(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.

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.

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. 

(Harrisburg) -- Pennsylvanians living in mobile homes whose communities are sold for new development would have more time to relocate under a state House plan.  The measure, which passed the chamber, would give mobile home owners at least six months to leave after they've been notified their trailer park is being closed.  Democratic Representative Bob Freeman of Northampton County says the closure of such a community in his district six years ago spurred him to sponsor the measure.  "That caused tremendous chaos for the residents of that manufactured home community.  They had only 30 days under current law to relocate, to find other alternative sites for their manufactured homes.  Given the age of their manufactured homes, it was very difficult," Freeman says.  He adds the proposal also lays out a process for determining when a mobile home is abandoned.  He says it also gives owners the right to file grievances through the state's Consumer Protection Law.

(Undated) -- A new report shows the finances of hospitals across the state have improved in the last year.  The development comes as hospitals treat a growing number of people who can't afford to pay for their care.  The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Council survey reveals statewide operating margins at the facilities rose more than one-and-a-half percent.  At the same time, the value of uncompensated care rose more than 11 percent.  Spokesman Roger Baumgarten says part of the problem lies in Medicaid.  "We're seeking better reimbursement for Medicaid patients.  Medicaid does not reimburse at cost.  It actually reimburses hospitals at less than the cost of care for every Medicaid patient that we care for.  The result is every Medicaid patient results in a greater shortfall of payments to hospitals," he says.  Baumgarten says the report shows improved margins for hospitals' investments, but also increased threats to their bottom line in the current fiscal year.  Governor Cobett has proposed a four percent reduction to state hospital reimbursements under his 2012 budget.

(Harrisburg) -- The head of Dauphin County's Child Abuse Prosecutions unit says penalties for not reporting child abuse need to be increased. He's offered his advice to the state's Task Force on Child Protection. Assistant District Attorney Sean McCormack says the state's child protection laws and procedures for reporting child abuse need to be streamlined. He says vague language in the state crimes code and child protective services law make can communication difficult among prosecutors and case workers. Most importantly, to McCormack, is that people who fail to report child abuse should be held accountable. "When you look at the penalties for failure to report, I have to ask what message you send the public when the penalty is so low? It used to be a summary (offense). Now it's a misdemeanor of the third degree," McCormack says. He calls that penalty a "slap on the wrist." He also recommends more child abuse recognition education for people like social workers. McCormack testified alongside a Philadelphia prosecutor, who told the panel there should be a process to ensure home-schooled children receive the same oversight as kids who attend other types of schools.

Gov. Corbett’s budget discussions have lately included warnings about the state’s rising pension costs.  But union representatives say those bills have to be paid. 

Mike Crossey is president of the state’s largest teachers union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association.  He acknowledges that pension costs are going up, but said the state’s unfunded pension obligation can also be traced back to a deal made in 2001, when state and school district contributions were not boosted along with a hike in benefits. 

“The employees have been paying their side, their fair share of this, and it’s the state and the districts that didn’t pay in their fair share, so now they turn around and they say, well, we want another bite at the apple and we want you to reduce pensions,” Crossey said.  “It’s like, well wait a minute, we paid our fair share.”

He said the most significant pension reforms have already happened: a 2010 law that reduced benefits for future employees, and increased the state and school districts’ pension fund contributions.  It also required higher contributions from the state and school districts until those contributions can catch up with the rising costs of pension benefits.

“I don’t think you can go any further.  I mean, you’ve got to pay your bills and, to me, it’s a matter of, you know, the governor needs to be looking at additional revenue sources,” said Crossey.

It is a staggering figure.  We spend $1.87 BILLION a year in Pennsylvania to feed, clothe, house, supervise, and hopefully, rehabilitate people in prison.  The cells are bursting from overcrowding and taxpayers seem fed up with the skyrocketing public outlay mainly just to contain criminals, many of whom are non-violent but are drug- and/or - alcohol-addicted.  Corrections Secretary John Wetzel wants to put the brakes on prison spending.  Find out how, and why he needs your help, on Smart Talk, Thursday night at 8, on witf TV.

(Harrisburg) -- Some voters have protested the soft-roll out of Pennsylvania's new Voter ID law, by refusing to show identification during Tuesday's primary. Several precincts, including at least one in Lancaster, reported more than a few voters spoke out against the new requirements. Department of State spokesman Ron Ruman says the agency has heard about several such instances, but notes nobody was required to show a photo ID during the trial run. "Well, folks are certainly entitled to their opinion. This is America and that's what makes it a great country," he says. "But, we don't feel that the right thing to do is to encourage people to refuse to show their ID." While the ACLU of Pennsylvania is mounting a legal challenge to the law, Legislative Director Andy Hoover says these types of protests aren't helpful. "We understand people's frustration, but our hope is that they can participate in our voter education efforts and support us in our litigation effort trying to stop this law," he says. Ruman says if voters don't have a valid photo ID at the polls in November, they'll be able to cast a provisional ballot. They'll have to produce a photo ID for the vote to be counted within six days of the election.

A group of state House Republicans who have gone apostate, mucking up GOP leadership’s plans.  Also from the Post-Gazette, a look at the bitter fight between two Democratic candidates for the state’s 12th Congressional District. The commission announced by Gov. Corbett to re-think higher education meets today for the second time.