Great afternoon everyone and also thanks so much for joining us. Two weeks ago Guv Wolf offered his 2017-2018 budget address before the state legislature, his 3rd budget address as guv. Today we are so pleased to be signed up with by Guv Wolf who will be here to answer your concerns from Facebook on his prepare for Pennsylvania Welcome. I simply desire to offer you a possibility before we obtain to all the fantastic questions we'' ve gotten on Facebook over the weekend– simply type of stroll us via what this 3rd spending plan is everything about. It'' s a little bit various than the past two. It is, it'' s a different approach i assume to budgeting. In the past we'' ve been provided a selection between paying extra or getting much less and what I'' m trying to do right here is state, I'' m not going to increase broad-based– I'' m not proposing increasing broad-based tax obligations– and also what I'' m recommending still is a boost in points that the people of Pennsylvania.
respect like education and learning, like the opioid epidemic, like senior citizens, like jobs.The federal government ought to be aiding supply services bordering those locations, those points that fascinate the individuals of Pennsylvania. I'' m doing that'in my budget plan, that ' s what I proposed without elevating taxes. Simply a suggestion that these concerns have been sent by Pennsylvania people on Guv Wolf ' s Facebook page where we are holding a real-time town hall right now, as well as we have a whole lot of inquiries to get to. We'' re going to start with sort of the information out of Washington nowadays which is the Affordable Care Act being in change as well as so Julie would like to understand just how will certainly obstruct grants from the federal government affect your budget.Julie, that ' s
a fantastic inquiry as well as I don'' t assume any person understands at this moment. Here'' s what we do understand. Over the last 2 years, 700,000 Pennsylvanians have gotten wellness insurance that didn'' t have it prior to. Over 220,000 Pennsylvanians are obtaining treatment. They can now have treatment and also pay for it for compound use condition. Those are points that Pennsylvanians currently have and also we put on'' t understand what ' s going to occur in Washington yet whatever occurs I believe individuals in Washington need to recognize that there will certainly be extreme effects if any one of those 700,000 people locate themselves without medical insurance or any one of those 127,000 individuals discover themselves without the capacity to get treatment for opioid compound problem. Alright allow'' s go on to home taxes. We got a great deal of questions concerning Residence Bill 76 and also just a great deal of people weighing in as well as claiming they can no more pay for the enormous institution real estate tax. Wendy from Monroe County claims, I can not retire in Pennsylvania because I won'' t have sufficient to pay my school tax obligation costs as well as I put on'' t intend to relocate but I will have no option, she says.So can you address sort of what your plan or what your hope for real estate tax reform would remain in Pennsylvania. Yeah and Wendy ' s point is dead-on that there are individuals who are being displaced of their houses since of raising residential or commercial property tax obligations to fund public education. I operated on the issue of building tax relief and that ' s approximately and consisting of building tax obligation elimination for the objective of moneying public education and learning. We just can not have a system that compels individuals out of their residences as their primary source of funding for for the education and learning for our children.We need that education. We require our children to obtain
that education and learning. We can ' t do it at the expenditure of our'people who are being required out of their houses. You ' ve spoke to Republicans as well as Democrats across the aisle. I have talked with Republicans and also Democrats of all political stripes as well as I assume there is there is actual cravings for real real estate tax reform. I think the discussion, dispute needs to be around how we do that, exactly how we execute it, the shift. But I think individuals in this structure get it, We require to have building tax obligation reform. Let ' s go back to the federal government. Eric asks, what are you intending to do regarding Pennsylvania chauffeur ' s licenses that are not going to stand identification for flight inside the United States. That ' s upon us. Yeah Eric ' s speaking about the Real ID program and also Act 38 was established years ago before I was governor but the consequences are coming due now so I phoned call to after that Secretary of Homeland Safety And Security Jeh Johnson and request for an expansion as well as he consented to offer the extension up until June as long as I can obtain a letter signed by the Bulk Leaders of the Us Senate and also Home, and I would certainly authorize it, saying we will certainly work extremely difficult to obtain the abolition of Act 38 which I think this starts in the Senate and also they are a bound as well as established to to do that.But if we obtain that repeal by June after that we have till I believe the middle of October of 2022 to actually carry out the program. That will provide us plenty of time to implement, so the hope is that we really can utilize our driver ' s licenses to enter into buildings. We can utilize our motorist ' s licenses to actually show recognition at airport terminals, and I know PennDOT is'at the front of this as well as they will certainly maintain Pennsylvanians educated of the various modifications. Yeah, I assume the legislature is dealing with this and the hope is that we can really repair this.Let ' s discuss joblessness settlement. Ann from Harleysville states what is being done concerning PA UC. This is not a giveaway we pay an insurance costs
