Radio PA Roundtable is a 30-minute program featuring in-depth reporting on the top news stories of the week. Professionally produced and delivered every Friday, Roundtable includes commercial breaks for local sale and quarterly reports for affiliate files. Click the audio player below to hear the full broadcast: [audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/radiopa/Roundtable02-10-12.mp3]
Four weeks of budget hearings commence on Monday when the state Senate Appropriations Committee sits down with the Governor’s Budget Office, Independent Fiscal Office and State Treasury for three separate hearings in their North Office Building hearing room. The $27.14-billion dollar no-tax increase budget has been generating plenty of buzz around the state capitol complex, […]
The gap between the cost of care and reimbursements has been growing for nursing homes and they’re worried about cuts in the Medicaid reimbursement rate in Governor Corbett’s proposed budget. While a 4% reduction may sound like a small number to some, Dr. Stuart Shapiro, President of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, says it will […]
A multi-state agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage services over foreclosure abuses now includes Pennsylvania. The settlement involves Ally, Bank of America, Citi, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo. The Commonwealth will get about 266 million dollars, including principal reductions for consumers struggling to avoid foreclosure, refinancing relief and payments to people who lost […]
The governor’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission released its final report in August, and House Democratic Appropriations Chair Joe Markosek (D-Westmoreland/Allegheny) says it’s been ignored for too long. “I’m just flabbergasted that he’s ignored transportation to the extent that he’s ignored it,” Markosek told us after this week’s budget address. “It’s just almost unbelievable in my […]
Governor Corbett’s proposed budget unveiled this week would cut funding to the 14 state-owned universities by 20%. Faculty at the schools are disappointed the schools are targeted once again. State System of Higher Education schools had their funding cut by 18% this year, something that’s already led to larger classes and program reviews according to Dr. […]
Even after years of debate, opinions are mixed on the so-called compromise bill that emerged from a conference committee this week. The Senate voted 31 – 19 on Tuesday, and the House followed suit with a 101 – 90 vote on Wednesday. The legislation will allow counties to authorize a per-well impact fee (between $40,000 […]
The governor’s proposed budget takes a new approach to human services funding by lumping seven separate line items into a single block grant. “The innovation will give the counties the flexibility they need to identify their most pressing needs, and apply funds as they know best,” Corbett said during Tuesday’s budget speech. The increased flexibility […]
Pennsylvania policymakers still aren’t on the same page when it comes to the current fiscal year’s public schools budget, let alone Governor Tom Corbett’s newly proposed education spending plan. For instance, Governor Tom Corbett made it a point to stress that basic education funding was not cut in June. “When the Obama Administration handed states […]
A Marcellus Shale bill has cleared the State Senate. The vote and debate held up the Governor’s budget address on Tuesday morning. The chamber approved the conference committee report on HB 1950 by a vote of 31 to 19. The bill would allow counties to impose a fee on natural gas drillers. 60% of […]