Mary Wilson

Polls Show Rising Support for Legalizing Medical Marijuana in PA

Mary Wilson — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:19:27 +0000

Gov. Tom Corbett won’t be budged by public opinion polls when it comes to marijuana.

Support is high for legalizing the drug when obtained with a doctor’s prescription.

But Corbett has said making medical marijuana legal will not rule out abuse of the drug, because prescription drugs are abused now.

"This is a gateway to many other drugs," he said. "I believe we have a drug problem in this country. We have a drug problem in the state of Pennsylvania."

Corbett made his remarks on the Radio Pennsylvania “Ask the Governor” program.

PA Senate Dems Push Medicaid Expansion with Procedural Maneuver

Mary Wilson — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:30:00 +0000

State Senate Democrats are trying to compel the state to participate in a Medicaid expansion by using what's called a discharge resolution.

Senate staffers on both sides of the aisle are at a loss to remember the last time this kind of maneuver was successful. It doesn't preclude the majority party from sidestepping a vote on the measure in question.

But that's not stopping Sen. Vincent Hughes.

Open Records Chief Calls Charter Schools Scofflaws

Mary Wilson — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:01:40 +0000

The head of the state's Office of Open Records is pointing a finger at public charter schools for being the "cancer" of the state's Right-to-Know law.

The testimony comes as lawmakers are in the midst of an effort to tweak the state's five-year-old law, which lets citizens request government records starting with the presumption that all such documents are public, putting the burden of proof on agencies, not citizens.

Family, Friends Gather to Remember Former Gov. George Leader

Mary Wilson — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:28:16 +0000

Family, friends and fixtures of state politics are remembering former Pennsylvania Gov. George Leader for being a tireless tinkerer — a man inspired by new ideas and always ready to go on to the next thing.

Leader died at age 95 last week. At a memorial service Thursday in Hershey, Dauphin County, his children recounted stories of their father and poked fun at his memory, at turns resisting and then contributing to a growing legend about one of the state’s most beloved governors.

Second of Trio of Liquor Hearings: One Big Wish List

Mary Wilson — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:31:31 +0000

The chairman of a key Senate panel all but called a time of death for liquor privatization — at least, the effort to pass a measure before July.

Plan to Raise State Judges’ Mandatory Retirement Age Advances

Mary Wilson — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:44:36 +0000

State judges in Pennsylvania are one step closer to being allowed to serve until age 75 before they must retire.

A state House panel has approved a measure to increase the mandatory retirement age by five years.

Supporters say it strikes the right balance – updating the age limit for the first time since 1968, without increasing it to the point it would severely limit turnover in the courts.

Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery County) notes changing the mandatory retirement age would require amending the state constitution.

In Open Records Debate, a Case for Being Less Business-Friendly

Mary Wilson — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:34:06 +0000

The same senator who sponsored legislation creating the 5-year-old Office of Open Records has drafted revisions to the state's Right-to-Know law - the "most critical" proposed change being one that would keep commercial users from exploiting the law on the cheap.

Local government officials have said for years the passage of the Right-to-Know law has resulted in a tidal wave of records requests.

Lawmakers Say Time Nearly Up For Mulling Medicaid Expansion

Mary Wilson — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:30:03 +0000

Legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle in the state Senate are noting the time is fast approaching to make a final decision about a potential expansion of Medicaid.

For months, the Corbett administration has insisted that the door is not closed to such a move.

Senate Republican Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi - not exactly a public cheerleader for the move - said last week the governor needs to decide soon whether he'll allow hundreds of thousands more Pennsylvanians to enroll in the program.

Corbett Hesitant to Rank Legislative To-Do List

Mary Wilson and WESA Staff — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:57:52 +0000

Gov. Tom Corbett is reluctant to pull any legislative issue from the very top of his crowded agenda.

But other legislative leaders appear more than happy to do it for him.

The governor has said he wants four things done before lawmakers leave for their summer recess: a budget, liquor privatization, a transportation funding package and an approved overhaul of the state’s two pension plans and the debt that comes with them.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi said the pension issue, however, is looking too complex and controversial to tackle by July.

Lawmaker Floats Idea of Outlawed Bond for State Pension Debt

Mary Wilson — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:14:41 +0000

One state lawmaker is raising the controversial idea of borrowing money to help put a dent in the state's $47 billion unfunded pension liability.

Rep. Glen Grell (R-Cumberland), who's been working on pension overhaul proposals, has suggested one way to pay down some of the state's pension debt would be to issue a pension obligation bond - not as a way to cover required state contributions to the two pension plans, but as a way to borrow money at a better rate and produce some savings.

Poll Shows Public Less Keen on Liquor Privatization

Mary Wilson — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:21:47 +0000

Public support may be waning for a plan to sell off the state's wine and liquor stores.

It's the issue on the governor's to-do list that is furthest along in the Legislature, but a new Franklin & Marshall College poll notes support for it has dropped by six points among surveyed voters since February - from 53 percent in a February poll to 47 percent in a May poll.

The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

Still, more respondents support privatization than oppose it.

PA Supreme Court Upholds State House and Senate Districts on Second Try

Mary Wilson — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:17:01 +0000

After more than a year of legal challenges, the state has new district lines for the House and Senate. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has unanimously ruled to uphold the state Legislature’s second stab at drawing new districts.

The maps were challenged by several groups – among them, a piano teacher and self-styled redistricting savant who drew her own maps to show there was a better way.

Three Months Later, Corbett's Pension Plan Takes Shape in Legislation

Mary Wilson — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:18:23 +0000

State House and Senate lawmakers have stepped up to sponsor legislation to advance the governor’s plan to overhaul the state’s two pension systems.

