Pennsylvania
Pa. Gov. Shapiro looks to legalize — and tax — marijuana to balance state budget
However, some Republicans have started showing an interest in legalization suggesting that the state may be even closer to joining its neighboring states. Republican State Senator Dan Laughlin of Erie joined Philly Democrat Sharif Street to introduce a bill for legalization last year.
Still, there are competing perspectives on how exactly it might be implemented. Some legislators have advocated for state-owned cannabis shops similar to Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores. Laughlin and Street proposed a bill to create a board that would approve sellers and otherwise regulate the industry.
The governor did not specify a preference, only insisting it should include language on social equity.
“I ask you to come together and send to my desk a bill that legalizes adult-use cannabis and expunges the records of people who have been convicted for nonviolent possession of small amounts of marijuana,” he said. “A bill that sets reasonable regulations, protects public safety, and gives communities that suffered from the criminalization of cannabis an opportunity to succeed.”
That approach bothers some Republicans who say that the budget process isn’t an appropriate venue to debate the issue and the governor shouldn’t budget based on tax revenue from an illegal industry.
“If he wants something done, he needs to lead on it,” said Republican Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman. “He can’t throw an idea out there, which he did last year and say, ‘let the legislature figure it out, I’ll sign it. Then I’ll go do press conferences all over the state.’ He has to lead on something. What is his priority? What will he do to get some of this stuff across the finish line?”
Although legalization appears to have gained some steam, it’s not clear proponents have the votes with some legislators concerned about the fact it continues to be criminalized by the federal government.
“Remember, it’s still a schedule one narcotic. It’s still an all cash industry. This is not something that we need to look to to balance budgets,” said House Republican leader Rep. Jesse Topper. “I believe that it is an impediment to members from both sides of the aisle throughout the building.”
A majority of Pennsylvanians support legalization, according to a recent poll. Meredith Buettner Schneider, executive director of the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition, argued that the state is ripe to establish a marijuana industry.
“Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to experience the economic benefits of cannabis legalization swiftly because of its robust existing cannabis infrastructure,” she said in a statement. “With 32 active grower/processors, almost 200 dispensaries and more than 25,000 employees, the current medical marijuana industry is ready to deliver safe, regulated cannabis on day-one while generating revenue for the Commonwealth immediately.”
Pennsylvania
Update: Freeze warning for part of Pennsylvania until Sunday morning – temperatures to drop to 28
Pennsylvania
Could a gas tax holiday be imposed in Pennsylvania as prices at the pump continue to rise?
PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — Discussion continues about potentially suspending the Pennsylvania gas tax, one of the highest state gas taxes in the country, as prices at the pump continue to jump.
Lawmakers in both chambers are considering a gas tax holiday that would remove Pennsylvania’s gas tax for a limited period. The Senate proposal would last 60 days, while the House version would run for six months. Supporters say the move would provide needed help for people across the state, while opponents argue it is not sustainable.
The proposals would save drivers about 57 cents per gallon on gasoline and about 75 cents per gallon on diesel from the state gas tax.
Representatives of the Democratic senator Lisa Boscola, who proposed the Senate bill and is from the Lehigh area, said they will continue pushing the measure they believe is needed by families around the state and are optimistic it will pass.
In the House, the effort is mostly being pushed by Republicans, though local Republican Rep. Jim Rigby said he does not support it because it is “not a real solution.”
Democratic Rep. Paul Takac agrees, saying state police and PennDOT road work are funded through the gas tax, and that suspending it would essentially defund both, and they would have to find money to fill those voids. Takac added that he has not heard any serious intention to move the bill forward.
Democratic Rep. Frank Burns said he believes that if the proposal came to a vote, a gas tax holiday would pass with bipartisan support and would provide at least a small break to struggling families.
The debate continues as gas prices continue rising, with another jump in the last week.
Chief economist Gbenga Ajilore of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says prices are unlikely to fall soon.
“It seems like gas prices are going to go up, and even if there’s some sort of resolution in say the next couple weeks, it’s going to be difficult to see prices go down anytime soon,” Ajilore said.
The Senate is back in session on Monday and for the next few days after that, but not again until June. If the gas tax holiday is going to move forward anytime soon, that is when it would likely happen.
In the House, the proposal would need to clear the Democratic-led Transportation Committee before it could go to a vote.
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2% for March, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) announced in its preliminary report Friday.
According to L&I, the rate in Pennsylvania was one-tenth of a percentage point below the country’s unemployment rate, which fell to 4.3% compared to February.
The civilian labor force, consisting of residents working or looking for work, increased by 6,000 to 6,593,000, and employment increased by 9,000 while unemployment decreased by 3,000 from February.
Nonfarm jobs also rose in March, to 6,189,600, while jobs in six industry supersectors increased. Trade, transportation, and utilities were up 5,100 during March.
For more information about L&I, visit its website here.
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