as well as'so do employers and also there ' s no capacity to obtain service when you need it. What do you say to that? Yes that ' s a fair point we in fact, just to give you some history we really reformed the'unemployment compensation system for seasonal workers, for cyclical workers to ensure that'we added I think 40,000-50,000 workers that were now qualified for advantages as well as we did it without threatening the solvency of the system. Among the details of that reform which everybody, Republicans as well as Democrats, Senators and also Representatives, signed onto was to maintain the telephone call centes open for another year and maintain funding them out of the unemployment settlement reserve fund as well as the trust fund and also when we really agreed on how we would certainly expand these benefits a little component of that was to license the labor as well as the guv and Industry Division to make use of money in the count on fund to keep the phone call center is open.That passed your home extremely. Republicans and Democrats. It reached the Us senate and they made a decision not to also elect on it. I ' m ready to sign that as quickly as it gets to my workdesk,
in reality I will drive in my Jeep anywhere from anywhere if I ' m on getaway, on a vacation weekend break whatever to get here to authorize that'because that ' s all it takes, it ' s all set to go and the bill is all set so that it is an unfortunate state of affairs that the expense is there, the reform is there however because the cash was not accredited to really make the telephone call focuses feature as they were supposed to function now there are individuals that have to wait long lengthy hrs to to get the advantages they deserve.Just for any person who ' s joining us we are live on Facebook right now with Guv Wolf as well as we ' re answering a whole range of Facebook questions that are coming in from your audiences on Facebook. Allow ' s shift a little
little bit to perhaps the most crucial concern of your management which is education and learning. Robert from Erie claims, I ' d like to hear just how you are resolving the per pupil discrepancy throughout Pennsylvania where some institution districts receive, he states, virtually three times as much per pupil spending than on other schools. What do you say to that? That ' s a terrific concern we are attempting to and also'I ' ve functioned with both sides of the aisle to create a reasonable financing formula.The reasonable funding formula is based upon, it disperses funds based upon the poverty rate, the number of kids that speak non-English languages, the tax obligation base of the location, the variety of children enrolled in charter schools– take all those things into account to provide a specific percent the number of
dollars. Now the fair funding formula just connects to new dollars going right into education considering that I ended up being governor. I ' ve placed now$ 400-$ 500 million dollars, new cash and also recommending another $200 million this year so it would use to to those brand-new bucks you know but it would attempt to make certain that we ' re giving the locations of biggest require the most cash. And also transitioning once more to country health, Emily from Lancaster claims the United States is facing a looming scarcity of medical professionals by 2025, there will be a deficiency of 60,000 to 90,000 providers so what is Pennsylvania doing to make sure an ample supply of doctors in the future? That ' s a terrific question I think among the issues we face is not just positions generally but settings in specific specializeds like family specialists, primary treatment experts remain in short supply and also part of that relates to I think the nature of tuition rates and also medical colleges and also the state requires to do something there I believe yet we ' re additionally functioning to see to it that that rural, the geographic spread some of the doctor lacks are most obvious in our backwoods so we need to make certain that we do a good task of those supporting country health centers.The Division of Wellness and the Division of Human Being Solutions have actually both been collaborating with the State Wellness as well as Human Being Services, I think at the federal level to safeguard some financing to help us support rural university hospital. Once More the Affordable Care Act that provides Medicaid to people in several instances who use country university hospital to actually compensate those country wellness facilities for the help so there ' s a great deal of points that we ' re trying to do however it ' s it ' s a position lack problem that ' s impending there ' s additionally the concern of geography.There are specific areas where that shortage is most acute I think for particular specialties so we ' re trying to function with all those points to try to address that concern. Cannabis, Liz from Erdenheim, I hope I ' m claiming that right, claims is there anyway Pennsylvania can follow Colorado ' s example'and also obtain their fantastic spending plan excess so for a quarter billion bucks by legalizing marijuana. Below ' s what we ' re doing, we ' ve legalized clinical marijuana. I ran on the legalization of clinical cannabis as well as on the decriminalization of entertainment marijuana as well as I believe that both of those things will certainly first will create some profits, second will decrease the expenditures on things like jails and also our lawful system.I assume directly that we are waiting to see what happens in Colorado, Oregon and also Washington to see just how that actually functions out before we we move past what I ' ve stated I intended to do and also what'we ' ve already, much of which, we ' ve already done. On to, sort of back to your spending plan, this year ' s spending plan David from Frizzleberg states, what do you hope to complete, he claims, by increasing base pay recognizing the impact that it will carry the economy and that however high you elevate it that will constantly be the wage then.I think what you ' re attempting to do with the minimum earnings is adapted to a factor that in fact helps the economic situation, not injures it. Clearly his point is if we raise it to high it ' s not not a good idea,'yet elevating it to the right quantity,'whatever it is, I ' m proposing twelve bucks a hr, really places in this case, relying on your price quote maybe two, a lot more, 2 billion bucks more right into the economic situation therefore that ' s 2 billion even more dollars that individuals need to invest in points like pizza as well as Big Macs and as well as food in the grocery'shop, clothes or things in the in the buck shop, these are things that really include to the economic vitality of Pennsylvania and also in terms of taxes should deserve'anywhere from extra 60-100 million bucks in between individual revenue tax and also the sales tax obligation so the economic activity is, that is.You additionally must conserve cash with a minimal wage, today you can work full-time at base pay in Pennsylvania seven dollars and twenty-five cents an hour At that rate, you function 2000 hours a year and also you ' re still going to get things like food stamps or the youngsters ' s health and wellness insurance coverage program both of those points cost taxpayers money so a base pay to a sensible degree would in fact increase financial activity as well as save the federal government and all taxpayers from needing to spend cash on social solutions. It ' s something you ' ve been saying since day one
as well as as well as in 2014 you took a trip the state and you met a great deal of organization owners as well as it looked like you obtained a great reception.I succeeded and likewise I paid well above the minimum wage. The base pay was not something that that would certainly be a problem I believe for for entrepreneur, this is something that really overall in the accumulation would really raise need which would certainly be an advantage for organization. You have a lot of methods to check out it. Definitely. Allow ' s go to Sheila ' s examine I ' m going to review it verbatim she says dear Guv Wolf thank you for voicing your support for better financing for grownups with handicaps I would such as suggestions now from you on exactly how households of the handicapped can aid make the legislature make the
modifications you ' ve asked for. Well thanks significantly for that I think the best thing is to contact your state senator, your state rep, and claim I truly support raising financing for grownups with specials needs and I wish that you will certainly support the governor in making these increases come true.Okay, pensions. Ready for that? Okay. Claudia doesn ' t provide a'place she asks what are you mosting likely to do concerning the debilitating pension plan program and we heard this from a lot of our visitors on Facebook and she said pensions are killing us in taxes, state staff members simply need to switch to a 401k much like the remainder of us. That ' s a good pointer I believe state staff members are prepared to to visit a defined payment strategy, that ' s what a 401k is, the Residence Democrats and Us senate actually passed an expense that would certainly be a hybrid that we have a mix of both defined advantage and also defined contribution, so did the Senate, they were not able to obtain and integrate to a point'both of them might settle on however I ' m all set to authorize of pension bill that does 3 things that lowers the risk, reduces the expenditures for the republic, and is fair to employees.I believe those are things that we require and also I assume, she ' s right, that we can do this with a defined contribution plan, just require to do it the appropriate way. Let me simply explain that the reason, the big factor we have this shortage is