Friday, April 29, 2016

OK, Election’s Over, Back To Work On Next Year’s State Budget!

The election provided an interesting diversion the last couple weeks, but the outcome was, by and large, anticipated-- Trump and Clinton for President and Shapiro for Attorney General, although that was a close call.  McGinty for U.S. Senate was a bit of a surprise, but late polls showed that race tightening.
One key to this year’s Senate and House races-- having 2 or more opponents in the Primary.  Lesson there.
Actual counted election results are available at the Department of State’s Election Results website.
House
Only four House incumbents-- Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Philadelphia), a 38-year veteran, Rep. Tonyelle Cook-Artis (D-Philadelphia), Rep. Frank Farina (D-Lackawanna) and Rep. Lynwood Sava (D-Philadelphia)-- lost their bids for reelection in the Primary.
Indicted incumbent Rep. Vanessa Brown (D-Philadelphia) beat 5 other opponents for the Democratic nomination for this seat with 36.4 percent of the vote.
Senate
No incumbent Senators lost.  
Conservative Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York) weighed in personally in two Senate races and won both-- the 15th in Dauphin County where Republican John DiSanto won over Andrew Lewis and in the 31st in Cumberland County where Rep. Mike Regan beat a candidate endorsed by retiring Sen. Pat Vance.
Sen. John Sabatina (D) in the 5th District in Philadelphia won his seat by less than 700 votes against a tough challenger Rep. Kevin Boyle.  There may be a challenge to this count.
Congress
Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) beat indicted incumbent Congressman Chaka Fattah.  No other incumbent members of Congress lost.
State Budget
The House comes back to work May 2 and the Senate May 9.  Waiting for them is the FY 2016-17 state budget.
Rep. William Adolph (R-Delaware), Majority Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, notified members of his Committee April 20, the first vote on the FY 2016-17 will take place when the House returns to voting session the week of May 2.
Amendments to the budget vehicle-- House Bill 1999-- are due in the Office of the Chief Clerk last Monday for Committee action.  Only 19 amendments were posted by late Friday, but that will change.
Welcome to FY 2016-17!
Related Story:
GOP Amendment Would Use DEP Personnel Money To Help Industry Review Drilling Regs

No comments:

Post a Comment