The start of new baseball debates also coincides with budget debates in Pennsylvania. Gov. Tom Corbett presented his spending plan for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, which begins on July 1, in early February – about the time pitchers and catchers reported to training camp.

It’s officially budget season, so let the legislative and political tussles begin. Gov. Tom Corbett unveiled his proposed fiscal year 2014-2015 spending plan to a joint session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly last Tuesday, Feb. 4.

The legislative process can be unpredictable and frustrating. As PICPA’s vice president of government relations, I live with this on a daily basis. Frustration with the process, not to mention some of the individuals in charge of the process, can at times overshadow the good that can be achieved.

When in doubt, blame it on the creative accountants! That seems to be the mantra among many in politics, the media, and elsewhere, particularly when it comes to tax policy and tax planning strategies. I don’t know why the phrase “creative accountants” bothers me – I live with the “lobbyist” tag, after all – but it does, and I’m not even a card-carrying member of the esteemed CPA profession.

Harrisburg in June is the homestretch of budget season. The General Assembly gets down to the nitty-gritty of passing a spending plan for the new fiscal year that begins July 1. It’s always an exciting, but unpredictable time.

More state economies are shifting from manufacturing to services, and budgetary challenges are not letting up. State legislatures across the nation are aggressively looking to close budget gaps with new revenues. One of the first places legislators are looking is at sales taxes on professional services.

With the Capitol rotunda’s white marble steps as a backdrop, members of the PICPA Fiscal Responsibility Task Force yesterday released a second report. The task force, created by the PICPA Council in 2010, is designed to position PICPA as a key public policy stakeholder in Pennsylvania.

The University of Notre Dame may not have won one for “The Gipper” on Monday night, but the Commonwealth Court came up big for some Pennsylvania taxpayers this week. In Berks County Tax Collection Committee, et al. v. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the court rejected a motion filed by several county tax collection committees to overturn nearly 30 years of precedent, thus maintaining the established interpretation of the so-called Philadelphia “super credit.”

Your clients have questions. Forms are delayed. Rumors abound. A reliable resource is the best way for you to keep track of the changes. The PICPA, through an agreement with CCH, has made significant technical tax resources available to help you get through this year.

There is an old joke people make when referring to their grandparents’ criticisms of what they perceive as a lax culture. In a good-natured mimic of their elders, they say, “When I was young, I walked to and from school! … In the snow … in my bare feet … and it was uphill … both ways!”

Reforming PSERS and SERS is a priority for the Corbett administration and many legislative leaders. Actuarial valuations are revealing, and a cause for budgetary concern.

The PICPA Professional Issues Update tour around Pennsylvania is an excellent opportunity for PICPA members to receive two hours of free CPE while interacting with PICPA leadership and your peers on key issues affecting your profession.

On Friday, June 29, 2012, the Pennsylvania House voted 199-0 to approve PICPA-supported amendments to the Pennsylvania CPA Statute to change the experience requirement necessary to become a CPA.