PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week
Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–
— New Voting Districts – Senate, House, Congressional
— AP: PA Lawmakers Navigate Primary Election With Unfamiliar Voting District Maps
— Governor’s Race
— Washington Examiner – Salena Zito: In PA, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Sen. Mastriano Win Would Cost Republicans House, Senate In That State
— AP: Abortion Rights May Rest On Governor’s Races In Some States [PA Included]
— City & State PA: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Sen. Mastriano Wrote A Paper Saying The U.S. Military’s ‘Hypersensitivity’ To Civilian Deaths Is An ‘Enormous Weakness’
— PennLive: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Sen. Mastriano Ends Interview Over QAnon Questions, 2020 Election Claims
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Need To Unite Against Sen. Mastriano
— WPSU: Conversation With Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Jake Corman
— WITF/AP: Protective Order Against Republican Lt. Governor Candidate Tossed
— Warren Times: Republican Candidate For Lt. Gov. Jeff Coleman Highlights Need For ‘No Drama’ In Harrisburg
— The Center Square: Governor’s Election Will Decide PA’s Membership In RGGI
— PennLive: F&M Poll: Fetterman Enjoys Big Lead Over Lamb; Republican Candidates Battling In U.S. Senate, Governor Races
— Politics PA: F&M Poll: Fetterman, Mastriano Expand Leads
— LancasterOnline Editorial: Shakedown Of Republican Gubernatorial Candidates By Local Republican Committees Unethical, Bad For Democracy
— U.S. Senate Race
— AP: Attacks Dominate PA’s U.S. Senate Republican Primary Debate
— Inquirer: 4 Takeaways From Latest Republican U.S. Senate Debate
— WLVR: Only Woman In Democratic Race For U.S. Senate Used To Uphill Battles
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Carla Sands Works Home Turf In Closing Stretch Of Republican U.S. Senate Race
— Post-Gazette: Democratic U.S. Senate Candidates Want To Legalize Pot, But Appetite Not As Strong In Washington
— PennLive: F&M Poll: Fetterman Enjoys Big Lead Over Lamb; Republican Candidates Battling In U.S. Senate, Governor Races
— Politics PA: F&M Poll: Fetterman, Mastriano Expand Leads
— TribLive: Fans Flock To Westmoreland Fairgrounds To See Ex-President, Hear More About Dr. Oz
— Post-Gazette: Ex-President Takes The Stage In Greensburg With A Mixed Review Of Dr. Oz
— AP: Dr. Oz’s Ties To Turkey Attacked In PA Republican U.S. Senate Race
U.S. Supreme Court Abortion Opinion Leak
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Abortion Just Moved To Center Stage In PA’s Election
— AP: Abortion Rights May Rest On Governor’s Races In Some States [PA Included]
— PA Capital-Star: U.S. Supreme Court Abortion Opinion Could Put General Assembly In Driver’s Seat On Abortion Rights
— WITF: PA Already Has Some Abortion Restrictions, But New Governor, General Assembly Could Change That
— Gov. Wolf ‘Abortion Access In PA Will Remain Legal And Safe As Long As I Am Governor’
— TribLive: Western PA Legal Experts Shocked By U.S. Supreme Court Leak: ‘It’s An Absolutely Seismic Event’
— WHYY: How Philly, PA Officials Reacting To Court Abortion Leak
