Coalition of PA. labor unions proposes strategies to save PA $2.3 billion without slashing colleges

[JPZenger]

http://clearforpa.org/

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/02/pennsylvania_employees_unions.html

These proposals received almost NO attention by the media. The media is letting people believe Corbett = that the only choice is to slash education funding and programs for the needy or to raise their income taxes.

Cost-Savings Recommendations:

Fair Oil and Gas Drilling Statewide Excise Tax: $247 million
Close the Delaware Corporate Tax Loophole: $550 million
Close the Sales Tax Discount Loophole: $74 million
Right-Sizing the Management – Worker Ratio :$214 million
State Contracting Reform: $200 million
Consolidate Prescription Drug Purchases: $50 million
Rebalance Long Term Care: $200 million
Vehicle Fleet Efficiencies: $11 million
Cost-Effective Payment Methods:$50 million
Cut Medicaid Provider Fraud and Abuse: $60 million
Halt Wasteful Charter and Cyber School Costs: $175 million
Reduce Prison Costs While Ensuring Public Safety: $60 million
Improve State Tax Credit Programs: $30 million
Improve State Tax Collections: $231 million
Modernize, Not Privatize, the PLCB: $75 million
Increase Collections under Pennsylvania’s Unclaimed Property Laws: $50 million
Process Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payments for Other States: $50 million
Leverage More Federal Dollars through the Hospital Assessment: $50 million

TOTAL PROJECTED SAVINGS: $2.377 billion

Some of these --- such as the severance tax -- are a bit pie-in-the-sky, while others tend toward the nebulous. It'll be interesting to see which, if any of these suggestions, become incorporated into the actual budget debate.