Need Pennsylvania news? We have you covered! PAMatters.com has partnered with Radio Pennsylvania to provide you with the stories that matter.

Online Shoppers Should Pay Attention to Sales Tax

/in /by

“Cyber Monday” sales increased nearly 30% over last year, according to early reports from IBM Benchmark.  Many online retailers are now collecting and remitting Pennsylvania’s 6% statewide sales tax, but the Department of Revenue is still advising shoppers to save their receipts.

“The first thing to do is to check and see if sales tax was charged on the online purchase.  If it was charged, then the consumer doesn’t need to do anything,” explains Department of Revenue spokeswoman Elizabeth Brassell.

But if you don’t see sales tax on your purchase records, Brassell says it’s the responsibility of the consumer to report the “use tax” to the state when computing their 2012 tax returns. 

It appears that many more people are taking notice of the sales & use tax rules, as the state collected $3.8-million dollars in self-reported use tax last year via a new, simplified process on the PA-40 tax form.

Changes Coming to Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting

/in /by

There’s a renewed focus on family for this year’s lighting of the state Capitol Christmas Tree, as the ceremony is being moved outside and to the evening hours to allow for greater public participation.  Among the activities slated for the capitol steps in Harrisburg: Christmas caroling. 

Governor Tom Corbett says this year’s events will capture the true essence of the holiday – bringing families together.  He and First Lady Susan Corbett hope to make this year’s event fun, festive and more family-oriented. 

It’s happening at 5pm on Tuesday December 4th.  There will be free parking throughout the Capitol Complex for anyone who wants to attend. 

Next week also marks the start of the 2012 holiday tour season at the Governor’s Residence on Front Street in Harrisburg.  The tours are free, and First Lady Susan Corbett says they’re again partnering with the American Red Cross for a “Holiday Mail for Heroes” program, which invites guests to send holiday messages to servicemen and women.

Even Anglers would Feel the Fiscal Cliff

/in /by

The Pennsylvania Fish & Board Commission doesn’t receive any government funding, but even it would feel the effects of the looming fiscal cliff. That’s because their trust fund dollars would be subject to federal sequestration. 

The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Safety Trust Funds are raised through excise taxes on things like fishing tackle and boat fuel.  The money can’t be spent on anything other than the intended purpose, but Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Executive Director John Arway says that wouldn’t stop the government from sequestering 7.6% next year. 

“I really liken it to someone at a bank, who has access to your account information, and takes 7.6% out of your savings account without your permission to show that they can cover the bad checks that they’ve written,” Arway explains.  “They promise to return the money sometime in the future, but in the meantime you have to find other funds to pay your bills.” 

The shortfall would amount to almost a million dollars for the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission next year, which translates into almost 40,000 additional fishing licenses they would have to sell in order to avoid cuts to programs and services. 

Arway is urging PA’s Congressional delegation to exempt excise tax revenue from sequestration, in the event that the federal government does not avert the fiscal cliff (a potentially devastating mix of tax hikes and automatic spending cuts) on the first of the year.

Special Elections Pending in State House

/in /by

A pair of Democrats won higher office, earlier this month, while simultaneously being reelected to their state House seats.  Allegheny County’s Matt Smith is moving across the capitol to the Senate, while York County’s Eugene DePasquale will set up shop in the nearby Finance Building as the state’s next Auditor General. 

The development will leave two vacancies in the GOP-controlled chamber when the 2013-2014 session gets underway in January, but DePasquale says the transition has not affected the work of his legislative office.  “We were being pretty adamant and keeping up with that stuff even during the campaign,” DePasquale explains.  “We don’t have much of a backlog here.  I mean certainly there’s some work that needs to get done, and we’re going to make sure it gets done.” 

There’s no word yet on when the special elections may be scheduled. 

DePasquale, who will tender his resignation in the House just before he’s sworn-in as Auditor General on January 15th, broke new ground by taking the Majority Party PA’s public service pledge during the campaign season.  “It commits them to using their position of leadership in service to the priorities of the majority of the Pennsylvania voters, as determined by scientific public opinion research,” says Majority Party PA chairman Tim Potts. 

Two other newly reelected state Reps also took Potts’ pledge: Scott Conklin (D-Centre) and Mario Scavello (R-Monroe). 

While critics dismiss the idea of a pollster setting the agenda for the state, Potts tells Radio PA somebody has to represent the public if we’re going to have a representative democracy.  He says nothing is added to their agenda until the public opinion is settled.

