The Merit Shop Advocacy Update

ABC Keystone Merit Shop Advocacy Blog

The summer is upon us. The legislature completed their work on a $44 billion state budget, along with accompanying “code bills” that specify how taxpayer dollars are to be allocated. The budget represents an 11 percent increase over last year, largely due to unspent federal stimulus and increases in public education spending. The budget deposited $2.1 billion into the Rainy Day Fund, bringing the total to about $5 billion. Lawmakers believe the fund will help shield Pennsylvanians from tax increases if the economy slips into a recession and/or revenues decrease.

The Merit Shop Advocacy Update

ABC Keystone Merit Shop Advocacy Blog

The last week of June is traditionally the “mad dash” to complete the state budget and hit the campaign trail. This year has been no different. While both sides were optimistic a budget deal could be made early and without much “heartburn,” those hopes were dampened by disagreements on various policy issues and funding certain state-related universities.

Advocacy Update: The Silly Springtime Season is Here

ABC Keystone Merit Shop Advocacy Blog

On February 8, Gov. Wolf released his final budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The $43 billion budget proposal is about $5 billion over last year. Not surprisingly, the governor is again proposing various policy initiatives, including increasing the minimum wage, setting a minimum teacher salary of $45,000, and legalizing recreational marijuana, to name a few. While there are no broad-based tax increases contained in the proposal, the increase over last year is said to be “paid-for” by using all the federal stimulus dollars.

Advocacy Update: The Political Days Ahead

ABC Keystone Merit Shop Advocacy Blog

As we look to the rest of this year, ABC of Pennsylvania will be collaborating with chapters to develop a new and fresh legislative agenda for 2023-24. We are looking for your input on what ABC should advocate for in Harrisburg. Knowing the margins will be tight and we may still have a divided government, we need to be realistic in what we push for, but also be bold in our “wish list.”

State’s Fiscal Woes Hit Dire Straits

Advocacy Blog_ABC_Keystone

By: Brent Sailhamer, Director of Government Affairs, ABC Keystone  In an interview earlier this week, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati said, “we’re out of money and we’ve never been […]