Mar. 04, 2016 /
![Central Pennsylvania Lawmakers Set the Record Straight: Wolf Wants More of Taxpayers’ Hard-Earned Money]()
HARRISBURG – Central Pennsylvania legislators of the House Republican Caucus are rejecting Gov. Tom Wolf’s demand for massive tax increases, including an increase to the Personal Income Tax as part of his annual budget proposal. That 11 percent tax increase (retroactive to Jan. 1, 2016), along with several others, would amount to an annual tax hike of $2.7 billion.
Mar. 04, 2016 /
![Barrar Considers 2016-17 State Budget Proposal’s Effect on Military, Emergency Services]()
HARRISBURG – As majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, State Rep. Steve Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware) reviewed the governor’s 2016-17 budget proposal, including requests by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), Homeland Security and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. This week, the House Appropriations Committee continued its extensive look at the governor’s proposal.
Mar. 03, 2016 /
![Agreement Restores PERC Independence, Say Bloom, Grove]()
HARRISBURG – Following legal action taken in Commonwealth Court to prevent Gov. Tom Wolf’s unilateral closure of the Public Employee Retirement Commission (PERC), an agreement signed Tuesday temporarily restores the independence of the watchdog agency, said Reps. Stephen Bloom (R-Cumberland) and Seth Grove (R-York), who filed the suit on behalf of Pennsylvania taxpayers.
Mar. 03, 2016 /
![Metcalfe to Introduce Legislation to Terminate State Employees for Failure to File Financial Interest Statements]()
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania House State Government Committee Majority Chairman, Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler), has released a co-sponsor memorandum urging support for his soon-to-be introduced legislation that would prohibit any public employee from continuing to work as an employee of the Commonwealth if that individual fails to file his/her annual statement of financial interest.
Mar. 03, 2016 /
![Central Pennsylvania Lawmakers Stand Up For Taxpayers. Gov. Wolf seeks new taxes – including an income tax, attacking back pay]()
WHAT: A news conference to discuss Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2016-17 budget proposal, along with its expected impact on constituents and local small businesses. The lawmakers will reiterate their opposition to the governor’s $3.6 billion increase in new taxes. This would be on top of a 5.8 percent tax increase for the current fiscal year. A local business leader will also speak.
Mar. 03, 2016 /
![Heffley Expresses Outrage Over Governor’s ‘School Closing Checklist’]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) issued the following statement after the governor’s administration recently developed and sent a school closing checklist to help schools shut their doors. Several schools across Pennsylvania are in danger of closing due to Gov. Tom Wolf’s $3 billion cut to state education funding.
Mar. 02, 2016 /
![Rep. White to Introduce Bill to Hold ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Liable for Damages]()
HARRISBURG—Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) has announced that she will introduce legislation to counter unlawful sanctuary cities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Mar. 02, 2016 /
![Murt Calls on Judiciary Committee to Expand Statute of Limitations]()
HARRISBURG-- In response to a grand jury finding that hundreds of children were abused by at least 50 priests and other church associates in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown for nearly a half century, Rep. Thomas Murt (R-Montgomery/Philadelphia) is asking the House Judiciary Committee to vote on legislation he introduced to change the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse.
Mar. 02, 2016 /
![Harper’s Severance Tax Proposal Featured on March Legislative Report Program]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Kate Harper’s (R-Montgomery) proposal to tax natural gas drilling and direct the revenue toward reducing the state’s pension debt is the subject of the March edition of her Legislative Report program.
Feb. 29, 2016 /
![Speaker Supports Appellate Court Merit Selection]()
HARRISBURG – Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) today announced his support of a constitutional amendment to change the way statewide appellate court judges are chosen by replacing partisan judicial elections with a merit-based selection system.
Feb. 26, 2016 /
![Gabler: Wolf Cuts Jeopardizing Schools - Legislator questions administration’s creation of ‘school closing checklist’]()
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) is expressing outrage upon learning that Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration has sent administrators of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts a checklist detailing the process by which a district should close due to insufficient funding. The checklist was disseminated by the Department of Education, and follows the governor’s Dec. 29 line-item vetoes, which included over $3 billion in cuts to public schools.
Feb. 26, 2016 /
![Ag, Environmental Resources Committees to Discuss Clean Up of Chesapeake Bay Watershed]()
WHAT: The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter), and the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, chaired by Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny), will hold a joint informational meeting to discuss the Wolf Administration’s strategy to reduce pollutants entering the Chesapeake Bay, as required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The administration recently announced its strategy in anticipation of the state missing its 2017 reduction targets for nitrogen and sediment.
Feb. 25, 2016 /
![DiGirolamo Honored by American Medical Association - National organization cites his work to improve public health]()
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Medical Association (AMA) honored Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks) as one of its recipients of the 2016 Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service – the highest award for elected officials and government employees from the nation’s largest physician organization.
Feb. 25, 2016 /
![Marshall Warns of Phone, Online Tax Scams]()
HARRISBURG– After receiving several calls from concerned citizens, Rep. Jim Marshall (R-Beaver/Butler) is warning residents of potential Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other tax scams.
Feb. 25, 2016 /
![Transportation Committee Passes Resolution to Investigate Motor License Fund Expenditures, Says Taylor]()
HARRISBURG—The House Transportation Committee, chaired by Rep. John Taylor (R-Philadelphia), passed a resolution requesting the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) to see if funds dedicated to rebuilding roads and bridges used for services not provided for in the State Constitution.
Feb. 24, 2016 /
![Regan Legislation Addressing Environmental, Horse Racing and Fantasy Sports Gaming Signed into Law by Governor]()
HARRISBURG – Legislation designed make changes to the Citizens Advisory Council in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), reform the Commonwealth horse racing industry and a study on regulating the fantasy sports gambling industry was signed into law this week by Gov. Tom Wolf, according to the bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Mike Regan (R-York/Cumberland.)
Feb. 23, 2016 /
![Kauffman Bill to Benefit State’s Active Military Signed into Law]()
HARRISBURG – Working to help Pennsylvania’s military men and women, Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin) today witnessed his legislation exempting active military personnel from having to pay a local Earned Income Tax (EIT) get signed into law.
Feb. 23, 2016 /
![Parker Hails Restoration of Military Tax Exemption]()
HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf today signed legislation to benefit military personnel by restoring the exemption from the state’s Earned Income Tax (EIT) when they are on active-duty military service, said state Rep. David Parker (R-Monroe).
Feb. 22, 2016 /
![Policy Committee Launches PennSAVE to Uncover Savings in Government]()
HARRISBURG — Under the direction of Chairman Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin), the House Majority Policy Committee today launched PennSAVE, a Republican-led initiative to find ways to save taxpayer dollars by cutting government waste and inefficiencies. The initiative stands for savings, accountability, value and efficiency.
Feb. 19, 2016 /
![Policy Committee to Launch PennSAVE to Uncover Savings in Government]()
WHAT: Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin), chairman of the House Majority Policy Committee, together with several Republican House members from across the state, will launch PennSAVE, a new initiative to find ways to save taxpayer dollars by cutting government waste and inefficiencies. The initiative stands for savings, accountability, value and efficiency.