📖 Today’s PolitykiPA Guide. Data center tax break could cost state billions of dollars in revenue Pro-Israel group enters Democratic House primary. 2026 Pennsylvania Special Election Is Reese Cutting corners?
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👀 What we see. House Majority Forward announced the launch of a novel digital advertising campaign in five congressional districts across the country, including: PA-07 AND PA-10as part of HMF’s multi-million-dollar health care and economic responsibility program. Affordable Pennsylvania published its first ad in PA-08 as part of a novel seven-figure television, digital and print accountability campaign calling on Congressman Rob Bresnahan to end restrictions on Medicaid.
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The most significant story
1. Data center tax credit created to stimulate economy and add jobs to PA could cost state billions in revenue
“As data centers spread and spark a backlash across the state, new data is emerging about their potential long-term costs. The Shapiro administration’s latest budget estimates show Pennsylvania could lose about $2 billion in revenue by mid-2031 because of a tax break that some lawmakers want to repeal.”
Local activists and lawmakers opposed to the tax breaks argue it is a costly handout to an industry dominated by some of the country’s largest and most profitable corporations when the state is hungry for revenue.’ | PA reflector
Elsewhere
Shapiro tests Democrats’ data center strategy. “Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro knows how to create data center-friendly policy. He continues to strive to make it good policy.” | POLICY
Trump loves data centers. Many Republican lawmakers don’t do that. “Republican state lawmakers in several states across the country want to halt construction of new data centers, breaking with President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in Congress. And now some Republican state lawmakers want to at least slow the spread of these changes by crafting new energy contracts. ” | known
Judge sets deadline for restoring evidence of slavery in president’s home in response to Trump administration appeals. “A federal judge has set a Friday, February 20 deadline for the Trump administration to restore slavery exhibits it removed from the President’s House in Philadelphia. The order comes after the administration appealed a previous ruling demanding the exhibits be restored and made accessible to the public. ” | Penn Capital Star
A novel AP-NORC poll shows many Democrats remain opposed to the Democratic Party. “Only about 7 in 10 Democrats have a positive view of the Democratic Party, according to a new poll. While the overwhelming majority of Democrats still feel good about their party, they are much less positive than in the past.” | Related press
GOP concern over voter turnout grows as losses mount. “Republicans are being crushed in dozens of state and local races, raising deep concerns about a deflationary base that refuses to show up to vote even in the most pro-Trump areas.” | Axles
Country
2. A pro-Israel group enters the Democratic House primary
“A pro-Israel group is taking part in nearly a dozen contested House primary elections in an attempt to shape the Democratic Party’s approach to the controversial issue.
Democratic Majority Israel PAC, which supports pro-Israel Democrats, is endorsing 11 House candidates, including Paige Cognetti in PA-08 i Janelle Stelson in PA-10 in a costly and crowded primary election, the party must win to take back the House.” | POLICY
Elsewhere
PA-07: Pinsley resigns to run for Senate in another state. “Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley ended his campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 7th Congressional District on Wednesday morning to turn his attention to the Pennsylvania State Senate seat.” | PoliticsPA
Public access to Pennsylvania officials’ conversations may be restricted following the agency’s decision. “The conversations and prompts of many state government employees using artificial intelligence chatbots will likely remain hidden from the public record following this month’s ruling by the Pennsylvania Open Records Agency.” | WITF
Shapiro wants to continue pursuing the Medicaid pilot program after Trump refuses to cut federal funding. “Gov. Josh Shapiro is again asking the Legislature to fund a trial run of supplemental Medicaid benefits, saying the Trump administration is honoring the Biden-era approval despite Republicans’ desire to rein in Medicaid spending.” | PennLive
Nursing home caregivers in Pennsylvania will urge Senator McCormick to reject Trump’s candidacy. “Longtime nursing home owner Benjamin Landa is Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Hungary. Ahead of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s preliminary vote, SEIU Healthcare PA is launching a multi-pronged pressure campaign urging Republican Senator Dave McCormick, a Trump ally on the committee, to vote against the nomination.” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
Around the Republic of Poland
3. What to know about the 2026 Pennsylvania special election
“Due to the resignations in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, five seats in that chamber will be up for grabs in special elections scheduled for the next few months.
The resignations come after several lawmakers won election to local office in November and another resigned amid conflict-of-interest complaints.’ | City and state
Elsewhere
Garrity announces record number of unclaimed property returns. “Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that the Pennsylvania Department of the Treasury returned more unclaimed property in 2025 than ever before – $334.1 million, surpassing the previous record set in 2024 of $272.2 million.” | Gant News
Bucks Commissioners Vote Against ICE Facilities – Says Feds Inspected Two Local Facilities. “The controversial nationwide discussion about ICE’s rapid expansion came to the doorstep of the Philadelphia region on Wednesday when Bucks County commissioners voted to oppose maintaining any processing or detention facilities in the county.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Bucks Co. Sheriff Explains Termination of 287(g) ICE: Full Interview with Danny Ceisler. “When newly elected Bucks County Sheriff Danny Ceisler announced last month that he was terminating his ‘task force’ arrangement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he knew the announcement would be controversial.” | Wide + Freedom
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. The grandson of the inventor of peanut butter cups, Reese, accuses Hershey of cutting corners
“The grandson of the inventor of Reese’s peanut butter cups has slammed The Hershey Co., accusing the candy company of harming the Reese’s brand by switching to cheaper ingredients in many of its products.
Hershey acknowledges there have been some changes to the recipe, but said Wednesday it is trying to meet consumer demand for innovation. High cocoa prices have also led Hershey and other manufacturers to experiment with using less chocolate in recent years.
Brad Reese, 70, said in a Feb. 14 letter to Hershey’s brand manager that for many Reese’s products, the company replaced milk chocolate with multi-ingredient coating and peanut butter with peanut butter cream. | Related press
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