State Capitol Facing North Office Building

Critics: Food Stamp Asset Test is Bad Policy

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The Department of Public Welfare will reinstate a food stamp asset test on May 1st.  “It will help to ensure that individuals will first deplete all readily available resources before relying solely on public assistance, and as a result preserve the benefit for those who have no other additional means or resources,” explains DPW spokeswoman Carey Miller. 

But the testimony received by the House Human Services Committee focused largely on the negative effects that some foresee for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens.  “SNAP benefits are good for needy families and they’re good for the economy,” says Louise Hayes from Community Legal Services.  SNAP refers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is commonly referred to as food stamps.

Hayes believes more government red tape will lead to more needy families without the help they need to afford food. 

Following Thursday’s capitol hearing, opponents of the food stamp asset test delivered a petition with 10,000 signatures to Governor Tom Corbett’s office.   They say the new policy won’t save the commonwealth any money because food stamps are funded by the federal government, while state government shares the cost of administering the program.     

When Pennsylvania last had an asset test in 2008, the limits were $2,000 for households under the age of 60, and $3,250 for households with older or disabled individuals.  The asset test that’s set to take effect in May would increase those thresholds to $5,500 and $9,000 respectively. 

Assets subject to the test will include: cash, checking and savings accounts, as well as stocks, bonds and savings certificates.  Assets exempt from the test will include: homes, primary vehicles, educational savings accounts and all retirement plans. 

“This change is only expected to affect less than 1% of Pennsylvania’s population who are currently receiving the food stamp benefit,” Miller says.  As of December 2011, there were more than 1.8-million Pennsylvanians enrolled in the SNAP program.

Flooded backyard near Goldsboro railroad underpass.

Spring Flood Risk Reduced this Year According to NOAA

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The mild winter will reduce the risk of spring flooding in most of the country, including Pennsylvania.    NOAA’s annual spring outlook was released today.

This time last year, most of Pennsylvania was looking at an above average risk of spring flooding, with a section of Northeastern Pennsylvania at high risk.  This year,  the risk of major flooding is average across Pennsylvania.

Due to mild weather and little snow pack, there are no areas of the country facing a high risk for the first time in four years. But Laura Furgione , deputy director of the National Weather Service, says that doesn’t mean we should let our guard down. She cautions that heavy rainfall can lead to flooding at any time, even where the overall risk is low.

Furgione says it floods somewhere in the United States nearly every day of the year.  She says flooding is the leading cause of severe weather-related deaths in the country, claiming on average about 100 lives a year.  Nearly half of these deaths occur in motor vehicles.  She says that’s why officials tell us not to drive through rising waters.

The only areas of the country with above normal flood risk are the Ohio River Valley, which includes of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky, and parts of the Gulf Coast which includes Louisiana and Mississippi.

Governor Tom Corbett Signs Voter ID Law

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    Governor Tom Corbett last evening signed legislation that will require all voters to produce a photo ID starting with the November general election. The governor signed the bill the same day it received final legislative approval following three days of emotional floor debate in the state House of Representatives.

    The new law takes effect immediately and will be rolled out on a test basis for the primary election on April 24th. Come November, however, the ID requirement will be in place on a permanent basis. Supporters say the effort will help crack down on voter fraud, but critics say it’s a solution for a non-existent problem that will disenfranchise many voters, especially the poor and the elderly.

    Acceptable forms of ID at the polling place will include a driver’s license, a student ID issued by a Pennsylvania college or university or an ID from a Pennsylvania care facility.

    Opponents are vowing to challenge the new law in court.

    As part of the law, PennDOT will issue free photo IDs to anyone in need of such identification for voting, but applicants would need to supply the department with proper documents, such as a birth certificate. That service is already available today according to Governor Corbett. A public information campaign is also getting underway.

    President Obama’s re-election campaign issued a statement overnight criticizing Pennsylvania lawmakers for “passing a costly bill to address a non-existent problem.”

 

 

State House Gives Final Approval to Voter ID Bill

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On a 104 to 88 vote, the state house has concurred with senate changes to the Voter ID bill and sent the measure to the Governor’s desk.  Governor Corbett was scheduled to sign it this evening.

The vote came after debate over three session days.  HB934 will require voters to show an approved photo identification when voting, starting with the November General election.  The new procedure is expected to get a dry run in next month’s primary.

Opponents call it a solution in search of a problem, arguing there’s little evidence of widespread voter fraud.  Democrats in the state house voted against the bill and said it would suppress voting, especially among groups that do not already have an approved photo ID.