just partially as a result of the specified benefit layout of the strategy, the big reason we have this unfunded obligation is since the Commonwealth for numerous years did not pay its expense therefore we currently need to offset the lack of the job that was done in the past so it doesn ' t matter what the layout is, we have a big liability and that ' s mosting likely to be there no matter what sort of plan we develop. PJ from Edgely says when you were being elected among your bottom lines was you would certainly position taxes on the fracking market below in Pennsylvania as well as yet nothing'has passed thus far so what are you doing to get any kind of bills passed that will place tax obligations on these fracking as well as pipe markets? Well I ' ve been functioning, in each of my budgets I recommended a severance tax obligation as well as in the very first two years they were declined by the legislature, I once again proposed a severance tax in this budget and my hope is that ultimately the Legislature will concur with most of Pennsylvanians that we need a severance tax.In the meantime I ' m additionally working to chat to the industry and so you'recognize this is truly something you want to be for you desire people of Pennsylvania to share in the advantages of having this all-natural resource below our feet as well as praise you for extracting it and we can do that if a few of the cash that you ' re making goes to fund our colleges and also by the means Pennsylvania is the only significant gas generating state without a severance tax so there are a whole lot of great reasons we require to obtain this and I ' m wishing that perhaps this year the legislature will certainly see factor. Discuss what you ' re recommending this year. This year in my budget proposal it was a six-and-a-half percent tax obligation on the marketplace value at the wellhead yet you get a hundred percent minus hundred percent credit rating for the influence cost which gas drills are currently'paying so it ' s an affordable tax obligation and again John Kasich, Governor Kasich of Ohio, his proposal is a much higher severance tax obligation so we actually should do this it would certainly it would benefit the our kids our colleges and a nice help to our budget.Okay allow ' s speak a little about pet misuse, that ' s something if you tuned into the local information at all below in Harrisburg over the last a number of months we ' ve heard a lot around, House Bill 869 it ' s previously called Libres Legislation as well as Chris asked is there any kind of focus on Home Bill 869 if that it makes it to your desk and I ' m sorry I ' m mosting likely to reword this, he claims is there even more assistance throughout the board this time around for that Libres Regulation and will certainly you sign it if you get it at your desk.Well initially indeed I will authorize it if it reaches my workdesk and I thought it was going to get to my desk last time around since I assume there need to be extremely broad assistance, this makes perfect feeling so I ' m uncertain why didn ' t reach my desk, but yes I will certainly authorize it if it gets arrive. Okay right back to your budget and also a large one in your budget Eric from Warren says with the loan consolidation of the human solutions division such as the Division of Aging what will certainly take place to the Area Agencies on Aging in all the areas, will they remain in place as is, will certainly many people be placed out of job, as well as will the elderly be'left left without advocates. Absolutely not the consolidation of the 4 various firms that is an effort to actually enhance solutions so
the Area Agencies on Aging I'think you must see as well as their customers must see better solutions as an outcome of this, and also I. look back at the important things we ' ve done best for our citizens have actually been where
firms have in fact interacted like the opioid dilemma, material usage problem situation that ' s actually a collaboration with the Division Human Providers, Division of Wellness, Division of Aging as well as Division Drug as well as Alcohol Programs all those agencies function with each other and also I believe have actually done a good job in assisting Pennsylvania get its arms around the substance usage disorder, of the opioid epidemic and I see the same point for for Aging, the Division of Aging is a solid champ for the senior, we need that sort of promoting of the elderly in Pennsylvania.I ' m trying to identify a means to do it even better than we ' re doing it right now and I assume this debt consolidation will certainly aid us do that. And an additional one we ' ve gotten a lot of questions concerning concerning this year ' s budget, Lonnie from Dessert Valley he ' s asking regarding the$ 25 fee to fund the Pennsylvania State Authorities
