PA IN $280 MILLION HOLE AFTER PASSAGE OF FMAP LEGISLATION
Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) held a teleconference with reporters yesterday after holding a conference call with Governor and members of leadership from the four caucuses. Governor Rendell told the leaders that Pennsylvania has a $280 million budget shortfall after the passage of FMAP legislation last night, and outlined his plan for filling the gap. Senator Pileggi said Governor Rendell wants to “have an across the board reduction in spending of 1.9 percent” which would yield about $210 million, as well as a $50 million reduction in the basic education subsidy, and $70 million in revenue from the proposed Marcellus Shale tax. He indicated that legislative leaders will provide an official response to the governor’s proposal in the next few days. Check out the Press Conferences section of the PLS Capitol Toolbox to read the full story.
RULING EXPANDS RIGHT TO KNOW EXEMPTIONS FOR COURTS
According to an article in the Scranton Times Tribune, in a precedent-setting ruling handed down Wednesday by Commonwealth Court, records of ancillary offices to the state’s court system have been found exempt from the 2009 Right to Know Law. Addressing whether The Times-Tribune and others were entitled to Lackawanna County records for its Department of Domestic Relations, the court ruled the county and state Office of Open Records were permanently barred from making the information public. The Office of Open Records will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, said executive director Terry Mutchler. “It is a brand-new law and everybody is in a stage of weighing in. This court weighed in with a very strong opinion related to this and we’re welcome for any guidance,” she said. “The Office of Open Records still feels that our final determination was correct.” Click here to read the Scranton Times Tribune article.
CONSERVATIVE GROUP LAUNCHES ROHRER WRITE-IN CAMPAIGN
According to an WITF article, a group of conservative voters has launched a write-in gubernatorial campaign for Berks County state Representative Sam Rohrer, who lost in the spring primary. A midstate political analyst says he can envision a scenario where the movement has an impact on the fall election. Rohrer and his hard-line conservative platform won 31 percent of the vote in May. The lawmaker hasn’t endorsed Republican nominee Tom Corbett and indicates he doesn’t have any plans to. Pennsylvania law bars primary losers from running on third-party ballot lines, but a small group of Rohrer supporters have launched a website urging voters to write in Rohrer’s name in the fall. Click here to read the WITF article.
Upcoming Meetings
House Democratic Policy Committee
10:00 a.m., Luther Ridge Assisted Living Facility, 160 Red Horse Road, Pottsville
Public hearing with Rep. Seip on Human Services
