Government news & views with dan debone

Our new benefit to members will include key articles, new bills or pending legislation and much more to ensure you and your organization are made aware of various items that could help and unfortunately at times create concern.

​I encourage you to reach out to me with your concerns, questions and more as we increase our level of legislative advocacy through the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce. Please feel free to call me at 724-834-2900 or email me at dan@westmorelandchamber.com.

                                               

1. Shapiro names Fritz as his chief of staff. Governor-elect Josh Shapiro announced Thursday that he's named his long-time aide Dana Fritz as his chief of staff. Fritz is a Lehigh Valley native and a graduate of Temple University who has worked with Governor-Elect Shapiro for nearly a decade. Fritz has extensive experience in government - including as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of Attorney General, where she helped the Office take on powerful interests on behalf of all Pennsylvanians. As Chief of Staff, Fritz will oversee the Office of the Governor and serve as the Governor's top advisor and staffer.
2. Date set for special election for Senate seat, while House leaders squabble over date of House special election. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman on Thursday signed a writ setting the date of the special election to fill the vacancy created by Sen. John Gordner's resignation for Jan. 31. Gordner, R-Columbia, announced earlier this week that he was stepping down with two years left in his term to take on the role of counsel to Senate President Pro Tem Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland. While that election date has been set (unless newly-elected Lt. Gov. Austin Davis announces today that he's scheduled a different date), there's still uncertainty swirling around the date of the special election to fill the vacancy created by the death of former state Rep. Tony Deluca, D-Allegheny. House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, on Wednesday had announced that he'd scheduled the date of that special election for Feb. 7. But House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, responded that Cutler didn't have the authority to schedule the election since Democrats won the most seats in the chamber in the November election. McClinton said she plans to announce the date of that special election, but as of late Thursday, she had not done so.
3. State revenue remains ahead of projections for the year, even as November revenues fell slightly short of state projections. Pennsylvania collected $2.8 billion in General Fund revenue in November, which was $201.9 million, or 6.8 percent, less than anticipated, Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell reported Thursday. Even with the decrease, the state's revenue remains ahead of projections for the year. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $15.7 billion, which is $183.2 million, or 1.2 percent, above estimate. The majority of the shortfall in November is attributable to personal income tax revenue that will be deposited a day later than originally anticipated. Because of this shift, personal income tax collections in December will be higher than originally forecasted. As a result, this timing shift should even out by the end of the calendar year, meaning that there will be minimal impact on overall General Fund collections. Sales tax receipts totaled $1.1 billion for November, $0.2 million below estimate. But, according to the state Independent Fiscal Office, sales tax revenue (not counting vehicle purchases) for the year is $414.2 million over what they'd projected.
4. Senate votes to avert rail strike, sends the legislation to Biden for his signature WASHINGTON — The Senate passed legislation Thursday to avoid an economically catastrophic rail strike one day after the House approved the measure. It now goes to President Joe Biden, who said he "will sign the bill into law." He had pleaded with Congress to act swiftly, warning of major harm to supply chains that could disrupt supplies of clean drinking water and gasoline in an already fragile economy. “Working together, we have spared this country a Christmas catastrophe in our grocery stores, in our workplaces, and in our communities,” Biden said in a statement after the Senate vote. “I know that many in Congress shared my reluctance to override the union ratification procedures. But in this case, the consequences of a shutdown were just too great for working families all across the country.” The agreement, which required 60 votes, passed 80 to 15, with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voting present. The Senate held three votes in succession, each requiring 60 votes for approval. It rejected an amendment by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, to extend the “cooling off period” giving the relevant parties 60 days beyond the Dec. 8 deadline to keep negotiating an agreement between unions and rail operators.   Read More

---

​​