Pa. lawmakers return to work today to face budget crisis Two hundred and fifty-two men and women, from Erie to Easton and points in between, will gather here today, take the oath of office as legislators, and immediately confront the reality that the state is sinking deeper into a fiscal quagmire. So bad is the economic outlook that many believe the 2009-10 legislative session, which starts today, will for months be dominated by delicate decisions over how best to cut programs and raise taxes to make ends meet.
Legislature returns to a peck of trouble
John Baer: Quagmire awaits the Pa. Legislature
Figure in probe of Richardson gave to Rendell The president of the California company at the center of an investigation into the awarding of state contracts in New Mexico also gave money to Gov. Ed Rendell.David Rubin of CDR Financial Products Inc. contributed $40,000 to Rendell's campaign between 2001 and 2005. CDR has had a contract with Pennsylvania since 2004, and Rubin was an unpaid adviser to Rendell in 2003.New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has backed out of consideration for U.S. commerce secretary over a federal grand jury investigation into state contracts awarded to CDR.
Pa., 10 other states to promote cleaner fuels Pennsylvania is teaming with 10 other states in the Northeast to develop a policy to cut greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels.The states' thrust will be to develop a regional low-carbon fuel policy that could include focusing on advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol, Gov. Ed Rendell announced yesterday. "This effort will analyze low-carbon fuel supply options and develop a framework for a regional standard to ensure sustainable use of renewable fuels," the governor's office said in a statement.
