CNBNews

By Christen Smith | The Center Square 16 hrs ago Trump in Pennsylvania for first time since the assassination attempt A crowd gathers outside of the Farm Show Building in Harrisburg, Pa., ahead of a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 16 hrs ago (The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared in Pennsylvania for the first time since an attempted assassination in Butler on July 13. He took the stage in a packed auditorium in Harrisburg, where he chided Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, for shifting her... Read more →

By Brett Rowland | The Center Square 4 hrs ago A member of the crowd holds up makeshift Trump-Vance campaign sign as delegates and other supporters of former President Donald Trump rally at the Republican National convention in Milwaukee on Monday, July 15, 2024. By Greg Bishop | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump picked U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, to serve as his vice president should Trump beat President Joe Biden this November for another term in the White House. Trump revealed his choice on Truth Social in a statement. "After lengthy deliberation and... Read more →

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor Jul 4, 2024 Reports: Mayorkas’ parole programs enable violent crimes to be committed against Americans The finger of blame for the violent crime that has befallen Americans is Mayorkas and Biden (The Center Square) (July 8, 2024)– A wave of violent crime has befallen Americans nationwide connected to parole programs created by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, according to several reports. A pattern has emerged of single men illegally entering the U.S. who are considered inadmissible under federal law. Instead of being processed for removal, Border Patrol agents released them... Read more →

By Nolan Mckendry | The Center Square contributor Jun 26, 2024 (The Center Square) - In 2023, energy production in the United States reached unprecedented levels, marking a significant milestone in the nation's energy landscape. According to data from the Energy Information Administration, energy production surpassed energy consumption by nine quadrillion British thermal units, the first time since the 1950s. According to the data, energy production surged by 4% to nearly 103 quads, setting a new record. The boost in total U.S. energy production was primarily propelled by substantial increases in natural gas and crude oil production throughout 2023, the... Read more →

“Journalism should not be a crime anywhere on Earth. On World Press Freedom Day, we honor the bravery and sacrifice of journalists and media workers around the world, risking everything in pursuit of truth. “ ~President Joe Biden BY CNBNEWS STAFF GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (MAY 6, 2024)--In 1993, the United Nations declared a special day to highlight the significance of journalism in free societies. It was CNBNews graphic file named World Press Freedom Day, celebrated every year on May 3rd. Its purpose is to emphasize the essential role of journalism in promoting transparency and democracy. However, The Guardian reports a... Read more →

photos provided GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (MARCH 3, 2024)(CNBNEWS)--Today, over 1,000 people gathered along the streets to watch the Gloucester City Irish Parade. The parade featured many organizations, including the Gloucester City Republican Party, with four candidates running for election in November. The party's candidates include Anthony Kates for Ward 1, Pattie Kropp for Ward 2, Sandy Reed for Ward 3, and James Muller for At-Large. RELATED: Reed List Reasons for Seeking Office Apart from the Republican Party, other participants in the parade included the Gloucester High School Color Guard, NJSP on Horseback, Gloucester City Old Timers String Band, Grand Marshall... Read more →

Galveston County Sheriff's Office Border Security Response Team deputies apprehend illegal border crossers in Kinney County, Texas. Source: Galveston County Sheriff's Office By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor Feb 9, 2024 (The Center Square) (February 9,– Recent murders of Houstonians highlight how the border crisis is impacting the largest city in the state. While criminal aliens have reportedly committed numerous murders, two recent ones highlight a troubling pattern, authorities have told The Center Square. Gov. Greg Abbott warned about the consequences of President Joe Biden’s “open border policies” earlier this week, which he said were having “a devastating... Read more →

By Christian Wade | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) — A New Jersey man considering a run for the U.S. House of Representatives has filed a federal lawsuit asking the court to nullify a state law requiring political candidates to take a religious oath to qualify for the ballot. The lawsuit, filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation on behalf of Jason Tosone, argues that by not allowing those running for office to complete the candidate petition without swearing “so help me God,” the Secretary of State and Division of Elections is violating their constitutional rights. "The New... Read more →

