PA Independent Week in Review

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Five Years Later, Pay Raise Legislators Still in Office
Moving onwards and upwards to Senate, Congress

JULY 7, 2010 | Investigative Report by DARWYYN DEYO

Five years after the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the controversial pay raise in the middle of the night, more than half of the 119 state representatives who voted in favor of the bill are still serving in state government or higher.

In the 2006 election following the pay raise, 45 of those who voted for the pay raise lost their seats, and since then 14 more have given up their seats through retirement or lost elections. But five years after the pay raise, 59 representatives still retain their House seats. Two more have gone on to seats in the state Senate: Sen. Daylin Leach (D – Delaware), whose term expires in 2012, and Sen. David Argall (R – Berks) who is now competing with U.S. Rep. Tim Holden (D) for the 17th Congressional seat. State Rep. James Wansacz (D – Lackawanna) has entered the state Senate race this year. Click here to read more.

Unlike Most States, PA Severance Tax Targets Only One Industry
Natural gas severance tax to be in place by January

JULY 8, 2010 | by ERIC BOEHM

An agreement last week by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass a severance tax on natural gas by October has some in the industry questioning why they have been singled out for new taxes while many similar and more established industries in the state continue to be unburdened.

During budget negotiations in the final week of June, Gov. Ed Rendell and the four legislative caucuses agreed to include language in the state’s fiscal code to mandate the creation of a severance tax by October 1, to take effect on January 1, 2011. The General Assembly plans to tackle the specific provisions of the severance tax – including how harsh the tax will be and who will benefit from the revenue – during the fall session. Previously, Senate Republicans had staunchly opposed the creation of the new tax, going back to last summer when Gov. Ed Rendell had first pushed for a levy on the state’s burgeoning natural gas industry. Click here to read more.

More Stories

Turnpike COO Arraigned For Drunk Driving, Smashing Fence | July 8, 2010
PAIndependent.com Names New Managing Editor | July 8, 2010
Treasurer Not Wanted at Gaming Board Exec Meetings | July 8, 2010
A Third of RACP Going to Rendell’s Philadelphia | July 8, 2010
DPW Back Under Auditor General Scrutiny | July 8, 2010
PennFuture’s Ethics Questioned by Commonwealth Foundation Report | July 8, 2010
Unlike Most States, PA Severance Tax Targets Only One Industry | July 8, 2010
RACP to Fund Specter Library and Murtha Policy Center | July 7, 2010
Low Income Scholarship Program Avoids $10 Million Cut, Still $15 Million Below Previous Funding Level | July 7, 2010
Five Years Later, Pay Raise Legislators Still in Office | July 7, 2010
Marcellus Shale Coalition Hails Budget Signing | July 6, 2010
Rendell Hails Budget Signing as Positive, Dismisses WAMs | July 6, 2010
Legislative Leaders Agree to Make Independent Fiscal Office a Reality | July 2, 2010
Lawmakers: Budget Did Not Actually Pass On Time, Despite Leadership Claims | July 2, 2010
Department of Agriculture Quarantines 28 Cattle | July 2, 2010
Imprisoned Former Sen. Fumo Determined Site for Family Court Project in Philadelphia | July 2, 2010
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