Governor Corbett Continues Reform Agenda
April 24, 2014 | Limits on Lawsuit Abuse | Regulatory Reform
Reforming state government continues to be a big part of Tom Corbett’s agenda. As Attorney General he investigated and prosecuted lawmakers of both parties who used taxpayers’ money and state time for political campaigning, including the “Bonusgate” scandal. In his bid for a second four-year term as governor, he cites past reform accomplishments and additional ...
Governor Corbett Basic Ed Formula
February 19, 2014
Governor Corbett Backs “More Equitable” Funding Method in Basic Ed Formula Governor Tom Corbett recently said that Pennsylvania’s school funding systems should be changed to “a true funding system” that is fair to all schools. On January 14, the House cleared legislation, House Bill 1738, sponsored by Bernie O’Neill (R-29), that establishes a bipartisan ...
PMA is proud to be the sole sponsor of “Ask the Governor”, an hour-long interview format that airs monthly on Radio PA’s affiliate network. Radio PA produces and distributes state news from across Pennsylvania with a special emphasis on the governor’s office and activity at the state capitol building. Most of the affiliate stations run the ...
Public Education When he first took office, Governor Corbett walked into a public education funding gap. For over two years Pennsylvania’s school districts received a total of $1.7 billion in stimulus money. Over that same two-year period, public school employee salaries and benefits jumped by $1.3 billion. Worsening the pain felt by the end of ...
Pensions The unfunded liability for state employees and teacher pensions is $41 billion, and if something isn’t done soon we are on the hook for it. The Governor is offering a plan that will almost surely result in a tough political fight because part of it calls for adjusting the pension formulas of those currently ...
Business Taxes Only two states, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, cap the net operating losses (NOL) business can carry over against their Corporate Net Income (CNI) taxes. Here’s why the other 48 don’t. The cap penalizes start-up and cyclical companies by significantly increasing their effective tax rate. Allowing for the deduction in net operating losses improves ...
Health Care Remarkably some have characterized the Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) as “free” for Pennsylvania because Washington “covers” the initial few years of cost. This, when the money to pay for the expansion still comes from the same pockets, ours, and the commonwealth will end up shouldering most of the ...
Transportation Funding Our roads and bridges are not only costing us millions in delays and vehicle repairs but they are dangerous as well. Fifty years is the average age for a Pennsylvania bridge and PennDOT classifies more than 4000 bridges as structurally deficient. These deficiencies cause rerouting, shipping delays, and hazardous situations on a daily ...
Restraint in Spending The Governor’s budget builds on his first two spending plans that combined to erase a $4.2 billion deficit caused by the recession and the end of federal stimulus money. It hasn’t been easy or painless. According to his Budget Office, 260 line items in the annual budget have been eliminated since Governor ...