— WESA: PA Politicians Responding To Leaked Draft Opinion Overturning Roe v. Wade
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA Reaction Divided Over Leaked U.S. Supreme Court’s Draft Decision Overturning Abortion Rights
— Post-Gazette: Abortion Rights Advocates Concerned About PA Referendum Proposal, Looking Past 2022 Election
— WESA: What Overturning Roe v. Wade Will Mean For Abortion Access In PA
— Erie Times: Bill Could Make Fathers Liable For Unwanted Pregnancies In PA
— Inquirer: Bob Casey Is One Of The Last ‘Pro-Life’ Democrats, The Supreme Court Decision Is Going To Test His Views
— PA Capital-Star – John Micek: The Republican Anti-Abortion Crusade Is Not Pro-Family At All
— Inquirer Guest Essay: Once Roe Is Reversed, Pennsylvanians Must Elect A Governor Who Will Abolish Abortion
— Scranton Times Editorial: State Must Be Pro-Life Beyond Birth
— TribLive Editorial: The Decision That Matters On Roe v. Wade
— Post-Gazette Editorial: U.S. Supreme Court Leak Further Undermines Crumbling Legitimacy
— May 2022 Primary Election
— Post-Gazette: PA’s Gubernatorial Race Has High Stakes When It Comes To How We Vote
— AP: PA Lawmakers Navigate Primary Election With Unfamiliar Voting District Maps
— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Trends To Watch For Among Older Voters In PA Primary
— TribLive – Column: Opposition Picks Matter In PA Races – Joseph Sabino Mistick
— Inquirer: PA’s Biggest Primaries Could Get Called On Election Night, But Don’t Get Used To It
— Franklin & Marshall May 2022 Poll Results
— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Supporting Local Election Officials Will Help Protect Our Democracy
— PA Capital-Star: Pro-Private Charter Schools Billionaire Jumps Into Key PA House, Senate Races
— MCall Guest Essay: How Harrisburg’s Delays Have Injected Chaos Into May Primary
— MCall – Ford Turner: Top State Election Official ‘Very Concerned’ About Lehigh County Plan To Have Detectives Watch Ballot Drop Boxes
— AP: Top State Voting Official Pushes Back On Ballot Drop Box Warning
— MCall: Lehigh Valley Ballot Drop Box Monitoring Could Keep Disabled Residents From Voting
— MCall – Paul Muschick: Everyone Should Get Off Lehigh County DA’s Back About Ballot Box Detectives
— Scranton Times Editorial: No Need To Eliminate Ballot Drop Boxes
— PennLive – John Baer: Don’t Let The Devil, Gun-Toting Candidates Or Kathleen Kane District You From PA Primary Election
— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout
— Post-Gazette: PA’s Gubernatorial Race Has High Stakes When It Comes To How We Vote
— AP: Baseless Election Fraud Claims Thrive On PA Republican Campaign Trail
— PA Capital-Star: Poll: PA Voters Call For Voter ID, End To Mail-In Ballots
— Erie Times: Republican National Committee, Erie Republicans Conduct Poll Watcher Training
— PennLive Guest Essay: Election Year Has Become A Case Study Of The Left-Right Divide – State Treasurer Stacy Garrity
— LancasterOnline – Brad Busted: PA Voters, Buffeted By Election Fraud Claims, Aren’t Happy With How Elections Are Run, New F&M Poll Finds
— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Supporting Local Election Officials Will Help Protect Our Democracy
— MCall – Paul Muschick: Political Signs On Lawns: Free Speech Or Litter?
