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Pennsylvania’s Financial Outlook Just Got Better…Again

  By Budget, PA Budget and Policy Center, Pennsylvania Budget, Policy briefs

by Diana Polson and Marc Stier Pennsylvania’s financial outlook for 2022/23 just got better… again! In April 2022, state revenues came in even higher than expected. In March 2022, total revenues were 8.5% higher than they were expected to be at this time of the year, and by the end of April 2022 they rose to 12.4% higher. Our previous estimate, after the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue’s March report, was that Pennsylvania will have a surplus of between $11.2 billion and $12 billion by the end of June 2022. But, as table 2 shows, after April’s rosy financial picture, our updated projection is $13 billion to $15.3 billion. Table 1 Fiscal year collections to date for 2021-22 are now $4.5 billion, or 12.4%, above estimates. If in the last two months of this fiscal year, revenues come in according to the estimates of last June, the state budget surplus will… Continue reading

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For my constituents in Ward 21 Division 24

  By 2022, Elections, Ward 21 Division 24 Issues

Here are my recommendations for your consideration when you vote on Tuesday May 17 Elected Officials First, I’d like to ask you to vote for me to have another term as your Democratic committee person and also to vote for my wife, Diane Gottlieb as well. Diane wants to step in on a temporary basis as I look for another person who can step into the big shoes left by my late partner Brenda Taylor. I hope the work I’ve done to keep you informed about out elections over the last 16 years warrant another term Second, Josh Shapiro has no competitor in the race for governor but two candidate  are running for Lieutenant Governor. I strongly recommend you vote for Austin Davis. He has been a good state representative, bring racial and geographic balance to the ticket, he is a good campaigner and will be a calm, supportive partner to… Continue reading

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STATEMENT: The Right to Have an Abortion Is Critical to the Well-Being of PA and Pennsylvanians

  By Abortion, PA Budget and Policy Center, Statements

Among the rights that are critical to all human beings is the right to personal autonomy—that is the right to make fundamental choices about our bodies and the course of our lives. There is no choice as life-defining as that of whether to bring a new child into the world. Without the right to have an abortion and access to the procedure, pregnant people are denied the autonomy and freedom to make decisions about their own health, well-being, and the course of their lives. Banning abortion would limit the rights of half the population: women, transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming people, undermining their ability to be full participants in our political, social, economic, and cultural life. If those who oppose the right to abortion were seriously concerned about the well-being of fetuses and their potential to become children, they would focus their attention on ensuring that all families, including those… Continue reading

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Chris Rabb for State Representative

  By 2022

You can read my post on all the races and ballot questions at the May 17 Primary here. And don’t forget to vote for me and Diane Gottlieb for member of the Democratic Committee from our division. ….. I’m part of an organization that works closely with members of the PA General Assembly, I never endorse candidates in Democratic primaries. This year I have a responsibility to make an exception to that rule. The Democratic primary in the 200th House District, which includes division 24 of Ward 21 which I serve as the Democratic committeeman, is unfortunately a contest between good two incumbents, Chris Rabb and Izzy Fitzgerald, who the new legislative map put in the same district. So I’m torn between my responsibility to my organization and to the voters who have elected me to this party position four times. So just this time I’m going to violate my rules… Continue reading

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The modern transformation of asceticism and the origins of the culture war

  By Abortion, Feminism, Love and Sex, Philosophy

Many of us have responded to the new threat to Roe v. Wade by reminding people that the aim of the right is not to protect unborn children but to control women. However, for some people, accustomed to living in a world in which they expect women to be treated as full participants in our political, social, and cultural lives,  that notion is odd. They don’t understand that control of women means and why it is so important in right wing thought. There are a number of answers but one is that policing abortion is part of the right-wing project of policing sexuality as a whole. And policing sexuality, especially female sexuality, is, for the  right wing mind, critical to ensuring that men carry out their responsibilities to have and take care of children and hold down a job. As is common in political and social life these claims rest… Continue reading

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Alito’s Jurisprudence Aims to Bring Back the Bad Old Days

