PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week


Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— 2022 Priorities

— Spotlight PA: Gov. Wolf’s Final Budget Address Will Seek To Cement His Legacy

— AP: What To Watch For In Gov. Wolf’s Budget Proposal

— Gov. Wolf Announces $1.7 Billion Spending Plan For Federal American Rescue Plan Money

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Senate Democrats Call For A $3.75 Billion Investment In Public Education

— WHYY: PA Democrats Set Budget Priorities With ‘Historic’ Education Spending Proposal

— TribLive Guest Essay: Helping Pennsylvanians Means Putting Taxpayers First – Republican House Speaker, Majority Leader

— Governor’s Budget Address Feb. 8

— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

— PA Cap-Star: Here’s The Full List of PA’s Fake Republican Electors – Gubernatorial Candidates Barletta, Gerow, More

— CitizensV: Barletta Campaign Responds To Probe Of Fake Electors

— TribLive: McKean County Man Gets Fine For His Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

— Inquirer: Delaware County Man Pleads Guilty To Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

— NYT: National Republican Committee Declares Assault On U.S. Capitol ‘Legitimate Political Discourse’

— The Guardian: Republican Party Calls Jan. 6 Attack On U.S. Capitol ‘Legitimate Political Discourse’

— WPost: Fmr Republican VP Mike Pence Says It Would Have Been ‘Un-American’ To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election Results For President

— The Guardian: Fmr Republican VP Pence Says It Would Have Been ‘Un-American’ To Overturn 2020 Election Results

— New Voting Districts – Senate, House, Congressional

— AP: New Map Of House, Senate Voting Districts Approved By Reapportionment Commission 4 to 1; House Republican Opposes

— PA Cap-Star: Panel Approves Final House, Senate Voting Districts Maps In Bipartisan Vote; House Republican Opposes

— Spotlight PA: Final Legislative District Maps Approved, But Legal Challenges Likely

— Inquirer: New Legislative District Maps Could Boost Democrats, Reflecting Closely Divided State With More Voters Of Color

— MCall – Ford Turner: Lehigh Valley A Flashpoint As Commission Approves Final Legislative District Maps

— CitizensV: Luzerne County’s Political Landscape Is Changing

— WBTimes: Sen. Yudichak (I) ‘Profoundly Disappointed’ In Redistricting Process

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Final Legislative Maps Introduce More Competitive Districts In Capital Region

— WHYY: PA Supreme Court To Decide Congressional Voting Districts Map, With Conservative Judge As Special Master

— AP: PA Supreme Court To Decide On Congressional Voting Districts Map

— Spotlight PA: PA Supreme Court Takes Control Of Redrawing State’s Congressional Voting Districts Map

— AP: PA Supreme Court May Step In To Congressional Voting Districts Case

— AP: Commonwealth Court Judge Says She’ll Soon Rule On Congressional Voting Districts Map

— PA Cap-Star: PA Supreme Court Taking A Look At Congressional Voting Map Case, Orders Stay On Lower Court

— MCall: Will Allentown’s Chances Of Electing A Latino Representative Improve?

— Governor’s Race

— AP: Gubernatorial Candidate Josh Shapiro Sets Campaign Cash Record To Start Election Year

— PA Cap-Star: PA Candidates For Governor Raising Big Money For A Big Race

— Inquirer: First Fund-Raising Reports In PA Governor’s Race Show It’s Up For Grabs

— WITF: Millions Pouring Into PA Governor, U.S. Senate Races

— WESA: Republican Candidate For Governor Lou Barletta Tries To Build Campaign Off Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Last Of Republican Regional Straw Polls Hand Victories To Bartos, White For U.S. Senate, Governor

— TribLive: Republican Rep. DelRosso Announces Run For Lt. Governor

— TribLive: Fmr Republican Rep. Coleman Running For Lt. Governor

— U.S. Senate Race

— AP: Millions Follow Rich Candidates In PA U.S. Senate Race

— Inquirer: How Much Money Oz, Fetterman Other PA U.S. Senate Candidates Raised So Far

