Pennsylvania collected $6.6 billion in General Fund revenue in November, which was $217.9 million, or 3.4 percent, more than anticipated, Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell reported today. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $18.7 billion, which is $1.0 billion, or 5.7 percent, above estimate.

November collections include $3.841 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act – State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund dollars transferred to the General Fund. These funds, accounted for under non-tax revenue, were appropriated as revenue replacement dollars in Act 1-A of 2021.

— Independent Fiscal Office Reports November Revenues $284.2 Million Above Its Estimates; $1.2 Billion Over Estimates For Fiscal Year

— PennLive – John Baer: PA’s History Of Phony Budgets Brings Us Infrastructure Woes, Bridge-Tolling Plan

— EPA Awards PA $240.4 Million In Bipartisan Infrastructure Funding For Water Infrastructure That Prioritizes Underserved Communities

— TribLive: PA Wine & Liquor Sales Set Another Record

— MCall – Ford Turner: Alcohol Sales Spike In PA After Shutdown Eased, 2 Lehigh Valley Counties Are Among Top 3 In State
— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Alcohol Sales Boom: See Which Counties Had The Biggest Increases

— MCall: How Northampton, Lehigh Counties Helping Small Businesses With Their Pandemic ‘Rescue Plans’

— ReadingE: Berks County IU Show Lawmakers How They Spent COVID Relief Funds

— Liquor Control Board: Releases FY 2020-21 Annual Report

— PA Cap-Star: Report – PA Ranks 39th For Condition, Cost-Effectiveness Of Its Highways

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Why I Support A Plan To Restore Toll Takers On The PA Turnpike

— MCall – Paul Muschick: ‘The Most Expensive Road In The World” PA Turnpike

— WBTimes: New Gambling-Funded Program Pays For Major Luzerne County Infrastructure Needs

— State School Funding Trial

— Inquirer: Fmr Top PA Education Official Testifies School Funding Is A ‘Root Cause’ Of Achievement Gaps

— WHYY: As PA School Funding Trial Resumes, Here’s A Cheat Sheet On What’s Happened So Far

— WESA: Witnesses Testify In PA School Funding Lawsuit, Decision Still Weeks Away

— LancasterOnline: Lancaster School Officials Likely To Testify In Education Funding Trial Next Week

— Gov. Wolf Vetoes Legislation To Allow Concealed Carry Of Guns Without Permits

“This?legislation, which eliminates the requirement for individuals to obtain a license before carrying a concealed firearm,?will only exacerbate gun violence and jeopardize the safety of all Pennsylvanians.”

— PennLive Guest Essay: Don’t Fear A Law Not Requiring Permits Or Background Checks To Conceal Carry Handguns, It Gets More Guns In The Hands Of People Quickly – Sen. Kim Ward, Senate Republican Leader

— Inquirer: Rutgers Study Finds New Gun Owners Have Less Control Over Their Emotions And Impulses

— AP: Wolf Adds To Mounting Veto Tally, Kills Permitless Gun Bill

— PA Cap-Star: Legislators React To Wolf Veto Of Bill To Allow Concealed Carry Of Guns Without Permits

— TribLive: Wolf Draws Fire, Praise For Veto Of Bill To Allow Gun Use Without Permits

— Gov. Wolf Announces $15.7 Million In Gun And Group Violence Intervention And Prevention Grants

— Gov. Wolf: Highlights Grassroots Efforts To Combat Gun Violence Amid Republican Efforts To Pass Bills Endangering Communities

— WHYY: Rep. [And U.S. Senate Candidate] Kenyatta Calls For State Of Emergency On Gun Violence In Philadelphia

— Inquirer: Temple’s Campus On Edge After A Student Was Shot To Death

— AP: 14-Year-Old Teen Shot 18 Times While Waiting For Bus In Philadelphia

— YorkDR Guest Essay: PA Gun Debate Obscures The Fraught Racial History Of 2nd Amendment – Rep. Bullock (D-Philadelphia)

— Inquirer Editorial: Are Any Of Philly’s Anti-Violence Tactics Working? Without Better Tracking We’ll Never Know

— PennLive: 14-Year-Old Kills Friend In Accidental Shooting In Harrisburg

— PG: Allegheny County Grapples With Another Year Of Triple-Digit Homicides

— TribLive Editorial: Most Important Part Of Gun Ownership Is Responsibility

— MCall/TMS: Boy, 12, Charged With Threats To Shoot Up Lancaster County School

— TribLive: West Mifflin H.S. Switches To Remote Learning After Threat, The 4th Western PA District To Receive Threats This Week [AP: Student Kills 3, Injures 8 In Michigan School Shooting]