New Jersey Republicans seek to strip Menendez of state pension By Christian Wade | The Center Square contributor A worry Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., departs the Senate floor in the Capitol, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, in Washington. Menendez, who is facing federal charges of bribery, met with the Senate Democratic Caucus on Thursday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon). Menendez is eligible for a $50,000 pension for his years as mayor of Union City. Alex Brandon | AP Photo (The Center Square) — New Jersey Republicans are pushing to strip embattled Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of his state pension as he fights federal... Read more →

Foraging mushrooms is a rewarding pastime and one that is growing in popularity. However, it is a potentially risky activity if you do not understand how to distinguish fungi that are safe to consume from their poisonous cousins. One particularly tricky family is the genus Amanita. It contains numerous different mushrooms, some of which are delicious and others that are deadly. It also features one of the most recognizable mushrooms ever, Amanita muscaria. Also known as fly agaric, it is the quintessential fairytale toadstool, with its red spotted cap and reputed magical qualities. Many believe this mushroom is toxic, but... Read more →

photo provided Foreign nationals wait between the double fence on U.S. soil along the U.S.-Mexico border near Tijuana, Mexico on Monday, May 8, 2023, in San Diego. The migrants wait between the fences to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents as the Title 42 health authority comes to an end. Denis Poroy By Bethany Blankley The Center Square (The Center Square) – Twenty-four Republican governors have responded to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for help to secure its border with Mexico. “The federal government’s response handling the expiration of Title 42 has represented a complete failure of the Biden... Read more →

BEREA, OH (03/23/2023)-- Students from our area were part of the talented cast and crew in the Baldwin Wallace University and Beck Center for the Arts collaborative production of "Ghost: The Musical" directed by Victoria Bussert with choreography by Lauren Tidmore and music direction by Matthew Webb during the spring 2023 semester. The following students were in the production: Chase Kessler of Mount Laurel (08054), a graduate of Lenape High School majoring in music theatre direction, served as assistant music director/keyboard programmer and played keyboards. Marius Pearson of Medford (08055), a graduate of Shawnee High School majoring in music theatre,... Read more →

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor Nov 15, 2022 Haitian migrants, part of a group of over 10,000 people staying in an encampment on the U.S. side of the border, cross the Rio Grande river in Del Rio, Texas on September 19, 2021. PAUL RATJE / AFP / Getty Images (The Center Square) – Numerous news outlets and social media pundits on Tuesday misreported that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared an invasion at the southern border. According to an analysis of available data by The Center Square, he did not. Abbott tweeted Tuesday content from his personal Twitter... Read more →

By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture sends $740,000 to Pennsylvania for “critical infrastructure to combat climate change” – but most of the money will go toward repaving parking lots. The USDA Rural Development program provides taxpayer money for all sorts of programs, from infrastructure to health care to environmental and economic concerns in the rural parts of America. In the fiscal year 2022, it provided almost $1.5 billion for local projects. Its latest announcement noted 16 projects in Pennsylvania, but the lion’s share of the funding will go to four... Read more →

By Morgan Sweeney | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – Four New Jersey communities will be receiving $6.5 million in Brownfields Grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the cleanup and revitalization of environmentally damaged areas. YOUR MONEY The funding is part of $254.5 million the EPA is bestowing on 265 communities throughout the country pursuant to President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The measure passed in November and dedicates $1.5 billion to the recovery of such properties across the country in hopes of repurposing them and creating new jobs in the process. “We’re turning blight into... Read more →

By Kalyn Stralow | Ballotpedia via The Center Square HARRISBURG, PA (March 24, 2022)--Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates may receive from individuals and organizations, how often they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political entities may contribute to campaigns. While campaign finance is not the only factor in electoral outcomes, successful fundraising can provide a candidate with advantages during a campaign. Fundraising can also indicate party momentum. This article lists top fundraisers in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, overall and by party. It is based on campaign finance reports that officeholders in and... Read more →

