Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Democrats voice concerns while Republicans lend support for Gov. Tom Corbett's 2013-14 budget.
Western Pennsylvania Democrats had some harsh words for Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed 2013-14 state budget, which he presented Tuesday, while state Republican Party Chairman Rob Gleason called the governor's plan a "balanced and responsible budget that reinvests in Pennsylvania." “The plan presented by the governor is disappointing,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills. “It was long on politics but short on solutions.” State Rep. Erin Molchany, a newly elected Democrat serving South Hills communities said the governor’s "Band-Aid budget does little to make up for the hurt this state has felt from his deep cuts." State Rep. Robert Matzie, a Democrat representing the Sewickley area, said: “New Jersey has Chris Christie as …
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
State Rep. Jesse White wants you to know about these resources as the region endures Hurricane Sandy.
So, despite the typical over-hyping of weather events by the media, this pending storm is apparently the real deal, and it will impact our area. I will leave the actual weather stuff to the weather experts, but we have gotten lots of good information from local utility companies worth sharing in preparation for the storm. With anticipated widespread power outages, mobile devices will be the best way to communicate problems. If there is a problem that needs attention (trees and power lines down, etc.) and you are unable to get in touch with the right person, send me an email at jwhite@pahouse.net; be sure to include your name, phone number, address and a full description of the problem. Here is some information that could be useful to you …
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Two local lawmakers blasted GOP leadership for putting the House in recess instead of dealing with the vote.
A group of state House representatives on Thursday attempted to force a vote on a resolution that would urge the U.S. Attorney to investigate then-Attorney General Tom Corbett’s handling of the Jerry Sandusky investigation. State Rep. Jesse White, D-Cecil, posted on his Facebook page that the Republican majority “immediately stopped proceedings” and that many representatives on that side of the aisle had “fled the floor” despite the House still being in session. “This is shocking and outrageous—what depths won't they go to in order to learn the truth?” the lawmaker wrote on his Facebook page. To read HR 520, click here. A procedural move was attempted by state Rep. Timothy Briggs, a Democrat, to force a vote on the resolution. State Rep. …
Saturday, June 23, 2012
State Rep. Jesse White introduced legislation to ban the practice because he said it is an invasion of fundamental privacy rights.
State Rep. Jesse White is seeking to prohibit employers from requiring social media users to reveal user names and passwords as a condition of employment. White said he has introduced legislation—H.B. 2332—to ban the practice because he said it is an invasion of fundamental privacy rights. "The widespread use of Facebook and Twitter has opened a whole new can of worms in the employment sector and allows companies to snoop in their employees' personal lives like never before," said White, D-Cecil. "But, employers should not be abusing the tight job market to put employees or prospective employees in an uncomfortable situation where they are forced to 'friend' the company by giving away personal details about themselves and others. The …
Thursday, April 12, 2012
'The Reassessment Task Force Report confirms what many of us have suspected all along, that the current reassessment system in Pennsylvania is a complete mess, but one that we now hope to get untangled once and for all,' state Rep. Jesse White said.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, April 12, 2012
A joint task force created under legislation authored by state Reps. Jesse White and Brandon Neuman has reported the findings of its six-month study regarding reforming the commonwealth's "flawed system of conducting property reassessments." The task force was established to create a set of uniform standards for reassessing property values in the commonwealth, including developing new procedures for collecting and verifying reassessment data, developing standards for county reassessment contracting, and making other recommendations to improve the commonwealth’s flawed reassessment system. The Property Reassessment Task Force Report, which is the first comprehensive examination of the reassessment process in Pennsylvania by all stakeholders…
Friday, April 6, 2012
State Rep. Jesse White said the current property tax reassessment system 'has more holes in it than Swiss cheese.'
Legislation that would impose a temporary moratorium on court-ordered countywide property tax reassessments in Pennsylvania passed the House Wednesday and is headed to the state Senate for further consideration. A similar bill passed both chambers last year but was vetoed by Gov. Tom Corbett after a Senate amendment applied the moratorium to Washington County only and eliminated the timetable for the moratorium. House Bill 2137 is part of a multi-bill package spearheaded by state Reps. Jesse White, D-Cecil, and Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane, to reform what both have called the state's "flawed method of reassessing property values" in order to protect homeowners from dramatic increases in property taxes. The bill has the support of the …
Friday, February 17, 2012
Peters Township Manager Michael Silvestri said he's 'amazed that the legislature supported the legislation.'
Many local communities that instituted Marcellus Shale ordinances are now considering joining forces to challenge the state’s new natural gas drilling law. A few days after Gov. Tom Corbett signed the controversial legislation into law, local municipal leaders are complaining that it usurps their authority to oversee zoning rules and gives them little power to regulate the industry in their own towns. It’s unknown which municipal dancing partners they will chose and how they will challenge the law, but it’s clear that many local leaders will be doing everything in their power to fight the legislation. Peters, Cecil, South Strabane and Robinson townships in Washington County, and South Fayette in Allegheny County, all have indicated a …
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The state Supreme Court threw out the new redistricting map Wednesday, causing nominating petitions to be set back two days.
The state Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out the new legislative redistricting map, saying it was "contrary to law." The Post-Gazette reported that the opinion was issued Wednesday, and that as a result, nominating petitions for those seeking state House and Senate seats would be pushed back two days. The justices voted 4-3 to send the plan back to the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, and the majority said their opinion in the case would be released later. Rep. John Maher, R-Allegheny, Washington, said that Peters is reunited in the 40th district—for the time being. "While the Supreme Court's order has ignited considerable confusion and gnashing elsewhere, Peters Township is happy that its simple wish to be undivided has suddenly …
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
State Rep. Jesse White, D-Cecil, said the basic reason the reassessment figures are so screwy is because the whole system is fundamentally flawed.
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Wednesday, January 4, 2012
One of the fringe issues of 2011 came roaring to the forefront as the calendar flipped to 2012. When Allegheny County was forced by a judge to release its first set of property tax reassessment numbers last week, people went indiscriminately crazy as their property values skyrocketed with no rhyme or reason. Even if you weren’t among the first set of new values, the message was clear: This reassessment stuff is a disaster, and no one will be spared by the time it’s all over. As the public outrage and media frenzy raged, the main question being asked was ‘how come these damn politicians didn’t know this was coming?’ Well, to be perfectly honest, some of us damn politicians have seen this coming for a couple of years now, but unfortunately a…
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Education Voters PA asks you to take five minutes out of your Monday to call state officials to let them know you support public education.
On Monday, Education Voters PA wants you to make some noise for public education. Literally. The nonprofit organization is asking residents to call Gov. Tom Corbett and their state representatives in support of public education—the first statewide call to action regarding pending legislation related to the issue. An email sent by organizers explains, "Thousands of people will set aside (five) minutes to call the governor and local state representatives and senators with a short message about education being our highest priority as taxpayers and voters." The email then speaks about pending legislation, indicating: The organization encourages state residents to "fight back" by calling elected officials in support of public education funding—…
Jon Wain
1:09 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
first the lottery next the state stores next the gas tax next-------------------------------------- Frank oyu said it right.Opps forgot the turn pike more ›