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What We’re Hearing
“If anyone tells you they had the Senate getting Rozzi’d on their bingo card, they are a damn liar.” – Anonymous

News To Start Your Day
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Top Story

1. What PA’s Past Budget Impasses Can Tell Us About The Current Standoff

“After five years of relatively smooth budget dealmaking, Pennsylvania’s state spending plan is more than two weeks late, and lawmakers have not publicly said how they might move forward.

The exact effect of a fiscal delay differs from year to year. A budget late by a week barely causes a wrinkle in state operations and has more of a political impact than a practical one.

But the impact of an impasse is immediate and lasting. Communication stalls. Coalitions collapse. Bills get stranded in inboxes and committees.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

The Deal That Wasn’t. “An all-but-inked spending plan, despite the grumbling, awaits in Harrisburg. A bipartisan 117-86 vote in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives July 7 brought a $45.5 billion budget approved by the Republican-held Senate one step closer to reality. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro pledged to veto the $100 million Pennsylvania Award for Student Success line item after signing this deal — causing an uproar among many GOP legislators who’d pushed for the private school voucher program.” (York Daily Record)

What’s Next For School Vouchers In PA. “Gov. Josh Shapiro and GOP lawmakers say they still support school vouchers, which House Democrats and teachers unions oppose.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

State

2. Q2 Fundraising Totals

The numbers for the second quarter are in. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. pulled in $4.03 million from April-June, while Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick topped seven figures with a $1.1 million haul during the 13-week period.

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan is sitting on a $3.35M war chest, while Fitzpatrick ($2.88M) and Rep. Brendan Boyle ($2.77M) are also closing in on the $3 million mark. (PoliticsPA)

Related

Casey Builds Reelection Coffers By $4M; Fetterman Raises $717K. “U.S. Sen. Bob Casey raised more than $4 million between April and June, new campaign finance reports show, marking the top fundraising quarter of his tenure after announcing a bid for a fourth term.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Report: Schmidt Spoke With Jack Smith About 2020 Election. “CNN is reporting that Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt met with federal prosecutors in March as part of the ongoing investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.” (PoliticsPA)

The 2024 Election Is A Fight Over America’s Way of Life. “To win Jason Stewart’s vote, a presidential candidate should talk about stopping illegal immigration, taming inflation and keeping academic theories about race out of the classroom. But one overarching task is more important to the 51-year-old Republican than any single issue: rescuing American culture from liberals.” (Wall Street Journal)

Around The Commonwealth

3. More Western PA Fire, Police Departments Are Merging, Mirroring National Trends

“Last month, Aspinwall and Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Departments announced they will merge under the name Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services — a move that will impact over 5,000 residents the combined municipalities serve.

While some mergers have created concerns among residents and staff over adequate service and organizational changes, experts and city officials say they can give departments more financial and resourceful options, leaving a positive effect on communities.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Related

State Court Rules In Favor Of Public Disclosure Of Autopsy Records In Pittsburgh Case. “In a 6-1 ruling this week, Commonwealth Court ruled that the public should have access to autopsy records regardless of whether coroners are required to provide that paperwork to the county each year.” (AP)

Q And A: House Health Committee Chair Dan Frankel. “The Allegheny County Democrat spoke with City & State ahead of the Greater Pittsburgh Healthcare Summit” (City & State)

EPA Launches More Collaborative Assessments Of PA Farms. “In a Pennsylvania county with 5,100 farms, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency visited four this spring to assess any potential for water quality problems locally or for the Chesapeake Bay. That may seem like a drop in the bucket. Nonetheless, work in Lancaster County constitutes something of a sea change in the agency’s approach to addressing farm runoff.” (Cheaspeake Bay Journal)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• We Fixed I-95 In 12 Days. Here Are Our Lessons For U.S. Infrastructure. (Josh Shapiro)
• State’s Education System Must Serve All Students. (Gerald Zahorchak, Mark A. Conlon)
• Shapiro Can Turn His Political Blunder Into A Moral Good And Transform The Democratic Party. (Jennifer Stefano)
• Educational Freedom Is The Right Thing To Do. (Jeff and Janine Yass)
• Funding For State-Related Universities Should Not Be A Political Game. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• What Do The Moms For Liberty Tell Us About The Women’s Vote? (Salena Zito)
• PA’s Voucher Debate Isn’t Over. It’s Just On Hold. (Ray E. Landis)
• The Past Has Passed. We Cannot Go Back. (Lloyd E. Sheaffer)
• ‘Common Sense’ In Politics? No Thanks. (Paul Waldman)
• Democrats Have A Man Problem. (POLITICO)
• It’s Not Too Late To Save The PA State Budget. (Sen. Tracy Pennycuick)
• Coroners’ Obstruction Is Obituary For Open Records. (Tribune-Review)
• Erie Must Speak With ‘One Voice’ And Seek A CRIZ To Fund Growth. (Joe Schember, Sen. Dan Laughlin)

1 Thing

5. Who Is Safer – PA or NJ Drivers?

A new study by the Research Team at ConsumerAffairs found that New Jersey may have better drivers than Pennsylvania.

In the tri-state area, New Jersey has the best drivers. New Jersey has an average crash score of 12.907, Pennsylvania 13.357 and New York is 18.17. The worst cities in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia (186), Pittsburgh (201) and Allentown (224.)

To determine a “crash score,” ConsumerAffairs analyzed recent accident data from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the NHTSA, including the number of traffic fatalities due to violations like speeding and driving under the influence. The data focuses on U.S. cities with populations over 100,000. (Asbury Park Press)

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