Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- July 4th

-- Post-Gazette - Salena Zito: Remembering Another July 4th In A Meadow In The Allegheny Mountains South Of Pittsburgh In 1754

 

-- Congressional Voting Districts

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Case On Congressional Voting Districts Takes A Back Seat As U.S. Supreme Court Takes On Independent State Legislature Doctrine

-- Governor’s Race

-- Post-Gazette - Julian Routh: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Says Economy Will Sway Voters

-- Inquirer: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano Sticking To His MAGA Playbook In General Election

-- PennLive: Polling Website Has PA U.S. Senate Race A Toss-Up, Shapiro Favored To Win Governor’s Race

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Lawyer’s Campaign For Governor Shows How Big Money Shapes PA Politics

-- U.S. Senate Race

-- Inquirer: Dr. Oz’s Image Took A Beating During Republican Primary, It’s Weighing On Him As General Election Starts

-- PennLive: Fetterman Skipping July 4th Campaigning, But should Be Back ‘Really Soon’

-- Post-Gazette - Julian Routh: PA U.S. Senate Race May Break Advertising Spending Records

-- PennLive: Polling Website Has PA U.S. Senate Race A Toss-Up, Shapiro Favored To Win Governor’s Race

 

-- November 2022 Election

-- PennLive - John Baer: Will Abortion Ruling Help PA Democrats Win In A Republican Year?

-- AARP-Pennsylvania Poll: Black Voters Say Inflation Most Important To Them In Race For Governor

-- AP: More Than 1 Million Voters Switch To Republicans In Warning For Democrats [Includes PA]

-- May 2022 Primary Election

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: High Voter Turnout Is A Symptom Of Polarization, Not A Cure

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Lawyer’s Campaign For Governor Shows How Big Money Shapes PA Politics

-- Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

-- WITF: Bill Loosening Rules For PA Election Poll Watchers Heads To Wolf’s Desk

-- City & State PA: Ex-President Says Bill Expanding Poll Watcher Access Should Be Tied To PA Budget

-- AP: Fight Over 2020 Election Records Lands In Lycoming County Court

-- AP: U.S. Supreme Court To Hear Case On State Authority Over Congressional Redistricting, Federal Elections [PA Included]

-- Spotlight PA: How PA Keeps Its Voter Rolls Clean And Updated

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: In A Time Of Racial Division, Remembering The Multicultural Focus Of Bucks County Nobel Prize-Winning Author Pearl S. Buck

-- PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Ex-White House Aide - Republican PA Cong. Scott Perry Was In On Talks About Ex-President Going Along To Assault The Capital On Jan. 6

-- York Daily Record: ‘Vote Perry Out’: Protesters Chant Calling On Republican Cong. Scott Perry To Resign

-- LancasterOnline: Republican Cong. Lloyd Smucker Says Testimony Before U.S. House Committee Investigating The Assault On The U.S. Capital, Efforts To Overturn The 2020 Election ‘Very Credible’

-- PennLive Guest Essay: When Is Enough Enough For Ex-President’s Republicans [U.S. House Investigation Into Assault On U.S. Capitol] - Mark Singel

-- Inquirer Editorial: Lingering Threat Of Enablers Seeking To Overturn 2020 Election Results - Republican PA Cong. Scott Perry

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: The Republicans Who Said No To Ex-President And Paid For It

-- PA Capital-Star: Here’s Full List Of PA 2020 Fake Electors Under Investigation By FBI

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-Area Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Says U.S. House Hearings Have ‘Poisoned The Jury Pool’ For Trial

-- PennLive: 2 Lycoming County Residents Plead Guilty To Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- TribLive: Feds Make Plea Offer To Crawford County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- MCall: Montgomery County Man Charged With Crimes Related To The Assault On U.S. Capitol Sentenced To Prison

-- WPost: Canada, New Zealand Designate Proud Boys, The Base As Terrorist Organizations

-- State Constitutional Amendments

-- WHYY: Fight Gears Up Over PA Constitutional Amendment To Protect ‘Every Unborn Child’

-- PA Capital-Star: Bad Faith Use Of Constitutional Amendment Process Reduces Power Of Voters Under The Guise Of Increasing It - Philadelphia Bar Assn.

-- Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution

 

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- Altoona Mirror: Peoples Gas Cost Nearly Doubles, Average Bill Increases $33/Month

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Freeing Competitive Markets Where Only A Handful Of Corporations Control The Prices You Pay - Rep. Pisciottano (D-Allegheny) & Rep. Innamorato (D-Allegheny)

-- Inquirer - Andrew Maykuth: Philadelphia Natural Gas Works Reverses Onerous Weatherization Charges For May Gas Bills

-- WHYY: Refunds To Philadelphia Natural Gas Works Customers For May Bills Could Cost $12 Million

-- PA Consumer Advocate To Investigate Unusually Large Weather Normalization Charge To Customers Of Philadelphia Natural Gas Works

-- Inquirer - Andrew Maykuth: PA Consumer Advocate To Investigate Excessive Philadelphia Natural Gas Works Weather Charges

-- WHYY: PA Consumer Advocate To Investigate Philadelphia Natural Gas Works Weather Charges; Does Billing Practice Put Customers On Hook For Warming Temps Due To Climate Change?

-- Inquirer - Andrew Maykuth: What To Do If Your Philadelphia Natural Gas Works ‘Weather Normalized’ Bill Is Not Normal

-- York Daily Record: Sheetz Lowers Some Gasoline Prices Below $4 Now Thru July 4 Weekend

-- MCall - Ford Turner: Sen. Boscola Proposes Temporary Halt To Gasoline, Diesel Taxes In PA

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Dr. Oz’s Misinformed Oil & Natural Gas Policies - Penn State Public Policy Student

-- Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Who Runs Harrisburg? You Or The Corporate Elite?  Lawmakers Have A Choice To Help Working Pennsylvanians

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Lawyer’s Campaign For Governor Shows How Big Money Shapes PA Politics

-- PA Capital-Star: From Fireworks Restrictions To Abortion Access, Here’s The Harrisburg Week In Review

-- TribLive: Rep. Dowling To Retire, Remove Name From Ballot After DUI Charges Filed

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Put Pensions On The Line For Lawmakers For Sexual Misconduct

-- AP: Lawmakers Pass New Limits On Fireworks As July 4th Nears

-- Scranton Times: Rising Costs Deal Blow To Fireworks Shops

-- Erie Times: PA Supreme Court To Decide Whether Open Records Law Applies To PIAA?

-- Budget 2022

-- AP: PA Heads Into Fiscal Year Without Budget In Place, Senate, House Return Tuesday

-- Post-Gazette: Lawmakers Leave Harrisburg For July 4th Holiday With Budget Still Unfinished

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Lawmakers Target Next Week To Complete State Budget

-- PA Capital-Star: House, Senate Cancel Holiday Weekend Sessions After Missing Budget Deadline

-- MCall - Ford Turner: PA Budget Talks Slow Down, Leaving Lehigh Valley Lawmakers Uncertain

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: PA State Budget Is Officially Late, Here’s What You Need To Know

-- City & State PA: Ex-President Says Bill Expanding Poll Watcher Access Should Be Tied To PA Budget

-- AP: Pennsylvania To Begin Fiscal Year Without A Budget

-- Dept. Of Revenue Reports FY 2021-22 Revenues $5.6 Billion Above Estimates  

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports FY 2021-22 Revenues $6.22 Billion Above Estimates

-- ABC27: Gov. Wolf On Stalled PA Budget Talks: ‘Republicans Screwing Around’

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Wolf, Lawmakers Struggle To Forge 2022-23 Budget Despite $12 Billion Financial Cushion

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Why Can’t Pennsylvania Pass A Budget On Time?

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Dock Legislators’ Pay For Tardy State Budget

-- AP: Talks Yield No Pennsylvania Budget Deal With 3 Days Left To Deadline

-- PA Capital-Star: The Clock Is Ticking For Lawmakers, Wolf On State Budget, What To Know So Far

-- City & State PA: Republican House Budget Chair - Budget Unlikely To Be Done By June 30 Deadline; Wolf’s Budget Secretary Says Deal Is ‘Very Close And Within Reach’

-- AP: House Republicans Target University Of Pittsburgh Fetal Research In College Funding Bill

-- Post-Gazette: Pitt Funding, State Budget All On Hold As PA’s Budget Deadline Looms

-- Post-Gazette: House Republicans Put Pitt’s Funding On The Line Unless It Stops Fetal Tissue Research

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Democrats Push For Pitt Funding As PA Budget Deadline Edges Closer

-- TribLive Editorial: State Law Is Not The Way To Find Joe Paterno Statue

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: We Need Help For Working Families, Not Corporate Tax Cuts - Allegheny College Professor

-- AP: Commonwealth Court Blocks Governor’s Bridge Tolling Plan

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Bridge Tolling Plan Is Dead, But Long-Term Road, Bridge Funding Still Needed

-- MCall: Where Did Pennsylvania’s $63 Billion In Federal COVID Relief Money Go?

