Democracy Raising PA
Mon, December 17, 2012
Democracy Rising Disbands
DR Ends, but the Work Goes On.
Friday morning, the board of directors of Democracy Rising PA voted to dissolve the organization at the end of this year.
It was not an easy decision, but it ...
Wed, August 08, 2012
Will Lame Ducks Quack?
Well, no sooner did we tell you that the House and Senate both had agreed not to hold session after the election than House Speaker Sam Smith, Jefferson, breathed life into the old bird.
Thu, March 29, 2012
Legislative Audit to be Released
Four months behind schedule, but just in time for the expected legislative surplus to make up for revenue shortfalls, the Legislative Audit Advisory Committee (LAAC) will release the audit of the ...
Wed, March 07, 2012
Democracy Rising Newsletter
There's a lot going on in state government, especially in the realm of public integrity and elections. Here are some updates.
Legislative Elections
All House districts and half of the ...
Mon, February 06, 2012
Democracy Rising: DeWeese Guilty
DeWeese Guilty
State Rep. and former House Speaker Bill DeWeese, D-Greene, has been found guilty of four counts of theft and one count of conspiracy to use public resources illegally. He was ...
Tue, December 20, 2011
Democracy Rising Newsletter
House and Senate leaders promised citizens the most transparent redistricting process in history. If that is true about this year's experience, which is hard to imagine, that only speaks to how ...
Fri, December 02, 2011
Democracy Rising Newsletter
Today's the day lawmakers get yet another automatic pay raise of 3%, thanks to the 1995 law that was supposed to be the pay raise to end all pay raises. Until the doomed Pay Raise of 2005. And until ...
Thu, July 07, 2011
Statute of Limitations Nears for Bonus Scandal
Statute of Limitations Nears for Bonus Scandal
Today marks the 6th anniversary of the Pay Raise of 2005, which spawned the Bonus Scandal of 2006 as legislative leaders illegally awarded ...
Tue, June 28, 2011
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
The Legislature's New Budget
Think of the Emperor's new clothes, and you'll have an idea of what's coming below.
Click here ...
Thu, April 07, 2011
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
More Good News - Public Integrity Commission Proposed
It isn't often that we get to report good news from the Capitol, and never have we done it in two consecutive editions of DR News. There's a ...
Mon, March 14, 2011
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Corbett WAMs PA Again
As he allowed 42,000 working poor citizens to lose their AdultBasic health insurance for want of $54 million, Gov. Tom Corbett quietly ...
Thu, March 03, 2011
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Budget Pain: Not for Lawmakers, Corbett Staff
On the day that 42,000 working poor in PA lost their health insurance because Gov. Tom Corbett and lawmakers couldn't find money to pay for the ...
Wed, February 16, 2011
Democracy Raising Newsletter
Wanted: U.S.A. for Education Vouchers
As the state Senate begins to debate education vouchers, the discussion so far has centered on choices. The voucher program ...
Mon, January 31, 2011
Turmoil in the House
Lost from the news reports, YouTube videos and other accounts of the angry House Rules Committee meeting last Wednesday was the substance of the bills and amendments up for consideration. With this ...
Wed, January 26, 2011
Corbett's Plan: This is Reform?
Facing mounting criticism for appearing to brush off a campaign pledge to issue a "reform plan" his first week in office (a commercial said he would do it on "Day One"), Gov. Tom Corbett yesterday ...
Thu, January 06, 2011
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
What a difference a day makes.
The PA House of Representatives this week showed a bipartisan attitude toward improving public integrity for the first time since the Pay Raise of 2005. While ...
Fri, December 31, 2010
Out With the Old, In With the New
In the General Assembly. Sometimes it's helpful to take a long view. Thanks mostly to voters, only one of the top legislative leaders who were responsible for the Pay Raise of 2005 remains in a ...
Wed, December 15, 2010
DR Funding Update: The Lighter Side
From time to time, we at DR are accused of being a bit too serious and sober. OK. More than "a bit." Luckily, some of our members knock off the edge with their notes of encouragement and support. ...
Thu, December 09, 2010
$153 Million State Dollars for Sports?
