300 $300 $250 $250 $1000 $1000 $500 $500 $1000 $500 $500 $300 $500 $4000 CAMPAIGN (CONT.) AMOUNT NOTES OF INTEREST Won election to State Senate House Majority Caucus Chair Majority Chair, Liquor Control Committee Minority Chair, Liquor Control Committee Majority Chair, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee House Majority Leader Minority Chair, Appropriations Committee House Minority Leader Secretary, Tourism and Recreational Development Committee House Majority Whip House Minority Whip Elected to State Senate Speaker of the House Minority Chair, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Candidate for 189th House district (Monroe)
24 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 1000+ Club Mike Axiotis, Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group Bill Covaleski, Victory Brewing Company Justin Genzlinger, Settlers Hospitality Group John Graf, The Priory Gene Kestenbaum, Ellis Coffee Company Jeff Miller, JAM Catering Mick Owens, Mick’s All-American Pub Michael Passalaqua, Angelo’s Restaurant Mark Ryan, Robert Ryan Catering PAC 500–999 Club Jerad Bachar, Visit Pittsburgh Derek Beckman, Marriott Courtyard Melissa Bova, Finseca Jack Cohen, Butler County Tourism Susan Dale, Spinnerstown Hotel Jen Fertenbaugh, Café Fresco Jim Fris, PJW Whelihans Joe Fusco Bruce Haines, Historic Hotel Bethlehem Rick Knoebel, Knoebels Juan Martinez, Martinez Hospitality Joe Massaro, PRLA Trey Matheu, Nemacolin Resort Robert McCafferty, North Country Brewing Co Jeff Metz, Metz Culinary Management Lou Meyer, Briad Group Steve Musciano, Common Plea Catering Thomas Neely, Thomas E Strauss Inc Eric Noone, Frogtown Chophouse John Oliver, Visit Erie Lisa Rager, Visit Johnstown Trip Ruvane, Barley Creek Brewing Co Rick Sell, Metz Culinary Management John Smucker, Coffee Co Jonathan Snavely, Warehouse Hotel At the Nook Donovan Stephens, Doubletree Pittsburgh Downtown William Weber, Boat House 365 Club Rob Commero, Lititz Springs Inn &Spa Aimee DiAndrea Anoia, DiAnoia’s Eatery Janet Falotico, Visit Lawrence County Ben Fileccia, PRLA Jenny Frei, Bear Creek Mountain Resort David Greco, Sonesta Select & ES Suites Laura Gurreri, Explore York Carl Kosko, Suite Dreams Hospitality John Longstreet, PRLA Mary Lynn, Martin Hickory Bridge Farm Restaurant Morghan McLaughlin, Primanti Bros Mike Mitcham, Primanti Bros James Morrison, GetawaysON Display Karl Pietrzak, Destination Gettysburg Jean Ruhf, Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau Cynthia Smith, Hoss’s Steak & Sea House Fritz Smith, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau Aaron Zeamer, Russell, Krafft & Gruber LLP 2022 PRLA PAC CONTRIBUTORS (Jan. 1, 2022– Dec. 1, 2022) Good legislation begins with good lawmakers. The PRLA political action committee (PAC) raises money through personal contributions from individuals from our industry. This money is used to support political candidates who appreciate the importance of the hospitality and tourism industry, understand its legislative priorities, and are sensitive to the challenges facing the industry. We thank everyone who contributed to the PRLA PAC this year.
$250–$364 Erin Visco-Chapman, Bear Creek Mountain Resort Carol Watson, Hotel Palomar Philadelphia $100–$249 Jennifer Bushey, Tony’s Mining Company Gregg Caren, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau Robert Caruso, Visit Bucks County Joel Cliff, Discover Lancaster Jeffrey Cohen, Smallman Street Deli Daniel Conlon, Tucker Arensberg Anna Dale, Spinnerstown Hotel David Drury, The Inn at Jim Thorpe Qamara Edwards, Sojourn Philly Matt English, Hidden Still Spirits Cindie Feldman, 29 Cooks LLC Natalie Fox, C4F2 Results Garrett Gallia, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Jim Jacob, Steel City Grease Traps Jennifer Kuzo, Visit Lebanon Valley Rose Mape, PABBI Ghassan Moussa, Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group Matt Nelson, The Westin Philadelphia Zak Pyzik, PRLA TJ Quinn, Kitchen Kettle Mary Jo Ross, Slippery Rock University Josh Sapienza, Ubiquity Advisors Gary Sloan, Our Station House Steve Stetzler, Deitsch Eck Restaurant Joe Thomas, PABBI, Treasurer Charlie Tomlinson, Today’s Media Up to $99 Joe Ambrosio, Bridgewater Golf Club TJ Arrowood, Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group Rusty Baker, PA Museums Mike Barrett Melissa Beaverson, Explore York Fred Becker, York College Matthew Bodnar, Gecko Hospitality Len Boris, Mountain Laurel Spirits Bill Campbell Brian Dailey, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Tony Ferraro, Approved Toilet Rental Bridget Foy, Cry Baby Pasta Heidi Galbraith-Kermes, Warehouse Hotel At the Nook Susan Hamley, Chester County CVB Ginny Jacob, Visit Lawrence County Darlene Jones, Star Fusion Express Michelle Linahan, On Point Bistro Phillip Murray, Hampton Inn York Lisa Paglaiccetti, Visit Bucks County Janet Pollard, Franklin County Visitors Bureau Matthew Price, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau Heather Ransome, Restaurant Accounting Services, Inc. Bryan Reichelt, High Hotels Dee Rogevich, Exton Chamber of Commerce Jensine Ruscito, Troeg’s Tony Salomone, Hilton Harrisburg Mary Sigel, Sigel & Associates Ashley Thomas, Simons, Frank & Ci Joel Urban, Heartland Payment Systems Susan Winzierl, CDI Printing Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 25
