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What We’re Hearing
Maria Montero, who served in former Gov. Tom Corbett’s administration, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission declaring her candidacy for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Rep. Aaron Kaufer.

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Top Story

1. How Shapiro’s Budget Breakdown Over School Vouchers Was A Rare Misstep

“In the span of a week, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro managed to agitate everybody.

His Democratic allies and labor supporters initially felt burned by his pursuit of a private-school voucher program. When he agreed to veto it, top Republicans cried foul.

The budget controversy feels like a rare misstep for Shapiro, who just two weeks ago was nationally lauded for successfully reopening I-95 ahead of schedule after a bridge collapse.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

PoliticsPA Reader Poll: Do you believe Gov. Shapiro made a deal with Senate Republicans to support the school voucher program proposal? 

• Online Results: Yes, He reneged (70.6%). Yes. But it was contingent on not impacting school district funding (16.1%). No. A deal was never made (13.3%).
• Twitter Results: Yes, He reneged (80.4%). Yes, but w/contingencies (11.6%). No. Never Happened (8.1%). 

The Way The Keystone Crumbles. “The voucher episode is a reminder of two stubborn facts: first, many moderate positions will be off-limits for Democrats so long as government-sector unions hold so much power; and second, Republicans are increasingly weak in Pennsylvania politics.” (City Journal)

Top Marine General Steps Down With No Senate-Confirmed Successor In Place. “For the first time in more than 100 years, the Marine Corps has no Senate-confirmed leader. And despite the retirement of Commandant Gen. David Berger, there’s no inkling that the situation will change any time soon.” (POLITICO)

Democrats Are Disappearing In Rural America. One Group Is Trying To Fix That $500 At A Time. “In an era of near-unlimited money in politics, a program offering rural county parties and organizations $500 every three months is changing the way Democrats compete in predominantly deep red areas.” (The Messenger)

GOP Confidence In 2024 Vote Count Low After Years Of False Election Claims, AP-NORC Poll Shows. “The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds that only 22% of Republicans have high confidence that votes in the upcoming presidential election will be counted accurately compared to 71% of Democrats, underscoring a partisan divide fueled by a relentless campaign of lies related to the 2020 presidential election.” (AP)

State

2. State Funding For Pitt, Penn State Caught In PA Budget Impasse

“After repeated legislative failures, Pennsylvania state House members have left Harrisburg indefinitely without passing funding for the commonwealth’s state-related universities.

Appropriations for Lincoln University, Penn State University, Temple University, and the University of Pittsburgh must pass the legislature by a two-thirds majority, a high bar in the state House, which Democrats control by a single vote. State House Democratic leaders ended Friday’s session with no resolution and blamed Republicans for the deadlock.” (SpotlightPA)

Related

Where The PA Budget Stands, 10 Days In And Counting. “The clock on the House Republican Appropriations Committee door indicated that Monday was day 10 without a state budget in place — and it is likely to keep counting for several more days or even weeks.” (PennLive)

10 Things You Need To Know About PA’s Budget Impasse. “Pennsylvania’s state budget is currently stuck in legislative limbo as the result of an impasse between the politically divided state legislature and the state’s Democratic governor – with no clear sign of the gridlock breaking any time soon. ” (City & State)

State Budget Impasse Could Stretch Into September; Local School Districts Brace For Delay in Funding. “The proposed budget includes an increase of more than $700 million in basic and special education funding but if it’s in legislative limbo until September, the halt of state subsidies would require public schools to find money elsewhere to meet payroll, pay for operating and other mandated costs. Under state law, schools had to finalize their budgets by June 30. ” (LNP)

Shapiro Taps Comcast Executive As Administration’s Information Technology Chief. “Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration announced Monday that Amaya Capellán has been appointed as the commonwealth’s Chief Information Officer, leading Pennsylvania’s Office of Information Technology.” (PennLive)

Bill To Diversify PA’s Agriculture Workforce Makes Rounds In State House. “North Philadelphia State Rep. Danilo Burgos is steps closer to passing a bill seeking to diversify the agricultural workforce by installing a government commission. House Bill 767 was first introduced in late March by Burgos, wanting to level the playing field for minority workers in the agricultural sector. ” (Al Día News)

New Poll Shows Support For Recreational Marijuana In PA Drops From Last Year. “The Muhlenberg College Public Health Program 2023 survey, conducted in the spring, determined that support for legal marijuana was 50%, down from 56% in 2022 and from its peak of 58% in 2021.” (PennLive)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Dellicker Announces Candidacy For PA-07 Seat

“Kevin Dellicker, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Republican nomination for the 7th congressional district seat in 2022, has announced he is again a candidate for the position currently occupied by Democratic Rep. Susan Wild.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Republicans Lining Up To Challenge Susan Wild For 7th District Congressional Seat. “Kevin Dellicker, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in the Lehigh Valley’s competitive 2022 congressional race, announced Monday he will make another bid for the seat in 2024.” (Morning Call)

• Dellicker Mounts 2nd Bid For Lehigh Valley’s PA-07 Congressional Seat. (LehighValleyNews)

Sunday Announces Candidacy For Attorney General. “The first Republican hat has been tossed in the ring for Pennsylvania Attorney General as David Sunday announced his candidacy for the post on Monday.” (PoliticsPA)

York County’s Republican District Attorney Jumps Into Primary Race For PA Attorney General. “Dave Sunday, York County’s elected district attorney, said Monday that he will run in next year’s GOP primary for state attorney general, making him the first Republican to get in the race.” (AP)

• York County DA Announces Run For State Attorney General. (York Daily Record)

Explaining The Sudden Rush Of 2024 Candidate Announcements. “Eleven congressional candidates launched their campaigns on Monday. So what’s so special about July 10?” (Roll Call)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• PA Budget Standoff Drags On. (Tribune-Review)
• The American Dream Is A Life Without Debt. (Tom Purcell)
• Looking For Shelter From Extreme Weather? Try A Voting Booth. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Expand Liquor Licenses To Preserve Local Bars And Restaurants. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• This Industry Accounts For 1/60th Of America’s GDP. (Brian Crawford)
• When It Comes To The Debate Over Local Radar, Silence Isn’t Golden. (Mark O’Keefe)
• Common Sense Economics. (Jerry Shenk)
• Senate Should Act Now To Reverse Higher Mortgage Fees On Hardworking, Middle-Class Americans. (Stacy Garrity)
• Collegiately Supreme. (Greg Maresca)
• Minimum Wage Boost Overdue. (Times-Tribune)

1 Thing

5. Fire Destroys Harrisburg’s Historic Broad Street Market

“First responders were called to a fire at Third and Verbeke streets in Harrisburg early Monday morning at historic Broad Street Market, burning a portion of the brick building in a massive two-alarm fire.

According to Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline, the cause of the fire outbreak was due to a ceiling fan that was installed back in 2017 causing an electrical malfunction that led to the incident.” (PennLive)

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