— WITF: Millions Pouring Into PA Governor, U.S. Senate Races

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Last Of Republican Regional Straw Polls Hand Victories To Bartos, White For U.S. Senate, Governor

— PennLive – John Baer: Fetterman’s U.S. Senate Campaign Is As Unconventional As He Is

— WPost: Conor Lamb, Leading Democratic Candidate For U.S. Senate In PA Opposes Fracking Ban

— AP: Val Arkoosh Dropping Out Of Democratic U.S. Senate Race

– November 2021 Election

— MCall: Lehigh County Judge Race Remains In Limbo After Elections Board Delays Certification

— MCall: Lehigh County Voters Sue To Delay Nov. Election Certification Over Undated Mail-In Ballots

— May 2022 Election

— WHYY: PA Voters Can Still Apply For Mail-In Ballots Despite The Court Battle

— CourierT: Bucks County Officials Sound Alarm On Impact Of PA Redistricting Delays On Primary Election

— ErieT: PA County Election Officials Demand Help From Lawmakers: ‘We’re Still Being Attacked’

— PA Cap-Star: PA Has Some Big Races In 2022, But Political Parties Are Mostly Staying Silent, Why?

— City & State: Republican Poll Says Republican State Candidates Have The Advantage This Year

— PoliticsPA: Will Anyone Receive Endorsements At This Weekend’s Republican Meeting?

— LancasterOnline: Sen. Augment To Face Primary Challenge From Ephrata Man Who Led Local Protests, Unapproved ‘Audit’ Of 2020 Election

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— AP: Republican’s PA Election Inquiry: Courts, Conspiracies And More Costs

— AP: PA Supreme Court Sets March Argument On PA’s Mail-In Voting Law

— ErieT: PA County Election Officials Demand Help From Lawmakers: ‘We’re Still Being Attacked’

— WITF Smart Talk: PA Republicans Gaining In Voter Registrations, Partisan Identification

— ErieT Guest Essay: PA Republicans Are Stealing Your Right To Vote – PA Senate/House Democratic Leaders

— ErieT Guest Essay: We Face An Apocalypse Of Our Own Making If We Let Voting Rights Falter In The U.S. – Erie Teacher

— PA Cap-Star: Here’s The Full List of PA’s Fake Republican Electors – Gubernatorial Candidates Barletta, Gerow, More

— CitizensV: Barletta Campaign Responds To Probe Of Fake Electors

— WBTimes: AG Shapiro’s Office: 2020 Fake Republican Elector Plan Not Illegal, But Misleading

— LancasterOnline: Sen. Augment To Face Primary Challenge From Ephrata Man Who Led Local Protests, Unapproved ‘Audit’ Of 2020 Election

— CourierT: America First Candidate To Change Republican Cong. Fitzpatrick

— CourierT Guest Essay: For Our ‘Great Experiment’ To Survive, Politicians Must Observe The Rules – Fmr Rep. Kate Harper

— LancasterOnline: Lancaster Twp. Republican Chair Resigns As Committee Prepared To Remove Him For Denouncing FreePA, A Conservative Disinformation Group

— LancasterOnline Editorial: Republican Twp. Chair’s Forced Exit Illustrates Lancaster County Republicans’ Shift Toward Extremism

— TribLive: Etna Rallies Against Swastika Flag In Allegheny County

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Out Of Running For 2024 Republican Convention

— State Constitutional Amendments

— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution

— Inquirer Pro/Con: Is It Time For PA To Get Out Of The Booze Business?

