A More Efficient PennDOT

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The state Department of Transportation is looking to streamline and modernize through a new initiative called PennDOT Next Generation.  “We’re going to continue to look department-by-department to make sure we’re not spending the same dollar twice, and see if we can go across agency lines to reduce costs,” PennDOT Secretary Barr Schoch explained to the House and Senate Transportation Committees.  

Schoch says four initial pilot projects will produce annual savings of $7-million.  30-current projects could save the state anywhere from $25 – $75-million a year.  

Barry Schoch

Some of the projects already saving money include an electronic permitting system for Highway Occupancy Permits and a revised bridge inspection policy.  Current projects are investigating more efficient use of winter materials and the regionalization of transit providers.  

The administrative savings may be a drop in the bucket compared to the state’s $3.5-billion dollar annual transportation funding gap, but House Transportation Chair Rick Geist (R-Blair) tells reporters it’s important.  “I think it’s wonderful when it comes to the bureaucratic inspection and self-inspection of how to do things better,” Geist explains.  

Geist is calling for legislation to move all transportation functions under PennDOT and out of other agencies.  “We have stuff that’s all over state government,” he explains.  

Lawmakers will be receiving a summary report of PennDOT Next Generation at the end of the year, and it will include a series of legislative recommendations.

Execution Remains Halted

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The state Supreme Court has denied prosecutors’ request to lift a stay of execution for condemned killer Terrance Williams of Philadelphia.  Late last week Philadelphia Judge M. Teresa Sarmina blocked the scheduled October 3rd execution and ordered a new sentencing hearing in light of new evidence concerning the way prosecutors handled Williams’ 1986 murder trial.  Defense attorneys claim that Williams’ victims had been sexually abusing him.  This would have been Pennsylvania’s first execution since 1999, and Williams would have been the first person executed against his will in the state since the death penalty was reinstated 34-years ago.

PA in the Black for the First Quarter

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The state’s revenue picture brightened enough in September to put collections for the first quarter of the fiscal year slightly ahead of estimates.

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue reports that the Commonwealth collected 2.4 billion dollars in general fund revenue last month, which was 1.8% more than anticipated.  It was enough to make up for collections in August that were below estimates, bringing the state two-tenths of a point above estimate for year to date collections.

Personal income tax revenue was above estimate, bringing in 1% more than anticipated for the first quarter. Corporation taxes are running 14%  ahead of estimates year to date. But other collections remain below estimate, including sales, inheritance and other general fund tax revenue.

Court Ruling Temporarily Blocks Enforcement of Voter ID

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Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson has issued a partial preliminary injunction against the new law, which essentially means that voters will be asked to show a valid photo ID on November 6th, but they will not be required to do so. 

Governor Tom Corbett says it’ll be a continuation of the soft roll-out that was in place for the primary election this past April.  Corbett addressed the Voter ID issue at an unrelated event, telling reporters it doesn’t matter whether he’s disappointed with the ruling or not.  However, Corbett reiterated his support for the law. “I think it is incumbent upon people to have photo ID, particularly to identify themselves when they are voting.” 

Corbett suggests the Commonwealth is leaning against an appeal of Judge Simpson’s ruling, but notes the ruling is still being reviewed. 

While most Republicans’ reaction has been muted, that’s not the case for the bill’s prime sponsor, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler).  “It’s a violation of the separation of powers, and it’s a violation of the will of the people,” Metcalfe tells Radio PA. 

Metcalfe says the state is fulfilling its responsibility by providing free IDs for voting purposes, but Pennsylvania citizens have the responsibility to obtain one if they wish to exercise the right to vote.  “The state can’t fix lazy,” Metcalfe says.  “If somebody’s too lazy to do what they have to do, we can’t fix that.  We can’t hold every individual by the hand and take them through the process. They have to take on this responsibility.”

Voter ID, ACLU

Vic Walczak

Comments like those offend Vick Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania.  “These are people who greatly value the right to vote, have gone to extraordinary lengths to try to get these IDs, and for some politician to get up and call them lazy is just beyond offensive,” Walczak said during a conference call with reporters. 

He and other Voter ID opponents who were on that call were hailing the judge’s ruling as a great day for PA voters.  “On Election Day no one will be turned away from the polls because they don’t have one of the photo IDs that would have otherwise been required,” says Ben Geffen with the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia. 

The state will continue its voter education efforts in hopes that all registered voters will have a valid form of photo ID well in advance of next spring’s primary election, when enforcement of the law is scheduled to begin.  However, the plaintiffs will still make their case for a permanent injunction at a later date.

Last week’s Franklin & Marshall College Poll found that 2% of registered voters say they lack a valid photo ID; 59% favor the law.

Breat Cancer Awareness Month Marked at the Capitol

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You’ll be seeing pink at the state capitol this month.     The   War Veteran’s Memorial Fountain is running pink to mark National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  It’s also the 20th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition.  The group’s annual conference is scheduled for October 9th.

