☀️ Hello, Tuesday. Which one gives you more pause? Mark Zuckerberg turns 40 today or George Lucas turns 80 today?
Weather in Pennsylvania
🌥️City of Oil | Partly shining, with a chance of showers, 73
🌥️Lewisburg | Partly shining, with a chance of showers, 72
🌂Perkiomenville | Mostly gloomy, with a chance of showers, 74
Sports PA
⚾ Phillies (29-13) | NY Mets 5-4 (10) | Tuesday-Thursday vs. NY Mets
⚾ Pirates (19-23) | Milwaukee 8-6 | Tuesday-Wednesday vs. Milwaukee
⚽ Union (3-5-3) | Wednesday – New York City FC
👂 What we hear. “We will remain steadfast in ensuring that we do not throw the Commonwealth into any fiscal collapse.” – His. Scott Martin
🎂 Happy birthday. Cake and candles for Representatives of Parke Wentling AND Robert Merski.
🎸 Everyday Bruce. “I lost track of how far I had come, how far I had gone, how high I had climbed. A sixty-pound stone on my back, half a mile on my shoulder. – Emerging
🗞️ Pennsylvania. The ultimate swing state. Where can you find the latest information on political events in the Keystone State? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Guide. We’ll deliver all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every weekday at 8am. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and sign up now.
The best story
1. ‘Anything is possible’: Martin isn’t sure state lawmakers will pass the budget on time
“State Senate Appropriations Chairman Scott Martin on Monday, he repeated his previous reservations about the Democratic Party Governor Josh Shapiro budget proposal for next year and did not promise that lawmakers would present the budget on time.
Martin, a Republican from Martic Township who has significant influence over state budget legislation, told the Pennsylvania Press Club’s monthly luncheon that he and his club disagree with Shapiro’s proposal to use $3 billion from the state’s fiscal reserves to finance part of its 48 $3 billion proposal that would reduce reserves from $14 billion to $11 billion.
Martin said this spending path could deplete state supplies in just a few years.” (LNP)
Related
NYT/Inquirer/Siena poll shows chinks in Biden’s armor. “Another day, another survey. But study after study provides cause for concern for President Joe Biden’s campaign.” (PoliticsPA)
The Democrats’ modern ad campaign is aimed at one of Trump’s most true blocs: rural voters, including AP. “American Bridge 21st Century ads began airing Monday in the northern battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Their goal is to capture the attention of voters in smaller media markets that are less saturated with political advertising and where they hope to reach people, especially women, who may be hesitant.” (AP)
RFK Jr. defies all odds – opposes getting on the ballot across the country. “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign exceeds expectations regarding ballot access. The campaign collected more than twice the number of signatures needed to qualify for the ballot in Texas, which requires more than 100,000 signatures from registered voters. Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, are now on the ballot in four states.” (POLICY)
Nursing home problems bigger than Casey, McCormick Squabble. “The spat between Senator Bob Casey and his Republican challenger Dave McCormick over nursing homes highlights broader problems in the Commonwealth’s health care system. While attention remains on staffing requirements, Pennsylvania’s health care system is plagued by staff shortages, funding and affordability issues.” (Central Square)
Country
2. Shapiro orders government employees to avoid ‘scandalous’ conduct during Gaza protests, raising concerns about free speech
“Among protests over the war in Gaza Governor Josh Shapiro quietly revised his administration’s code of conduct to prohibit state employees from engaging in “outrageous or disgraceful” behavior — actions that could lead to discipline or firing, Spotlight PA has learned.
The vaguely worded update, which went into effect last week without public comment on some of its executive orders, is raising concerns among First Amendment advocates concerned that it could be used to unconstitutionally restrict free speech. (PA reflector)
Related
Shapiro signs executive order aimed at improving and expanding opportunities for Pennsylvanians seeking a career in public service. “Gub. Josh Shapiro signed his first executive order of 2024, establishing the Hire, Enhance, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) commission to expand opportunities for Pennsylvanians seeking careers in public service.” (PoliticsPA)
DePasquale promises to use the attorney general’s office to protect access to abortion. “Former Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said in a recent interview with The Keystone that he wants to protect abortion access for all women, including those traveling to the Commonwealth.” (Key)
GOP lawmakers have revived Pennsylvania’s school voucher offer. “School vouchers are back on the budget negotiation table at the Pennsylvania Capitol, with seemingly little change to the established position on this controversial issue.” (PennLive)
Taxation and regulation of skill games will definitely be included in the AP budget for 2024–2025. “Gub. Democrat Josh Shapiro included revenues from gaming in his $48.3 billion 2024-25 state budget, which differs from games of chance in that skill levels can increase as people play more often. Republican lawmakers are also calling for taxation and regulation of this form of gaming.” (PennLive)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. The number of GOP registrations in the Community is constantly growing
“If you’re trying to read the tea leaves for clues about how the 2024 presidential election will go in the Commonwealth, you could do worse than looking at voter rolls.
PoliticsPA has reviewed the latest voter registration data from the Department of State, and based on the numbers alone, Republicans continue to chip away at Democrats’ numerical advantage, and these advances reinforce Pennsylvania’s new slogan, “The Swingiest of the Swing States.” )
Related
Luzerne County Files Legal Response to Cabell’s Appeal. “Representing the county board of elections, Deputy General Counsel Gene Molino filed a document detailing the position that Republican Party votes should not be counted for incumbent Michael Cabell because his name appeared on the party’s ballot.” (Leader of the Times)
PA districts complete second core performance audit prior to state certification. “Pennsylvania’s headline results are still unofficial. To get approval, counties go through several processes to make sure everything works well. An important step is to check the votes to make sure they were counted correctly on the first night. The districts completed the process on Friday, the last major hurdle before Monday’s certification deadline. (THAT’S IT)
County Elections Manager: The November general election was the calm before the storm. “Allegheny County Elections Manager David Voye told the county Board of Elections – made up of County Executive Sara Innamorato and at-large County Councilmembers Sam DeMarco and Bethany Hallam – that primary voter turnout ultimately was 27% or 28%. (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
Pittsburgh may have violated city and state codes of ethics by paying a former employee through PayPal. “Mario Ashkar, charged in connection with a series of anti-Semitic incidents on the North Side, has been receiving payments since June 2023, internal communications show.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
- Less interest in politics, more interest in lifestyle. (David Shribman)
- Public employee unions have taken over Michigan. Now they are looking at PA. (Andrzej Holman)
- Cyril Wecht changed forensics and true crime. (Grandstand overview)
1 item
5. Liam and Olivia remain the most popular
“Liam and Olivia are at the top of the list of baby names for boys and girls born in the US in 2023 for their fifth year together. Mateo joins the top 10 baby names list for the first time.
Liam has been in power for seven years in a row, and Olivia has been at the top of the girls’ list for five years, after ousting Emma, who held the top spot for five years.
After Liam, the most popular names given to boys are, in order: Noah, Oliver, James, Elijah, Mateo, Theodore, Henry, Lucas and William. And after Olivia, the most popular names given to girls are Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Sophia, Mia, Isabella, Ava, Evelyn and Luna. (AP)
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