Category Archives: State Government

PA House Passes Corporate Tax Cut with Loophole Closure

In Pennsylvania, the state tax code has a notorious loophole that allows corporations to get away without paying millions of dollars in taxes every year, and this is known as the Delaware tax loophole. The PA House recently passed House … More after the jump

Posted in Budget/Taxes/Spending, Business, House of Representatives, State Government, The Economy

Climate Change & Renewable Energy Projects in Pennsylvania

While there are major solar energy and wind energy projects in Pennsylvania and one school district in the state has won an award for cutting their energy usage by one-third, a new report from the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium says … More after the jump

Posted in Environment and Energy, State Government

Philly Expands LGBT Rights, PA House/Senate Might

The struggle for equal human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in Pennsylvania has seen significant developments this month. In the Pennsylvania Legislature, a bill has been introduced that would outlaw many forms of discrimination against LGBT people … More after the jump

Posted in Civil Rights, House of Representatives, LGBT / Gay Rights, Philadelphia and suburbs, Senate, State Government

Corbett Aide Says if Medicaid is Expanded it Will Be in 2015; Issue Lives for PA 2014 Gov. Race

This week a top aide to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett said that if the governor winds up accepting the expansion of Medicaid under ObamaCare, it probably won’t be until 2015. If that’s how it happens, it will mean hundreds of … More after the jump

Posted in Budget/Taxes/Spending, Elections, Governor Corbett, Health, Issues, National Politics, Social Services, State Government

Another Spill in PA Town Where Fracking Just Resumed in April After 200,000+ Gallon Spill in March

A natural gas drilling rig operated by Carrizo Oil and Gas from Texas in Washington Township, PA has spilled thousands of gallons of fracking waste-fluid in the surrounding environment. If you’re experiencing any deja vu right now, it may be … More after the jump

Posted in Environment and Energy, Miscellany, State Government

New Government Reform Caucus in PA & What They Miss – PA Headlines 2/4 Counterpoint PA 5/1-2/2013 (with transcript)

State Senator Rob Teplitz, a Democrat representing Dauphin and York counties, and State Representative Bryan Cutler, a Republican representing Lancaster county, have announced the formation of a new Government Reform Caucus in the Pennsylvania Legislature. The Government Reform Caucus has … More after the jump

Posted in Campaign Finance and the Influence Game, Corruption, House of Representatives, Open Government, Senate, State Government

PA Republicans Attack ObamaCare on Medicaid & Abortion – PA Headlines 1/4 Counterpoint PA 5/1-2/2013 (with transcript)

Welcome to Counterpoint PA, I’m your host, Aaron DiDonato. First up, PA Headlines. Pennsylvania Republicans are doing everything they can to weaken the implementation of President Obama’s health insurance reform law, often referred to as ObamaCare, here in Pennsylvania. Part … More after the jump

Posted in Governor Corbett, Health, House of Representatives, Social Services, State Government

After Announcing PA Gubernatorial Campaign, Allyson Schwartz “Punches the Hippies” on CISPA

“Punching the hippies” is a figure of speech I have picked up on from never missing MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show. Most recently used by Rachel to describe President Obama’s proposal to effectively cut Social Security benefits, “punching the hippies” … More after the jump

Posted in Campaign Finance and the Influence Game, Civil Rights, Elections, Governor Corbett, Philadelphia and suburbs, State Government

Green Party of Pennsylvania Stages Earth Day Protests Around the State

Yesterday was Earth Day, and to mark the occasion the Green Party of Pennsylvania – in partnership with over 60 other environmental organizations – held protest rallies at all six regional offices of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection across … More after the jump

Posted in Environment and Energy, Erie and Northwest, Harrisburg / South Central, Lehigh Valley, Miscellany, North Central, Northeast PA, Philadelphia and suburbs, Pittsburgh / SW Region, Regional News, State Government

Democrats Join Republicans in Pennsylvania War on “Welfare”

It doesn’t greatly disappoint me that there are Republicans in the PA Legislature who hate the idea of “welfare” so much that they want to take away millions of dollars that were supposed to go to helping people in need … More after the jump

Posted in Budget/Taxes/Spending, Health, House of Representatives, Senate, Social Services, State Government