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 the first one quit. 

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 how he deals with the Republican-controlled legislature.  Corbett’s spokesman has denied such claims.

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.  Once their status as Pennsylvania natives has been confirmed, residents can head back to PennDOT for their photo ID – free of charge.

(Harrisburg) -- An advocacy group is teaming up with lawmakers to push for changes to the state law that oversees financially distressed cities like Harrisburg and Reading.  The Coalition for Sustainable Communities says changing Act 47 would be a step toward improving the fiscal health of struggling municipalities.  Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Tom Baldridge is a member of the group.  He says numbers alone make the case for reforming the program.  "Forty-one percent of Pennsylvania residents now live in what is considered a distressed community by Pennsylvania standards.  That, I can assure you, is a number that is going up, not down.  It's a trend we simply have to stop for our economic prosperity in the future," Baldridge says.  The coalition wants a re-write of the law to allow it to trump previously negotiated deals with public worker unions.  It's a response to a state Supreme Court ruling last year that Act 47 recovery plans could not hold sway over a contract with Scranton's firefighters' union.

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 prison reforms by the end of June.

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 a deceased parent.

For David Jacobs, the issue is personal.  He lives with his partner of 17 years in Philadelphia.  They had a health scare last year, prompting Jacobs to discover that if his partner had died, he would have had to pay a 15 percent inheritance tax on the home they owned together. 

“My married neighbors don’t have to pay this inheritance tax,” said Jacobs.  “In their case, the state rightfully acknowledges the unfair burden that would be placed on the survivor.  My situation would be no different.”

A bill introduced by Rep. Babette Josephs (D- Philadelphia) would make the same rules to apply to domestic partners – people who haven’t gotten married, either because they can’t, or won’t.

“We all know that there are people who are deeply committed to their relationships but for personal reasons they choose not to enter into marriage,” said Josephs.  But she stressed that it’s not as if her proposal would make it easy for someone to skip paying inheritance tax.  Stringent requirements would ensure only people in demonstrably committed relationships would get the exemption, she said.

“Joint liability in a mortgage lease or loan, primary beneficiary under life insurance, a primary beneficiary under the will, a durable power of attorn—I mean, most couples don’t have any of that,” she said, reeling off the items on a check list needed, along with a signed partnership affidavit, to prove a relationship.

The bill was referred to a House committee last September, where it has sat since.  No vote is scheduled.

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. 

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 was ordered back to prison yesterday.

(Harrisburg) -- Students, teachers and parents from the Capital City's school district plan to rally today at the State Capitol, asking lawmakers to support increased education funding for the state's most needy districts.  Harrisburg's schools are facing a nearly 16 million dollar budget deficit.  The district's leaders are considering cutting Kindergarten, sports, music, art and other programs that are not required by the state.  School Board Member Lola Lawson says more than one-thousand Harrisburg students will take a field trip to the Capitol rotunda to call for increases in public education spending.  "We really have to come together as a community and realize that if we don't save our public education system, we really are going to be doomed," Lawson says.  The Governor's proposed budget has a slight increase in overall basic education funding for next year.  A state Senate-approved spending plan sets aside roughly $100 million for early education and Kindergarten programs that goes above and beyond Corbett's proposal.  Last year, lawmakers approved education cuts totaling $860 million after a loss of federal stimulus funding.  The Harrisburg student, parent and teacher rally runs from 10 a.m. to noon.

The Standard Speaker has more on yesterday’s House Appropriations Committee vote to send a budget bill to the floor of the House – with a spending cap. The Associated Press reports Senate Appropriations chairman Jake Corman says the state has to consider reducing future pension benefits of state employees. The revolution-minded House Bill 1776, to unshackle Pennsylvanians from property taxes and make up the difference with higher sales and personal income taxes, has gotten its first committee hearing.