The final push to fund the $32 billion state spending plan ended Thursday morning with the passage of the final piece of the budget: a gambling expansion proposal. Video gaming terminals in truck stops, 10 satellite casinos and fantasy sports gaming will be legal in Pennsylvania. Those tracking this process – now four months overdue – now look to the governor to see how he will react to the bills headed to his desk. Also discussed was legislation calling on the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority to be regulated by the state Public Utility Commission and the House State Government Committee held a hearing that revealed that 544 illegal votes had been cast in Pennsylvania over the last 18 years (out of 93 million votes during that time). This discovery caused former PA Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro Cortes to abruptly resign two weeks ago. Our guests this week are: Chris Comisac, Bureau Chief with Capitolwire.com; Marc Levy, with the Associated Press; and Liz Navratil, State Government Reporter with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our host is Brian Lockman.
Journalists Roundtable: October 19, 2017
The budget impasse is now in its fourth month. Budget negotiators drew closer to a compromise this week to fund the $32 billion General Fund budget with House passage of a Tax Code bill that relies heavily on borrowing and fund transfers. The House Finance Committee met to report a Marcellus shale severance tax bill to the full House Wednesday, the bipartisan vote was largely along regional lines. Also this week, Cong. Tom Marino withdrew his name from consideration as federal drug czar after investigative reports detailed his acceptance of campaign donations from drug companies and his sponsorship of a bill, now law, that affects the Drug Enforcement Agency’s ability to regulate opioids. Our guests this week are: Angela Couloumbis, State Government Reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer; Steve Esack, Harrisburg Correspondent with the Allentown Morning Call, and John Finnerty, Harrisburg Bureau Chief for CNHI, which owns several Pennsylvania newspapers. Our host is Brian Lockman.
Journalists Roundtable: October 5, 2017
After a week of proposals and counter-proposals to find a revenue plan that can gain the support of 102 House members, the House is still wrangling over which taxes and fund transfers it can pass to support the spending plan enacted on June 30. The governor held a press conference Wednesday expressing frustration with the stalemate and outlining a plan to securitize the state’s liquor revenue to tide the state over economically until the budget process is finished. Also coming to a head this week was a scandal involving pro-life Congressman Tim Murphy (R-18), who said he is not running for re-election in 2018 after asking the woman he had an affair with to have an abortion. To discuss this and other news are guests: Jan Murphy, Education and State Government Reporter with the Harrisburg Patriot-News & PennLive; Katie Meyer, Capitol Bureau Chief with WITF-FM; and Brad Bumsted, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with The Caucus, a publication of LNP. Our host this week is Larry Kaspar.
Journalists Roundtable: September 28, 2017
Budget negotiations to resolve the funding end of the state budget impasse continue toward a 90th day with no resolution. The General Assembly passed a $32 billion spending plan on June 30, but did not decide on the revenue package to support it. Until a compromise plan can be reached, the state faces higher costs for borrowing with a recent downgrade of its credit rating. This week’s guests are John Micek, Editorial & Opinions Page Editor with PennLive and the Harrisburg Patriot News; R.B. Swift, Staff Reporter with Capitolwire; and Robb Hanrahan, anchor of Face the State and the CBS21 News in Harrisburg. Our host is Brian Lockman.
Journalists Roundtable: September 21, 2017
It’s 80+ days after the June 30 budget deadline, and budget implementation language has not been enacted to delineate revenue sources to pay for the spending plan. Two differing plans have been advanced by the House and Senate Republicans. The Senate on Wednesday positioned the bill for conference committee where a compromise plan can be worked out. Also, Standard and Poor’s – the bond rating agency – has downgraded Pennsylvania’s credit rating to A+ (the fifth highest investment grade bond credit rating, with AAA being the highest), which could mean the state pays a higher interest rate on bonds it issues when incurring debt. This week’s guests are Steve Esack, with the Allentown Morning Call, Charlie Thompson, with PennLive and the Patriot News, and Chris Comisac, Bureau Chief with Capitolwire. Our host is Francine Schertzer.
Journalists Roundtable: June 8, 2017
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted on a pensions bill on Sunday night that establishes a 401k-style pension plan for new state, military and public school employees and two hybrid defined benefit/defined contribution plans. There are just over three weeks until the June 30 budget deadline, but there is no bill on consolidating four health-related agencies. The budget is also contingent on new gambling revenue being approved. That bill is in the House awaiting approval of Senate amendments. The pension bill is expected to receive final passage in the House on Thursday. This week’s guests are John Micek, Editorial & Opinions Page Editor with PennLive and The Patriot-News; and Chris Comisac, Bureau Chief with Capitolwire.com. Our host is Francine Schertzer.
Journalists Roundtable: May 25, 2017
The House and Senate were in session three days this week in advance of Memorial Day weekend. A number of bills are moving with just about five weeks until the June 30 state budget deadline. Legislation fixing the local share provision of the gaming law neared passage. That bill also expands gambling to fantasy sports, gambling tablets in airports and establishes an iLottery, where lottery tickets can be purchased online. Also, a bill that would move Pennsylvania toward compliance with the federal REAL ID law passed the Senate. A public employee pension bill is advancing and may come up for a vote in the first week of June. This week’s guests are Steve Esack from the Allentown Morning Call; Charlie Thompson from PennLive and the Patriot-News; and R.B. Swift, with Capitolwire.com. Our host is Brian Lockman.
Journalists Roundtable: May 11, 2017
Journalists Roundtable is on the road at the Allentown Morning Call this week. As the primary election nears on May 18, incumbent Mayor Ed Pawlowski faces six opponents in the primary two years after an FBI raid raised ethical questions about pay-to-play in his administration. That story is the topic as well as other news breaking this week in Pennsylvania politics. This week’s guests are from the Allentown Morning Call: Bill White, Columnist; Emily Opilo, reporter; and Bob Orenstein, the Morning Call’s Town Square Opinion Page Content Editor. Our host is Brian Lockman.
Journalists Roundtable: April 27, 2017
Journalists Roundtable is on the road at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this week. In Harrisburg, the House was the center of legislative action as it considered four bills further privatizing the sale of wine and spirits, both at the wholesale and retail level. They also discussed a charter school bill that could save $27 million. As the primary election nears on May 18, incumbent first-term mayor Bill Peduto faces opposition in the primary from two contenders. Uber, the ride sharing service, has been in the news in the Pittsburgh area because it plans a Pittsburgh-based driverless car facility. Also, earlier this year, the governor announced the closure of a prison in Pittsburgh, a move expected to save $81 mllion. This week’s guests are from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Chris Potter, Reporter; Adam Smeltz; Reporter; and Brian O’Neill, Columnist. Our host is Brian Lockman.
Journalists Roundtable: April 20, 2017
After a week off for holidays, the House and Senate convened for two days of session this week. On the House agenda was a charter school proposal that would save taxpayers $27 million. They also passed two bills that would privatize the sale wine and spirits. The General Assembly sent Gov. Tom Wolf a bill to fund Unemployment Compensation Service Centers with $15 million. Also, Lt. Gov. Mike Stack was back to work as President of the Senate after a week in which it was announced that the PA Inspector General was investigating allegations that Stack and his wife verbally abused state employees and State Police. Our guests this week are: Steve Esack, Harrisburg Correspondent with the Allentown Morning Call; Wallace McKelvey, Statehouse Reporter with PennLive & The Patriot-News; and Tony Romeo, with KYW 1060AM Philadelphia and KDKA 1020AM Pittsburgh. Our host is Francine Schertzer.