Rendell calls for increase in Pa. income tax

Gov. Rendell's proposal to increase the state income tax to cover a gaping deficit ran headlong into a Republican wall of opposition, proving quickly to be a new flash point in an already contentious budget process.
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Pennsylvania’s Parlous Predicament

The normal rite of spring known as the budget battle in Harrisburg is fast becoming a struggle for the future of Pennsylvania. As a result of the serious recession and declining revenue the state must deal with a large deficit in the current fiscal year and figure out what to do about the upcoming fiscal year slated to start July 1. The Republican controlled Senate has passed a plan that holds total expenditures at the current fiscal year level by using Federal stimulus money and outlay reductions to fill the hole created by next year’s projected revenue decline. Continue

Businesses Balk at Pittsburgh Promise Program

According to a Tribune Review report, the Pittsburgh business community has not warmed to the Pittsburgh Promise program. This is the program that plans to offer college scholarships to virtually all graduates of Pittsburgh’s high schools. So far the Promise fund has garnered only $51,000 from businesses while most of the contributions have come from the usual liberal foundations in the City. Foundations that never miss an opportunity to waste money on will of the wisp, do good efforts, especially if they involve public education. Continue

WAMO sales becomes "relevant"

Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation has decided to sell WAMO-FM 106.7 and WAMO-AM 860 to St. Joseph Missions. Also included in the package is WPGR-AM 1510, which was acquired by Sheridan in 2001.

St Joseph Missions purchased the station for a reported 8.9 million and will broadcast Catholic Christian programming to listeners throughout the region. With the use of the newly acquired signals, Catholic programming with have a much broader reach the the former 1590 AM that recently switched it's programming and was up for sale.

It is expected the programming will consist of a mix of content from Relevant Radio and EWTN with possible locally produced shows developed in time.

The deal is expected to go through later in the summer and the formats should remain in place until that time. Out of the 35 full and part-time station employees, some workers will be let go, but those working for the larger Sheridan Broadcasting may keep their jobs.

Welcome to our tent

Check out the op-ed piece by Pat Toomey on our sister site that we developed for Pat Toomey.

You'll find it here

Pope in Israel calls for Palestinian homeland

Pope Benedict XVI called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland immediately after he arrived in Israel Monday, a stance that could put him at odds with his hosts on a trip aimed at easing strains between the Vatican and Jews.

The pope also took on the delicate issue of the Holocaust, pledging to "honor the memory" of the 6 million Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide at the start of his five-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Benedict urged Israelis and Palestinians to "explore every possible avenue" to resolve their differences in remarks at the airport after he landed.

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Where Will the Chief Executive Take Assessments Next?

Having recently lost a Pennsylvania Supreme Court case regarding his base-year assessment scheme, the County Executive is now threatening to take the case to Federal court. Considering the lawsuit losing streak the Executive and County Council are on, it might be wise to take a deep breath and consider the advisability of such a step. Continue

Supreme Court Tosses Out Allegheny County’s Base Year Assessments

‘…We hold that the base year method property valuation, as applied in Allegheny County, violates the Uniformity Clause. We therefore agree that a countywide reassessment is required and remand this matter to the trial court for implementation of that mandate consistent with this Opinion.’ So said the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in a unanimous decision on April 29, 2009. Continue

Specter goes to the back of the Senate seniority line

Democrats have stripped new convert Arlen Specter of his seniority on Senate committees, raising questions about his ability to look out for Pennsylvania's interests in Washington. Read More

Senate draws line in sand, OKs no-tax increase budget

The Pennsylvania Senate threw down its marker Wednesday, approving a $27.3 billion, no-tax-increase budget that Gov. Ed Rendell has said he has no interest in signing. Read More

Ridge could decide soon on run for state Senate seat

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge is edging closer to a run for U.S. Senate and could decide as soon as next week, people familiar with his thinking say. Read More

The Spector Fallout

A series of odd incidents that have proceeded from Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's party switch last week have raised questions about whether the newest Democrat has permanently damaged himself in the eyes of the state's voters.

The White House is concerned enough about the developments that deputy chief of staff Jim Messina and Ron Klain, a senior adviser to Vice President Biden, traveled to Capitol Hill on Wednesday and huddled with Specter to try to iron out the problems, according to informed Democratic officials.

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Radio Waves

Clear Channel lays off another 590

Most of the pink slips landed in programming (on and off-air), engineering, I.T., and “business office” jobs such as traffic and continuity. Some familiar on-air names are missing. The 590 cuts today are on top of the 1,850 positions eliminated on January 20.

Many of the past cuts were in sales, while that department was spared this time. Clear Channel says it’s trying to be generous with severance. CC has trimmed 2,440 jobs so far this year out of a total of about 900 radio stations. It’s also cutting some corporate-level functions such as marketing. The total percentage of people cut in 2009 is about 11.7% – and John Hogan says he believes these are all the cuts that will be necessary.

Push for City-County Merger Continues Despite Flaws and Unpopularity

Not since the Regional Renaissance Initiative debacle has so much study group brainpower, City and County elected official political muscle, and high powered civic leadership influence been employed to promote a governmental change. For some reason these folks have become besotted with the hopelessly ill-conceived non-solution of merging the City and County governments. Apparently, of paramount concern is the likelihood the City of Pittsburgh will not be able to avoid bankruptcy if it does not merge with the County. Then there is the list of arguments such as the merger will save money, improve economic development, and create a top ten city in terms of population. All of these claims are easily shown to be fatuous. Continue

What Big Eyes You Have Senator

Hang the "I Told You So" banner and let's have a party. Sen. Spector has left the building.

The guest list should include Rudy Giuliani, President Bush, Rick Santorum, John Cornyn and most of the GOP who went to bat multiple times for Spector. "He a good guy, we need him on our side" they said. It was just enough to keep him in office.

I'm not sad to see the switch Spector has made. In fact, I'm glad the sheepskin suit has finally fallen off the wolf after all these years. It was tattered and torn the last time Spector faced Pat Toomey in an election. Mr. Toomey lost to Mr. Specter in 2004 by less than 2 percent of the vote.

Desperate men do desperate things. Alren Spector is such a man. A look at his record shows consistent support for abortion rights, his blocking of Judge Robert Bork from a seat on the Supreme Court, as well as his stimulus vote. He has broken with the GOP about 43 percent of the time, according to Congressional Quarterly. All this has not played well with republican voters.

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