Pennsylvania: What's Actually Happening with Elections, Jobs, and Your Money

Alright, so Pennsylvania's hit with the one-two punch: electric bills going up again and a new tax credit that they're trying to sell as some kind of savior. Let's be real, though – does anyone actually think this is going to fix anything?

The Inevitable Price Hike

Of course, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is "alerting" customers to the price increase. Alerting us? Like we wouldn't notice when our bills suddenly spike. Duquesne Light's generation/supply charge is going up about 10%, and West Penn Power's is climbing around 6%. Six percent might not sound like much, but when you're already struggling to keep the lights on, it's another kick in the teeth. Electric prices in Pennsylvania going up on Dec. 1

And what's their solution? "Call your utility company!" Oh, brilliant. Because those guys are just overflowing with empathy and spare cash. Yeah, right. They'll probably just try to upsell you on some "energy-efficient" plan that costs twice as much.

They want us to lower our thermostats and check our furnace filters. Seriously? Like we're not already doing that? It's the kind of condescending advice that makes you want to crank the heat up to 80 just to spite them.

Then there's the classic, "shop around for your electricity supplier!" Head over to papowerswitch.com and pagasswitch.com, they say. As if that's not a complete minefield of confusing rates and hidden fees. Give me a break. Who has the time to wade through all that crap? And let's be honest, how much are you really going to save in the end? Pennies?

The "Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit"

Now, let's talk about this "Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit." Governor Shapiro's patting himself on the back for this one, claiming it'll put money back in the pockets of low-income folks. It's supposed to mirror the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, giving people a little something back when they file their taxes.

The state’s credit will be equal to 10% of the federal one, capping out at around $800. Eight hundred bucks. That's it? That's their big solution to rising costs and stagnant wages? It's like throwing a life raft to someone drowning in the ocean.

They estimate 940,000 people in Pennsylvania will qualify. Which, offcourse, sounds great on paper. But how many hoops do you have to jump through to actually get it? You need a valid Social Security number, have to be a U.S. citizen or legal resident, can't have too much investment income... It's always the same song and dance.

And who decides who's "worthy" of this tax credit anyway? Some bureaucrat in Harrisburg pa, probably sitting in a heated office while the rest of us are rationing our electricity.

Affordable Housing: Another Broken Promise?

Oh, and while we're at it, let's not forget about the "Affordable Housing Tax Credit." They've tweaked it so that investors bid on tax credits, and then the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority (PHFA) doles out grants to developers. Sounds like a recipe for… well, who knows what.

The idea is to attract more private investment, but it also sounds like it could easily turn into a feeding frenzy for developers who are more interested in profits than actually helping people find affordable housing in places like lancaster pa or york pa.

State House Speaker Joanna McClinton thinks this will "close the financial gaps." But what if the gaps are closed with duct tape and wishful thinking? Are they really going to solve the problem of affordable housing, or just shuffle money around while the problem gets worse? I just don't know...

Is This All Just Smoke and Mirrors?

Look, I'm not saying these initiatives are completely useless. Maybe some people will get a little bit of relief from the tax credit. Maybe some affordable housing projects will actually get built. But let's not pretend this is some kind of revolutionary solution. It's a band-aid on a bullet wound. The real problem is the system itself, which is rigged to benefit the wealthy and powerful while the rest of us are left to fight over scraps. And honestly, I don't see that changing anytime soon.

A Tiny Crumb for the Masses