Pennsylvania First Lady Susan Corbett was joined by former First Lady Michele Ridge in turning the fountain pink today as a reminder of the need for early detection through self-exams, checkups and mammograms.

Philadelphia Judge Stays Execution, D-A Vows Appeal

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A Philadelphia judge has halted Wednesday’s scheduled execution of death row inmate Terrance Williams and granted him a new sentencing hearing.  But prosecutors vow to appeal to the state Supreme Court.

The judge not only granted a stay of execution, she vacated the death sentence, which grants Williams a new penalty phase.  In the ruling, Judge M. Teresa Sarmina was critical of the way the prosecution handled the original trial in the 1984 murder that put Williams on death row.   The prosecution has denied any wrongdoing.

Williams still has a request for clemency pending before the state Pardons Board.  The board voted after a hearing on Thursday to take the request under advisement.

 

 

 

State Capitol Fountain

Honoring Pennsylvania through Poetry

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The Keystone State is rich with both poets and inspiration.  “When you look at the landscape and the beauty of the state, you begin to realize how diverse she is,” explains former Perry County Poet Laureate Melanie Simms.  “We’ve got mountains, we’ve got rivers.  Aesthetically, it draws the artist’s eye.”  For Simms though, it’s Pennsylvania’s history that she finds most intriguing.

Simms is eager to honor Pennsylvania through poetry at an upcoming capitol event, which she hopes can bring a sense of unity and pride.  “We can do that reminding each other of our great heritage, and doing that through poetry.  I mean we’re going through some divisive times right now.” 

Simms’ poem titled “Sunbury” is just one of the works to be shared:SUNBURY

Organizers hope the event will inspire others to try their hand at poetry as well.  Bloomsburg University English professor Jerry Wemple has been helping students find their inner-poets for years, and he tells Radio PA that poetry is more accessible than many people think.  “Sometimes people are turned away because they’re looking for a secret meaning, but a lot of times it’s just right there.  It’s not a puzzle to unlock, it’s something to enjoy.” 

You can enjoy Pennsylvania-themed poetry on October 11th, in the State Capitol East Wing Rotunda, from 12 – 1:30pm.  The event is free and open to the public.

RadioPA Roundtable

Radio PA Roundtable 09.28.12

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On this week’s Radio PA Roundtable, Brad Christman and Matt Paul update you on the stay of execution issued Friday for convicted killer Terrance Williams, who was scheduled to die by lethal injection at Rockview State Prison on Wednesday of the coming week. Former Radio PA Roundtable host Robert Lang (now of WBAL radio in Baltimore) joins the discussion and provides insight as a media witness to three executions in his career.

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/Roundtable09-28-12.mp3]

No Immediate Decision from Pardons Board

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Pennsylvania’s five-member Board of Pardons voted 4 – 1 this morning to hear new arguments in the clemency application of a condemned killer from Philadelphia.  The hearing has concluded and the case has been taken under advisement. 

The board’s recommendation must be unanimous in order for the governor to be able to commute Terrance Williams’ sentence to life in prison without parole.  “With regard to a pardon or commutation, the governor at this point in time has no authority,” says Executive Deputy General Counsel Linda Hoffa. 

The board previously voted 3 – 2 for clemency last week.   

The only unilateral authority the governor has is to issue a temporary reprieve, but Hoffa says case law calls for it to be tied to a pending proceeding.  “It should not be open-ended and vague,” Hoffa explained to reporters on Wednesday.    

46-year-old Terrance “Terry” Williams was convicted in the beating death of Amos Norwood in 1986, the death penalty was imposed in 1987, and his appeals have been exhausted. 

However, Williams’ attorneys are now arguing that their client had been sexually abused by the man he murdered.  A Philadelphia judge has been hearing the new evidence, and is scheduled to rule on a stay of execution tomorrow. 

For now, Williams is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at State Correctional Institution at Rockview on October 3rd. If it is carried out it would be the state’s first execution since 1999, and the first execution involving a prisoner who had not given up his right to appeal since 1962.    

As major decisions loom in Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Williams remains locked up on the other end of the state, at SCI Greene.

Williams Execution Scheduled for Wednesday

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Pennsylvania may issue its first lethal injection in 13 years next week. Condemned killer Terrance Williams is scheduled to be executed at Rockview State Prison in Centre County at 7:00pm on October 3rd. Williams was convicted for two murders in the 1980s and has exhausted most of his appeals.

A stay or temporary reprieve is still possible before Wednesday’s scheduled execution, either from the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, which is meeting today, or from a Philadelphia judge who is currently considering new information in the case and could issue a stay on Friday.

Pennsylvania has not executed a death row inmate since “House of Horrors” killer Gary Heidnik was put to death in 1999. He is one of only three inmates to receive a lethal injection since the death penalty was reinstated in Pennsylvania in 1978. Leon Moser and Keith Zettlemoyer were also put to death in PA in 1995, but all three had waived their rights to certain appeals. Williams would be the first person executed against his will since the reinstatement 34 years ago.