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Radio PA Roundtable 09.14.12
On this week’s Radio PA Roundtable, Brad Christman and Matt Paul, along with the Pennsylvania Cable Network, take you into a session of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in Philadelphia, where you will hear arguments on two major cases: Voter ID and state legislative redistricting. Governor Tom Corbett also weighs in on the latest developments regarding the Voter ID bill he signed into law this year.
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/Roundtable09-14-12.mp3]
Ask the Governor Returns on October 3rd
Our next taping with Governor Tom Corbett is coming up on Wednesday, October 3rd. Please go to the “Ask the Governor” section of PAMatters.com to submit your question or comment for Governor Corbett. Please keep your questions or comments brief. Radio PA News Director Brad Christman reviews all questions before deciding whether or not to forward them to the Governor’s office for a reply during our program.
In the meantime, keep checking back for important news updates and more video with Governor Corbett.
Radio PA Roundtable 08.24.12
On this week’s Radio PA Roundtable, Brad Christman and Matt Paul preview Penn State’s attempt to shift focus from off-the-field disasters to the team that will take the field next Saturday for the 2012 season opener against Ohio University. You’ll also get an update on a select committee on property taxes and hear details about the report generated by the governor’s Advisory Committee on Manufacturing.
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/Roundtable08-24-12.mp3]
Report Provides Roadmap to Grow Manufacturing Jobs
The manufacturing sector has actually posted employment gains in two consecutive years. It currently employs 574,000 Pennsylvanians, but Governor Tom Corbett says we can do better. Corbett and key members of his administration unveiled the Governor’s Manufacturing Advisory Council report at four, statewide events Tuesday afternoon.
The 24-member panel decided upon 15-recommendations that range from better career and technical education, to a statewide energy plan and tax policy changes. “We have a cross-agency, public-private team of folks working on implementation going forward,” says Team Pennsylvania Foundation president & CEO Matt Zieger. “So those [recommendations] that are not underway, will be underway very soon.”
Team PA has been funding and facilitating the council since Governor Corbett created it late last year. Zieger says the report is unique because many of the recommendations aren’t just about how the state can help the manufacturers, but how the manufacturers can help themselves.
One of the key issues raised in the report is the “skills gap” that was reported by 82% of Pennsylvania’s 15,000 manufacturers.
“My goal is straight forward; a healthy economy and a job for every Pennsylvanian that wants one,” Governor Corbett said. “This report provides a solid roadmap for us to work together and achieve that goal.”
The statewide jobless rate now stands at 7.9%, according to the latest data from the Department of Labor & Industry.
Reactions Abound to Voter ID Ruling
Stakeholders are weighing in now that a Commonwealth Court judge has rejected critics’ call for an injunction against Pennsylvania’s new Voter ID law. Here’s a sampling:
ACLU of Pennsylvania legal director Vic Walczak: “Given clear evidence that impersonation fraud is not a problem, we had hoped that the court would show greater concern for the hundreds of thousands of voters who will be disenfranchised by this law.”
Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele: “I am pleased Judge Simpson affirmed the constitutionality of the Voter ID law. This law will reinforce the principle of one person, one vote. By giving us a reliable way to verify the identity of each voter, the voter ID law will enhance confidence in our elections.”
State House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny): “Today’s ruling is a travesty not just for those Pennsylvanians whose right to vote will be stripped away by this law but for all Pennsylvanians and all American citizens. A threat to one person’s right to vote is a threat to us all. I sincerely hope the Supreme Court will right this terrible wrong and will overturn this decision in time for the November elections. The commonwealth’s highest court should see what the rest of the nation so plainly does – that this law is a scam.”
Governor Tom Corbett: “Now that the court has upheld the constitutionality of the law, we can continue to focus our attention on ensuring that every Pennsylvania citizen who wants to vote has the identification necessary to make sure their vote counts.”
As Rep. Dermody alluded to in his statement, the case will surely be appealed to the state Supreme Court ahead of the November 6th General Election. In the meantime, implementation and outreach efforts continue. Interested voters can find a full list of acceptable forms of identification online.