Lowman Henry
Lincoln Blog
by Lowman S. Henry
Tick, tick, tick . . .
June 19, 2012
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick . . .
The clock is ticking on Pennsylvania's General Assembly as the June 30th deadline for passing a new state budget, and taking action on a wide range of pressing legislative issues hangs in the balance.
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick . . .
Senate GOP leadership had promised a new state budget would be done early - by June 13th Senate Finance Committee Chairman Jake Corman told the Pennsylvania Press Club last month.
As of today, the seemingly spendthrift Senate and the seemingly tightwad Governor are about $500 million apart. Considering the state budget will come in north of $27 billion. That would seem to be a bridgeable gap.
Obviously the state budget won't be done early, but it will be done on time. Which, of course, is the bare minimum you would expect from one of the most highly paid legislative bodies in the nation. Look for the final budget number to be a compromise between the Governor's proposal and the Senate's budget.
Tick, tick, tick tick . . .
Last week the House debated privatizing the state's liquor store, a move designed to move Penn's Woods out of the 19th century. Despite the GOP's lopsided majority in the lower chamber the votes apparently were not there, so the measure has been delayed.
The current system has been in place since William Penn hoisted a glass to toast his land grant from the king. If it doesn't get done within the next two weeks, look for the next king of England to be purchasing his liquor from a state store when he visits PA.
Tick, tick, tick . . .
School choice legislation? Off the radar screens. Children in Pennsylvania will continue to be assigned to a school based on their zip code rather than on the quality of the school or their individual interests.
Tick, tick . . .
Labor power reform? Despite the fact that Wisconsin - Democratic, leftist, bluest of blue states Wisconsin - did the unthinkable and did away with collective bargaining for government employees and implemented a wide range of reforms that has already resulted in a state budget surplus and lowered unemployment rate; labor power legislation is dead in the water in Pennsylvania.
Of course, when the labor unions endorse for re-election the Chairman of the House Labor Committee calling him "our man in Harrisburg," what should we expect?
Tick . . .
The sound you hear is time standing still in Pennsylvania.
Lincoln Blog Archives (last 25)
| Date | Title | |
| View | May 08, 2013 | Manipulating the Liquor Debate |
| View | March 25, 2013 | Merit Selection = Corruption |
| View | January 30, 2013 | Senator Daylin Scarnati |
| View | January 02, 2013 | A House Divided |
| View | December 28, 2012 | A Tale of Two Parties |
| View | November 02, 2012 | Black Robed Bandits and Voter ID |
| View | October 31, 2012 | Debate Skills Key Factor in Romney Surge |
| View | October 30, 2012 | Role of Government in Storm Response |
| View | August 10, 2012 | White Flag Flies on Liquor Stores |
| View | July 24, 2012 | Blame the Nut Case, Not the Gun |
| View | June 22, 2012 | Cracker Plant 'Misunderestimated' |
| View | June 12, 2012 | Tax Credit is Not School Choice |
| View | May 23, 2012 | Obama Meltdown in Appalachian States |
| View | May 22, 2012 | Legislature Must Lead on Pensions |
| View | May 08, 2012 | Reason for Pessimism |
| View | April 26, 2012 | Quote of the Week |
| View | April 06, 2012 | Good Friday |
| View | March 30, 2012 | Obamacare: President Loses Either Way |
| View | February 09, 2012 | Mr. Vice President? Rubio Wows CPAC Audience |
| View | February 08, 2012 | Anybody But Mitt? |
| View | January 24, 2012 | Joe Paterno |
| View | January 13, 2012 | Penn State Trustees Should Resign |
| View | January 12, 2012 | Saving Taxpayer Dollars |
| View | January 02, 2012 | Presidential Frontrunner Santorum? |
| View | December 16, 2011 | GOP Debate Scorecard |
