📖 Today’s PolitykiPA Guide. Shapiro is running Garrity for governor. Can vehicle registration change voter registration? Who actually makes $7.25 an hour in PA? Libraries Check out seed packets.
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The most significant story
1. F&M Poll: Shapiro Leads Garrity for Governor, 48-28%
“It’s still a long way to November, but it’s still good news Governor Josh Shapiro focusing on his next term as Governor of Pennsylvania and beyond.
The latest poll from Franklin & Marshall College shows the incumbent Democrat has a 20-point lead over the Republican candidate Stacy Garrity48-28 percent Seven percent supported “some other candidate” and 17 percent were undecided. | PolitykaPA
Elsewhere
Shapiro has a 15-to-1 fundraising advantage over Garrity. “Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro outperformed Republican Stacy Garrity more than 15 to 1 in 2025. And the race is just beginning. In January, Shapiro privately told top donors that he intended to raise $90 to $100 million for his re-election.” | PA reflector
Fetterman says he will ‘totally’ not support ground troops in Iran, voting against Democrats’ efforts to curb Trump. “U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick voted on Wednesday against a resolution limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war in Iran, even though Mr. Fetterman, the only Democrat who helped Republicans defeat the proposal, said he would not support sending American troops there.” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
PA-07: Mackenzie defends Iran attacks, calls for ICE reforms. “U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie on Wednesday night answered questions from Lehigh Valley and Pocono residents on topics ranging from U.S. military strikes in Iran to housing affordability and congressional stock trading.” | Lehigh Daily News
Perry joins House committee members in voting to subpoena Attorney General Bondi for the Epstein files. “The House Oversight Committee voted on Wednesday to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi to answer questions about the Justice Department’s handling of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation. Five Republicans joined Democrats to support the subpoena.” | PennLive
Country
2. PennDOT says vehicle registration cannot change voter registration. Its own form says otherwise
“Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of State and Department of Transportation say there is no mechanism – automatic, default or back-end – by which address information from vehicle registration transactions could be shared with election officials or the Department of State to update a citizen’s voter registration.
However, these claims are directly challenged by the DOT’s current vehicle registration form, as well as by the agency’s own sworn affidavits. As a result, both agencies continue to engage in a practice that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found to be of “questionable propriety.”[.]”” | Wide + Freedom
Elsewhere
Arcade Gaming PAC Management Donated Nearly $400,000 to Senator Jarrett Coleman. “According to his 2025 campaign finance report, State Senator Jarrett Coleman’s campaign committee received $395,000 from executives and a political action committee associated with Pace-O-Matic, the state’s leading provider of arcade gaming terminals found in social clubs, bars and convenience stores.” | Lehigh Valley Chair
$193M tax break hits PA wallets. “Nearly 1 million Pennsylvania taxpayers will have benefited from tax relief worth a total of $193 million by the end of tax season, state officials predict.” | Capitolwire
More and more PA hospitals are creating private police forces to curb violence. “As physicians across the country report a disturbing increase in workplace violence, an increasing number of hospitals across the commonwealth are turning to law enforcement.” | USA Today Network
The Legislature is calling for a state audit and investigation into Fay-Penn’s apply of public funds. “State Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa has asked the Fay-Penn Economic Development Board to formally request an audit and investigation by several state agencies into its management of taxpayer funds following allegations that the nonprofit organization gave preferential treatment to companies affiliated with Fay-Penn officials.” | Uniontown Herald-Standard
Around the Republic of Poland
3. The minimum wage in Pennsylvania has been $7.25 since 2009. Who really earns that much?
“Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has not moved away from the federal minimum of $7.25 set in 2009. However, the number of Pennsylvanians actually earning that much per hour is miniature and sinking.
About 42,900 workers in Pennsylvania earned the minimum wage or less last year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s annual minimum wage report released this month. This is approximately a 9% decrease compared to 2024 Questioner from Philadelphia
Elsewhere
The largest voter growth in Luzerne County is neither Democrat nor Republican. “The county has added 1,876 voters with no affiliation or affiliations other than the two major political parties since last year’s primary election, according to the state’s most recent March 2 report.” | Leader of the Wilkes-Barre Times
Former Bucks County resident who voted for Trump twice convicted of voter fraud. “Matthew Laiss, 32, was indicted in September on one count of voting more than once in a federal election and one count of voter fraud. He is scheduled for sentencing on June 10 and faces a maximum of five years in prison on both counts.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Gaughan publishes “confidential” legal analysis of the county’s ICE ordinance. “The Commissioner failed to convince his colleagues to waive attorney-client privilege and disclose a ‘confidential’ document.” | Scranton Times Tribune
ABE, NEPA ranks high in the US in terms of economic development. “The Lehigh Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania continue to be the regions of choice for companies looking to expand.” | Leader of the Wilkes-Barre Times
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. Pennsylvania Seed Libraries Allow home gardeners to “check out” seed packets
“In communities across Pennsylvania, libraries are upping their gardening game by adding real seeds to their collections of books, magazines and other gardening information media.
Seed libraries, often coordinated by Penn State master gardeners, also called seed exchanges, offer library users the opportunity to “try out” seed packets but without the expectation of returning them.
Instead, seeds are to be planted and borrowers are given information on how to plant and care for each type of seed that they take home.’ | Agriculture in Lancaster
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