Public School Funding

In the budget Gov. Tom Wolf proposed last week, $13.7 billion is earmarked for public education, a 3.3 percent increase, which includes $200 million more in the basic education subsidy, and $13.8 million to raise teacher salaries in some urban and rural districts. The governor’s public school funding proposal, pensions, full day kindergarten and pre-Kindergarten […]

Labor and the PA Budget

Gov. Wolf has called for an increase in the minimum wage, higher base salaries for teachers, and increases in funding for workforce development programs in the budget he proposed on Feb. 5. To discuss the governor’s budget proposal as it relates to organized labor are: Rick Bloomingdale, President PA AFL-CIO; Rich Askey, President of the […]

Health Care and the PA Budget

Funding for the Health and Human Services Department is typically the biggest expenditure in the state budget. Implementing the Affordable Care Act in Pennsylvania included Gov. Tom Wolf’s expansion of Medicaid to provide health insurance to low-income Pennsylvanians. To discuss the health care in Pennsylvania are: Jeff Bechtel, Senior Vice President of Health Economics and Policy […]

PA Budget

Gov. Tom Wolf presented his fifth budget address to the General Assembly on Tuesday. Though he did not call for tax increases, the budget request is about $1 billion more than the previous fiscal year – $34.1 billion. A companion proposal will ask the Legislature for $4.5 billion in borrowing to fund infrastructure projects, including significant […]

PA Budget

Gov. Tom Wolf presents his 5th state budget to legislators on Tuesday. Several proposals included increasing the state minimum wage to $12, imposing a tax on natural gas extracted from Marcellus Shale, with funds earmarked to fund infrastructure improvements To discuss those proposals were: Chris Borick, Director of the Institute of Public Opinion, at Muhlenberg […]

Legislative Agenda

Press conferences preceding Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget address Tuesday have focused on renewed calls to increase the state minimum wage; an extraction tax on the volume of natural gas mined from Marcellus Shale wells, with revenue devoted to improving state infrastructure. Other topics discussed included marijuana and whether legalization would bring revenue to the state […]

Marijuana Decriminalization

Ten states and Washington, D.C. have now legalized recreational marijuana. More than 30 states have legalized medical marijuana for certain conditions. This week, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has announced he’ll embark on a listening tour of PA’s 67 counties to get input from the public on this topic. To discuss efforts to decriminalize marijuana are […]

Legislative Agenda

A week ahead of Gov. Tom Wolf’s Budget Address, legislative experts will discuss what they expect the governor to propose in his budget and what legislative agenda items they anticipate coming to a vote in the new legislative session’s first few months.  To discuss these topics are: Matt Brouillette, President and CEO of Commonwealth Partners Chamber […]

Legislative Agenda

Monday marks the first legislative week back for the House and Senate after new General Assembly members were sworn-in on Jan. 1, and after Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman were inaugurated and sworn on Jan. 15. As committees organize, the first bills will emerge from committee. What will be the legislature’s priorities? […]

Winter Weather

Weather World hosts Ben Reppert and Jon Nese will join the PCN Call-In Program to talk about what to expect this winter in Pennsylvania. Weather World airs on PCN every weeknight at 5:45 p.m.