— ReadingE Editorial: Constitutional Amendment On Alcohol Sales Concerning

— Harrisburg Potpourri

— PA Cap-Star: Updated PA Incumbent Retirement And Primary Tracker

— TribLive Guest Essay: Coming Together For A Brighter Future For PA – PA House Democratic Leadership

— TribLive: Special Election To Fill Rep. Wheatley Set For April 5

— WESA: 6 Hopefuls To Seek Democratic Party Nomination In House District Special Election

— Inquirer: Philly Democrats Pick Rep. Mike Drescoll As Nominee For City Council

— WBTimes: Rep. Carroll Not Seeking Reelection

— Inquirer: Sheryl Lee Ralph On ‘Abbott Elementary,’ Her Marriage To Sen. Hughes

— CourierT: America First Candidate To Change Republican Cong. Fitzpatrick

— WESA: Candidates To Replace Cong. Doyle Post Healthy Fundraising Totals

— Inquirer: PA Members Of Congress Traded Millions In Stocks, Some Lawmakers Trying To Ban The Practice

— ScrantonT Editorial: Barbara Hafer’s PAC Illuminates Absurd Law

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Legislature Takes First Steps Toward Recreational Marijuana – Holding A Hearing

— ScrantonT Editorial: Legal Pot ‘Inevitable’, Fire Up Bill

— Inquirer Pro/Con: Is It Time For PA To Get Out Of The Booze Business?

— ScrantonT Editorial: Horse Racing Reforms Long Overdue

— Spotlight PA: Report Says Fmr PA School Pension Fund CEO Withheld Information From Board

— AP: Report Flags Consultant Error In PA School Pension Fund Data

— ErieT: Gov. Tom Ridge To Be Honored By The Intelligence And National Security Alliance

— Budget 2022

— Spotlight PA: Gov. Wolf’s Final Budget Address Will Seek To Cement His Legacy

— AP: What To Watch For In Gov. Wolf’s Budget Proposal

— Gov. Wolf Announces $1.7 Billion Spending Plan For Federal American Rescue Plan Money

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Wolf Proposes $1.7 Bill Relief Program For Families, Small Businesses, Health Care, Conservation

— MCall: Wolf’s Proposal For $1.7 Billion For Pandemic Relief Funds Includes Families, Workers, Small Businesses

— PA Cap-Star: ‘We Should Not Do Nothing:’ Wolf Unveils $1.7 Billion Spending Plan For Federal Relief Money

— AP: Wolf, Democrats Outline Propose For Investing $1.7 Billion In American Rescue Plan Funds

— The Center Square: Republican House Speaker Pans Wolf’s Federal Relief Spending Plan

— Gov. Wolf Launches Nonprofit Security Grant Program With $5 Million In American Rescue Plan Funding

— TribLive Editorial: Nursing Shortage Can Use American Rescue Plan Funds

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Senate Democrats Call For A $3.75 Billion Investment In Public Education

— WHYY: PA Democrats Set Budget Priorities With ‘Historic’ Education Spending Proposal

— WHYY: General Assembly Diverts $4.2 Billion In State Funding Meant To Pay For Highways & Bridges To Pay State Police Instead [2019]  [Is There A Pattern Here?]

— PG: As Wolf Readies Final Budget, State University System Waits To See If They Will Get More Funding

— Dept. Of Revenue: January State Revenue Collections $376.8 Million Over Estimate; $1.8 Billion Over Estimates Fiscal Year-To-Date 

— Independent Fiscal Office: January Revenue Collections $440.6 Million Over Its Estimate; $2.2 Billion Over Fiscal Year-To-Date

— The Center Square: IFO: Revised Economic Forecast Shows Higher Revenue Estimate For PA  [State Revenue Estimate Increases $3.3 Billion]

— PennLive: PA Casinos Hit Jackpot With Record Year In 2021

— WHYY: Philly Moves Closer To ‘Epicenter For Sports Betting’ Prediction

— Inquirer: Ex-Bookkeeper For Delaware River Waterfront Agency Admitted Stealing $2.6 Million To Gamble

— American Rescue Plan Funding

— Gov. Wolf Announces $1.7 Billion Spending Plan For Federal American Rescue Plan Money

— TribLive Editorial: Nursing Shortage Can Use American Rescue Plan Funds

— PA Cap-Star: These PA Congressional Republicans Opposed The Biden American Rescue Plan Funding, Then Touted It Back Home

