pa-budget-2019

COMMENTARY

What we learned by suing the Wolf administration over its budgeting practices | Opinion

BY: - August 27, 2019

The General Assembly and governor are on notice that Pennsylvanians are watching. If our lawmakers break the law again, we’ll see them in court.

Pat Albright repurposes a sign to protest the elimination of General Assistance. (Photo by Sarah Anne Hughes)

Democrats ask Wolf to declare emergency response to cash assistance elimination

BY: - August 1, 2019

The letter was sent on the same day that a Commonwealth Court judge denied a preliminary injunction to keep General Assistance going as a lawsuit over its demise is adjudicated. 

COMMENTARY

Yes, Pa. can afford to spend that money. The bigger question: Should it? | Opinion

BY: - August 1, 2019

With the passage of the 2019–2020 state budget, it won’t be long until we start to hear again: “We can afford it” as deliberations for next year’s state budget begin.

At request of counties, lawmakers delay privatization of Medicaid rides to doctor’s visits

BY: - July 23, 2019

A last-minute provision added to the budget passed in 2018 mandated that the program, known as Medical Assistance Transportation, be contracted to a private company.

As Pa. faces home-care worker ‘crisis,’ lawmakers set the stage for a small wage increase

BY: - July 18, 2019

The median wage for home-care workers is under $12. A budget bill could mean an increase.

After budget whiff, census advocates again pitch state funding to Senate Republicans

BY: - July 16, 2019

During a Monday hearing, experts described the potential costs of an undercount of Pennsylvania's estimated 12.8 million residents.

Conservative think-tank identifies $61 million in earmarks in state budget

BY: - July 10, 2019

For 14 Pennsylvania counties, the end of the state budget also meant the start of some pet projects. The Commonwealth Foundation, a conservative, think-tank in Harrisburg, identified at least $61 million in money hidden with the state budget, earmarked for everything from Lyme disease testing to public transit. You can look at the full list […]

Wolf borrows $90 million against economic development dollars to fund voting machines

BY: - July 9, 2019

The money will cover 60 percent of the costs incurred by Pennsylvania's 67 counties to purchase new voting machines.

Report: State budget legislation included bill preempting Krasner on gun crimes

BY: - July 9, 2019

In the rush of last month’s budget debate, the General Assembly approved a measure giving the state Attorney General the authority to prosecute certain Philadelphia gun crimes for the next two years in cases when the district attorney chooses to not press charges. The provision was first reported Monday evening by both the Intercept, an […]

Gov. Wolf vetoes bill that tied voting machine funding to end of straight-ticket ballots

BY: - July 5, 2019

“Pennsylvania must secure its elections and provide real reform that makes it easier to vote,” Wolf said in a statement Friday.

What Pa.’s green lawmakers and environmentalists think of this year’s budget

BY: - July 4, 2019

A trend of environmental issues seemingly playing second fiddle to other state priorities continued in the latest budget, according to environmental advocates. 

Pa.’s marketplace change, explained: Why a health insurance proposal easily won bipartisan support

BY: - July 3, 2019

It’s seemingly a legislative unicorn — a bipartisan solution that costs no extra state dollars and could save Pennsylvanians big bucks.