New Jersey schools are unlawfully segregated and it's the state's duty to fix that, the plaintiffs in a historic legal case argued in court Thursday. If the lawsuit is successful, it could lead to fundamental changes to New Jersey’s school system and large-scale desegregation efforts not seen in the U.S. for decades. Patrick Wall, Chalkbeat Newark Mar 3, 6:03pm EST Hundreds of thousands of Black and Latino students in New Jersey attend schools where they are racially isolated and surrounded by poverty, despite strong state laws forbidding school segregation. One of the nation’s most segregated states, New Jersey has allowed... Read more →

by Bill Donohue | CNBNews Contributor It's a good thing that Vice President Kamala Harris didn't speak first at the National Prayer Breakfast. She would have made President Biden look bad. CNBNews graphic files She gave a very good speech, ending with a prayer. He personalized his address, offering a mumbling account of his interactions with congressional colleagues, past and present. Instead of rehashing old war stories, and making silly comments on how "the world is changing," Biden could have taken the opportunity to address one of our most pressing social problems—the war on the police. He said not a... Read more →

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor Image source Peoples Magazine (The Center Square)(January 11, 2022) – The prices of energy, crude, and gasoline all increased in 2021 from 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Agency reports. Prices increased because of higher demand and a range of other factors. By the end of 2021, commodities on the energy index traded 59% higher than they did on the first trading day last year on the S&P Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (GSCI), the EIA reports. GSCI is a commodity index that tracks the performance of global commodities markets. It’s a weighted average... Read more →

From January 1, 2021, up until December 31, 2021, there have been 491 Police officers die, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page. View Statistics for Year 2021 Total Line of Duty Deaths: 491 Sergeant Gordon William Best North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety, SC EOW: Friday, January 1, 2021 Cause: Automobile crash Sergeant Daniel Marcus Mobley DeKalb County Police Department, GA EOW: Saturday, January 2, 2021 Cause: Struck by vehicle Constable Cecil Nunley Sequatchie County Constable's Office, TN EOW: Saturday, January 2, 2021 Cause: COVID19 Lieutenant Jeff Bain DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, AL EOW: Sunday, January 3, 2021... Read more →

Bill Donohue | CNBNews Contributor Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s last day in office is New Years Eve. What he has done to the world’s greatest city is incalculable: he has been an unmitigated disaster. He is often compared to Mayor David Dinkins, but the comparison is unfair. While Dinkins did great damage, which was undone by Rudy Giuliani, he was merely incompetent. De Blasio’s war on New York City was deliberate, a clear example of what happens when a Marxist takes over. New... Read more →

By Scott McClallen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the bipartisan Council of Great Lakes Governors asked federal leaders to fund the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in the 2022 Water Resources Reform and Development Act to prevent invasive Asian carp from entering Michigan’s water. “The Great Lakes are the beating heart of Michigan’s economy, and we are taking action to put Michigan first and protect the Great Lakes,” Whitmer said in a statement. “By funding the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, we can protect local economies and key, multi-billion-dollar industries that support tens... Read more →

Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it received a 6-page incident report and bodycam footage from the Delray Beach, FL, Police Department, detailing the turnover of records related to the diary and/or other property of Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden. According to the incident report, an attorney turned in “possibly stolen luggage” to the Delray Beach PD which contained “documents and envelopes in folders” with the name Ashley Biden. The Delray Beach PD included bodycam footage of an attorney handing over the items. The Delray Beach PD also noted in the incident report that the FBI... Read more →

A pre-Kindergarten class from Bradford School poses for pictures during a short graduation ceremony June 10, 2020, in front of the school in Jersey City, New Jersey. Seth Wenig / AP photo By Todd DeFeo | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – All child care center workers in New Jersey must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and anyone who is at least two years old must wear a face mask while in a child care center. The mandates are part of Executive Order No. 264, which Gov. Phil Murphy signed on Monday. Under the order, any child care... Read more →

Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square THere are an estimated 39.5 million Americans living below the poverty line, which, in the lower 48 states, is an annual income threshold of $12,880 for an individual and $26,500 for a family of four (Alaska and Hawaii have a slightly higher threshold). Living in poverty can have serious consequences and impacts nearly every aspect of life -- and those problems can be compounded for those who are facing poverty while also living in very poor neighborhoods. Residents of poor neighborhoods often struggle with higher crime rates, limited employment opportunities, lower... Read more →

