Enews Update - May 26, 2022

In this Update:

Declining Revenue Projections Highlight the Risk of Gov. Wolf’s Budget Plan
Bill Establishing Pennsylvania Chief Nursing Officer Approved by Senate
Senate Acts to Improve Access to Property Tax and Rent Rebates
DiSanto Hosts Workshop on Shopping for Energy
Further Extension of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to June 17
Paying for College and Career Training with 529 Accounts
Memorial Day: Our Duty to Remember

Declining Revenue Projections Highlight the Risk of Gov. Wolf’s Budget Plan

The state Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its initial revenue estimate for 2022-23 and warns that tax revenue is likely to fall in the coming fiscal year. The IFO’s projection for General Fund revenue next year is $42.26 billion – about an 11.5% drop from 2021-22.

The new numbers further highlight the risk of Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed state budget and emphasize what Senate Republicans have been saying all along: the governor’s bloated spending plan is unrealistic and unsustainable. His plan to increase spending by more than $4.5 billion next year would come at the expense of Pennsylvania’s long-term financial security.

The new figures from the IFO build on previous analysis that shows the potential for Gov. Wolf’s $45.7 billion budget to create multi-billion-dollar deficits for years to come.

As the June 30 deadline for enacting a state budget approaches, Senate Republicans will work to draft a more responsible plan that protects taxpayers already struggling with staggering inflation and an uncertain financial future.

Bill Establishing Pennsylvania Chief Nursing Officer Approved by Senate

Legislation establishing the position of Pennsylvania Chief Nursing Officer was approved by the Senate, recognizing the crucial role that registered nurses play in the delivery of health care.

Senate Bill 848 would establish the Office of Chief Nursing Officer, modeled after the role and confirmation process of the Physician General. The duties of the Pennsylvania Chief Nursing Officer would include:

Advising the governor and Secretary of Health.
Participating in the decision-making process of the Department of Health (DOH) on policies related to nursing and public health issues.
Reviewing professional standards and practices in nursing and public health.
Consulting with recognized experts on nursing and public health matters which are within the jurisdiction of the DOH.
Providing advice on nursing and public health issues to the secretary and to other executive branch agencies.
Coordinating educational, informational and other programming for the promotion of wellness, public health and nursing issues.

Senate Bill 848 will be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Acts to Improve Access to Property Tax and Rent Rebates

The Senate acted to close a loophole that made many senior citizens ineligible for the state Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. The bill moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The problem arose when senior citizens transferred retirement funds into other retirement accounts, which would show up as available income on an application and make the individual ineligible for help lowering their property taxes.

Senate Bill 230 would allow retirees to transfer those retirement account investments between accounts within 60 days without counting toward income when applying for property tax or rent relief. If those funds are not invested into another qualified retirement plan within 60 days, the funds will be considered income.

DiSanto Hosts Workshop on Shopping for Energy

Thinking about ways to lower your energy bills? I have invited educators from the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to answer your questions on how to shop for your gas and electric suppliers. The workshop will be available beginning at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8 at my Facebook page, @SenatorDiSanto, as well as my website, www.SenatorDiSanto.com. Thereafter the workshop will be available on-demand.

According to the PUC, the best response for those struggling to pay energy bills is to call utilities and ask about assistance programs, manage energy use and shop for competitive electric generation suppliers. Prior to the workshop, you can find more from the PUC about consumer options here.

Costs for electric generation will increase on June 1 for many area utility customers. The rate increase will occur even before Gov. Tom Wolf’s carbon tax kicks in, which could nearly quadruple new electricity costs for consumers. The carbon tax is part of Pennsylvania’s entry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which was enacted by the governor without legislative approval.

Further Extension of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to June 17

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has been extended a second time to June 17, allowing additional households to apply for help.

LIHEAP is a federally funded program administered by the state that provides assistance for home heating bills. Assistance is available for renters and homeowners.

You can apply for benefits online using COMPASS, or download a paper application, print it, fill it out and return it to your local county assistance office.

Paying for College and Career Training with 529 Accounts

Sunday is College and Career Savings Day to promote the savings opportunities offered by 529 accounts, such as the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program.

The PA 529 College and Career Savings Program offers two plans, the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) and the PA 529 Investment Plan (IP). PA 529 GSP account earnings are based on college tuition inflation rates, while PA 529 IP account earnings are tied to investment choice and financial market performance.

PA 529 accounts can be used to pay for tuition, fees, books, equipment and room and board at technical schools, apprenticeship programs, community colleges and four-year colleges nationwide. Through Tuesday, May 31, families can take advantage of special PA 529 promotions at pa529.com/529day.

Memorial Day: Our Duty to Remember

I hope you have a great Memorial Day Weekend with friends and family and take some time to remember the profound sacrifice of those who died fighting for our nation.