Posts by sharon ward

670,000 Working Moms in PA Rely on Key Federal Tax Credits

Posted by Sharon Ward on May 10, 2013 12:16 pm
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With Mother's Day approaching this weekend, we are highlighting new research showing that 670,000 working moms in Pennsylvania rely on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Both tax credits also lifted nearly 118,000 Pennsylvania children out of poverty annually between 2009 and 2011.

A Missed Opportunity to Close Corporate Tax Loopholes

Posted by Sharon Ward on May 7, 2013 10:37 am
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The Pennsylvania House voted 129-65 Monday to approve legislation enacting hundreds of millions in new corporate tax cuts in the years ahead.

PA Study Finds Nonprofits Aren't Getting Rich Off the Public Dollar

Posted by Sharon Ward on May 1, 2013 10:08 am
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On April 16, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) quickly and quietly disposed of a study of the salaries of nonprofit and for-profit human service providers.

Did Your Representative Vote to Close the Delaware Loophole?

Posted by Sharon Ward on April 25, 2013 10:18 am
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The Pennsylvania House of Representatives had a choice Wednesday to take REAL steps to close the Delaware loophole or to give a pass to profitable corporations that have sheltered millions of dollars in Delaware, Nevada and other states.

Guess what they did? See how your representative voted on an amendment that would — finally — take steps to end this corporate tax avoidance practice once and for all.

Podcast: Corporate Tax Cut Bill Moves in Pa. House

Posted by Sharon Ward on April 23, 2013 2:04 pm
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The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is moving forward with Governor Tom Corbett's plan to enact hundreds of millions in new corporate tax cuts over the course of a decade that will come at the expense of investments in schools, infrastructure and local services. Listen to my media briefing this morning to get the latest and what it means for the commonwealth and its citizens. 

Why Pennsylvania Should Close Tax Loopholes

Posted by Sharon Ward on April 15, 2013 1:55 pm
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On Tax Day, I wanted to share my recent op-ed for PennLive.com on Governor Corbett's tax cut plan and the need for real tax reform in Pennsylvania.

Governor's Corporate Tax Cut Plan Will Cost $800 Million

Posted by Sharon Ward on April 11, 2013 9:40 am
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I am testifying before the Pennsylvania House Finance Committee today on Governor Tom Corbett's plan to cut the state's corporate net income tax rate by 30% over a decade. This tax cut, along with a number of other tax policy changes, will cost the commonwealth — conservatively — more than $800 million annually when fully phased in.

Expanding Health Coverage Smart Thing to Do in PA

Posted by Sharon Ward on April 2, 2013 12:43 pm
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Governor Tom Corbett is meeting with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today to discuss the opportunity to expand Medicaid health coverage in Pennsylvania. As we await news from that meeting, I wanted to share the following op-ed I co-authored with Raymond Castro of New Jersey Policy Perspective, making the case that Governor Corbett should follow the lead of New Jersey's governor and expand health coverage to hundreds of thousands of hardworking Pennsylvanians.

Ed Rendell’s Frack Attack

Posted by Sharon Ward on April 1, 2013 2:31 pm
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Former Governor Ed Rendell got into some hot water last week with an op-ed in the New York Daily News touting the economic benefits of hydrofracking. ProPublica quickly outed the Governor for his ties to the drilling industry, and Rendell owned up to the fact that he is a consultant to Element Partners, which has investments in the gas industry. The Daily News has added a note to its web site disclosing the financial arrangement.

Pennsylvania Could Lose Billions Under Ryan Budget

Federal Medicaid and CHIP Funding Cut by 31% Under Ryan Block Grant in 2023Federal deficit reduction should not fall squarely on the backs of low-income and middle-class families. Yet that is exactly what happens in the budget plan approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives.

That plan, authored by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, cuts critical federal funding for Pennsylvania's schools, health care, clean water, law enforcement, and other key services, while providing big new tax cuts to corporations and the wealthiest individuals.