  By Abortion, Feminism, Jurisprudence, Philosophy

Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is an exemplary piece of judicial writing. His argument is clear, powerful and straightforward. With one small exception, he doesn’t shrink from explaining both how he reads the constitution and the consequences of reading it that way. Again with that one exception, he doesn’t sugarcoat his views to avoid political controversy. And that exception is so glaring that we can easily see through his reticence. Indeed, I think he wants us to see through it because Alioto is not trying to avoid controversy. He believes that a substantial body of Constitutional law was wrongly decided, has a strong argument to defend his conclusion, and wants to see his views triumph not just in this case but in others. His views are also deeply wrong and profoundly dangerous. They are based on a theory of constitutional interpretation that we… Continue reading

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Philadelphia Needs to Create Jobs and Reduce Poverty: Tax Cuts Won’t Do It

  By Philadelphia, Philadelphia Taxes, Poverty, Wealth Tax

For the last twenty years, discussion about ways to improve the economy of Philadelphia and create jobs has far too often focused on both the wrong goal and the wrong means. The goal has not been to reduce poverty and income inequality and create economic opportunity for those with low incomes, especially Black and brown people. Instead, it has been to pursue economic growth and jobs without regard for the impact on poverty. The means have been cuts in business and wage taxes even though the evidence showing that this is an effective and efficient way of pursuing economic growth and creating more jobs has always been questionable. And there has been good reason to fear that tax cuts and the spending cuts or restraint they require would fail to reduce poverty and income inequality and possibly make them worse. Meanwhile, we have too often ignored alternatives to tax cuts… Continue reading

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STATEMENT: It’s Not the Time or Way to Cut Corporate Taxes

  By Corporate Taxes, PA Budget and Policy Center, Pennsylvania State Taxes, Statements

Originally published by the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, April 26, 2022.  Statement on HB 1960, which passed the PA House of Representatives today When the American Rescue Plan (ARP) was enacted, we warned that Republicans in Pennsylvania would use these funds—and the state surplus generated by the faster economic recovery the ARP created—to cut corporate taxes instead of helping Pennsylvanians deal with the effects of the pandemic. Sadly, today that is exactly what happened. The PA General Assembly has repeatedly failed to help Pennsylvanians who are still hurting from both the loss of income caused by business decline and the current inflation created by a rapid recovery and Russia’s war against Ukraine. The General Assembly has doggedly rejected Governor Wolf’s proposals to provide assistance to Pennsylvanians with low incomes or those who are having trouble affording child care or housing or who are struggling to pay back student loans.… Continue reading

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Guest Commentary: Is This Really Taxadelphia?

  By PA Budget and Policy Center, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Taxes, Published op-eds, Taxation

The director of a state budget and policy organization has an answer that may surprise you BY MARC STIER Originally published in The Philadelphia Citizen, April  21, 2022 “Philadelphia is one of the highest-taxed cities in the United States.” But you knew that, right? It’s common knowledge. Everyone knows it. Everyone also knows that Philadelphia has been growing slowly because of its high taxes.Beware of what “everyone knows.” Sometimes ideas get repeated so often, they become common knowledge that turns out to be wrong.The truth is that of the 30 largest cities in the United States, Philadelphia ranks 13th in tax revenue per person per year. The falsehood that Philadelphia has one of the highest tax rates in the country is not a neutral fact. It has political implications. It reinforces the narrative that blames Philadelphia’s high taxes for its anemic job growth. At $4,302, Philadelphia’s per person revenue is… Continue reading

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Build a Brighter PA

  By American Rescue Plan, COVID-19, We The People–PA

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan providing grants to all Pennsylvanians, additional funds to Pennsylvania families with children through the child tax credit and higher subsidies for health insurance, we have seen a faster economic recovery than we might have imagined a year ago. And the Infrastructure Bill will help keep the recovery growing by creating 80,000 jobs each year by funding massive new investments in roads, bridges, and public transit, as well as the in the clean energy we need to limit climate change.  But while the federal government has done its part, the state government has not. The economic recovery of thestate lags behind that of other states. Our unemployment rate is well above the national average. And there are many needs that the state could and should be meeting with ARP funds. And many people are still suffering from both the hangover of the pandemic recession and the recent… Continue reading