By Christen Smith | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Less than a week after the Department of Health ordered universal masking in Pennsylvania schools, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration faces its first legal challenge on what many critics consider a shameful last-minute policy reversal. Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, leads a group of parents and Republican lawmakers from the Legislature on a lawsuit filed in Commonwealth Court on Friday that deems the order illegal, the The Associated Press first reported. Gloucestercitynews.net files The challenge seeks an injunction on acting Health Secretary Alison Beam’s order, which went into... Read more →

By Natalie Kapustik | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – Sunoco Pipeline LP received an $85,000 penalty from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for violations relating to construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline in Blair, Cumberland, Juniata and Lebanon counties. The violations, which took place between February and August 2020, resulted in unauthorized discharges of drilling fluids consisting of bentonite clay and water, also known as inadvertent returns, to wetlands in those four counties. Sunoco has agreed to pay the civil penalty of $85,666 to the commonwealth, with $84,500 to be paid to the state’s Clean... Read more →

By Todd DeFeo | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – New Jersey’s school districts are the ninth least equitable in the country, a new report reveals. The analysis from WalletHub found Iowa has the most equitable districts nationwide, followed by North Carolina and Arkansas. Conversely, New York has the least equitable schools, edging out Idaho and California. Overall, New Jersey ranked No. 41. In the region, Delaware came in at No. 18, while Pennsylvania ranked No. 29, and Connecticut was No. 32. “The ranking is based on the average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary... Read more →

The analysis ranks New Jersey as one of most bonded debt burdened states in country By Dave Fidlin | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – With a per-capita figure of $6,401 hanging in the balance, New Jersey places near the bottom of a new study looking at the amount each state is shouldering in long-range bonded debt across the country. TAX AND SPEND-New Jersey is one of the most bonded debt-burdened states in-country thanks to both Democrats and Republicans in Trenton Image courtesy of The New Jersey Globe The American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, ranked New Jersey... Read more →

By Todd DeFeo | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – New Jersey is the worst state in which to start a business, according to a new analysis from WalletHub. The Garden State “has the fourth smallest percentage of engaged workers – 29, and registered a growth of just 1.5% in the number of small businesses,” WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez said in an email to The Center Square. “In terms of jobs, there has been a drop of almost 5% since 2017, and the working-age population has also dropped by 1.2%. “But business costs are where New Jersey really... Read more →

Crypto art is the form of digital art treated as physical art - It has the verified ownership of the piece. It gets the verification of masterpiece by using NFT, which is also known as a nonfungible token. It’s a marketplace where you can consume your cryptocurrencies in a variety of things available in the market. With local CC unit, you can establish your own business by world-wide shipping system. What is a Nonfungible token? A nonfungible token is interesting and one-of-its-sort. That is why it is utilized to address protests that are special and select also ― for instance,... Read more →

Boss Tweed. "As long as I count the votes, what are you going to do about it? (CNBNews graphic files) **** By Christen Smith | The Center Square Jul 8, 2021 (The Center Square) – A Republican senator in Pennsylvania initiated the first steps this week of a forensic election audit, even as the state’s top law enforcement official promised intervention should the effort continue. Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, said in an editorial Wednesday he’s requested information and materials from three counties needed for a “forensic investigation” into both the 2020 general election and the 2021 primary election completed in... Read more →

Todd DeFeo / The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – New Jersey will use $600 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to fund a one-year extension of public education and related services for thousands of students with disabilities. Gloucestercitynews.net files Concurrently, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law S-3434/A-5366, authorizing the temporary one-year extension of education to students with disabilities who “age out” — or exceed the current age of eligibility — during the 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years. “The pandemic has been especially hard on students with disabilities who rely on school programs to ensure they have... Read more →

Marc LeBlond | Commonwealth Foundation Last week, Gov. Tom Wolf held a press conference on the Capitol steps capping off a more than four-month campaign to promote drastically increasing district school funding. But his central claim, that school districts are underfunded and charter schools are the culprit, is the exact opposite of reality. Wolf spoke from a podium prominently emblazoned with a sign proclaiming “Pennsylvania is 45th in education funding.” But Pennsylvania is not 45th in education funding – not even close. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, Pennsylvania is 8th in the nation... Read more →

