Pennsylvania has a workforce problem - a growing skills gap that is making it difficult for employers to find qualified job candidates to fill open positions. We're fighting to close this gap by working with businesses, educators, students and their families to help build the skilled workforce of tomorrow.
Government should operate within its means: evaluating the effectiveness of current programs; weeding out waste, fraud and abuse in spending; and investing wisely in worthy state-run programs that directly benefit taxpayers.
Our natural gas industry holds the promise of economic growth and job creation. Additional taxes hinder this opportunity and drive companies to states with friendlier tax climates that share our resources. We're fighting against proposed new taxes on the industry that would pay for more state spending.
When we told Pennsylvanians to hold their applause after the Legislature submitted only half a budget - the spending half - by the state's June 30 deadline, we should have also advised all to hold on to their wallets, too.
After his no-new-taxes budget proposal went nowhere last weekend, Republican House Speaker Mike Turzai issued this challenge to his GOP colleagues in the state Senate:
Working late Wednesday night to close a $2 billion gap in the state's $32 billion budget, the Republican-controlled Senate began pushing a plan to tax drilling for natural gas, and raise or impose new taxes on consumers' telephone, electric, and gas bills.
Pennsylvania's moribund drilling industry, which has struggled with persistently low prices and a dearth of infrastructure to get its product to market, is showing signs of life.
It will be some time before Shell Oil begins constructing its ethane cracker plant in Beaver County, and it could be several years before it begins production.
While the daily headlines and nonstop, 24-hour news cycles focus overwhelmingly on issues that often divide the nation, it can be easy to lose sight of where common ground exists and what shared commitments bring us together.
Almost two weeks ago, a study purportedly showing an association between fracking and asthma hospitalizations led to the Observer-Reporter headline "Fracking may worsen asthma for nearby residents, study says."
While the daily headlines and nonstop, 24-hour news cycles focus overwhelmingly on issues that often divide the nation, it can be easy to lose sight of where common ground exists and what shared commitments bring us together.
Dear Gov. Wolf: I took an Advanced Placement economics class at Bethel Park High School during my senior year.
We need policies that will grow Pennsylvania's natural gas infrastructure to secure our status as a world-class energy hub.
We all remember positively the Spirit of '76, when Americans declared Independence!
Gov. Tom Wolf wants to impose a billion-dollar energy tax increase on our state.