☀️ Good morning! It’s the last week of April.
📰 PA Policy Playbook Headlines. Meet two independent voters. What’s next for the PA Human Relations Commission? Data centers and the “shotgun marriage”. A $77 million tax credit for creating one job.
🎶 Your morning, pick me up. Play that funky music. Wild cherry
Weather in Pennsylvania
☀️ Rochester | Sunny, 74
☀️ Boiling springs | Sunny, 69
☀️ Green belt | Sunny. 69
Sports PA
⚾ Pirates (16-12) | Milwaukee 0-5 | Mon vs. St. Louis
⚾ Phillies (9-19) | Atlanta 2-6 | Tuesday vs. San Francisco
🏀 Sixes (1-3) | Boston 96-128 | Tuesday in Boston
🏒 Flyers (3-1) | Pittsburgh 2-4 | Wednesday in Pittsburgh
🏒 Penguins (1-3) | Philadelphia 4-2 | Wednesday – Philadelphia
⚽ Union (1-1-8) | Columbus 0-2 | I was based in Nashville
📅 What’s happening today. The House meets at noon.
🔈 What we hear. “With any piece of legislation, I try to look at it as a whole and determine is it a net positive or net negative for the district? That’s it.” Representative Brian Fitzpatrick he said. “I don’t care which party, which president, which party leader supports it or who opposes it, we are trying to rule it out.”
💬 Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s leading source of unbiased political news and analysis. Tips and press releases can be submitted [email protected].
📕 PoliticsPA Guide was developed by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser click here.
The most significant story
1. Meet 2 of the 1 million AP independent voters who were excluded from next month’s primary election
“The May primaries will likely decide who represents Bruce Parker in the Pennsylvania House. But you may not be able to vote.
Parker changed his registration in 2016, choosing to reject both major parties, and became an independent for the first time in his voting career. Etiquette – or the lack thereof – is significant to him. He sees it as loyalty to the country rather than to any single political party.” | PA reflector
Elsewhere
Brian Fitzpatrick believes Josh Shapiro will win re-election and should run for president. “As speculation grows about Democratic Governor Shapiro’s 2028 presidential run, the Pennsylvania swing district Republican has already lent his support to these potential aspirations.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Trump Administration Eliminates FOIA. “Long backlogs, staff cuts and political pressure threaten the Freedom of Information Act.” | known
The Republican group includes PA on its 2026 state legislative target list. “The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is optimistic about Pennsylvania. Despite a popular and well-financed Democratic governor leading this year, RSLC believes Republicans can retake the state House and maintain a majority in the Senate. ” | Wide + Freedom
Al Stanford’s consortium of black doctors, congressional hopefuls, injected $13 million into public funds. “The Inquirer reviewed hundreds of pages of tax returns, financial statements and other public documents to explain how Stanford managed taxpayer money from federal, local and state sources.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Country
2. After the investigation and resignation, what’s next for the PA Human Relations Commission?
“For 70 years, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has enforced civil rights laws throughout the Commonwealth.
But within weeks, the number of PHMC commissioners dropped from seven to five, below the six required for a quorum, and the body’s executive director signaled he would leave in June.
The governor’s office declined to answer questions about the cause Governor Josh Shapiro has not appointed any members or indicated whether it plans to appoint any members in the near future.” | Penn Capital Star
Elsewhere
PA-7 Democratic debate takes negative turn amid Brooks’ Facebook posts criticizing Obama and gun defense. “Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure launched harsh attacks on firefighters union leader Bob Brooks on Thursday during the final televised debate for the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.” | LehighValley News
Democratic candidates for 10th Congressional District field questions at forum. “Congressional candidates Janelle Stelson and Justin Douglas made their case to Democratic primary voters at a candidate forum Saturday at Central Penn College.” | abc27
Bucks County Democrats will take on Congress at Monday’s forum. “The League of Women Voters is hosting an event on Monday at 7 p.m. for Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie and Quakertown mathematician Lucia Simonelli, who are running for the PA-01 seat held by Republican Brian Fitzpatrick.” | Bucks County Courier Times
AP warns election officials to be wary of attempts to gain access and subvert voting systems. “The state’s recent election security directive suggests that officials are closely monitoring possible efforts to challenge the election results this fall — including any by President Donald Trump’s administration.” | WESA
Federal Court dismisses ‘Election Integrity’ group’s lawsuit over PA electoral rolls. “Pennsylvania’s ban on posting publicly available voter data online does not violate federal election law or the First Amendment, a federal judge in Harrisburg ruled this week.” | Penn Capital Star
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Neighbors struggle with the ‘monster next door’ as data center work begins
“The trucks arrived first.
Then there was an explosion.
For some Middlesex Township residents living next door to Central Pennsylvania’s first hyperscale data center, those same rumblings and tremors are the first act of an uneasy shooting marriage.’ | PennLive
Elsewhere
When can Medicaid abortion coverage start in Pennsylvania? “The April 20 decision could enable a significant expansion of public coverage of these procedures throughout the Keystone State, eliminating a financial barrier that advocates have long argued has faced low-income women who rely on Medicaid for health care.” | USA Today Network
Pennsylvania relies on volunteer firefighters, but fewer are signing up. “Pennsylvania faces a deepening volunteer fire crisis that could leave some communities without reliable emergency assistance.” | Axios Philadelphia
Meet the two Democrats who will face Sen. Jarrett Coleman in November. “Two Democrats vying for a chance to unseat Republican Sen. Jarrett Coleman in November hope to represent a district poised for explosive growth over the next decade.” | Morning talk in Allentown
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. This data center will receive a $77 million tax credit for creating one job
“One February morning in 2024, a little-known agency in Rockland County held a public hearing on a proposed grant to expand a JPMorganChase data center in Orangeburg, near the New Jersey border. In exchange for nearly $77 million in tax breaks, the project promised to create exactly one lasting job.
Nobody showed up. After 20 minutes of silence, an agency official ended the meeting. Two weeks later, the grant agreement was approved.
The tax breaks JPMorganChase received, granted through local agencies called industrial development agencies, were primarily intended to attract companies that would provide lasting jobs. Data centers – which require vast investments but few workers – call this assumption into question.” | New York in the spotlight
Thank you for starting your week with us.
Do it right. See you tomorrow.
