The Independent Fiscal Office and state Department of Revenue have released November revenue reports. For the month of November, state General Fund collections totaled $2.3 billion and were $90.9 million higher than anticipated. The increase was largely due to the sales and use tax and corporate net income tax, which offset lower than…
Funding Provides Emergency Shelter, Heating Assistance
The commonwealth has awarded Emergency Solutions Grant funding from the CARES Act to entities that provide services across 20 counties. The funds will be used to provide emergency shelter in preparation for the winter months. Assistance is also available until…
Reminder: Commission Accepting Municipal Applications for Boating Facility Grants
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is offering Boating Facility Grants to help communities capitalize on the increase in new boating activity. Townships and other municipalities may apply for these grants, as well as certain nonprofits, by December 30, 2020. The…
IFO Releases Natural Gas Production Report
The state Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) has released a natural gas production report for the third quarter of 2020 that includes natural gas production volume and the number of new wells drilled in the prior quarters. The counties with the highest number of new wells in 2020 are Susquehanna, Washington,…
Townships Eligible for USDA Grant Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for its Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program. Townships with populations of 20,000 or less are eligible for the program. Funds may be used to purchase essential community facilities, equipment,…
PennDOT Says It Must Borrow Funds or Stop Projects
The state Department of Transportation has said it will run out of funds and have to stop or delay many current projects unless it receives emergency approval to borrow $600 million by December 1. The department claims that this is primarily due to less revenue from gasoline taxes…
DEP Announces New Round of Section 902 Grants for Recycling
The state Department of Environmental Protection has announced that a new grant round is open to municipalities for recycling programs under Section 902 of the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling, and Waste Reduction Act. The application deadline is January 29, 2021….
DEP Awards Grants for Recycling, Water Quality Improvement in Chesapeake Bay
The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced grant awards to municipalities for recycling programs under Section 902 of the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling, and Waste Reduction Act. More than $26.8 million in grants was awarded to 127 municipalities,…
PA Unemployment Rate Drops to 7.3 percent
The state Department of Labor and Industry has announced that Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate for October dropped from 8.1% to 7.3%, just four-tenths of a percent above the national unemployment rate of 6.9%. Over the past six months, Pennsylvania has recovered 56.3% of its total non-farm jobs lost in March and April. Click here to learn more.
LCB Waives 2021 Liquor License Fees for Breweries, Wineries, and Distilleries
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board approved, by a vote of 2-1, the waiver of an estimated $1.8 million in license fees in 2021 for manufacturing licensees, such as wineries, breweries, and distilleries. LCB Board member Mike Negra, who made the…