— TribLive: Threats Of Violence Prompt Modified Lockdown Friday At Pittsburgh Public Schools; The 6th School District This Week In Western PA [4th Student Dies In Aftermath Of Michigan H.S. Shooting]

— TribLive: Schools Across Western PA Try To Keep Students Safe In Face Of Increased Threats

— WBTimes: Wilkes-Barre Area School District Closes Schools, Goes Virtual After Late-Night Threat

— TribLive Editorial: Violent School Threats Spread Like Epidemic

— ScrantonT Editorial: Thoughts, Prayers Aren’t Enough As School Shootings Continue

— Inquirer: Relatives, Activists Hold Meeting About Shooting Of Fanta Bility, 8, Outside Delaware County Football Game In August

— WHYY: Man Exonerated After 30 Years In Prison Sues City Of Philadelphia

— PennLive: PA Logs Highest 1-Day Total Of New COVID Cases In Months

— PennLive: PA Warning System Shows Another Rise In COVID Infection Rate

— PennLive: COVID Cases In PA Rise To Surge Levels Not Seen In Months

–MCall: Dept. Of Health Reports Over 10,000 New COVID Cases Friday For First Time Since Jan. 9; 3,985 Hospitalized

— AP: PA Supreme Court Rules School Mask Mandate Remains For Now

— ScrantonT: More Than 1,500 School-Age Children In Lackawanna County Test Positive For COVID Since August

— LancasterOnline: LG Health, WellSpan Pause Elective Surgeries Among Rising COVID Hospitalizations

— YorkD: WellSpace Health Delays Nonemergency Procedures Amid Spiking COVID Cases

— PennLive: Some Central PA Hospitals Surpassing Pace Of Worst COVID Surge

— ErieT: COVID Admissions Near All-Time High At 2 Erie Hospitals

— CentreDT: Under COVID Strain, Mount Nittany Med Center Diverts Emergency Patients

— Inquirer: COVID Making Amputations More Common, 2 Philly-Area Survivors Tell Their Stories

— TribLive: Western PA COVID Hospitalizations Hit Highest Point In More Than 10 Months

— WESA: Another Wave Of COVID Sweeping Thru Allegheny County, But This Time It’s Different

— TribLive: COVID Outbreak Hits Westmoreland Jail As Caseload Surges Throughout County

— YorkD: COVID Outbreak Sends York County Prison Into Lockdown

— CentreDT: COVID Cases, Deaths Escalating As Centre County Heads Into Winter

— CentreDT: Mount Nittany Health Warns Of More ‘Extraordinary Measures’ Due To COVID

— CentreDT: State College Borough Poised To Extend Masking Ordinance

— CentreDT: With Cases Rising, Penn State Announces COVID Mask Policy Will Continue

— TribLive: Bus Driver Shortage Prompts Announcement By Plum School District Busing Is No Longer Guaranteed

— CitizensV: At-Home COVID Tests In Short Supply In Luzerne County

— PennLive: If Vaccine Works So Well, Why Is COVID Surging Again In PA?

— AP: CDC Says Ages 18 And Up Should Get Booster Shot

— PG: CDC Is Fixing Its PA Vaccine Data After Reports Of Inaccuracy

— York Dispatch: Omicron Variant Raises COVID Alarm As Vaccination Rate Declines

— PG: Interest In Booster Vaccine Shots Spike As COVID Cases Keep Rising, Omicron Spreads

— TribLive: Allegheny Health Network Moves Ahead With Vaccination Requirement; UPMC, Excela Await Court Ruling

— WESA: Without Federal Mandate, Most SW PA Hospitals Back Off COVID Vaccine Requirement

— PennLive: Geisinger Health Seeks Dismissal Of Unvaccinated Employees’ Lawsuit Over Required COVID Testing

— PG: Allegheny County Says Some Workers Were Fired For Lack Of Vaccinations

— TribLive: 90% Of Allegheny County Employees Comply With Vaccine Mandate

— TribLive: Fired Allegheny County Employee Highlights Tension Over Vaccine Exemption Requests

— TribLive: Westmoreland Nursing Home Vaccine Mandate On Hold As Nearly A Third Of Staff Remains Unprotected

— WilliamsportS Editorial: Mandates Should Be Decided By Employers, Not Employees Or White House

— PG: UPMC: Antibody Injections Offer New Path For COVID Treatments

— YorkDR: Wife Of York County Man On ‘Death’s Doorstep’ From COVID Sues UPMC To Use Ivermectin

— House Republican Leader Rep. Kerry Benninghoff: Diagnosed With Breakthrough Case Of COVID

