The LuLac Edition #5, 017, November 3rd, 2023

 

LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATES DEBATE

The candidates for Luzerne County Council got together last week for a debate sponsored by the Wilkes-Barre League of Women Voters. Our friend Scott Canon from Video Innovations put it up on You Tube and here’s what happened. 

 

WITH APOLOGIES TO DAN MEUSER

A few weeks ago in LuLac I wrote that Dan Meuser was not qualified to be the Speaker of the House. My reasoning was that on January 6^th after Trumpanzees stormed the Capitol attacking police, that he voted against certifying the election of President Biden.

When the merry go round of silliness was going on to get to a Speaker, Meuser stepped out and called for unity. A few days later a new Speaker, Mike Johnson totally inexperienced and very, very anti American values became the new guy. Meueser was/is not this guy. While Meuser has beliefs., he does not seem to be guided by the Bible on public policy. He can recognize the difference between church and state.Plus Meuser as a former Revenue Secretary for the state under the Corbett administration  knows the value of revenue flow. Johnson's plan to defund the IRS would cost billions.

Sorry Congressman. You might be to the right of many of us but at least you’re on the same planet. Keep your powder dry because Johnson is going to be a trqain wreck and you just might be called upon. Soon.

 

REP. CARTWRIGHT, SEN. MERKLEY REINTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO CREATE JOBS AND MODERNIZE AMERICAN MANUFACTURING

Representative Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08), vice chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) reintroduced the Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act, legislation to create jobs and help reduce energy costs for small and medium-sized manufacturers.

“We have an opportunity to boost American manufacturing, all while helping companies cut costs and improve the economy. As companies of all sizes rethink their operations, this legislation can help them reduce costs through modern energy solutions,” said Congressman Cartwright. “Investing in energy efficient manufacturing is good for our workers, our economy, our clean air and our national energy security.”

“Strengthening manufacturing in America is a win-win. If we don't make things in America, we won't have a middle class in America,” said Senator Merkley. “Now is the time to invest in energy efficiency retrofits that will create good-paying jobs. The Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act makes America’s small manufacturing businesses more competitive and also reduces energy waste.”

Nearly a quarter of energy used in the United States is consumed by the manufacturing sector, where there is an enormous opportunity for cost savings. Investing in cost-effective energy efficiency measures could save businesses hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

In addition to cutting energy costs, investing in energy-efficient manufacturing programs is a job multiplier. The energy efficiency sector already employs over two million workers, and it continues to grow.

The Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act will create manufacturing and construction jobs by authorizing up to $600 million to establish a Financing Energy Efficient Manufacturing Program under the Department of Energy (DOE). This funding can be used by small- to medium-sized manufacturers for energy-efficient upgrades like sustainability retrofits, onsite clean energy generation, power facilities that recycle and reuse waste energy, and smart micro-grid systems. The program prioritizes American iron and steel materials along with American-made products, ultimately growing our economy while strengthening our energy security for years to come.

This legislation is endorsed by the BlueGreen Alliance, Combined Heat and Power Alliance, Good Energy Collective, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, and the National Association of State Energy Officials.

Additional co-sponsors of this legislation in the U.S. House are Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Andre Carson (IN-07), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Paul Tonko (NY-20).

 

CASEY ANNOUNCES $193.5 MILLION TO HELP PA FAMILIES WITH HOME ENERGY COSTS AHEAD OF WINTER SEASON

MORE THAN A QUARTER OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLE WITH HOME ENERGY BILLS

FUNDING WILL HELP PA FAMILIES STAY SAFE AND WARM IN THEIR HOMES DURING THE WINTER SEASON

FAMILIES SHOULD VISIT ENERGYHELP.US TO SEE IF THEY QUALIFY FOR ASSISTANCE

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

, U.S. Senator Bob Casey announced $193,486,298 to help lower heating costs for Pennsylvania families this winter. The funding comes from the Low Income Home Energy Assistant Program (LIHEAP) and will help low-income households in Pennsylvania with their home heating bills in the winter and cooling bills in the summer. Senator Casey is encouraging families to visit energyhelp.us to see if they qualify for assistance.  