-- COVID Pandemic/Health

-- TribLive: COVID Variants Inevitable As Long As Virus Continues To Spread, Doctors Say

-- WESA: Allegheny County Reports Slight Uptick In COVID Numbers

-- WESA: 3 Allegheny County Residents Test Positive For Monkeypox Virus

-- MCall: Legislature Passes Bills Giving Health Care Providers, Insurance Companies Access To Mental Health Records

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Nursing Home Crisis Demands State Action

-- MCall - Ford Turner: House Passes Ban On Sale Of Kratom To Minors

-- MCall: Where Did Pennsylvania’s $63 Billion In Federal COVID Relief Money Go?

-- School Districts/Higher Education

-- PA Capital-Star: It’s Beyond Time To Address Soaring Taxpayer Cost Of Private Cyber-Charter Schools

-- AP: Republicans Pass Bills Limiting LGBTQ Instruction, Trans Athletes Pass Senate

-- MCall - Ford Turner: Bill To Keep Transgender Athletes Out Of Girls’ Sports Clears Legislature, Wolf Promises Veto

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA Won’t Become Next State To Ban Transgender Athletes, But It Doesn’t Stop Republican Lawmakers From Trying

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Bills Limiting Student Exposure To Sexual Content Pass Senate

-- Erie Times: PA Supreme Court To Decide Whether Open Records Law Applies To PIAA?

-- PA Capital-Star: Community College Of Philly Pays Off Students’ Unpaid Balances For 2nd Year

-- Erie Times: Erie County Community College Board Eyes New Campus Site

-- Post-Gazette: Pitt Funding, State Budget All On Hold As PA’s Budget Deadline Looms

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Democrats Push For Pitt Funding As PA Budget Deadline Edges Closer

- The Center Square: Open Records Bill Would Mean Major Changes For PA Funded State-Related Universities

-- Erie Times: Edinboro University Now Pennsylvania Western

-- Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

-- City & State PA: Republicans Again Replace Gun Control Bill Language With Concealed-Carry Legislation

-- WHYY: With New Federal Gun Law In Place, Some PA Lawmakers Push For State ‘Reg Flag’ Gun Law

-- WHYY: Philly DA Concerned U.S. Supreme Court Decision On NY Gun Law Will Make It Open Season On Local Gun Laws

-- AP: House Republicans Set Up Committee To Consider Philly DA’s Impeachment

-- PA Capital-Star Editorial Cartoon: Republican Impeachment Of Philly DA Explained

-- Scranton Times Editorial: State’s New Legislative Motto: ‘Hubris’ [Gun Violence]

-- PA Capital-Star: Pittsburgh Mayor Pleads With Lawmakers To Fight Gun Violence

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: People Die Daily From Gun Violence In PA, We Need Solutions, Not Excuses - Rep. Darisha Parker (D-Philadelphia)

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Appeals Commonwealth Court Decision On Local Gun Regulations

-- TribLive Editorial: Does The U.S. Supreme Court Believe In States’ Rights Or Not?  [ Roe, NY Gun Law Decision

-- Spotlight PA: Conflicting Reports, Gaps In Data Obscure True Number Of PA Law Enforcement Agencies

-- TribLive Editorial: Lawmakers Should Put Teeth In Police Background Database Law

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Police Accreditation Threatened By Law To Scale Back Traffic Stops

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Allegheny County Jail Board Must Enforce Transgender Policies And Culture Of Respect

-- Inquirer: Philly Will Spend Nearly A Billion Dollars On Policing And Violence Prevention

-- TribLive: Safe Use Of Firearms, Responsible Gun Ownership Focus Of Free Training

-- PennLive: 8 Akron Police Officers Shoot Black Ohio Man 60 Times As He Fled After A Chase

 

-- PA Economy

-- MCall: Where Did Pennsylvania’s $63 Billion In Federal COVID Relief Money Go?

-- Post-Gazette: ATI’s Relocation A Blow To Pittsburgh’s Self-Esteem, But Not Necessarily PA’s Coffers

-- PA Capital-Star: Local Groups Launch Campaign To Encourage Pay Equity In Pittsburgh

-- Gov. Wolf Announces $200 Million Investment With Norfolk Southern In Passenger Rail Service Between Harrisburg, Pittsburgh

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Pittsburgh Should Use Federal Windfall For Neglected Roads And Bridges

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Property Owners Who File Assessment Appeals Could Get Tax Breaks

[Posted: July 3, 2022]