Government Affairs & General UpdatesJuly 27, 2023 1. Senators spar over school choice in Pennsylvania – While the Pennsylvania budget stalemate remains, senators argued over the importance of school choice and increasing public school funding at a committee hearing in Reading. The Senate Education Committee met Tuesday to discuss “student opportunities for success,” hearing from…
Read MoreGovernment Affairs & General UpdatesJuly 26, 2023 1. Budget includes line item to help PASSHE universities eliminate old debt. A $65.4 million appropriation to provide financial debt relief to the Penn West trio of state-owned universities at California, Clarion and Edinboro is included in the state budget bill awaiting final enactment. “We anticipate the…
Read MoreHow to Create an Open and Honest Work Environment Companies that operate based on facts rather than ego fare much better in the long run. They’re more productive, have a healthier team culture, and overcome setbacks more easily. To talk about work-related issues, employees have to feel comfortable sharing positive and less-than-desirable situations. That means…
Read MoreGovernment Affairs & General UpdatesJuly 25, 2023 1. School groups call for state to move forward with plan to address school funding shortcomings as GOP leaders decline to appeal landmark court decision. The deadline for the Republican legislative leaders to appeal a landmark education funding decision to the state Supreme Court passed on Friday.…
Read MoreGovernment Affairs & General UpdatesJuly 24, 2023 1. Counties brace for impact for state budget impasse. With the prospect that the state’s budget impasse could drag on for another two months appearing increasingly likely, county leaders are bracing for the impact of having to pay their bills when the state isn’t paying its bills.…
Read MoreGovernment Affairs & General UpdatesJuly 21, 2023 1. PASSHE board approves tuition freeze for fifth consecutive year. The Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education voted Thursday to freeze tuition for in-state students for the coming academic year for the fifth consecutive years. If tuition had kept pace with inflation…
Read MoreGovernment Affairs & General Updates July 20, 2023 1. Democrat quits Pa. House, leaving chamber tied at 101-101. A special election is set for September – A Democratic lawmaker from Pittsburgh resigned Wednesday from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, moving the razor-thin majority her party has held this year to a partisan tie with…
Read MoreGovernment Affairs & General UpdatesJuly 19, 2023 1. Pa. House brings severance tax idea back around, raising an old debate in the nation’s 2nd-largest gas producer – There’s talk of a severance tax on natural gas in Harrisburg again. The state House passed a resolution directing a nonpartisan committee to study severance tax structures…
Read MoreMandatory Fun and Other Faux Pas Is your party planning committee already discussing ugly sweater contests and company picnics? In recent years, there’s been a lot of discussion about how “forced fun” events at work can actually harm morale. People’s priorities have shifted with the pandemic. Many people prefer to spend time with their friends…
Read MoreGovernment Affairs & General UpdatesJuly 18, 2023 1. What’s next as Pa. prepares to spend $1.2B on broadband – Before Pennsylvania can spend an almost $1.2 billion windfall of federal funding for high-speed internet, it must figure out how to use it. More than 270,000 locations across the commonwealth can’t get internet at speeds…
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