News
Pa. Senate plan would create new state commission to study higher ed. funding issues
The panel would consider a number of factors when making a decision on how to pay for higher education in Pennsylvania
Why Pennsylvania transportation funding could be in deep trouble
In a doomsday scenario, Pennsylvania could lose $18.5 billion in transportation funding over the next 12 years. That’s according to a state Department of Transportation advisory committee, which recently released a report on risks facing the commonwealth’s highway, bridge, and transit financials from the present until 2030. Pennsylvania’s transportation budget faces threats both at the federal […]
‘A slap in the face’: Environmentalists slam Trump’s proposal to slash Chesapeake Bay cleanup funds
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday issued his latest proposal to dramatically scale back the funding for Chesapeake Bay cleanup programs. In his fiscal 2020 budget request, Trump suggested cutting federal spending for the Chesapeake Bay Program from its current level of $73 million to $7.3 million. The answer from the activists at the […]
Pa. lawmakers are skeptical of a proposed nuclear rescue. Could more solar panels and wind turbines get the job done?
The plan by Rep. Thomas Mehaffie, R-Dauphin, would add the nuclear industry into the state’s existing alternative energy portfolio.
Tax Day is a month away — Pa. officials offer tips on how to avoid getting scammed
Tax Day, April 15, is about a month away, and maybe you’ve already started getting the phone calls. You know the one: A pre-recorded voice, claiming to be from the government, claims that you’ll face fees, penalties, and maybe even jail if you don’t get your fiscal house in order. You probably know this already […]
Consumers would foot the bill to prop up Pa.’s ailing nuke plants under state House proposal
LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP — Capping years of effort and millions of dollars in lobbying by the energy industry, a Pennsylvania lawmaker on Monday rolled out his plan to keep the state’s nuclear power plants open. Speaking from a union hall in suburban Harrisburg, Rep. Tom Mehaffie, R-Derry, unveiled House Bill 11, which would effectively require […]
Should parents be allowed to raid retirement funds to pay for their kids’ needs today?
At the state and federal level, politicians who want to address pressing issues without spending public dollars are looking to let individuals mortgage part of their own future for the good of their kids. One of Pennsylvania’s few remaining moderate southeast Republicans and an arch-conservative former U.S. senator are both pushing plans that would let […]
‘Welfare gerrymander’? Why food stamp work requirements are back on the table
As part of sweeping changes to the welfare system in the '90s, President Bill Clinton and Congress put a work requirement on food stamps for so-called able-bodied adults who don't have children.
Western Pa. state Senate candidates trade second round of attacks in new ads
Editor’s note: This story was corrected to reflect that Democrat Matt Smith held the 37th from 2013 to 2015.* Candidates vying for a state Senate seat in suburban Pittsburgh released dueling attack ads Friday, less than a month before a highly watched special election. Pam Iovino, a Democratic Navy veteran and former cabinet assistant secretary, […]
Erie County senator seeks support for e-scooter bill
After gaining some momentum in the House, a movement to legalize e-scooters in Pennsylvania has spread to the state Senate. Sen. Daniel Laughlin, R-Erie, plans to introduce legislation that would classify electronic scooters as bicycles under the state’s vehicle code, he announced in a memo Thursday. A companion bill was introduced in the House last […]
Special elections for Senate seats slated for May 21
Special elections for two state Senate seats will be held on Pennsylvania’s primary day on May 21, the lieutenant governor announced Friday. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman signed the Writ of Election for Senate Districts 41 and 33 on Thursday, officially kicking off races for seats formerly held by Sens. Don White, of Indiana County, and […]
‘This bill is revolutionary:’ Pa.’s congressional Dems get behind sweeping voting rights, ethics bill
The bill faces an uncertain future in the U.S. Senate, where Republicans have denounced it as a massive federal overreach