In a Capitolwire column yesterday, Pete DeCoursey argues the departure of Gov. Corbett’s top aide, alone, won’t mark the new direction donors and advisers are hoping to see.  Republican candidate for state attorney general Dave Free has a huge financial edge over his Democratic opponent, Kathleen Kane, reports the Associated Press.  Harrisburg got its second receiver yesterday, along with reasons…

Governor Corbett’s top aide has left his post.  Chief of staff Bill Ward is stepping down to become a judge in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.  Ward’s departure comes in the wake of published reports the administration is shuffling its staff to weather a drop in popularity and appease unhappy GOP donors and advisers urging the governor to improve…

Pennsylvanians who need a photo ID this fall to vote no longer have to pay $10 and wait months to receive a copy of their birth certificate. The Department of State has announced that Pennsylvanian-born residents can now head to a PennDOT licensing center, submit their personal information, and wait for it to be cross-checked against the commonwealth’s birth certificate records. …

The Associated Press reports Gov. Corbett’s top aide is leaving his job.  The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that supporters fed up with the pummeling the administration is getting from critics are prodding the administration to make staff changes.  The state’s beer wholesalers have come out against a proposal to sell off the commonwealth’s wine and spirit stores.  And Corbett announces he'd like to pass…

A Democratic-backed proposal in the state House would change the rules for inheritance taxes to exempt not just married couples and young children, but all domestic partnerships. If someone is married, and his or her spouse dies, any inherited property doesn’t come with the state’s usual 15 percent tax.  The same applies if a child under 21 inherits property from…

Health care providers in Pennsylvania would be unable to receive public dollars if they perform abortions under a Republican state lawmaker’s proposal. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, of Butler County, is singling out Planned Parenthood in particular as one of the largest providers of abortion services that he wants to strip of government money. 

More than half of the state’s school districts expect to scale back their offerings as schools grapple with low tax revenues and limited government funding, and new study shows.   The third annual school budget survey conducted by the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators received responses from 281 of the commonwealth’s 500…

A state House committee has approved a bill to require candidates for public office to submit all of their campaign finance records electronically, writes WHYY’s Dave Davies.  The PA Independent adds that measure would mean earlier disclosure of finance records.  The State Police are detailing the problems they’ve had with the statewide radio system.  And convicted former state Rep. Bill DeWeese…