Posts Tagged ‘Pennsylvania’

From StandardSpeaker.com:

A state constitutional convention is the best way to achieve legislative branch reforms, but the impetus for one will have to come from the next governor, lame-duck Gov. Ed Rendell said Wednesday.

Rendell discussed several issues regarding the election of his successor at a wide-ranging press conference.

He said the next governor should waste no time putting the wheels in motion for a convention that would address a limited number of issues. But Rendell observed he has too little time before leaving office in January to launch the process himself.

“If I were governor-elect, I would meet during the transition period with legislative leaders to begin the process,” Rendell said. “If I had two more years to go, I would have begun the process.”

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From Post-Gazette.com:

Republicans’ 12-year reign in the state House came to an end in November 2006 — an election marked by voter anger over legislators’ middle-of-the-night attempt to raise their own pay — when many incumbents of both parties were sent packing.

Democrats have controlled the chamber for more than three years, but that could change in November. The party holds an edge of only 104-99, and with polls showing that Republicans could do well this year both in Pennsylvania and nationally, Republicans are bent on recapturing power.

“Given the national mood and the House districts that will be ‘in play’ this November,” said Harrisburg-based Republican political strategist Charlie Gerow, “there’s no question that Republicans believe they have a very good shot at regaining control of the state House.”

Their enthusiasm stems from several sources, including Republican Scott Brown’s recent upset victory in a U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts and GOP wins for governor seats in New Jersey and Virginia.

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From Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

“Given the troubles in the labor market, consumers being conservative in spending, all indications are that this will be another difficult year for state revenues,” Sweet said. “Even the next fiscal year, because employment will be slow to recover in Pennsylvania, you’d expect another difficult year for revenues.”

Republican leaders are talking about cutting state spending and trying to help the private sector create jobs. Democratic leaders are talking about using state programs, such as job training or low-interest loans, to help the jobless get employment and encourage employers to hire.

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From The Morning Call:

Putting a cap on three decades in public life, state House Speaker Keith McCall, D-Carbon, said Tuesday he will not run for re-election this fall.

In a statement, McCall, 50, said he opted against seeking a 15th term representing the 122nd District because he wants to put his family ahead of the day-to-day grind of the Legislature.

”I first came to Harrisburg as a single 22-year-old man following in my father’s footsteps,” he said. ”Now I have a wonderful wife and two amazing children — all of whom I owe not only my thanks, but also a lot of missed dinners, football and baseball games, volleyball games and help with homework.”

McCall and his wife, Betty, have two children, a girl, Courtney, 11, and son, Keith Robert, 9. They live in Summit Hill.

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