News & Brews August 5, 2021
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Legislature: Transportation ‘revenue options’ are ‘dead on arrival’
A spokesman’s for House Appropriations Committee Chair Stan Saylor (York County) confirmed the multi-billion dollar transportation funding plan presented last week by Gov. Wolf’s Transportation Revenue Options Commission is “dead on arrival” in the House. A centerpiece of the plan was the 8.1-cent-per-mile tax every driver in the state would have to pay. The Center Square has more.
One-on-one with Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman
The Lewistown Sentinel sat down for a “wide-ranging interview” with Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (Centre, Huntingdon, Juniata, and Mifflin counties), where they talked on topics including the recently passed constitutional amendments, so-called ‘vaccine passports’, transportation funding, election reform, and more. Read the interview here!
Wolf admin won’t rule out mask mandate for schools
In a conversation yesterday with the PennLive Editorial Board, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said, “At this stage, all bets are on the table,” when asked about the possibility of the Wolf administration mandating masks in schools this year. PennLive reports that the state is ‘scrambling’ to prepare for COVID as the school year approaches, given what seems to be rapidly changing guidance from the CDC.
Op-Ed: A roadmap to reforming Pennsylvania
Guy Ciarrocchi, CEO of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry writes that education reform, corporate tax rate changes, and regulatory relief are some of the key components of a common-sense roadmap that will make Pennsylvania competitive.
Individual Obamacare rates could rise 2% in PA
Those who buy individual health insurance through Pennsylvania’s online marketplace could see their rates rise by 2% if regulators approve of the change this September,the Post-Gazette reports. Across the state, insurers requested rate increases ranging from a low of .39% to a high of 5.08%.