Breaking down Wolf’s budget proposal

Also, insights into State-of-the-Union and Iowa Caucus

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Matt Rourke / AP Photo

Pennsylvania State Capitol building in Harrisburg, Pa

Gov. Tom Wolf proposed a $36.1 billion state budget Tuesday that doesn’t count on any widespread tax increases — even though Wolf’s plan increases spending by almost a billion and a half dollars.

Under the governor’s proposal, public schools in Pennsylvania would get an additional $100 million, the formula for funding charter schools would be changed to one set tuition of $9,500 per student compared to nearly $8,000 to $21,000 charters currently receive depending on which school district they’re in, raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026, charge a fee to residents of municipalities that don’t have their own police departments but instead use the state police for coverage.

Republican legislators criticized Wolf’s budget for spending too much.

Even though not budget related, Gov. Wolf also called for stricter gun laws, including a red flag law that would temporarily take guns away from people considered a danger to themselves or others.

Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna appears on Wednesday’s Smart Talk to break down Gov. Wolf’s budget outline.

Meanwhile, Dr. Madonna also provides insight into two other political events with major consequences this week — President Trump’s State-of-the-Union Address and the problem-laden Iowa Caucuses.

Dr. G. Terry Madonna appeared on Smart Talk on February 5, 2020.