WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) this week released unaudited financial results for fiscal year 2023-24, with wine and spirits sales topping $3.18 billion.
Sales in the most recently completed fiscal year totaled $3.18 billion (including liquor and sales taxes) — $29.7 million, or 0.9%, more than the prior year.
This resulted in net income for the year totaling $242.1 million, which was $18.7 million or 7.2% less than the prior fiscal year.
Increases in payroll and benefits and unfavorable changes to PLCB’s pension and other post-employment benefit actuarial valuation expenses were the biggest contributing factors to the decrease in net income.
Contributions to state and local governments and other beneficiaries totaled $868.3 million for the fiscal year.
Contributions to the General Fund — which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services — totaled more than $811.2 million.
General Fund contributions consisted of the following:
• $448.7 million in liquor tax.
• $177.4 million in state sales tax.
• $185.1 million in cash transfers.
Other PLCB contributions over the course of the fiscal year included the following:
• $33 million to the Pennsylvania State Police for liquor control enforcement efforts.
• $11.9 million in local sales taxes to Philadelphia and Allegheny counties.
• $4.4 million in licensing fees returned to local municipalities.
• $4.8 million to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
Additionally, the PLCB authorized $2.2 million in grants in fiscal year 2023-24 in support of Pennsylvania’s beer and wine industries and awarded $1.7 million in alcohol education grants during the year to reduce underage and dangerous drinking.
Sen. Baker reappointed to Senate leadership team as Majority Caucus Administrator
Sen. Lisa Baker (R, D-20), has been reappointed to serve as the Senate Majority Caucus Administrator, continuing her role as a key member of the Senate Republican leadership team.
This post allows her to play an integral part in shaping the Senate’s agenda and ensuring the smooth operation of legislative priorities.
“I am honored to once again serve as Senate Majority Caucus Administrator and to be part of a dedicated leadership team working to address the challenges facing Pennsylvania,” Baker said. “This position provides a meaningful opportunity to ensure that the voices of our district are heard while advancing policies that strengthen our communities and economy.”
As part of her ongoing efforts to engage with the community and ensure faith leaders have a voice in the Capitol and in administering the Senate Chaplain Program, Baker invites clergy from the 20th Senatorial District to offer the opening prayer at the start of Senate session days. Religious leaders from all faiths are welcomed to participate.
Those interested — whether faith leaders themselves or parishioners wishing to recommend their clergy — are encouraged to contact Baker’s office at — 717-787-7428.
DMVA encourages holiday donations to programs for veterans, service members. families
Generous Pennsylvanians looking for a patriotic way to donate during the holiday season are reminded that they can give to programs that support the commonwealth’s nearly 700,000 veterans, service members and their families.
The programs are managed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA).
“We can’t say ‘thank you’ enough to generous Pennsylvanians who donate to our nine programs that support veterans, service members and their families,” said Brig. Gen. John R. Pippy, Pennsylvania’s acting adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “These funds go a long way toward improving the quality of life of those who have sacrificed so much to preserve the freedoms we all enjoy.”
The tax-deductible programs administered by the DMVA are:
Veterans’ Trust Fund (VTF): The VTF issues grants to statewide charitable organizations that assist veterans, veterans service organizations and county directors of veterans affairs to help veterans in need of shelter and necessities of living. The VTF also issues temporary assistance grants to individual veterans who have qualifying financial needs. The grants are funded by generous Pennsylvanians who voluntarily donate when applying for or renewing their driver’s license or photo identification card and renewing a motor vehicle registration, from proceeds generated by the sale of the Honoring Our Veterans and Honoring Our Women Veterans license plates, and by those who donate online or by mail.
Military Family Relief Assistance Program (MFRAP): The MFRAP provides financial assistance, in the form of grants, to eligible Pennsylvania service members and their eligible family members who have an immediate financial need based on circumstances beyond their control. This program is made possible by generous donations from taxpayers who designate all or part of their Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax refund to support Pennsylvania military personnel and their families, and by those who donate online or by mail.
Six Resident Welfare Funds: Resident Welfare Funds at each of the DMVA’s six veterans homes help to keep the residents active and healthy by providing activities and entertainment. Donations are made online or through private donations by mail. The six Pennsylvania veterans homes and their locations are: Delaware Valley Veterans’ Home (Philadelphia); Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center (Scranton); Hollidaysburg Veterans’ Home (Hollidaysburg); Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home (Erie); Southeastern Veterans’ Center (Spring City); and Southwestern Veterans’ Center (Pittsburgh).
Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial Trust Fund: Located at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Lebanon County, and maintained by the DMVA, the newly refurbished Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial is the first in the commonwealth to honor veterans of all eras from the Revolutionary War forward and it is the largest veterans memorial located in any of the national cemeteries. Donations are accepted online or by mail to help fund the maintenance and repair of the memorial.
Monetary donations to these tax-deductible programs can be made by individuals, corporations and companies.
To make a donation online or by mail for any of these tax-deductible programs, or to learn more about each one, go to — www.donate.dmva.pa.gov.
State encourages Pennsylvanians to donate t0 ‘Trees for Troops’
At one of four Pennsylvania ‘Trees for Troops’ donation sites, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Brig. Gen. Mark A. Goodwill, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs director of joint staff, this week encouraged Pennsylvanians to donate Christmas trees to brighten the holidays of active-duty military and their families.
Trees for Troops is a national program that provides free, farm-grown Christmas trees and personal greetings to armed forces members and their families each holiday season through donations, sponsorships, grants, and the work of volunteers. Since 2005, Trees for Troops has provided more than 309,644 Christmas trees to military families and troops in the United States and overseas.
Brig. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania’s acting adjutant general and head of the DMVA, said, “A Christmas tree is more than a symbol of the holidays, it’s a way to spread cheer and invoke the holiday spirit. With thousands of Pennsylvania service members deployed throughout the world and stateside, this gesture of giving is exactly what they need to stay connected to family, tradition, and home during the holidays.”
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