pa-budget
Plastic bag preemption suit takes aim at long time Harrisburg dealmaking mechanism
A legal challenge filed by Pennsylvania local governments to eliminate a state law blocking them from regulating single-use plastics could also threaten Harrisburg dealmaking as we know it. The suit, filed in Commonwealth Court in March by the cities of Philadelphia and West Chester, the township of Lower Merion, and the borough of Narberth, argues […]
By the numbers: 2021-22 Budget Breakdown
Here's a look, by the numbers, at Gov. Tom Wolf's proposed budget for 2021-22.
Wolf broke the fourth wall with his budget speech. Will Pa. tune in? | John L. Micek
A very different time demanded a very different kind of budget address. We got that much. We'll see what happens next.
How Pa. lawmakers, interest groups reacted to Wolf’s 2021-2022 budget proposal
This developing story will be updated. Following Gov. Tom Wolf’s Budget Address Wednesday, state lawmakers and interest groups shared their thoughts on the newly proposed budget. Here’s what they had to say. U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, D-3rd District: 1/ We need to go BIG & BOLD at both the federal & state levels! I’m working […]
Wolf to seek personal income tax hike to boost school funding
(*This story was updated at 3 p.m. on 2/2/21 with new information about the administration’s tax plan, further details on its education funding plan, and comment from education advocate Donna Cooper.) Gov. Tom Wolf will ask state lawmakers to approve an increase to Pennsylvania’s personal income tax to pay for new funding for public schools. […]
How lawmakers threw Harrisburg a fiscal lifeline in the new #PaBudget | Wednesday Morning Coffee
A reminder to always read the fine print. The Legislature threw Pennsylvania's Capital City a fiscal lifeline in a piece of budget-enabling legislation.
Lawmakers send Wolf gun, environment bills on their way out of town – and for some, out of office
Bills that tweak environmental regulations, bolster the rights of gun owners during public emergencies, and grant free state IDs to people experiencing homelessness all got final approval from the House and Senate this week, the Legislature’s last in Harrisburg before it kicks off a new legislative session in January.
Despite transparency and privacy concerns, anti-abortion group continues to receive taxpayer dollars
At issue is whether Harrisburg-based Real Alternatives, which bills itself as “empowering women for life,” when it comes to their reproductive choices, has shared protected medical information, and misused taxpayer money to expand its operations in two other states.
A look at the 2020-2021 stopgap budget: How Pa. is paying for k-12 schools and higher ed. | The Numbers Racket
This week, in part two of our look at the five-month budget plan, we’ll go deep on the changes being made to funding for K-12 schools, higher education and pension funds, according to an analysis by Democratic staff on the House Appropriations Committee.
The Republicans have been dead wrong about reopening | Opinion
For months Republican leaders in Harrisburg have been demanding an early reopening of businesses in the state and have criticized the demand to wear face masks in public. And recently all Republicans and a few Democrats voted to overturn Governor Wolf’s emergency order. Extremists like Representative Russ Diamond and Senator Doug Mastriano have been claiming, with no justification at all, that those orders conflict with our rights as Americans.
COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates funding, inequality concerns among Pa. schools
That’s been the quiet reality on the ground as schools across Pennsylvania deal with a pandemic that has created revenue shortfalls, budget gaps, increased cleaning and technology costs and unknowns for the fall — and beyond.
2020-2021 budget talks resume with ‘a lot of unknowns’ Wolf says
In a joint news briefing with state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday that the General Assembly and the Governor’s office are working on a 5-month, temporary budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year to account for uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.