Kevin Shivers, State Director of the PA Federation of Independent Business, is a registered lobbyist who advocates on behalf of the group’s wide range of members. The governor’s budget proposal revives two ideas the NFIB is opposed to: a natural gas severance tax plan, and a bill that would raise the state’s minimum wage. Mr. […]
PA Budget with PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Gene Barr, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, says Governor Wolf has proposed changes to the corporate tax structure that would hurt employers for a fourth year in a row. He calls the governor’s proposed natural gas severance tax “punitive,” and says his proposed minimum wage boost would result in […]
PA Budget with Berwood Yost of Franklin & Marshall College
Governor Tom Wolf presents his annual state budget proposal on February 6th. This is a plan that’ll be subject to changes by lawmakers, and typically includes funding increases for certain programs and reductions for others. Berwood Yost, Director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College, gives his take on the governor’s […]
Net Neutrality with Sen. Larry Farnese
When you go on the internet to research a topic or to buy something, it’s easy to take for granted the speed at which you get results. That’s because “net neutrality” means internet service providers have to give access to all websites, and they have to run them at the same speed. But a recent […]
Redistricting with Brian Gordon of Concerned Citizens for Democracy
Pennsylvania is on deadline to draw new borders for its congressional districts. The state Supreme Court has ruled that the existing maps are unconstitutional. Brian Gordon, a constitutional attorney and Director for Concerned Citizens for Democracy, says the current map is “gerrymandered”, that is to say, the maps are drawn to favor a particular party. […]
Sen. Dave Argall on Free Speech on Campus
Many Pennsylvania universities have “Free Speech Zones”, which are specific locations where individuals are allowed to express themselves. Some opponents of these zones think that these reserved areas tend to stigmatize the speaker’s message, or free speech in general. When a controversial visitor arrives, it’s not uncommon for a university to incur extra costs for […]
Opioid Emergency & Gun Rights with Rep. Sheryl Delozier
Rep. Sheryl Delozier says when Governor Wolf made opioid addiction an official statewide emergency, there was an unintended consequence. Usually a designation given in response to natural disasters, Rep. Delozier says the label curtails certain rights of gun owners. The Cumberland County Republican explains how law-abiding Pennsylvanians who are permitted “open carry” of firearms might […]
PA Education Plan with Sen. John Eichelberger
A new plan for Pennsylvania schools that will guide education efforts for years to come has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education. In recent years, a flashpoint in debate has been implementing the Keystone Exams, part of a 2013 effort to emphasize testing. Senator Eichelberger, chairman of the Education Committee, says the state’s […]
January 24, 2018: Legislative Priorities for Counties with County Commissioners Assoc. of PA
All of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties need state funding in order to make delivery of human services possible. Every year, the County Commissioners Association of PA (CCAP) makes public a list of items they want the legislature and the governor to pay attention to. High on the list is restoring a funding cut from a few […]
January 23, 2018: PA Welfare System with Rep. Mike Tobash
Pennsylvania’s welfare system costs about 40% of the state budget. Rep. Mike Tobash, Republican from Schuylkill and Dauphin Counties, says reducing abuse of welfare benefits is an important step to breaking a cycle of poverty. He wants to put able-bodied people to work by abolishing waivers on the work requirement part of state law.