“As it gets colder outside, heating bills are rising—stretching Pennsylvania families’ budgets even thinner than they currently are,” said Senator Casey. “This funding will keep Pennsylvanians safe and warm in their homes this winter without breaking the bank. This is another example of how I’m working to lower costs for Pennsylvania families struggling to make ends meet.”

Additionally, LIHEAP can be used to weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient, and during disasters and extreme weather to mitigate energy emergencies. This year, more families will be able to access LIHEAP funding than ever before, as the annual funding amount has been bolstered by an additional $100 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act FY2024 appropriation.

 

GOVERNOR SHAPIRO LAUNCHES FIRST-IN-THE-NATION ONLINE MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE SYSTEM TO BRING INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY TO COMMONWEALTH PERMITTING, LICENSING, AND CERTIFICATION PROCESSES

PAYBACK.PA.GOV DELIVERS ON THE GOVERNOR’S PROMISE TO ESTABLISH STANDARD RESPONSE TIMES AND CREATE A MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE SYSTEM FOR PENNSYLVANIA WORKERS AND BUSINESSES, INCREASING CERTAINTY FOR PENNSYLVANIANS AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR COMMONWEALTH AGENCIES.

THE SHAPIRO ADMINISTRATION HAS SET STANDARD PROCESSING TIMELINES FOR PERMITS, LICENSES, AND CERTIFICATIONS – SO PENNSYLVANIA WORKERS AND BUSINESSES CAN PLAN AHEAD AND KNOW WITH CERTAINTY HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO PROCESS THEIR APPLICATION, OR THEY’LL GET THEIR MONEY BACK.

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)

Governor Josh Shapiro, the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience (CODE PA), and the Office of Transformation and Opportunity (OTO) launched PAyback.pa.gov, a new online money-back guarantee system that allows residents, businesses, charities, and schools to check their eligibility for a refund of their permit, license, or certification application fee and request a refund if they believe they are eligible. Using PAyback, Pennsylvania workers and businesses can also see the standard processing time for each application, increasing certainty for Pennsylvanians doing business with the Commonwealth, and request a refund if their application is not processed within that timeframe.

The Shapiro Administration has already made significant progress by improving or eliminating the long wait times to receive hundreds of permits, licenses, and certifications. In his first month in office, Governor Shapiro signed Executive Order 2023-07 directing all state agencies to standardize timeframes for how they issue permits, licenses, and certifications, and directed his Administration to create this money-back guarantee tool to request refunds when the Commonwealth does not meet those timeframes.

Within 90 days of signing that Executive Order, every Commonwealth agency under the Governor’s jurisdiction catalogued all 2,400 total permits, licenses and certifications issued for the first time ever. The OTO and the Office of General Counsel immediately mobilized to review, analyze, and establish efficient application processing times for allpermits, licenses, and certifications based on agency recommendations. In coordination with the OTO, the CODE PA team designed and created PAyback to modernize the Commonwealth’s application platforms and services to better serve Pennsylvanians and to publish the recommended application processing times.

“When I took office in January, I made a promise to the good people of Pennsylvania that my Administration would work at the speed of business and respond in a timely manner. Today, with the launch of PAyback, we are delivering on that promise, increasing transparency and accountability in the application process and giving Pennsylvanians the certainty they need to be successful,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “My Administration has made significant progress already to improve our processing timelines – eliminating backlogs and reducing the time it takes to do business with the Commonwealth. Now, thanks to the work of our teams at the Office of Transformation and Opportunity, the Office of General Counsel, the Office of Administration, and CODE PA, Pennsylvanians will have certainty – they will know how long it will take for agencies to respond, and if an agency doesn’t live up to that promise, they will get their money back.”

Pennsylvania workers and businesses will now be able to use the PAyback application to select the specific permit, license, or certification to determine if their application is eligible for a refund. Once a resident or business completes their refund application on PAyback, the application will go directly to the Commonwealth agency issuing the permit, license, or certification. If an application is approved, Pennsylvanians will be notified within three business days and receive their refund via check within 45 days.

