📖 Today’s PolitykiPA Guide. House GOP is pushing strict proof of citizenship requirements for voters. PA’s budget deficit is expected to raise to $6.7 billion. RNC asks Supreme Court to take up fight over mail-in voting in PA. The 10 most spirited cities in Pennsylvania.
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☁️ Pittsburg | Mostly dull, 30
☁️ Harrisburg | Mostly dull, 34
☁️ Philadelphia | Mostly dull, 36
Sports PA
🏀 Sixes (30-24) | New York 89-138 | February 19 vs. Atlanta
🗣️ What are we watching?. “Candidates to represent the 22nd House District in the Allentown area will do so will meet face-to-face in debate this evening organized by Lehigh Valley Public Media.”
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The most essential story
1. House GOP pushes strict proof of citizenship requirement for voters ahead of midterm elections
“House Republicans rushed to approve legislation Wednesday that would impose strict modern proof of citizenship requirements ahead of the midterm elections, a long-term priority of the Trump administration that is facing fierce rejection in the Senate.
The bill, called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility or SAVE America Act, would require Americans to prove they are citizens when registering to vote, primarily through a valid U.S. passport or birth certificate. It would also require a valid photo ID before voters can return ballots, something some states already require. It was approved by a vote of 218-213.” | Related press
Elsewhere
Republicans in the House of Representatives criticize Trump over tariffs in Canada. “Half a dozen House Republicans, including Pennsylvania Republican Brian Fitzpatrick, voted with most Democrats on Wednesday to repeal President Trump’s tariffs on Canada. The vote signals growing GOP discomfort with Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy and the willingness of some Republicans to oppose the president after months of working closely with the White House. ” | Axles
Why the two most powerful Democrats in Pennsylvania aren’t talking. “Senator John Fetterman and Gov. Josh Shapiro don’t get along. Bad blood goes back years.” | New York Times
Deluzio rebukes Trump again after Justice Department ‘tried and failed to impeach me’. “U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, following reports that federal prosecutors tried and failed to indict him and five of his colleagues over statements that drew the ire of President Donald Trump last fall, said once again Tuesday night that he will not shy away from speaking out against the president.” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
How an AI failure could blow up the 2028 race. “The rampant spending fueling the AI boom continues to heighten fears of an AI bubble — and the economic calculus that will follow if it bursts. The governor who will have to carefully navigate the fallout is Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, whose state will nearly double its number of data centers over the next decade. ” | POLICY
Rogan is defending the Democratic senator, who has faced backlash from within the party for supporting voter ID. “Podcaster Joe Rogan talked about the risk of going against the grain, citing Senator John Fetterman as a prime example.” | Fox News
Country
2. Report: Pennsylvania Budget Deficit Expected to Grow to $6.7 Billion in 26-27
“Could Pennsylvania’s budget deficit raise from $3.9 billion to $6.7 billion in 12 months?
Yes, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO).
Based on IFO revenue estimates and executive budget returns, omissions, and expenditures, the FY25-26 deficit is now estimated at $3.9 billion. If modern policies are ruled out, IFO projects the deficit to explode by 72 percent to $6.7 billion, exacerbated by the underlying structural deficit. | PoliticsPA
Elsewhere
What AP voters think about Trump, Shapiro, ICE and more. “President Donald Trump continues to struggle with Pennsylvania voters as a new poll shows Gov. Josh Shapiro’s re-election prospects improving.” | PennLive
HD-121: Pashinsky announces his departure from the House of Representatives after the end of his term. “State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of his current term, marking the end of a distinguished career of public service that spanned nearly two decades in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.” | PoliticsPA
5 findings from the state government’s modern report on artificial intelligence. “The nearly 400-page report comes as artificial intelligence is transforming the global economy, driving billions of dollars in investment in technology infrastructure and energy projects, while also raising concerns about digital privacy, the expansion of data centers in residential areas and the impact on the workforce.” | City and state
PA schools must teach cursive writing under a bill signed by Shapiro. “The bill continues by stating that learning to read and write cursive will help younger generations as they read historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.” | PennLive
Around the Republic of Poland
3. RNC asks Supreme Court to take up fight over mail-in voting in Pennsylvania
“The Republican National Committee (RNC) asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to overturn a ruling that requires Pennsylvania to count undated and misdated mail-in ballots, saying its logic turns courts into “weapons of political warfare.”
This battle is further exacerbated by the Keystone State’s greater role as a swing state in presidential contests. In the last election in Pennsylvania, the number of disputed mail-in ballots was in the thousands.” | Hill
Elsewhere
How many voters might be affected by earlier mail-in voting deadlines? We ran the numbers. “President Donald Trump’s determined attempts to change the way U.S. elections are conducted have mostly ended in dead ends in the courts. But his administration and allies have managed to tighten rules on at least one of his biggest pet peeves: counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. | PolitykaPA
Many Pennsylvania counties have not updated property taxes in decades. “More than one-third of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have not fully revalued properties since 2000, leaving approximately 40% of the state with outdated taxation data.” | USA Today Network
Montour County denies a rezoning plan that would allow for a data center. “Montour County on Tuesday rejected a plan to rezone the land to build a data center there, becoming the latest site to push back against the rapidly growing energy-intensive electricity industry across the country.” | PoliticsPA
Why a Cumberland County farmer said no to $15 million from data center developers. “When someone comes to your door with a promise of $15 million, you might think your ship has arrived. Not Mervin Raudabaugh. He didn’t board the boat.” | PennLive
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. The 10 most spirited cities in Pennsylvania
“In Pennsylvania, a weekend is fun and basic to make. You can learn about American history in the morning, watch a show later, eat well along the way, and take in views of a river or a forest trail before heading home.
Another advantage is how close everything is. In Pennsylvania, you can have fairs, museums, live performances, and parks all in one compact loop in one day. Time in the city and fresh air naturally combine to make your route basic to drive and difficult to execute. | Atlas of the World
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