The new budget due at the end of June will be the first one Rep. Matt Bradford has considered from the perspective of a leadership position.  He thinks it’s time to spend new money on needs that have been deferred for too long a time, such as education and infrastructure.   Issues orbiting the budget at […]

Some small communities in Pennsylvania say they don’t have enough money to pay for their own local police force.  That means they rely on the State Police for protection.  But Governor Wolf and a Democratic lawmaker want those communities to pay a fee for that service.  Rep. Mike Sturla says the current arrangement amounts to […]

Representative Dan Miller and his Democratic colleagues have put together a package of bills called “Beyond Safe Schools.”    They support more firearms training for school security officers,  more school nurses, and bringing school guidance counselors up to national standards.  Beyond securing the school building itself, the lawmakers say it’s important to address mental health issues, […]

When Pennsylvanians in nursing homes exhaust their own assets, they get Medicaid to pay for their long-term care.  But the nursing home industry says Medicaid needs a raise from the governor.  Adam Marles, President and CEO of LeadingAge PA, a trade group representing nursing homes, says five of his members are tempted to close their […]

Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa approves of the governor’s ideas for the state’s spending plan.   More money for education, preparing Pennsylvania’s workforce for the needs of the future, and raising the state’s minimum wage are elements of the proposal he’s watching closely.   With the budget due at the end of the month, these priorities […]

Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman told the Pennsylvania Press Club that Governor Wolf’s proposal to raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $12, then eventually to $15,  was too dramatic.  The Majority Leader indicated a “modest increase” might be worth talking about, but the governor and Senate Democrats need to agree on […]

As the primary for Philadelphia’s mayor draws near,  an Inquirer poll shows that voters say crime, poverty, and education are on top of their list of concerns.  One of the hopefuls in the race is Democrat Alan Butkovitz, a former City Controller for twelve years.  He says residents have paid increases in property taxes ranging […]

When congressman Tom Marino unexpectedly resigned his seat in Pennsylvania’s District 12, just a few months after he was sworn in, a special election became necessary.  Democrat Marc Friedenberg, a candidate in May’s primary for the seat, says he would invest federal money in long overdue road and bridge projects.  He also wants to try […]

Lt. Governor John Fetterman is taking a tour of Pennsylvania to find out how the public feels about the prospect of legalizing recreational marijuana.  So far, he says, he’s found a clear majority that supports legalization of the drug.  But the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association testified to a Senate committee that marijuana is “not safe […]

Employers say they’re having a tough time finding workers with the right set of skills to do the job.  Governor Wolf says it’s time to address what’s become known as the “skills gap.”  But there’s more to the solution than giving prospective employees the right technical skills.  Vern Squier, President and CEO of the Chamber […]