— House Republican Rep. Mark Gillen Tests Positive For COVID

— New COVID Variant

— AP: Philadelphia Health Officials Report The First Confirmed Omicron COVID Case Reported In PA

— AP: Wolf Says Urging Vaccine Shots Is His Containment Strategy For New Omicron Variant

— PG: New Omicron Variant Underscores Need For Vaccination, Pitt Expert Says

— WHYY: Philly Health Officials Urge Residents To Take Precautions Against New Omicron Variant

— PG: With Omicron Looming, PA, Allegheny County Continue To Fight Against COVID, Delta Variant

— WHYY: How Philly Area Scientists Are Looking Out For The Omicron Variant

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Don’t Fear Omicron Variant, But Be Very Afraid Of More Government Restrictions

— NPR: Dr. Fauci: 1st U.S. Case Of COVID Omicron Variant Identified [California]

— WPost: Omicron Variant Now In North America As First Cases Found In Canada

— AP: Nations Close Borders, But More Omicron Cases Emerge Globally

— Reuters: Omicron COVID Variant Poses Very High Global Risk, World Must Prepare – WHO

— NPR: Biden’s New Winter COVID Plan Will Reimburse You For At-Home Tests

— Financial Times: Moderna Chief Predicts Existing Vaccines Will Struggle With Omicron

— New MCall/Muhlenberg College Poll Reports—

— 20% report contracting COVID

— 41% say they are extremely or very concerned about COVID pandemic, down from 57%

— 33% said stress related to pandemic has had an impact on their mental health

— 60% support public schools requiring students to wear masks

— 26% always wear masks at indoor public spaces, 23% most of the time

— 74% report receiving at least one COVID vaccine shot – 88% of Democrats, 71% of Independents, 62% Republicans

— 76% will get a booster shot

— 59% agree unvaccinated individuals put others at risk

— 50% believe employers should not mandate vaccinations

— 44% disapprove of the way Gov. Wolf handling COVID outbreak, 35% approve

— 45% disapprove of the way President Biden is handling outbreak, down from 55%; 40% approve

— MCall: New Poll Shows Pennsylvanians Still Divided Over Mandatory Vaccinations, School Masking

— WITF Smart Talk Monday 9:00 a.m.: New Poll Finds PA Supports Mask Mandates In School, Split On Vaccine Mandates

— PA Economy

— Gov. Wolf: More Than 15,000 Small Businesses & Hospitality Businesses Received Over $480 Million In COVID Relief Funding

— PennLive Guest Essay: Lawmakers Should Commit To An Equitable Recovery By Investing In Small Businesses

— WilliamsportS: Wolf Works To Push Up Worker Pay, Minimum Wage

— PA Cap-Star: Junior Achievement Of Western PA Teaches Career Skills To Fayette County Students

— ErieT: Erie Has A Child Care ‘Crisis’; But Help Could Be On The Way

— TribLive: Bus Driver Shortage Prompts Announcement By Plum School District Busing Is No Longer Guaranteed

— WESA: Pittsburgh Bars Employers From Discriminating Against Domestic Violence Victims

— WITF: At A Key Philadelphia Port Complex, Long-Term Problems And Short-Term Staffing Issues Are Colliding

— MCall – Ford Turner: Glass, Bottle Shortage Making It Harder To Get Alcohol, PA Restaurant Owner Says At House Hearing

— MCall: PA Auto Show In Harrisburg Canceled Due To Manufacturing Shortages

— PG: Grim Outlook For Gravestone Manufacturers Amid Supply Chain Squeeze

— PennLive: Many Weis Markets Employees To Get Appreciation Bonus

— LancasterOnline: Lancaster County To Offer Sign-On Incentive For New Caseworker Hires, Bonuses For SEIU Staff

— WESA: As Pandemic Continues, Job Growth In Pittsburgh Area Continues To Stall

— Triblive: Pittsburgh Region’s Jobless Rate Falls To 5.9%; Labor Force Shrinks

— ErieT: Erie Unemployment In October Held At 6.3%

— PennLive: 11 Largest Private Companies In PA, According To Forbes

— WHYY: Wawa Ranks As PA’s Largest Privately-Owned Company

— WHYY: Municipal Bank Could Be A First For Philadelphia And The Country

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Philly Is 44% Black, Yet Black Companies Get Less Than 12% Of City Contracts

— PA Cap-Star: Fmr Sen. Rob Wonderling To Step Down As Head Of Philly Chamber

— Inquirer: Rob Wonderling Quits Philly Chamber With Political Tensions High

TAP HERE for all articles in December 6 EXPRESS Update