$153 million for sports? RACP Grants, Part II
The decision by Auditor General Jack Wagner not to approve, at least for now, $1 billion in state borrowing has ...
Fri, December 03, 2010
A Law Unto Themselves
Just in time for next year's retention election for judges statewide, the leader of the state's judicial system, Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille, is providing evidence that our judiciary ...
Mon, November 29, 2010
Secrecy is No Friend of Freedom
What is the common element among all of the high-profile scandals of the past five years? Secrecy.
The pay raise was negotiated among the leaders of all three ...
Mon, November 08, 2010
2010 Election Reflections
PA 2010 Election Reflection
First the numbers:
Tuesday's election restored Republicans to the majority in the House and kept Republicans in the majority in the ...
Tue, October 19, 2010
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Governor's Election: A Cure for Sound-Bite Fatigue
Tired of the same old sound bites, attack ads and distortions? How about some new topics for the last two weeks, ...
Fri, October 01, 2010
Senate Fast-Tracks Attack on Right-to-Know
This week the state Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 1469 , sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Chester. Normally, such bi-partisanship could be worth celebrating. But not ...
Thu, September 16, 2010
Homeland Scrutiny
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
Homeland Scrutiny
No one who knows how Harrisburg operates can be surprised that a private contractor with the state's Department ...
Mon, July 12, 2010
WAMS Total $129 Million
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
WAMs go from "$0" to $129 Million
In this time of fiscal distress when even Republicans are talking ...
Tue, July 06, 2010
Fifth Anniversary of Pay Raise Prompts Questions
HARRISBURG (July 6) — Two groups advocating higher standards of integrity in state government today commemorated the 5th anniversary of the Pay Raise of 2005 by calling on gubernatorial ...
Wed, June 30, 2010
Accountability Hypocrisy: State Budget
Accountability Hypocrisy, Part 2 - Today's Budget
Today the legislature is expected to suspend the rules and vote to approve a budget that makes deep cuts into ...
Thu, June 24, 2010
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Accountability Hypocrisy, Part 1
Among the many problems with our lawmakers is their determination not to apply to themselves the accountability practices they impose on others. This is the ...
Wed, June 02, 2010
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
Dear Readers,
We try not to overwhelm you with too much news. In fact, there are many developments in the Bonus Scandal ...
Wed, May 19, 2010
The Power of Incumbency
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
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The Power of Incumbency
Yesterday's election demonstrated once again the ...
Fri, April 30, 2010
Lawmakers Get Special Tax Breaks
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
WNEP-TV Reports on Special Tax Break for Lawmakers
Tonight, WNEP-TV in Scranton ran its investigative report about a special tax ...
Thu, April 15, 2010
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
Taxes: Do Lawmakers Really Feel Your Pain?
Regular readers know that unlike other business ...
Mon, April 05, 2010
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
Correction
In our March 20 edition releasing per diems paid to House members in 2009, we incorrectly listed Sen. Robert Mensch, ...
Mon, March 22, 2010
More Legislators Endorse Con Con
Rep. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe, is the latest lawmaker to sign the petition for a Constitution convention referendum this fall. Also, here are more candidates who have signed the petition:
Thu, March 18, 2010
First Senator Signs ConCon Petition
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
First Senator Signs the Petition
Sen. Jim Ferlo, D-Allegheny, is the first state senator to sign the petition for a Constitution ...
Tue, March 09, 2010
Support Grows for Constitutional Convention Referendum
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
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More Support for the Referendum
More lawmakers and candidates have signed the ...
Tue, February 23, 2010
Democracy Rising PA Newsletter
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania
Let the People Speak
Here are more voices calling for a referendum, a Constitution convention or ...
Fri, February 12, 2010
It's Getting to Be Embarrassing
It's Getting To Be Embarrassing.
As Democracy Rising members forward lawmakers' responses about whether they support a referendum on a Constitution convention, some ...
Thu, February 04, 2010
More Lawmakers Sign for Constitutional Convention
At the request of constituents, two more lawmakers have signed the petition for a referendum on a Constitution convention. They are Rep. RoseMarie Swanger, R-Lebanon and Rep. John Bear, R-Lancaster. ...
