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May 3, 2015
Sen. Browne Injured In Motorcycle Crash
Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), Majority Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was injured in a motorcycle crash late Saturday afternoon and remains in the hospital in intensive care.
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NE Colleges Implement New Programs To Combat Rape
Drive To Depoliticize School Funds Adds Intrigue At Capitol
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Drive To Depoliticize School Funds Adds Intrigue At Capitol
May 2, 2015
May 1, 2015
May 4 PA Environment Digest Now Available
The May 4 PA Environment Digest is now available. Here are just a few of the headlines--
Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday announced 15 environmental projects from across the state will receive the 2015 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.
The Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Great American Cleanup of PA has been selected to receive a 2015 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.
Ahead of a scheduled May 6 hearing by Senate Republican Policy Committee on Senate Bill 724 (Vogel-R-Beaver), the PA Environmental Council sent this letter to all members of the Committee citing concerns with the bill and urging opposition to the legislation. The text of the letter follows--
The PA Environmental Council has announced it will produce a monthly, half-hour television talk show on environmental issues beginning May 3 on the Pennsylvania Cable Network and later online at PEC’s website.
Online registration is now open for the 2015 PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference on June 24-25 at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in State College, PA.
The Water Systems Council will hold its 2015 Great Lakes Children's Water Festival on May 14 on the campus of Penn State Erie, the Behrend College, drawing almost 1,700 5th grade students from Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized 9 Pennsylvania colleges and universities as 2014-2015 Individual Conference Champions of the College & University Green Power Challenge, using more green power than any other school in their athletic conferences.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to reduce carbon emissions from existing power plants can be achieved quickly and at low cost to consumers through a voluntary compliance program that uses existing market mechanisms to prioritize the use of emissions-free energy, Exelon Executive Vice President of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy Joseph Dominguez told members of the United States Energy Association Thursday.
Acting Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Friday announced the department is adding more than 17,000 acres of wooded land and waterways to the adjacent Elk State Forest with the acquisition of about a 27-square mile property in Norwich and Sergeant townships near the town of Clermont in southern McKean County.
To read the Digest, visit: www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com. Click Here to print the entire Digest.
PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and is published as a service of Crisci Associates.
PA Environment Digest was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental Educators' 2009 Business Partner of the Year Award.
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PA Environment Daily Blog: Update on PA environmental issues.
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Questions?: Send email to David Hess at: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com
State Reports April Revenue Collections Were $201 Million More Than Anticipated
Pennsylvania collected $4 billion in General Fund revenue in April, which was $201 million, or 5.3 percent, more than anticipated, Acting Secretary of Revenue Eileen McNulty reported Friday.
Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $25.7 billion, which is $569.1 million, or 2.3 percent, above estimate.
Sales tax receipts totaled $827.7 million for April, $10.9 million above estimate. Year-to-date sales tax collections total $7.8 billion, which is $53.6 million, or 0.7 percent, more than anticipated.
Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in April was $2.1 billion, $21.1 million above estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $10.2 billion, which is $57.8 million, or 0.6 percent, above estimate.
April corporation tax revenue of $443 million was $20.4 million below estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $4.4 billion, which is $165.9 million, or 3.9 percent, above estimate.
Inheritance tax revenue for the month was $92.4 million, $9.8 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $831.8 million, which is $72 million, or 9.5 percent, above estimate.
Realty transfer tax revenue was $32.6 million for April, $4.6 million below estimate, bringing the fiscal-year total to $335 million, which is $30.8 million, or 8.4 percent, less than anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage, liquor and table games taxes, totaled $108.4 million for the month, $5.4 million below estimate and bringing the year-to-date total to $1.1 billion, which is $26.9 million, or 2.4 percent, above estimate.
Non-tax revenue totaled $445.8 million for the month, $189.5 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $1 billion, which is $223.8 million, or 28.6 percent, above estimate.
In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $276.7 million for the month, $33.2 million above estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund – which include the commonly known gas and diesel taxes, as well as other license, fine and fee revenues – total $2.2 billion, which is $131.7 million, or 6.4 percent, above estimate.
Wolf Asks Feds For State-Based Marketplace To Protect 382,000 In PA
Gov. Tom Wolf Friday outlined a contingency plan to protect 382,000 Pennsylvanians from losing subsidies that help them afford health insurance coverage.
Gov. Wolf sent a letter to the federal Department of Health and Human Services declaring Pennsylvania’s intent to implement a State-based Marketplace for Pennsylvanians to shop for health insurance coverage in the event the United States Supreme Court rules that people are not eligible for subsidies to help them afford health coverage in states where the federal government runs the health insurance marketplaces.
“In order to protect 382,000 Pennsylvanians from potentially losing subsidies that help them afford health care coverage, I have written to the federal government outlining a contingency plan to set up a state-based marketplace to ensure no one loses their health coverage,” said Gov. Wolf. This is the first step in protecting hardworking Pennsylvanians from losing the assistance they rely on to purchase health care coverage in the event the Supreme Court rules that in states where the federal government runs the marketplace people are not eligible for subsidies. My letter does not mean that Pennsylvania must set up a state-based marketplace. However, it would be irresponsible not to have a plan in place to protect 382,000 people. I look forward to working with members of the legislature to advance this plan if necessary.”
Gov. Wolf’s letter to the Department of Health and Human Services does not mean that Pennsylvania has to set up a state-based marketplace. The governor’s letter also does not mean that Pennsylvania must submit an application, nor does it mean that the state will be transitioning to a state-based marketplace. This simply leaves the door open so the state has this option in the event of an adverse Supreme Court ruling.
Gov. Wolf’s action comes as the Supreme Court is expected to rule in late June on King v. Burwell, a lawsuit arguing that people in states where the federal government runs the health insurance marketplaces are not eligible for subsidies to help them afford coverage.
In Pennsylvania, about 382,000 people are receiving subsidies in 2015, and the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 736,000 people could be enrolled in subsidized coverage in 2016.
A copy of the letter is available online.
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