Pennsylvania aspires to attract the innovative and good-paying jobs of the future. Political leaders, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, have touted efforts to attract bold new investments in technology, the life sciences and advanced manufacturing. And for good reason: the stakes are high for Pennsylvania’s economy and quality of life here in the Commonwealth.
Laws are created for many reasons: for protection, regulation, to promote fairness and safety, establish consistency, resolve conflicts, and enable trust. When legislators vote, we are responsible for educating ourselves and being open to hearing both sides of an issue.
This year our amazing country will celebrate a milestone in our shared journey as a nation, as we reach our historic 250th anniversary.
HARRISBURG – Rep. Dan Moul, Republican Chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, said Pennsylvania fruit growers are assessing damage to crops following a late April freeze that came at a very critical stage in the annual growing cycle.
Today is Earth Day, but for many Pennsylvania families, the biggest concern is not lofty rhetoric about the planet. It is whether they can afford the basics. When every trip to the store costs more, every utility bill stings, and every household purchase has to be weighed carefully, even a small break can make a real difference. That is why my Republican colleagues and I are working on a package of bills which cut sales taxes for families in areas which would collectively save the ordinary, everyday family $1,100 this year. We are talking about cutting taxes on gas, electricity, cell phone bills, personal income tax, and certain items subject to sales tax.
I’ve made the point we deserve a government that works effectively and responsibly.
HARRISBURG – During Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget address today, he shouted “start listening to victims! Listen to the victims,” Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) said. “Apparently for Shapiro and House Democrats “listening to the victims” are only words, not deeds.”
As a new year dawns over the legislature in Harrisburg and the governor’s budget address looms large on the horizon, many Pennsylvanians are already wondering what kind of wild fiscal ride we will be taken on this year.
When families lose a loved one, they deserve space to grieve, not a tax bill. Yet in Pennsylvania, the state adds financial stress to emotional pain through an antiquated and unfair inheritance tax. This policy punishes families for simply receiving what was already theirs and reminds them the government stands between them and their legacy. That is why I have reintroduced House Bill 1394, which would eliminate this outdated tax and finally allow Pennsylvanians to keep what their loved ones intended to pass on.
Pennsylvanians are tired of excuses. Our state has more than $7 billion sitting in the Rainy Day Fund while more than 2,000 bridges are in poor condition, more than 400 are weight-restricted and dozens are closed altogether. Meanwhile, Democrat leaders in Harrisburg continue to push plans that borrow billions and saddle taxpayers with decades of debt instead of solving the problem right now.
Every child deserves to grow up safe, loved and whole. That’s a truth we all claim to agree on, regardless of party.
James Madison wrote that “a man’s land … is called his property” and that “government is instituted to protect property of every sort.”
Editorial by By Rep. Milou Mackenzie While enjoying a few precious hours reading to my grandchildren this summer, I recalled a beloved Dr. Seuss book that I had read to my own children many years ago. “If I Ran the Zoo” is a charming story based on the imaginary musings of a little boy who thought that, if given a chance when he grew up, he would make some changes or improvements to the zoo he was visiting.
Blockchain technology and digital assets are rapidly reshaping economics, ownership and data security. Today, more than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians own cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, demonstrating their growing significance in our daily lives. Despite this widespread adoption, Pennsylvania lacks clear regulatory guidelines necessary for blockchain innovation to flourish.
It is no secret that America has a serious health problem – 77% of our military-age men and women can't qualify to serve due to poor health; 13% of our teens have fatty-liver disease; and the United States has the highest level of childhood cancer in history.
HARRISBURG – Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) today announced his oversight investigation into where the money from the sale of Hunter Heritage license plates has only led to more disturbing questions about the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s (PGC) status as a supposed “independent commission.”
Quietly inserted into the state’s Fiscal Code by the Pennsylvania Senate is a new provision that allows the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) to divert the stream of money that funds the Property Tax Relief Fund, which is intended for ordinary homeowners struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
A few lines that went mostly unnoticed, except by those who are in on the plot, were included in the state budget address by Gov. Josh Shapiro when he announced he is stealing nearly 400 acres of Pennsylvania State Game lands to grow a current state park.
The wonderful journey of parenthood comes with a heavy dose of responsibility and the knowledge that a lifetime of decision-making lies ahead that will ultimately lead to the happiness, health, and success of the precious human being who has been placed in the parent’s care.
Our founding fathers were very clear in their design of our government – a truly revolutionary notion at the time – that there should be a definitive system of checks and balances. This was their way to guarantee the three branches of government remained equal and the best interests of the citizens were kept at the forefront. Unfortunately, the Biden administration is using its rulemaking and regulatory authority to broaden the reach and power of the executive branch via a rule recently finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).