26 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2022 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Allied Dairy Queen Minneapolis, MN Gigpro Charleston, SC Pippett Consulting LLC/Sidewalk Facilities Management Newtown Square Scaringi Law Harrisburg Lodging Days Inn by Wyndham Carlisle North Carlisle Inn on Camac Philadelphia SpringHill Suites Camp Hill Camp Hill The Inn & Spa at Intercourse Village Intercourse Restaurant Black & Blue Easton Boro Bar & Grill Media Barnaby’s of Havertown Hummelstown Cinder Inn East Stroudsburg Fergie’s Pub Philadelphia Fredericksburg Eagle Hotel Fredericksburg Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar Collegeville Hollywood Tavern Jenkintown Lebanon Isaac’s Craft Kitchen & Brewery Lebanon Lehigh Country Club Allentown Locanda Cavallo Easton McAlister’s Deli Huntingdon Valley Mel’s Restaurant & Bar Somerset MilkBoy Philadelphia Philadelphia MilkBoy South Street Philadelphia Miss Jackson’s Kitchen Easton New Britain Inn Doylestown Otto’s Taproom Philadelphia P.J. Whelihan’s Pub & Restaurant Broomall Poor Richards Pub Wexford Primanti Bros. Hanover Hanover Rivertown Taps Phoenixville Sterling Pig Brewery Media Stonehouse Pub State College Tequila Willies Wormleysburg Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall Pittsburg Tubby Robot Ice Cream Factory Philadelphia Two Robbers Fishtown Philadelphia U Bar Philadelphia Victory Brewing Co. Philadelphia White Dog Cafe - Chester Springs Exton Other Avenue of the Arts Inc. Philadelphia Camperland at Conneaut Lake Park Linesville Clearfield County Career & Tech Center Clearfield DuBois - Treasure Lake KOA Holiday Du Bois Glendale Valley Campground Fallentimber Greg Hill Foundation’s Restaurant Strong Fund Woburn, MA Hartman Center Campground Milroy MilkBoy Philadelphia Pocono Point RV and Campground Lehighton Rainbow Woods Campground Friedens Raystown Lake/ Saxton KOA Saxton Seven Mountains Campground Spring Mills Tourism Diversity Matters St. Paul, MN
Fall 2022 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • 27 Licensee Discount HB 427 would increase the wholesale discount liquor licensees receive in Pennsylvania from 10 percent to 15 percent. This legislation passed the House unanimously, but unfortunately died in the Senate Appropriations Committee. We’ve been told from many in the legislature that they are supportive, especially given the rising costs operators have had to shoulder in almost every category, and we hope to move the ball forward on this issue in 2023. Tourism Improvement Districts Many cities and counties throughout the country are creating Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs) to invest more funds into tourism at the regional level, something we’ve heard from dozens of legislators is very important. While three counties have created TIDs within PA, current law does not allow for a streamlined, clear process to be used. Draft legislation is being written to enable, not mandate, TIDs throughout Pennsylvania. We hope to have that legislation filed by early 2023. PRLA President & CEO Joe Massaro, along with VisitErie President & CEO John Oliver, spoke in front of the Senate Committee on Community, Economic, and Recreational Development on the subject in October of 2022. The bill would allow lodging properties to self asses a fee on the lodging business within a county in an effort to generate funding for tourism improvement projects in that particular region. Association Health Plans The workforce shortage is a crisis we’ve never seen before. Operators continue to struggle to recruit and retain reliable employees. Fully insured Association Health Plans (AHP) allow small businesses to participate in a large group plan offered by an association, thus lowering administrative costs to the business so they could provide the benefit to their employees even though they ordinarily would not be able to do so. This would give employers something new to consider when trying to attract new staff. More than 30 states currently offer AHPs, but this legislation had stalled in the PA House Banking and Insurance Committee. With new committee leadership likely to take the helm in 2023, we plan to take another shot at passing legislation that would allow the formation of AHPs. Short-term Rentals It’s important that County Treasurers have the tools and resources needed to assure that all lodging properties in Pennsylvania, and those offering their home to guests While we’re very proud of PRLA’s many accomplishments last legislative session, we recognize that there’s still a lot of work to be done. The PRLA Policy Committee—PRLA’s Alcohol Service, Government Affairs, and Lodging & Tourism committees—will convene for a policy retreat at the end of January 2023. It’s at that retreat that the committee will identify new legislative goals and priorities for the 2023/2024 legislative session. There are a few items that we unfortunately were not able to get across the finish line in 2022, but advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint, and so we plan to tackle many of these items with different strategies in 2023 and 2024. for transient stays, collect and remit the appropriate taxes. HB 976 (Heffley-Carbon) would have required online home sharing platforms to register with the Department of Revenue and submit a list of PA properties to ensure tax compliance. The legislation also allows the department to share that information with county treasurers to ensure local compliance. Despite our efforts, this legislation did not see action in 2022. We hope to repurpose the legislation and take a different approach at the solution in 2023.
Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association 100 State Street Harrisburg, PA 17101
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