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the first new treatment for Alzheimer's disease in about 20 years. Currently available Alzheimer's drugs treat the disease's symptoms. The newly-approved medicine, called Aduhelm, is the first to attack a substance that could be associated with the underlying causes of the disease -- a toxic and sticky protein in the brain called amyloid. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that 6.0 million Americans 65 and older were living with the disease as of 2020, or 12% of the 65 and over population. As more and more of the baby boomer generation reaches that age,... Read more →

By Todd DeFeo | The Center Square contributor New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tours the North River Rail Tunnel that connects New Jersey and New York Wednesday on Dec. 19, 2018. Flickr / Gov. Andrew Cuomo (The Center Square) – A pair of federal agencies issued the Final Environment Impact Statement and Record of Decision for the multibillion dollar Hudson Tunnel Project. The move by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) “is a significant milestone for the Gateway Program,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. “This long-awaited step brings us much closer... Read more →

Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square The 465 commercial casinos operating in the United States at the end of 2019 reported a combined revenue of $43.6 billion -- an all-time high. Gambling in the United States is by no means limited to casinos, either. All but six states had lottery games in 2019, and lottery ticket sales totalled $81.6 billion that year. Between both lotteries and commercial casinos, Americans and tourists spent $125.2 billion on gambling in 2019 -- or about $491 for every adult in the country. Of course, gambling laws, which can restrict gambling opportunities,... Read more →

Quick Hits: Bill would allow burned-out police and firefighters to retire early Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law A-2562/S-1017, a bill that would allow police and firefighters with 20 years of experience and facing burnout from service amid the pandemic to retire. The benefit was previously only extended to police and firefighters at least 55 years old and with 20 years of experience. “This past year, we have asked our first responders to step up like never before as the coronavirus took more than 25,000 lives in our state,” Assemblyman Ron Dancer, R-Ocean, said in a news release. Bill aims... Read more →

The Average Tax Refund for each state listed below Grant Suneson, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square In 2019 Americans paid more than $3.5 trillion in taxes. Nearly half of all tax returns filed by individuals, corporations, and estates received a refund. Altogether, the Internal Revenue Service issued nearly 122 million refunds totaling $452.1 billion, or $3,709 per refund. There are a number of variables that affect the amount that is refunded, one of which is location. The average refund can vary by state from under $2,500 to more than $8,700. For the fiscal year 2019, the average tax... Read more →

The Center Square Apr 8, 2021 The effective state and local tax rate for New Jersey residents in 2019 was 11.7 percent, the seventh-highest percentage among the 50 states, according to a new ranking published by the Tax Foundation. Gloucestercitynews.net graphics file Across the United States, the average state-local tax burden came in at 10.3 percent of Americans’ combined income, the study said. Generally, state-local tax rates rose in 2019 over the previous year as tax collections outpaced overall income growth, the Tax Foundation’s analysis found. The foundation’s researchers also point out that about a fifth of states’ tax revenues... Read more →

Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square Apr 14, 2021 The U.S. Constitution does not guarantee the right to an education. Though the federal government has set some academic standards, education policy is set largely at the state and local levels. State governments have authority over public school curriculums, teaching methods, instructional materials, and, in conjunction with local districts, teacher pay. Gloucestercitynews.net files Without national compensation standards, average salaries for teachers across the country vary considerably. Depending on the state, the average teacher salary varies from as little as $45,300 to more than $85,000. The disparity in average... Read more →

Beyond pension debts The Center Square (The Center Square) – Net liabilities in New Jersey for so-called other post-employment benefits (OPEBs), which consist mainly of health care obligations to retired public employees, stood at about $101.5 billion in fiscal-year 2019, according to a recent analysis from the Reason Foundation. With a population of 8,882,190, the state posted a per-capita OPEB liability of $11,425, which represents the second highest value among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Reason study found. In total, these liabilities amount to 6 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, the researchers said. These... Read more →