that cover community areas that put on ' t have their very own police that ' s something that you proposed in this spending plan just speak about that a little and the reasoning behind why the Republic ' s requires to go this instructions. Sure there are two points firstly this is something that more and much more communities are selecting and also who can blame them, right now the rule is that. if you have your very own Authorities Division and you wish to transfer to State Cops insurance coverage you can do that free of cost, so you minimize your very own expenses by removing your police department as well as merely relocating to the State Cops coverage, as well as most of us know there ' s nothing that ' s free therefore that ' s an issue for everyone else, it was aiding to pay for,'defray the price of that.The 2nd thing mores than the means the price is defrayed is that we wind up with less bridges and also roads that are fixed or built, the cash that is being made use of by Pennsylvania State Police to money this complimentary service protection is generally coming out of Act 89 cash, cash that happened, a tax obligation that was'put in location before I came into office however'it indicates that every town, that enroll in this totally free State Police Service, the rest of us, everyone obtain less bridges and fewer roads repaired to make sure that it ' s not lasting, we need to relocate. on as well as 25 dollars per head is an extremely small charge contrasted to what districts with their very own police are paying. As well as the municipality would certainly pay that. Yeah however definitely they would pass it with as tax to their residents however somehow all of us are paying for this coverage whether via the sales tax obligation or the earnings tax obligation or the chance tax obligation that we owe the possibility, inevitable, of having bridges and also roads that'are up to snuff.The opioid crisis that we ' ve yapped concerning over the last you know numerous years, Jeanie from Natrona Heights had actually asked regarding problems that once more with the debt consolidation of the Division of Alcohol And Drug Programs right into a larger health and human services agency, will that make things tougher, will that you understand sort of stall efforts to combat this epidemic.
I ' m ready to authorize that as soon as it obtains to my desk,
in truth I will certainly drive in my Jeep anywhere from anywhere if I ' m on vacation, on a vacation weekend whatever to obtain here to sign that'because that ' s all it takes, it ' s ready to go and the expense is ready so that it is a depressing state of events that the costs is there, the reform is there yet because the cash was not accredited to actually make the phone call centers function as they were intended to operate now there are people who have to wait long long hours to to obtain the advantages they deserve.Just for anyone that ' s joining us we are live on Facebook right currently with Governor Wolf and also we ' re answering an entire range of Facebook inquiries that are coming in from your visitors on Facebook. Once Again the Affordable Care Act that offers Medicaid to individuals in lots of cases who make use of country health and wellness centers to in fact compensate those country health centers for the help so there ' s a great deal of points that we ' re attempting to do but it ' s it ' s a placement scarcity problem that ' s looming there ' s likewise the problem of geography.There are certain areas where that scarcity is most acute I assume for particular specialties so we ' re attempting to work with all those things to attempt to attend to that problem. Right here ' s what we ' re doing, we ' ve legalized clinical cannabis. Absolutely not the debt consolidation of the four various agencies that is an effort to actually improve solutions so
the Area Agencies on Aging I'think you should need to and and also clients customers ought to better services solutions a result of this, and As well as look back at the things points ' ve done best for our citizens people have actually where
agencies firms actually worked together like the opioid crisisSituation substance material disorder condition situation ' s actually really partnership with the Department Human PersonProviders Department of HealthHealth and wellness Department of Aging and And also Division medicine As well as Programs all those agencies firms function with each other As well as think believe have actually a good job work helping Assisting get its arms around the substance material disorder, of the opioid epidemic and And also see the same thing for for Aging, the Department of Aging is a strong solid for the elderly, we need that kind of championing of the elderly senior Pennsylvania.I ' m trying attempting figure out a way means do it even also than we ' re doing it right now and And also think this consolidation debt consolidation will certainly aid do that. As well as one more one we ' ve obtained a lot of questions concerning regarding this year ' s budget, Lonnie from Sugary Food Valley he ' s asking about the$ 25 charge to fund the Pennsylvania State Cops
that cover municipal areas locations don ' t have their own very own authorities that ' s something that you proposed suggested this budget budget plan talk about that a little bit and the reasoning thinking why the Commonwealth ' s needs requires go this directionInstructionsNo if I believed that were to, would make points harder I wouldn'' t have actually done it, the the suggestion behind breaking down these firm obstacles, these walls and also silos is to actually improve solution as well as I check out what we'' ve done so far in the opioid epidemic and also I think we'' ve done so great, we have a whole lot of job to do yet we'' ve got some great points done and also that'' s because people in the Department Alcohol And Drug Programs as well as the Department of Human Being Solutions