Approximately 70% of Commonwealth-issued permits, licenses, and certifications are eligible for a refund through PAyback. Certain permits, licenses, and certifications that don’t charge application fees or are set by legislation will not be eligible for a refund. PAyback will only apply for completed applications starting today, November 1, 2023. Pennsylvanians cannot retroactively apply for a refund using PAyback.

In addition to supporting Pennsylvanians who want to start new businesses or renew their existing permits, licenses, and certifications, PAyback will make it easier for companies who are looking to establish operations and expand in Pennsylvania.

“Making government more efficient and effective for the people of Pennsylvania means that our online and digital services must work faster and be easy to access and navigate,” said CODE PA Executive Director Bry Pardoe. “CODE PA is working to transform how Pennsylvanians interact with the Commonwealth online – and the launch of PAyback today is the latest step in the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in delivering services that will make Pennsylvanians’ lives better.”

“Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, we are creating transformational change in Pennsylvania to better support our workers and businesses. This Administration is competitive as hell – and our ultimate goal remains to issue zero refunds because we are continuing to deliver services on time, and this system will help keep us accountable,” said Chief Transformation Officer Ben Kirshner. “Today’s launch of PAyback builds on the progress we’ve made over the last ten months and is our latest step to provide Pennsylvanians with the certainty and predictability they need to start their businesses or careers and create long-term economic success.”

In addition to creating PAyback, the Shapiro Administration has been working to help businesses and workers from across Pennsylvania receive faster and more efficient services from the Commonwealth and has already made real progress. Since January, the Shapiro Administration has eliminated the backlog of Medicaid provider applications, eliminated the birth certificate amendment backlog, reduced the time it takes to process new in-state teacher certifications, reduced the average phone wait time for Unemployment Compensation assistance, reduced the average processing times for business and corporate filings from eight weeks to just 3 days, and reduced the time it takes to certify a small business from 15 days to 10 days.

Moving forward, the Shapiro Administration will continue its work to improve the permitting, licensing, and certification processes by filling key vacancies, updating the Commonwealth’s IT and technological assets, improving the application processes, and more.

To check your eligibility for a refund of permits, licenses, or certification application fees, visit payback.pa.gov.

For more information on the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to cut red tape and make government more effective and efficient, visit pa.gov/cuttingredtape.

 

 MEDIA MATTERS

SNEDEKER DECKS OUT FOR HALLOWEEN

WNEP weathercaster Joe Snedecker was decked out in suit and tie looking very corporate on Halloween. The Send who usually is Joe casual wearing shorts or a hoody in the AM said he dressed because the worse thing anyone can do is not be themselves. Thus, the disguise. It got a lot of comments on Talkback 16 as well as on social media. Plus, he cleaned up nice.

 

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

 You'll hear the program Sunday at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400 am The Mothership and 7:30 am on 105 The River.

 

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SATURDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP

 

1954

Our 1954 logo

Landslides caused by heavy rains hit Salerno, Italy, killing about 300…….the Muslim Brotherhood member Mahmoud Abdul Latif tries to kill Gamal Abdel Nasser….in the Algerian War of Independence: The Algerian National Liberation Front begins a revolt against French rule………The FLN attacks representative and public buildings of the French colonial power……The National Liberation Front, commonly known by its French acronym FLN…The FLN was established in 1954 from a split in the Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties from members of the Special Organization paramilitary; its armed wing, the National Liberation Army, participated in the Algerian War from 1954 to 1962. After the Évian Accords of 1962, the party purged internal dissent and ruled Algeria as a one-party state. After the 1988 October Riots and the Algerian Civil War (1991–2002) against Islamist groups, the FLN was reelected to power in the 2002 Algerian legislative election, and has generally remained in power ever since, although sometimes needing to form coalitions with other partiesThe dock workers' strike in the UK comes to an end……..The radio program Hancock's Half Hour, a pioneer in situation comedy, is first broadcast on BBC Radio (a television version will follow in 1956)……..The first Godzilla film premieres in Tokyo……..Japan and Burma sign a peace treaty in Rangoon, to end their long-extinct state of war…and this week in 1954 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Cross Over The Bridge” by Patti Page.