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Our opinion: State’s fiscal challenges alarming

Since all seats of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and about half of those of the state Senate will be on the state’s 2026 election ballots, it’s safe to surmise that commonwealth residents need not fear a state income tax increase, no matter when the Legislature completes its work on a budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The purported deadline for completion of that budget is June 30, but it took the General Assembly more than four extra months beyond June 30 of this year for work on 2025-26’s $50 billion spending package to be finished. It was a mess for which the ...

Our opinion: Support area business at holidays

Tens of millions of Americans will do most, if not all, their holiday season shopping with giant online retail operations this year. They will argue that it is more convenient or safer for them to do so rather than patronize local brick-and-mortar stores. Local retailers, from mom-and-pop specialty shops to the big-box stores, rely on Christmas shoppers for significant chunks of the revenue that keep them open year-round. If they have a bad holiday shopping season, they suffer terribly. Some may not survive long into the new year. So what? Well, put on your thinking cap for a ...

Our opinion: Body camera idea makes sense

Expanding the use of body cameras to state game officials, DCNR rangers and Fish and Boat Commission officers and deputies makes a lot of sense. So much sense, in fact, that it’s hard to believe it wasn’t part of the original 2015 legislation that gave approval for Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed legislation that will expand the use of body cameras to include state game officials, DCNR rangers and Fish and Boat Commission officers and deputies. Trained officers of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania Game Commission to wear body cameras. Waterways ...

Our opinion: Body camera idea makes sense

Expanding the use of body cameras to state game officials, DCNR rangers and Fish and Boat Commission officers and deputies makes a lot of sense. So much sense, in fact, that it’s hard to believe it wasn’t part of the original 2015 legislation that gave approval for Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed legislation that will expand the use of body cameras to include state game officials, DCNR rangers and Fish and Boat Commission officers and deputies. Trained officers of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania Game Commission to wear body cameras. Waterways ...

Our opinion: Input needed on school meetings

Warren County school board members will discuss this week the possibility of holding school board meetings at locations throughout the county rather than at the administrative offices on Route 62. There is an argument to be made to do so. Having meetings in locations throughout the district may bring some people to meetings who are unable to take the time to drive to the administrative offices for meetings. Boards at all levels should do what they can to make it as easy as possible for the public to participate in meetings. But there is more than one way to accomplish that goal. ...

Our opinion: State has expensive budget

We agree with one assessment of our state budget The Center Square reported on in Tuesday’s edition: The cost of the new budget is too high. That view, expressed by the Commonwealth Foundation and other conservative organizations and officials, is grounded in simple realities. Pennsylvania has to compete for employers and for families — and in the past decade to two decades, too often comes up short to states with lower tax burdens. Pennsylvania also is confronted by the same reality found across America: the cost of health care continues to be a strain. As The Center Square ...