and Health as well as Aging have actually all functioned with each other as well as that they concentrate on what'' s right for the citizens instead of you know exactly how does this support someone who made a decision, that recognizes the number of years ago, that we need to have a different agency for this and a separate agency for that I wish to assist the residents of Pennsylvania as well as I wish to do what'' s best for the people rather than what ' s best for some crash of history.I ' m proceeding on that subject, Julia states exist any brand-new strategies to manage the climbing overdose prices in the state. Narcan availability is a beginning but does the state mean to resolve the dependency problem itself with rehabilitation centers, community outreach, we have to do even more to solve the issue instead of just treat the signs and symptoms. I agree absolutely and also I think if you consider what we'' ve been doing we created 45 facilities of quality therapy centers in 2014 the last ones are simply obtaining up and running now so this will be the very first fiscal year where
Okay, many thanks for the invite We ' ll obtain it on the timetable alright let ' s relocate on to Erica from Downingtown she wants to recognize where we are in terms of equality for all Pennsylvanians in the location of work, healthcare, housing, public accommodations as it relates to LGBTQ neighborhood and also I ' m simply going to review what he created also because i believe it ' s that important.Every northeastern state has anti discrimination versus sexual positioning and also lots of wear ' t allow discrimination versus gender identification or expression. The what is it has actually not been worked out and also will certainly be functioned out with employees and the legislature, it takes legislative activity to make a discussion, but clearly it ' s one that ' s going to have to be reasonable to the staff members if it they want to take it and also that ' s the nature of very early retired life it ' s volunteer it ' s up to the the employee and we ' ll do our ideal to make it one that is attractive but it probably won ' t make much of a difference in terms of the unfunded liability however it will really aid in terms of the immediate temporary expenditures in fact the lasting costs in terms of helping us improve government to figure out just how we can get to the point where we ' re in fact doing a lot more for citizens however with less, very early retired life is a portion of that strategy.Adam from Altoona states, Guv Wolf have you thought regarding the financial benefits of a statewide Veterans Court. Yeah I ' m not sure, I ought to be a better constitutional scholar, however I believe the means we do it the nature of courts are actually under the direction of the regions as well as so the way it ' s been done so far is that each area that establishes whether it ' s going to have a medicine court, one of the things in my spending plan is to offer economic help to counties that are considering drug courts, so I believe they ' re.
Okay, thanks for the invitation We ' ll get it on the schedule alright let ' s relocate on to Erica from Downingtown she desires to recognize where we are in terms of equality for all Pennsylvanians in the area of employment, medical care, housing, public holiday accommodations as it connects to LGBTQ community and I ' m just going to read what he wrote as well since i believe it ' s that important.Every northeastern state has anti discrimination against sex-related alignment and also several wear ' t allow discrimination versus gender identification or expression. The what is it has not been worked out and will certainly be functioned out with employees and the legislature, it takes legislative action to make a discussion, however undoubtedly it ' s one that ' s going to have to be fair to the employees if it they desire to take it and also that ' s the nature of very early retirement it ' s volunteer it ' s up to the the employee and also we ' ll do our best to make it one that is attractive however it possibly won ' t make much of a difference in terms of the unfunded liability however it will in fact help in terms of the instant temporary expenditures actually the lasting expenses in terms of helping us improve federal government to figure out just how we can obtain to the factor where we ' re really doing extra for people however with much less, very early retirement is a part of that strategy.Adam from Altoona states, Governor Wolf have you believed concerning the monetary benefits of a statewide Veterans Court. Yeah I ' m not sure, I must be a much better constitutional scholar, but I think the means we do it the nature of courts are truly under the instructions of the areas and also so the means it ' s been done so much is that each region that establishes whether it ' s going to have a medication court, one of the things in my budget plan is to give economic support to regions who are thinking about drug courts, so I assume they ' re.