Archive
Better transparency, clearer rules would help PA redistricting process in 2021
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – In the aftermath of a legal battle over redrawing Pennsylvania’s state House and state Senate district maps, one key player believes the commission charged with redistricting the state every 10 years can … Read the rest
PA Lawmakers, unions, business make for a complex political brew
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – In April 2010, there was a party in Newtown, Bucks County — a political fundraiser, like dozens or perhaps hundreds of similar events held across the state that election cycle.
But this … Read the rest
SEC charges PA capital city with fraud
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Federal investigators say city of Harrisburg officials misled the public and investors about how bad the municipality’s finances really were.
The Securities Exchange Commission on Monday charged the city of Harrisburg with … Read the rest
Annual PA lawmaker gift disclosures turn up pens, robes, trips for Corbett
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Back in March 2012 when Gov. Tom Corbett traveled Europe on a trade mission, he received a suave souvenir – a $275 fountain pen gifted by a public official at an event … Read the rest
PA funeral regulations struck down as ‘protectionist regime,’ but appeals continue
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – After a four-year court battle, wide swaths of state regulations for funeral homes were swept aside last year by a federal judge who ruled them anti-competitive and protectionist.
In a May 2012 … Read the rest
Contract corruption: Turnpike case puts spotlight on vendor integrity
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Free travel, sports tickets and thousands of dollars campaign contributions helped secure multi-million dollar state contracts for vendors named in the case against former Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission officials.
And while two former … Read the rest
In NJ, state police are double-dipping millions of tax dollars
By Mark Lagerkvist | New Jersey Watchdog
New Jersey State Lottery Deputy Director Duane Daniels hit a jackpot when he retired as a State Police captain at age 50.
Daniels started collecting an $88,296 annual state pension in October 2009.
Convicted PA justice leaves deadlocked Supreme Court
By Melissa Daniels PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ron Castille called Monday “a sad day” for the judicial system.
One of his former colleagues on the bench, former Justice Joan Orie Melvin, resigned from her … Read the rest
Beer sellers fear competition in PA’s newly liberated market
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Buying and selling beer in Pennsylvania has always happened outside of the state monopoly on other kinds of adult beverages.
But as privatizing the state’s liquor, wine and beer system inches closer … Read the rest
Problems run deep at PA Turnpike Commision
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – Charges against eight men involved in alleged bid-rigging and “pay-for-play” schemes at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission may be only the surface of problems at the state agency.
PA lawmaker: Let my hedgehogs go
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – A small animal hutch sits empty in 13-year-old Josiah Edwards’ bedroom.
Josiah wanted a hedgehog, after learning about them online. His family in Armstrong County had already begun to prepare their … Read the rest
Protesters ride to Capitol rally on SEPTA buses
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority used three taxpayer-funded buses to take off-duty employees from Philadelphia to Harrisburg for a midday rally at the Capitol to support increased transportation funding.
SEPTA, which gets … Read the rest
Pension bonds would be risky, illegal maneuver to ease PA debt
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease.
So-called “pension obligation bonds” offer an enticing way for Pennsylvania policymakers to avoid a steep increase in pension payments over the next few … Read the rest
College funding dilemma – should taxpayers support institutions or students?
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Consider it the school choice debate for higher education.
If the state is going to spend taxpayer dollars — hundreds of millions of them every year — should those dollars fund the institutions of higher education … Read the rest
Partisanship edges out real Electoral College discussion
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware, this week formally introduced his legislation to redistribute Pennsylvania’s electoral votes.
And just like when he proposed the plan, Pennsylvania is seen as … Read the rest
Study: Philadelphia construction unions not big on brotherly love
By Jillian Kay Melchior | Franklin Center
The engineer’s wife caught his brutal beating on camera.
Just seconds before, the couple had arrived at the open-shop construction site in downtown Philadelphia, walking past the cluster of union protesters who had … Read the rest
Liquor privatization could mean new markets for PA wineries
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — If Linda Jones McKee wants to sell a bottle of wine from Tamanend Winery at liquor stores in Maryland, she knows just what to do.
Call up a distributor, and make an … Read the rest
For family, tax credit program provides ‘the education we wanted’ for daughters
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – First-grader Nichole Bartolomeo was getting lost in the shuffle.
She was one of nearly 30 students in her class after the Ellwood City Area School District consolidated four elementary schools into a single … Read the rest
‘Death tax’ exemption could brighten outlook for family businesses
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Mark Sincavage is proud of his family’s business. The excavation and site-development company, Sincavage Corp., has a long history in the Poconos, opening in 1945. The business has been passed down … Read the rest
Turnpike tolls are up, but where does the money go?
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike went up again this year – but where are those dollars going?
About 60 cents of every dollar handed over at the toll booth goes toward paying … Read the rest