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Friday, August 24, 2007

Keeping up with Pennsylvania scandals

It's getting harder to keep up with all the scandals involving Pennsylvania officials and state government. Thank God we have so many bloggers and other government watchdogs on the case.

Here's a quick guide to some of the shenanigans going on in Ed Rendell's Keystone State:

of The Morning Call reports on the growing red ink in the two state pension funds in a story headlined Taxpayers poised to pay $2 billion for pensions

Also in today's Morning-Call, John Micek has an update on the State Police gun sales fiasco in a story headlined, "Gun sales suspension questioned." Read it here.

The Associated Press is reporting today that gun dealers have filed a lawsuit against Pennsylvania to prevent the shutdown of the State Police computer used for criminal background checks, effectively stopping all gun sales during the start of dove and Canadian geese hunting seasons. Somebody buy the State Police a calendar.

Rendell's Labor Secretary, Stephen Schmerin, is facing ethical questions (this seems to be a pattern in the governor's cabinet) from a contractor, according to The Associated Press. You can read "State labor chief has conflict, contractor claims" here.

Tracie Mauriello of the Pittsburg Post-Gazette reports on the fallout from the latest bonus scandal at PHEAA, the state's student loan agency. There's talk of a shakeup at the scandal-plagued agency.

Tom Barnes has a story in today's Post-Gazette about Republican efforts to increase the financial and political independence of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Read about it here.

Lowman Henry comments on Rendell failed to effectively deal with PA highway crisis at The Lincoln Blog.

And my favorite editorial of the day is from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, which points out that Pennsylvania welfare costs have risen from $6.5 billion to $9.7 billion or nearly 50 percent under Gov. Rendell. Read about the looming welfare crisis.

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