State Transportation Funding Bill Chugs Along

Mary Wilson — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:47:57 +0000

A $2.5 billion transportation funding bill that would increase vehicle fees, moving violation fines, and lift the cap on a tax that could lead to higher gas prices has gained a key state Senate committee’s approval.

Money raised from the measure would be used to repair Pennsylvania’s aging roads and bridges, as well as mass transit, ports, and bicycle lane planning.

House Passes 'Delaware Loophole' Fix and Assorted Tax Cuts

Mary Wilson — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:59:55 +0000

A bill to close the so-called Delaware loophole while lowering other taxes on corporations has passed the state House by a vote of 129 to 65.

The measure aims to capture revenue from companies that have transferred money from commonwealth subsidiaries to corporations in Delaware – a state without corporate taxes.

House Democratic leaders criticized the proposal for using an approach they say wouldn’t actually close the loophole.

State Lawmakers Want to Keep Wild Boar in Hunters' Crosshairs

Mary Wilson — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:28:57 +0000

One man's nuisance is another man's meal: a tussle over who should regulate wild hogs in the commonwealth is prompting legislation — and a few jokes.

Wild boar hunts at any of the roughly 20 wild boar game preserves throughout the commonwealth can run several hundred dollars apiece — and more when hunters actually bag a boar. It's the kind of economic activity that state lawmakers are trying to protect with legislation that would preempt a move to ban the wild hogs.

Senate Bill Would Restrict Sharing of Undercover Farm Footage

Mary Wilson — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:52:46 +0000

One state Senator wants to make it a crime for animal rights activists to share undercover footage of farms with anyone but law enforcement.

Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) said Wednesday he's drafting a measure to allow people to take photos and videos of farms without the consent of the owner and hold the records indefinitely.

Under the measure, he said such photos and videos could only be given to state and local police officers, as well as humane society enforcement officers.

Some Employers See Merit in Corbett's 'Drug Tests' Comment

Mary Wilson — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:14:38 +0000

Some employers say finding job applicants who can clear drug tests is a real concern, though it may not be as large a contributor to the state's 7.9 percent unemployment rate as a recent comment by Gov. Tom Corbett would suggest.

"There are many employers that say 'We're looking for people, but we can't find anybody that has passed a drug test, a lot of them,'" Corbett said on the Radio Pennsylvania show Ask the Governor. "And that's a concern for me, because we're having a serious problem with that."

First Senate Hearing Doesn't Bode Well for Liquor Plan

Mary Wilson — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:02:01 +0000

Sen. Chuck McIlhinney has said he’s working to find consensus on a liquor privatization proposal, but you wouldn’t know it from his Tuesday committee hearing on the issue.

The chairman of the Senate Law and Justice Committee plays a central role in whether the House-approved plan to phase out state wine and spirits stores advances in the Senate. Tuesday marked the first of what he says will be three hearings on the issue.

Administration Says Troopers Would Get More Money Under Liquor Plan

Mary Wilson — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:36:43 +0000

Law enforcement groups are asking state lawmakers to consider the impact liquor privatization would have on their efforts and adjust budgets accordingly.

The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association (PSTA) and the state’s Liquor Enforcement Association didn’t come down on either side of the liquor privatization issue. But they did chime in with their hope for more money if a plan goes to the governor’s desk that would result in a proliferation of alcohol retailers.

Lawmaker: Liquor Privatization Distracting from State Budget

Mary Wilson — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:31:48 +0000

On the eve of a state Senate committee's first of three hearings on liquor privatization, some might say the issue of selling off the state wine and spirits stores is ripe for discussion.

Not the Senate President Pro Tem.

Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) said Monday he's "a little frustrated" that the liquor privatization issue is eclipsing what he thinks should be the central focus right now: the state budget, which is due in two months' time.

Poll Shows Corbett's Approval Rating Still Low

Mary Wilson and WESA Staff — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:12:59 +0000

A new poll finds Gov. Tom Corbett is stacking up poorly against real and potential Democratic challengers in the 2014 gubernatorial election.

The Quinnipiac University survey of more than 12,000 registered voters pegs the governor’s disapproval rating at 47 percent, with 38 percent of those surveyed approving of his job performance.

Senate Democratic leader Jay Costa said although some argue the governor has time to buff up his image, the results are far from meaningless.

State Grants for College Students Expected to Increase

Mary Wilson — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:25:55 +0000

Pennsylvanians applying for financial assistance for college have reason to hope for more money this year.

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency has run the numbers, and all signs point to grant awards going up for applicants looking for help covering the costs of college.

PHEAA says it expects the maximum grant award to be $4,363, up by more than $150 from last year.
The average grant is expected to be more than $3,000, also more than last year's average.

Poll Shows Toomey's More Popular Than Ever

Mary Wilson — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:10:10 +0000

If anyone is still asking whether Republican Pat Toomey did any damage to his reputation, a new survey puts the question to bed: Nope.

The Quinnipiac University poll shows the state’s junior U.S. senator has emerged from his foray into the gun control debate with his highest ever approval rating.

Toomey’s score jumped to 48 percent – up by five points in the past month. Thirty percent of voters surveyed said they disapprove of the job he’s doing.

PA Lawmaker Wants More Comprehensive School Bullying Response Plans

Mary Wilson — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:38:14 +0000

State House lawmakers are struggling to find a way to help schools deal with bullying among school-age children.

Republican Rep. Dan Truitt of Chester County says he’s not sure schools are taking bullying seriously, given the way they’re responding to existing state mandates.

"Our current state law requires school districts to report incidents of bullying to the state just in terms of the numbers, how many incidents they had," he said. "And a number of them, about 200 school districts, report none at all."