— COVID Pandemic In PA

— PA Cap-Star: COVID Still A ‘Serious’ Situation In PA, Health Secretary Says

— WHYY: Philly COVID Cases Continue To Drop, But ‘We’re Not Out Of The Woods Yet’

— PennLive: UPMC Doctor Warns Against Danger Of Pandemic Fatigue

— PG: January Was Allegheny County’s Deadliest Month Since COVID Vaccine Rollout

— PG: COVID Continues To Decline In Allegheny County, Across PA

— CitizensV: Holidays Produced Huge, Larger COVID Case Surge This Year And A Lot Of Deaths In NE PA

— MCall: PA COVID Cases Fall To 12-Week Low As Northampton Records 1,000th Death

— AP: PA Adding Long-Term Care Beds To Ease COVID Crunch

— TribLive Editorial: Nursing Shortage Can Use American Rescue Plan Funds

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: COVID Policies At The Capitol In Harrisburg Are All Over The Map

— ABC6: 5,000 Blank Vaccine Cars, N95 Masks Stolen From Philadelphia Hospital

— TribLive: Western PA Health Care Facilities In Compliance With Federal Vaccine Mandate

— PennLive: ‘Small Number’ Of Unvaccinated Employees Lose Jobs At Hershey Company

— PennLive: PA Republicans Push Bill To Protect Doctors Prescribing Unproven Treatments For COVID

–WITF/PennLive: Tower Health Doctor Fired For Prescribing Unproven COVID Treatments To Patients

— PennLive: Complaints Of Lebanon County Restaurant Being Used As Conduit For Unproven COVID Treatments Referred To Attorney General

— WHYY: Down 2 Hospitals In One Month, New Efforts To Restore Health Services In Chester County

— WHYY: Blood Donation Shortage A ‘Major Concern’ In Pennsylvania

— PA Cap-Star: On The Job In D.C.: ‘You Have To Do The Work’: PA’s Rachel Levine Says

— COVID – Schools

— Courier: Central Bucks School District Parents Come Together To Donate Masks To Teachers, Staff

— TribLive: New Kensington-Arnold Teachers To Highlight Educators’ Efforts During COVID

— Inquirer: Less Than One-Third Of PA Elementary Students Vaccinated Against COVID

— ErieT: Warren County School District Paid $28,000 In Winner’s Legal Fees In Challenge To Its Mask Policy

— MCall: Lehigh Valley’s St. Luke’s Hospital CEO: Network Will No Longer Provide Guidance To Southern Lehigh School District Because Of The School Board’s ‘Discourtesy And Disrespect’

— Opioid Epidemic

— AP: Allegheny, Philadelphia DAs Lose Round In Challenge To Opioid Settlement Lawsuit

— WHYY: Philly Unveils First-Of-Its Kind Vending Machine For Opioid Overdose Drug Narcan

School Funding/Administration

— PG: Private Christian School Leader First Witness For Republicans In Public School Funding Trial

— WHYY: Republicans Make Case For School Choice, Not Money In PA School Funding Trial

— CitizensV: Fair Funding Trial Exposing Inequities In PA Schools

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Senate Democrats Call For A $3.75 Billion Investment In Public Education

— WHYY: PA Democrats Set Budget Priorities With ‘Historic’ Education Spending Proposal

— PA Cap-Star: ‘This Is Not Sustainable’: PA Educators Detail Staffing Shortages, Urge Legislative Relief

— PennLive: Labor Shortages Remain PA School Districts’ Biggest Concern, Report Says, While Democrats Propose Billions In New Aid

— TribLive: Greensburg Diocese Excited By 20% Bump In Catholic School Enrollment

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Why Is PA’s Private Cyber Charter School Boom During Pandemic Crushing Taxpayers

— TribLive Guest Essay: Legislative Action On Private Charter School Reform Long Overdue – Fmr Rep. Bernie O’Neill (R) & Fmr Auditor General Eugene DePasquale (D)

