Saturday, February 9, 2013
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is proposing a multi-year transportation funding plan that would raise the oil company franchise tax and lower the flat gasoline tax.
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Saturday, February 9
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania could finally see some serious improvements in roads and bridges, but only if lawmakers are willing to follow the governor’s plan to raise funds through a plan that might also boost gas prices. On the same day Gov. Tom Corbett introduced his 2013-2014 budget proposal, he announced a plan to generate more than $5 billion in transportation funding over five years, mostly from a change in the way gas taxes are levied. Under Corbett’s plan, funds would come from lowering the flat tax paid by consumers while increasing the tax gas stations pay on fuel. Related story: Corbett Budget: Pension 'Reform' Now, Big Costs Later Corbett and other administration officials maintain this wouldn’…
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Democrats say Gov. Tom Corbett's budget is built on misplaced priorities
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Tuesday, February 5
Philadelphia, PA - Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Jim Burn released the following statement on Gov. Corbett's budget address and misplaced priorities. "Over the past two years, Gov. Tom Corbett's budgets have devastated families in Pennsylvania. His budgets have passed the buck to local communities that have been forced to raise property taxes. His budgets have forced layoffs at schools. His budgets have increased tuition and cut programs at colleges. His budgets have forced cuts to county health services that provide assistance to the elderly and those with disabilities. This budget is simply more of the same misplaced priorities that have made things more difficult for Pennsylvania. Under Tom Corbett, Pennsylvania has dropped …
Gov. Tom Corbett is calling for bold steps to address Pennsylvania's budget crisis
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Tuesday, February 5
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent HARRISBURG – Proposed pension reforms in Pennsylvania save about $175 million next year at a cost of billions in the long run. During his budget address on Tuesday, Gov. Tom Corbett called on lawmakers to pass his multi-level pension reform proposal with this year’s state budget. The plan would move new employees to a 401(k)-style pension system, would reduce future benefits for current employees and would reduce the state’s payments into the state’s two pension systems for the foreseeable future. Read reaction to Gov. Corbett's budget proposal: The first two parts of his plan are intended to save costs in the long run by cutting a small part of the state’s unfunded liability, while the third part would free …
The Pennsylvania GOP says Gov. Tom Corbett's budget is pro-jobs, pro-education and pro-growth
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement in support of Governor Corbett’s balanced and responsible budget that reinvests in Pennsylvania. “Governor Corbett is ready to reinvest in Pennsylvania’s future with a bold budget proposal that is pro-jobs, pro-education, and pro-growth. By practicing fiscal restraint over the past two years, Governor Corbett has cleaned up the financial mess left by the previous administration and has gotten our Commonwealth on the path towards a healthy economic future,” Chairman Gleason said. “Just as every family is required to do month after month, Governor Corbett has brought Pennsylvania’s budget spending in line with revenues and without raising taxes on the …
Monday, February 4, 2013
The highlight this week in Harrisburg will be Gov. Tom Corbett's budget address on Tuesday
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Monday, February 4
The Pa. House returns to session on Monday, Feb. 4. All of House session and most committee meetings will stream live on PAHouseGOP.com. Many events also may be viewed on Facebook.com/PAHouseGOP. The governor will present his 2013-14 state budget proposal during a Joint Session of the General Assembly on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 11:30 a.m. A media availability with House (and possibly Senate) Republican leaders will take place immediately after the budget address in the Capitol Rotunda, 2nd Floor in front of the lt. governor’s office. More details to come. Identified by bill number, the sponsors and summaries for bills scheduled to be considered in committee or on the House floor are posted below. More information regarding these bills can be …
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Gov. Tom Corbett says it is time for Pennsylvania to be done with it’s liquor-selling state monopoly.
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Sunday, February 3
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Corbett has unveiled a plan to privatize Pennsylvania’s monopoly liquor store system, simultaneously executing a deft political move intended to accomplish a goal of his administration while undercutting some of his loudest critics. Read More: Pa. State Store Privatization OK with Lehigh Valley Lawmakers In Pittsburgh, Corbett said the proceeds from selling off the state liquor stores – estimated at more than $1 billion – would be used to increase funding for basic education over the next four years. The revenue could be used to enhance school safety and security and create a grant program for school districts to use for early education, individualized learning and math, science and …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Multiple sources say Philadelphia narcotics officer Gerald Gibson has been put on administrative leave.
Last updated 6:20 p.m. Multiple news outlets are reporting that the son-in-law of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police. Sources tell NBC10 that Gerald Gibson, a narcotics officer, has been placed on administrative leave. Police reportedly issued a brief statement about an officer being removed from his duties after a joint investigation by the FBI and Internal Affairs. The officer was not reportedly identified and has not been arrested or charged with a crime. WPVI-TV (6 ABC) reported that Gibson was allegedly found in possession of marked money that was used during a police sting operation. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that according to its sources in…
Lawmakers appear to like Gov. Tom Corbett's proposal to eliminate and privatize the state's wine and liquor stores.
Several Lehigh Valley lawmakers look favorably upon Gov. Tom Corbett's plan to privatize the state's approximately 620 wine and liquor stores. Under Corbett's plan, announced Wednesday afternoon in Pittsburgh, state liquor stores would be eliminated. That, it is hoped, would increase availability of beer, wine and liquor sales. In a press release, Corbett committed $1 billion in proceeds from the process to education funding. Corbett said that the $1 billion will be used to create the Passport for Learning Block Grant, which will provide flexibility to schools. “Our plan gives consumers what they want by increasing choice and convenience, and helps to secure our future by adding $1 billion in funding toward the education of our children, …
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Gov. Tom Corbett will announce plans to privatize Pennsylvania's state store system
The big issue of whether to privatize Pennsylvania's liquor stores will take center stage today as Gov. Tom Corbett announces plans to sell them off. Corbett will call for liquor store licenses to be auctioned off, according to multiple sources. Sales of beer and wine could be opened up to various retailers including drug stores and big-box department stores. Related story: Pa.'s Prohibition Era May Finally End The Republican governor is expected to announce his plan at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Pittsburgh. This move comes on the heels of plans to privatize the PA Lottery -- another controversial move. Pennsylvania has about 620 state stores. Union groups have argued that more than 4,500 jobs will be lost if the state system is privatized, but …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
With Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget address less than two weeks away, tantalizing details about transportation, pensions and the push to privatize state liquor stores seem right around the corner.
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Tuesday, January 29
By PA Independent Staff HARRISBURG – New session, but old fights. Both parts of the General Assembly were in session last week in Pennsylvania, and many of the issues look familiar as unfinished business from 2012 (or, in some cases, years earlier) bubbles to the top. Read more: How Much is Your State Lawmaker's Salary? With Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget address less than two weeks away, tantalizing details about transportation, pensions and the push to privatize state liquor stores seem right around the corner. Corbett changes gears on transportation After promising last week that a statewide transportation funding package would be made public before his budget address, Gov. Tom Corbett shifted gears this week and told the Philadelphia …
mark wood
12:02 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Dear taxpayer, Jersey gas is 30 to 40 cents cheaper and their roads are great, and now you want more tax on gas for roads, Say it with me, or IGNORE IT!!! Raise gas tax to 5 dollars and you still will bitch about the damn roads, what the hell makes you think they use the funds for better roads and bridges, if its your brain , you are as dumb as a box of rocks. No money is going for roads and … more ›