— Scranton Times Editorial: No Need To Eliminate Ballot Drop Boxes
— Reading Eagle Editorial: Time For PA To Allow Independents To Vote In Primaries
— Scranton Times Editorial: Independent Voters Can Improve State Primaries
— AP: New Design, Mission For Site of Pittsburgh Synagogue Attack
— TribLive: Accusations Of Russian Spying, Vandalism, Ethnic Intimidation Rattle Shadyside Neighborhood
— Inquirer: PA Ranks Near The Top Nationally In Book-Banning Activity, Report Finds; Here’s Why
— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol
— PennLive: Cumberland County Man Pleads Guilty To Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol
— State Constitutional Amendments
— TribLive Column: PA’s Constitutional Amendment Conundrum – Michael Torres
— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution
— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion
— Republican Senators Introduce Bill To Deregulate Oil & Gas Industry, Coal-Fired Power Plants, Open State Forests To Drilling, Withdrawn From RGGI [PaEN]
— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Gasoline Prices Hit Another Record High, AAA Says
— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Gasoline Price Hits New Record $4.46/Gallon
— Inquirer: Gasoline In Philadelphia Hits All-Time High, Tops $4.50
— TribLive: Gasoline Prices Jump 18 Cents In Pittsburgh Area Since Last Week
— Altoona Mirror: Heating Oil Prices Skyrocketing
— WGAL: PPL To Increase Electricity Cost 38% June 1 Due To Increased Natural Gas, Energy Costs
— MCall: PPL To Increase Default Electricity Cost 38% June 1
— Pittsburgh Business Times: Marcellus Shale Coalition Urges Use Of Butane, A Natural Gas Byproduct, In Gasoline To Stretch Supplies
— Bloomberg: Big Oil Spends On Investors, Not Output, Prolonging Crude Oil Crunch
— Harrisburg Politics Potpourri
— LancasterOnline Editorial: Senate, House Need To Make Lawmakers’ Expenses Searchable Online
— AP: How The Constitution Teaches Students To Disagree Civilly
— MCall – Paul Muschick: What Today’s Politicians Can Learn From John Stoffa, The Late Northampton County Executive
— TribLive: Pittsburgh Mayor, Other Democrats Call Out Attack Ads Against Summer Lee In Congressional Race
— MCall: Why Republicans Should Pick Kevin Dellicker To Oppose Democrat Susan Wild For Congress
— MCall: Why Republicans Should Pick Lisa Scheller To Oppose Democrat Susan Wild For Congress
— Scranton Times Editorial: Republican Cong. Meuser Leaks Own Blind Partisanship
— PennLive: Racehorses Continue To Die At ‘Staggering’ Rate, PA Redoubles Efforts To Protect Them
— Budget 2022
— Gov. Wolf: April State Revenues Highest Ever Collected, Time To Make Historic Investments In Pennsylvanians
— Independent Fiscal Office: April State Revenue Exceeded Its Estimate By 44.4% – $2 Billion; Exceeds Year-To-Date Estimate By $5.04 Billion
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: April State Revenues Set High-Water Mark For A Single Month
— PA Capital-Star: With Record Tax Collections, Not Spending Would Be ‘Irresponsible’ Wolf Says
— The Center Square: Strong PA Tax Collection Revenue; Partisan Divide On The Economy
— WESA: Advocates Push For More State Funding For Disability Services, Higher Wages For Workers
— Scranton Times Editorial: Fix Business Tax Structure, Not Just Rate
— Post-Gazette: PA Taking Baby Steps Away From Gasoline Tax, Toward Fee For Miles Driven
— COVID Pandemic/Health
— Dept. Of Health Provides Monthly Update On COVID Trends
— MCall: PA COVID Update: 12,364 Cases, 92 Deaths Last Week
— TribLive: PA Health Dept. Transitions To Weekly COVID Updates
— Post-Gazette: COVID Levels Double In Allegheny County Wastewater
— WHYY: Philly Counts Knocks On 100,000 Doors In 6 Months To Encourage Adult COVID Vaccinations
— Dept. Of State To Roll Back Remaining Professional Licensing Waivers Issued During COVID Emergency
— PennLive: State To Roll Back Remaining Professional Licensing Waivers Issued During Pandemic
— PA Capital-Star: PA’s K-12 School Nurses Asking Lawmakers For Help
— WHYY: Healthcare Workers Rally Against Crozer Health Cuts
— Opioid Deaths
— PA Capital-Star: With Months Left, Secretary Of Drug & Alcohol Programs Looking To Make Most Of The Time
— Citizens Voice: Spiked Drugs Lead To Record Number Of Overdoses In Luzerne County
