Sunday, February 10, 2013
Gov. Tom Corbett's 2013-14 budget ties sale of state liquor system to a $1 billion grant for school safety, early education programs, individualized learning and science/math programs.
Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed 2013-14 budget, which he presented Feb. 5, contains an interesting cocktail that mixes the sale of the state's liquor system with funding of a public schools grant. Under his proposal, $1 billion obtained by the proposed privatization of the state's liquor sales would be used to create the Passport for Learning Block Grant that would focus on school safety; enhanced early education programs; individualized learning; and science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses and programs. The $1 billion in revenue to fund that grant will come from the three- to four-year process of selling the Liquor Control Board: $575 million from the wholesale license process, $224 million from the Wine and Spirits retail …
Friday, December 28, 2012
Corbett, while visiting St. Barnabas' Crystal Conservatories for a Presents for Patients event, also speaks about the fiscal cliff and Pennsylvania's budget.
Gov. Tom Corbett—who called for more attention to mental illness in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings—would not commit Thursday to increased funding for mental health treatment. The governor said it is too early in the budget process to commit to increasing or decreasing funding for anything. His remarks came during a press conference at St. Barnabas' Crystal Conservatories in Valencia after a Presents for Patients presentation. Last week, the governor stressed the need to look at mental illness as reporters at a press conference pressed him on whether he would support an assault weapons ban. "It doesn’t matter whether it is an assault weapon or a handgun, it’s the mental illness issue that we have to work as much as we …
Friday, June 29, 2012
Republicans call spending plan responsible, Democrats decry social service cuts.
The state senate is expected to vote today on a $27.66 billion dollar spending plan that holds the line on taxes for the new fiscal year, which begins Sunday. The house approved the measure by a vote of 120-81 Thursday night, the Post Gazette reported. The new budget increases spending by less than 2 percent over this year’s budget, the Patriot-News reported. The spending plan maintains current funding for public schools and colleges. However it eliminates the state department of public welfare’s cash assistance program and cuts $84 million, half of what the Governor had proposed cutting, for county-provided human services. The bill also includes a tax break that could exceed $1.7 billion dollars for Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s natural gas “…
Joseph
1:47 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
I've been involved. I've seen the beast first hand. The only way to change it is to become a part of the special interest groups or run for office to diffuse the special interest groups (good luck winning an election without the support of special interest groups). more ›