Governor-elect Wolf has named the leaders of his Transition Team, with former DEP Secretary Katie McGinty heading things as his chief of staff. Other members of the Wolf transition leadership include leaders from business, labor, academia, finance and government. This team has to not only assess the jobs being done by state agencies, but identify key cabinet appointments, and help outline plans for Wolf’s first budget proposal. Wolf’s first priority was announcement of a Budget Deficit and Fiscal Stabilization Task Force.

Budget Secretary Charles Zogby delivered the state’s mid-year budget briefing Wednesday, comparing the state’s budget woes to the movie Groundhog Day. “Same old story,” he said.

Last week the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge brought by 21 states and other opponents of the Environmental Protection Agency plan to cut toxic chemicals from point source emitters such as large power plants. The court will decide if the EPA improperly adopted regulations requiring power plants to reduce emissions without first determining how much it would cost.

John Nikoloff of ERG Partners was interviewed by SMC Business Council on what the Midterm Election results mean to the small business community as part of SMC’s monthly Working Parts radio show.

The House and Senate met last week to elect caucus leadership for the upcoming 2015-16 legislative Session. Given the fact that the GOP expanded its majorities in both chambers, it was somewhat abnormal that the biggest upsets and changes came from the Republican camps. In the Senate, the only leadership post that did not change control was President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, although he still must face full Senate vote when the Senate returns to session.

Wolf doesn’t take over until January 20, but he is already feeling the pressure from the anti-fracking community. At rally in Harrisburg, activists chanted “ax it, don’t tax it,” demanding that Wolf impose a moratorium fracking, a common natural gas drilling practice.

As the balance of power in the U.S. Senate shifts from Democrat to Republican, GOP ranking members are gearing up to lead their respective committees or make a move to a more promising option.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who plans to become Majority Leader in January, was quick to identify energy issues as some of the Senate’s top priorities next session. Not surprisingly, those priorities include passage of legislation that would enable the Keystone XL pipeline project to move forward and roll back of climate rules.

Senate Republican and Democratic Leadership filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Gov. Corbett for his veto of provisions in the Fiscal Code bill in July which, among other items, vetoed $5 million in Senate and House funding for Harrisburg Parking expenses.