— MCall – Ford Turner: Lawmakers Told Of Tragic Lack Of Access To Drug Abuse Treatment Medicine
— Citizen Voice: Lawmakers Seek To Legalize Fentanyl Test Strips As Overdoses Surge
— PA Capital-Star: State Officials Launch $10 Million Program To Help Substance Use Disorder Treatment Professionals Repay Their Student Loans
— WITF: As 988 Hotline Goes Live In PA, Crisis Centers Need Workers
— School Districts/Higher Education
— Inquirer: PA Ranks Near The Top Nationally In Book-Banning Activity, Report Finds; Here’s Why
— Erie Times: Erie School District Mulls Tax Hike To Keep COVID-Era Programs
— PA Capital-Star: PA’s K-12 School Nurses Asking Lawmakers For Help
— LancasterOnline: What We Know And Don’t Know About Hempfield H.S. Gay Sexuality Alliance Club’s ‘Drag’ Event
— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Let’s Hear It For Our Local School Board Members, Thanks For Your Service
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Let Students Learn Extra Material Online
— TribLive Editorial: Bullying Is More Than A School Problem
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Auditor General’s Closure Of School Audit Bureau Draw Criticism During House Hearing
— Inquirer: Wolf Announces $5 Million Investment In Cheyney University’s ThinkUbator Project
— TribLive: University Of Pittsburgh Says ‘Thousands’ Have Supported University Funding
— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement
— AP: Fired Philadelphia Police Officer Charged With Murder In Shooting Of Boy, 12
— Erie Times: After Shooting Rattled School, Erie High Students Return To More Security
— KYW: Philly School District To Begin Periodic Weapons Screenings At Middle Schools
— Scranton Times Editorial: State Moves On Ghost Gun Enforcement
— USA Today: More Than 100 Gun Deaths A Day In U.S.: Gun Violence Reached ‘Staggering’ Record In 2020, Report Says
— Gov. Wolf Announces New Violence Intervention, Prevention Technical Assistance Project
— WHYY: Everyone’s Trying To Solve Philly’s Gun Violence Crisis, Is More Collaboration The Answer?
— WITF: Reading Youth Arts Group Regains Nonprofit Status, Continues Anti-Violence Work
— AP: Suspended Somerset County DA Confined On House Arrest Awaiting Trial
— The Center Square: Police Chiefs Call Attention To Hiring Problems Across PA
— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Our Death By Incarceration State – Sandra L. Strauss, PA Council Of Churches
— TribLive Editorial: Does Bail Work The Way It Should?
— Inquirer Editorial: Sealing The Criminal Records Of More Former Offenders Is Right Move For PA
— TribLive Editorial: Can Algorithms Help Or Hurt Child Protective Services?
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Pennsylvania’s McJustice [Public Defender Funding]
— PA Economy
— Wilkes-Barre Times: State, Small Business Owners Call For Legislature To Raise Minimum Wage
— WITF Smart Talk: Is More Funding For Low And Middle Income College Students The Answer To PA’s Labor Shortage?
— TribLive: Available Jobs Still Outpacing Job Seekers In Pittsburgh Region
— Dept. Of State To Roll Back Remaining Professional Licensing Waivers Issued During COVID Emergency
— PennLive: State To Roll Back Remaining Professional Licensing Waivers Issued During Pandemic
— Post-Gazette Editorial: State Retirement Plan Would Save Taxpayers By Helping Workers Save
— PennDOT: Federal REAL ID Enforcement Begins May 3, 2023
— TribLive: Countdown Begins For PA REAL ID Requirement
— Inquirer Guest Essay: App Store Owners Push Security Claims To Stifle Competition – Fmr Gov. Tom Ridge
— Inquirer: Philly Delayed Property Assessments For 3 Years, Now Residential Values Are Jumping 31%
— WHYY: With Property Values Up 21%, Philly Mayor Proposes Relief For Growing Real Estate Taxes
— WHYY: Philly Rents Grew 6% During Pandemic, But Twice As Fast In Suburbs
— MCall: Why The Lehigh Valley Will Soon See A Flood Of Home Foreclosures
— Post-Gazette: Black Homeownership In Pittsburgh Falls As City House Prices Rise
— WHYY: Philly Relaunches $10,000 First-Time Home Buyer Assistance Program
Your Feedback Always Welcome!
Please contact Ted Harris— tharris@papetroleum.org— or John Kulik— joviku@aol.com— if you have any questions or need clarification.