Senate Leader Discusses Accomplishments, Goals

/in /by

With the 2011-2012 legislative session set to expire at the end of the month, Radio PA’s Matt Paul took a look back at the past two years with state Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Chester/Delaware) in a wide-ranging interview.  Calling it an extremely productive session, Pileggi says jobs were the top legislative issue and the most important jobs bills are the ones that will have long-lasting effects. 

“The continued phase out of the capital stock and franchise tax, in both the 11/12 & 12/13 [fiscal] years, we continued that phase out,” Pileggi says.  “Just in this past year we eliminated the death tax on family farms.  We’ve also updated the film tax credit program and actually added a new tax credit for historic buildings.”

Pileggi also cites Pennsylvania’s Fair Share Act and expanded Keystone Opportunity Zone program as important jobs bills from this past session. 

Looking ahead to the 2013-2014 legislative session, Pileggi the biggest jobs issue is transportation funding.  It would obviously provide short term jobs in the form of construction projects.  “Longer-term I think every serious observer agrees that an effective transportation infrastructure – both for cars & trucks and mass transit – is necessary for a competitive environment for job creators,” Pileggi explains. 

He also tells us the Senate will be ready to move forward with a package of bills to address the state’s pension crisis within the first six months of 2013. 

Earlier this month, newly-elected and returning Republican senators tapped Pileggi for his fourth term as Senate GOP Leader.

RadioPA Roundtable

Radio PA Roundtable 11.23.12

/in , , , /by

On this week’s Radio PA Roundtable, Matt Paul brings you the latest updates on the possible privatization of Pennsylvania Lottery management. Also, Governor Tom Corbett discusses his Thanksgiving holiday and we get a preview of deer season from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Radio PA Roundtable is a 30-minute program featuring in-depth reporting on the top news stories of the week.

Click the audio player below to hear the full broadcast:

[audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/radiopa/Roundtable11-23-12.mp3]

State Considers Bid from Potential Lottery Manager

/in /by

State officials have until the end of the year to make a decision on a 20-year, $34-billion dollar bid to turn over the day-to-day operations of the Pennsylvania Lottery a private company.  After qualifying three potential bidders, the Commonwealth received one bid from Camelot Global Services PA LLC.  It’s the same company that operates the National Lottery in the United Kingdom.

Department of Revenue spokeswoman Elizabeth Brassell says the state would be well-protected by the potential private management agreement (PMA).  “There’s a profit threshold that the company has to meet in order to get paid incentive compensation,” Brassell says.  “Beyond that, if there’s any contract year where that profit threshold is not met, there are additional securities… that the state can dip into and deduct shortfall payments from to make up the difference.” 

The Corbett administration is looking to generate more money for programs that benefit senior citizens, a population that’s on the rise in PA.  The Pennsylvania Lottery is the only lottery in the nation, which generates profits solely for senior programs. 

But opponents point to last year’s record profit of more than a billion dollars at the Pennsylvania Lottery.  “There’s only 2.3% administrative costs; so it’s not only profitable, but it’s also efficient,” says AFSCME Council 13 Executive Director David Fillman. 

AFSCME represents 175 of roughly 220 Pennsylvania Lottery workers, and Fillman says they will sit down with state officials to discuss the bid next week.  “We’re confident that anything that the Commonwealth wants to do… it’s something that the current employees can do.” 

No decision has been made.  Brassell says they will evaluate Camelot Global Services and crunch the numbers determine if a PMA is in the best interest of the state.  Even if the bid is accepted, the state would maintain ownership and control of the Pennsylvania Lottery.

State Police Start Holiday Enforcement

/in /by

The national Click it or Ticket campaign is underway through December 2nd.  It focuses on proper seatbelt and child safety seat usage.   But Pennsylvania State Police spokesman Trooper Adam Reed says that’s not all troopers will be looking for over the holiday.  He says they will also focus on aggressive driving and other violations.

Trooper Reed reminds drivers the seatbelt law is a primary offense for drivers and passengers under age 18, meaning they  must be properly restrained while riding in a motor vehicle, or you could be pulled over.  He encourages drivers to slow down and take their time over the busy holiday travel period.

As part of the campaign, State police will offer free child safety seat inspections. To get a list of sites, go to www.psp.state.pa.us.

Click It or Ticket is part of Pennsylvania’s “Operation Safe Holiday.”  PennDOT and police departments across the state are joining forces to increase enforcement through the New Year holiday.  Those efforts will include sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and regular safety patrols.

The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Mothers Against Drunk Driving reports that 40% of the fatalities over the holiday weekend are related to driving under the influence of alcohol.