Todd DeFeo / The Center Square (The Center Square) – New Jersey Republicans want New Jersey schools and businesses to reopen, saying lockdowns are not slowing the spread of COVID-19. “Enough businesses have been destroyed, enough jobs have been lost by the Governor’s defenseless edicts, and continuing on that same path only ensures more economic and emotional pain,” state Sen. Michael Testa, R-Vineland, said in a statement. “We must end the failed policies that have suppressed life in the state. It’s about time to learn from the Administration’s mistakes and open up the economy.” Republicans point to an Associated Press... Read more →

By Christen Smith | The Center Square (The Center Square)(Pittsburg PA)(March 31, 2021)– President Joe Biden’s massive infrastructure spending plan earmarks $16 billion to plug abandoned oil and gas wells across the country. It’s a potential solution for an expensive and overwhelming problem for Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. During House budget hearings last month, DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell told lawmakers the department spends an average of $17,000 plugging one abandoned well. The cost means fewer than 1,100 orphaned wells have been plugged in the last decade. The department said it’s identified 8,000 it needs to address, though estimates suggest... Read more →

“Just to clarify, would there be any place for fossil fuels, including coal and fracking, in a Biden administration?” CNN’s Dana Bash said. “No, we would — we would work it out. We would make sure it's eliminated and no more subsidies for either one of those, either — any fossil fuel,” Biden said in response. (July 31, 2019 video/USAToday) ++++++ Stephanie Catarino Wissman | RealClearWire/The Center Square The fracking ban threatens American jobs and derails our environmental progress Now the global leader in natural gas and oil production, the U.S. has set the standard for safe, reliable, and affordable... Read more →

By Todd DeFeo | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – New Jersey Republicans say a new NJ.com report proves nursing home administrators informed the Murphy administration that an order requiring them to accept COVID-19-positive patients would lead to outbreaks and deaths. Gloucestercitynews.net graphic files According to the report, nursing home administrators expressed concerns about the order during a March 31 call with New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “Patients will die,” the newspaper quoted an unidentified administrator as saying on the call. “You understand that by asking us to take COVID patients, by demanding we take COVID patients,... Read more →

THE CENTER SQUARE The Center Square) – Net liabilities in Pennsylvania for so-called other post-employment benefits (OPEBs), which consist mainly of health care obligations to retired public employees, stood at about $38.5 billion in fiscal-year 2019, according to a recent analysis from the Reason Foundation. Gloucestercitynews.net files With a population of 12.8 million, the state posted a per-capita OPEB liability of $3,010, which represents the 17th highest value among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Reason study found. Nationally, these liabilities amount to 6 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, the researchers said. These debts are... Read more →

WASHINGTON POLITICS Tax and Spend Gloucestercitynews.net files Bethany Blankley | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The Democrats’ $1.9 trillion emergency relief bill – which is up for a vote Friday – includes a slew of bailout money for state governments unrelated to the pandemic, opponents say.Under the guise of COVID-19 relief money, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., told Fox News the bill “is more the pretext than the purpose behind what Democrats are proposing. Their approach is the wrong plan, at the wrong time, for all the wrong reasons.” The 591-page bill proposed on Feb. 19 includes an... Read more →

By Todd DeFeo | The Center Square (The Center Square) – New Jersey Senate Republicans are forging ahead with hearings into Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Since May, Senate Republicans have sought a bipartisan investigation to understand the policy and management failures of the Murphy Administration that led to preventable deaths, destroyed businesses and jobs, and left millions of New Jerseyans without access to important services and support,” Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said in a statement. Kean noted that Democrats, who control both chambers of the Legislature, have opposed the formation of a select committee... Read more →

By Rep. Clint Owlett Feb 8, 2021 THE CENTER SQUARE Pennsylvania voters will finally have a say this spring in the state’s handling of extended disaster emergencies. At the upcoming primary election, on May 18, voters will be asked to vote on a proposed amendment to the state Constitution that would limit the duration of an emergency declaration by a governor to a maximum of 21 days. Under the proposed amendment, the declaration could be extended, but only with legislative approval. Gloucestercitynews.net files “Legislative approval” means you, the citizens of this commonwealth, would have a voice in whether or not... Read more →