LEASE-MORATORIUM BILL LIKELY SET FOR CONSIDERATION NEXT WEEK

A bill that would impose a five-year moratorium on leasing additional state forest land for natural gas drilling will likely come up for a vote in the House early next week, a proponent of the bill told PLS. The legislation was set for second consideration today until being delayed until early next week. The measure, House Bill 2235, would impose a five-year ban on the state leases for natural gas extraction, a measure its supporters say is necessary to protect forestlands that have been ravaged in the past for their natural resources. Click here to read the News and Views article.

PSERS INCREASES STATE CONTRIBUTION RATE

According to an article in the Patriot News, One of Pennsylvania’s two largest public-sector retirement systems says it approved the first of what could be more contribution increases that taxpayers must pay.  The Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System said Wednesday that the composite employer contribution rate for the 2010-11 fiscal year will rise to 5.64 percent. That’s up from the current 4 percent, an increase of more than $100 million over the expected contribution of about $280 million this year.

Continue reading Eye Opener – April 29, 2010