— ErieT: How Unfounded Threats To Erie-Area Schools Add Stress, Work

— Inquirer: Chester County School Board Member Blamed ‘Illegal Immigrants’ For Falling Test Scores, Thousands Called For Her Resignation

— YorkD: 2 PA School Districts In Allegheny, Beaver Counties Disciplined After Hearing On Racial Allegations During Football Playoff Game

— LancasterOnline Editorial: Parents: Urge Lancaster County School Boards To Resist Efforts To Ban Books

— Spotlight PA: Report Says Fmr PA School Pension Fund CEO Withheld Information From Board

— AP: Report Flags Consultant Error In PA School Pension Fund Data

— Spotlight PA: Key Consultant Refused To Cooperate With Probe Into PA School Pension Fund

— Inquirer: Penn State Students Want To Be Heard, So They’re Running Candidates For Board Of Trustees

— Inquirer: PA State University System Launches First Diversity Survey

— PG: As Wolf Readies Final Budget, State University System Waits To See If They Will Get More Funding

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— Gov. Wolf Vetoes Bill Preempting Local Gun Ordinances

— AP: Wolf Vetoes Bill To Prevent Local Firearms Restrictions

— PA Cap-Star: Vetoed Republican Gun Preemption Bill Part Of Larger Local Preemption Strategy

— TribLive: Man Accused In Wilkinsburg Massacre With Handgun Sues Allegheny County Over ‘Malicious Prosecution’

— WITF: NAACP Files Complaint Against Lebanon County DA Over Handling Of Shootings By State Police

— WHYY: Philly DA: Murders Are Down Compared To This Time Last Year

— Inquirer: Carjackings In Philly Are On A Record Pace, Officials Aren’t Sure Why

— Inquirer: Philly DA Hoping New Unit Can Steer Young Adults To Rehabilitation Over Punishment

— PG Guest Essay: Time For Criminal Justice Overhaul – Rep. Kinkead (D)

— Inquirer Editorial: Domestic Violence Homicides Were Up 240% Last Year, Why Is Philly Taking Guns From So Few Accused Abusers?

— Inquirer Editorial: Philly Officials Collaborated On Gun Violence Report, But Can They Implement Their Own Recommendations?

— YorkDR: Teens Now Can’t Be Jailed Unless It’s In The Interest Of Justice, In PA There Are Issues

— ErieT: How Unfounded Threats To Erie-Area Schools Add Stress, Work

— CourierT: Bucks County Community Settles Lawsuit In Police Shooting Where Officer Confused Gun With Taser For $750,000

— Inquirer: 650+ Philly Cops Say They’re Too Hurt To Work, But Some Are Holding Down 2nd Jobs

— PG Editorial: Alma Speed Fox, A Matriarch Of The Civil Rights Movement, Inspired Pittsburgh

— PA Economy

— MCall: PA To Launch List Of Employers That Violate State Labor And Workplace Safety Laws

— Inquirer: Restaurant Workers Are Quitting In Droves, Here’s How They’re Being Lured Back

— PG: PennDOT Can’t Stop Major State College-Area Construction Contractor In Theft Case From Bidding On Contracts

— WHYY: Philly To Pilot A Guaranteed Income Experiment, Giving Cash To Some Needy Residents

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Rental Assistance Is A Lifeline For Philadelphia Families, Don’t Let It Disappear

— WHYY: Philly To Guarantee Lawyers For Some Renters Facing Eviction

— PG: Class Of 2022 Starting Salaries Could See Sizable Gains, But Some May Lose Ground

— CitizensV: Report: NE PA Leads State In New Job Creation

— ErieT: Unemployment Rates Improve In Erie County Falls From 6.2% To 5.9%

— TribLive: Western PA Region’s Labor Force Shrinks Again, Jobless Rate Falls

— CentreDT: Centre County Couple Made, Sold Moonshine For More Than 30 Years, Investigators Say

TAP HERE for all articles in February 7 EXPRESS Update