PA Legislative Services is in the middle of a series of articles outlining the 2016 budget and non-budget priorities of Gov. Wolf and each of the four legislative caucuses.  Here’s a quick summary of the priorities the Governor, Senate Republicans and House Republicans identified--

Gov. Wolf

-- Minimum wage increase to $10.10

-- Broadening anti-discrimination law

-- Legalizing medical marijuana

-- Increasing education funding

-- Natural gas severance tax to fund education

-- Making state government more efficient

-- Workforce development initiatives

Senate Republicans

-- Public pension reform

-- Alcohol sales reform

-- Dollar-for-dollar Property tax relief

-- More transparency in state union negotiations

-- Legalizing medical marijuana

-- Job creation and economic development initiatives

-- Making state government more efficient

House Republicans

-- Pension reform

-- Property reform

-- Liquor store privatization

-- Private sector job creation, curbing anti-job regulations

-- Education reform initiatives, charter school reform legislation

-- Improving effectiveness, efficiency of state expenditures

You will note, neither the environment nor any of the things we have to do, like meet our Chesapeake Bay cleanup commitments, have made it on either Gov. Wolf’s or the Senate or House Republican top seven list, so far.  Even the discussion of enacting a natural gas severance tax involves education funding.

Of course the Governor’s budget address February 9, and the debate surrounding it, would be a good chance to get into some of those issues.

NewsClips:

2016 Priorities: Gov. Wolf Part 1

2016 Priorities: Gov. Wolf Part 2

2016 Priorities: Senate Republican Caucus

2016 Priorities: House Republican Caucus

1/18/2016