Supporters say it’s a way to help ensure “one person, one vote” and  deter voter fraud.

The measure is expected to face a court challenge.  The bill was opposed by civil liberties groups, the AARP and the NAACP.

Automakers Respond to Natural Gas Boom

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Pennsylvania was among the first states to sign a memorandum of understanding, which indicates their intent to start converting fleet vehicles to natural gas.  Only a matter of months after the agreement was first announced, Chrysler and GM are unveiling plans to produce natural gas-powered pickup trucks.  “We are going to try to convert our fleets – light duty trucks – over to natural gas, to give Detroit some impetus to do this,” Governor Tom Corbett said on Radio PA’s Ask the Governor program.  “I can’t say directly that’s what Chrysler looked at, but I think it certainly had an influence.”   

Corbett believes the natural gas boom is changing everything, and as a result the natural gas infrastructure will develop fairly quickly. 

House Republican Whip Stan Saylor (R-York) is adding legislative muscle to the conversation by introducing a bill that would incent companies to convert their commercial fleets to natural gas.  “By incentivizing these vehicles we will use natural gas, which will spur construction of the statewide refueling network that is needed to create and spread the use of natural gas vehicles here in Pennsylvania,” Saylor said at a capitol news conference. 

The network of refueling stations would then make it practical for consumers to drive natural gas cars.  Saylor believes it would both lower transportation costs and further expand Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry. 

Saylor’s bill would tap the state’s Clean Air Fund for $6-million dollars a year, over the next five years, to provide grants that help cover the costs of converting large trucks to natural gas.  “This is a perfect example of why that fund was created,” Saylor says, noting that natural gas vehicles reduce carbon emissions by 90%. 

Saylor says the natural gas equivalent of a gallon of gas only costs about $2-dollars, compared to gasoline prices which are approaching the $4-dollar mark.

Poll: Santorum has Big Lead in Pennsylvania

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Fresh off of primary victories in Alabama and Mississippi, a new poll shows former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum virtually running away with the Keystone State.  Today’s Quinnipiac Poll of Pennsylvania Republicans shows Santorum netting 36% support compared to Mitt Romney’s 22%.  In a head-to-head matchup, Santorum clobbers Romney in Pennsylvania 53 – 32%.  “Pennsylvania Republicans are turning to their native son, former Sen. Rick Santorum,” says pollster Tim Malloy.  But it’s in stark contrast to the December Quinnipiac Poll that showed Santorum with mere 9% support in PA. 

On the same day as the release of the Q-Poll, the Romney campaign announced that former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge is throwing his support behind the former Massachusetts governor. 

Pennsylvania’s current Republican governor, however, remains neutral in the race.  “I will certainly be active once we have the nominee at the convention and thereafter,” Gov. Tom Corbett explains.  “What role I play before the primary still remains to be seen.” 

Santorum has named longtime Corbett political adviser Brian Nutt as his Pennsylvania State Campaign Director.  “Do not read anything into that,” Corbett says. 

But Corbett does remind all Pennsylvanians to never underestimate Rick Santorum.  “I think if I polled you all, he has gone much further than anybody sitting on those chairs right there ever anticipated that he would go,” Corbett told reporters who were gathered in the Governor’s Reception Room for a briefing on an upcoming trade mission.

House Votes in Favor of Legislation to Reform Capital Spending Program

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The house has passed a bill to reform a high profile economic development grant program by a 184-9 vote.   The bill would lower the debt ceiling of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Project program, add rules tied to economic activity and job creation and make the approval process more transparent.

Representative Bill Adolph (R-Del)  was among the supporters. He says outstanding debt has increased by 4.3 billion since 2003-2004.  He says the debt service requirements have increased by 50% over the same time period. Currently, the annual debt service for the program tops one billion dollars.

Representative Adolph says the reforms will focus funds on projects that will encourage economic development and create jobs in Pennsylvania, “truly a win-win situation.”

Representative Dwight Evans (D-Phila) argued that the bill really doesn’t do anything.  He said it’s not needed, because the legislature only has to vote against raising the cap on borrowing for the program in the future.

Representative Mike Hanna (D-Centre)  supported the legislation but questioned whether it would hamper the ability to improve the economy by cutting back on capital investments across the state. He says we should be doing everything we can to create jobs.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny), says the bill will reduce the credit limit immediately. Supporters of HB 2175 say the program has gotten out of hand. 

The bill heads to the Senate.