Oct. 23: PA’s Economy

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate is 4 percent, compared to the national average of 3.5 percent. The rate is still near historic lows hit earlier this spring, yet Pennsylvania remains the only state in the region that still pays a $7.25 minimum wage. Gov. Tom Wolf announced an executive order increasing overtime pay for employees that work […]

Oct. 15: PA Legislative Agenda

The General Assembly returns next Monday for two weeks of floor sessions. Competing infrastructure plans, gun safety proposals, criminal justice reforms and other issues face legislators this fall. To discuss the legislative agenda are: Chuck Kolling, Senior Principal  of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney; and Larry Ceisler, Principal with Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy.

Oct. 16: Marijuana Legalization

Eleven states and Washington DC have legalized marijuana for adult use, but most state have done so through voter referendum, which Pennsylvania doesn’t have.  Lt. Gov. John Fetterman held marijuana legalization tour events in all 67 counties. A report was recently issued summarizing feedback received during that tour. Recently, Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General […]

Oct. 8: Environmental Regulations

Gov. Tom Wolf recently signed an executive order calling on Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which calls for carbon taxes and reductions in emissions in the future, but Pennsylvania is an energy-producing state, erecting the first oil well, and has a strong coal mining and natural gas industry, but those forms […]

Sept. 30: Property Taxes

Several new property tax plans have been introduced in addition to the familiar proposals in HB 76 and SB 76, which have been around for many sessions over the years. The last time a property tax plan was voted on was on the Senate floor four years ago, when a tie vote was cast, 24-24, […]

Oct. 1: PA Legislative Agenda

The House was in for six days and the Senate three this September before recessing until mid-October. A number of press conferences and committee hearings took place, which ran the gamut from property taxes, state regulations, and charter schools. Vice President of the Commonwealth Foundation Stephen Bloom; and former Lt. Governor Mark Singel.

Oct. 2: PA Legislative Agenda

The House and Senate have a few weeks off working in their districts before returning to floor sessions the week of Oct. 21. Pete Shelly, Partner with Shelly-Lyons Communications; and Christopher Nicholas, President of Eagle Communications discuss issues ranging from ballot access to marijuana laws.

Sept. 23: Legislative Agenda

The House and Senate were in session this week and have already hit the ground running as Republicans and Democrats have held hearings and press conferences to discuss their fall priorities. To discuss the legislative agenda are Charlie Gerow, CEO of Quantum Communications; and Marc Stier, Director of the PA Budget and Policy Center.

Sept. 16: Charter Schools

Pennsylvania’s Charter School Law is now 22 years old, and Gov. Tom Wolf has called for legislators to take a look at that law and re-examine whether it needs to be updated. Acc. to the Philadelphia Inquirer, “almost 9 percent of students in the state — about 140,000 — are now charter-educated, to the tune […]

Vaccines

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of measles cases in the United States has reached 1,044, and cases have been confirmed in 28 states including Pennsylvania. In 2000, the United States declared measles to be eliminated. To discuss vaccines and whether parents should have the right to choose not to vaccinate their […]