💰 Good Morning, Monday. Will we get a completed budget by the end of the week?

PA Weather
☀️ Geneva | Sunny, 75
☀️ Fort Loudon | Sunny, 83
☀️ Hatfield | Mostly Sunny, 81

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (51-26) | Arizona 4-1 | Mon-Wed vs. Detroit
⚾ Pirates (37-40) | Tampa Bay 1-3 | Mon-Wed vs. Cincinnati
🏒 Hershey (3-2) | Mon. vs. Coachella Valley
⚽ Union (4-8-7) | Charlotte 0-2 | Sat. vs. Montreal

👂 What We’re Hearing. CNN senior political commentator David Urban, one of the most prominent pro-Trump voices on cable news, is becoming of counsel to Torridon Law, started by former Trump officials William Barr and Pat Cipollone. Urban remains a managing director at BGR Group.

🗓️ What’s Happening Today. The House convenes for a voting session at noon, while the Senate convenes at 2 p.m.

🎂 Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Rep. Joe Hohenstein.

🗞️ Pennsylvania. The Ultimate Swing State. Where can you find all the latest news on what’s happening in Keystone State politics? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Playbook. We’ll deliver all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every weekday at 8 AM. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and subscribe now.

Top Story

1. Trump Rallies In North Philly As He Tries To Win Over Voters In Pennsylvania’s Bluest Big City

“Former President Donald Trump stood in the heart of North Philadelphia Saturday and portrayed it as a “wild time” in the city, saying violent crime has surged and vowing to send federal law enforcement if he’s elected.

In an 85-minute speech that included multiple appeals to Hispanic and Black voters, he slammed his rivals as “despicable,” proposed a fighting league for migrants, falsely claimed he’d won the city of Philadelphia in past elections, and described President Joe Biden’s tenure in dark terms.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

Trump Stresses McCormick’s Pennsylvania Roots Amid Criticism of Connecticut Residence. “As he introduced Dave McCormick, former President Donald Trump went to great lengths to note the Republican U.S. Senate candidate’s Pennsylvania bona fides amid criticism of his Connecticut residence.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Trump Endorses Ten Commandments in Schools, Rallies With David McCormick in Philadelphia. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Trump in Philadelphia: The Former President Repeats False Claims of 2020 Voter Fraud. (Penn Capital-Star)

Biden and Allied Republicans Are Trying To Rally GOP Women In Swing-State Suburbs Away From Trump. “Thirty miles north of Philadelphia, upscale subdivisions such as Colonial Commons interrupt dairy farms, centuries-old roadside stone houses and the winding Neshaminy Creek that flows between Doylestown and Newtown. Both cities were once rural outposts that have morphed into fashionable commercial, dining and shopping hubs. This is one of the most closely watched areas in U.S. politics.” (AP)

Jill Biden Makes Case For PA Women to Back Husband’s Reelection Campaign. “First Lady Dr. Jill Biden came to Lancaster County on Sunday and made her case for why Pennsylvania women should turn out and cast their ballots for her husband, President Joe Biden.” (PoliticsPA)

• Abortion Rights Take Center Stage As First Lady Jill Biden Campaigns in Millvale. (Tribune-Review)
• Behind the Rise in Abortions in PA. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Inside the $100-Million Plan To Restore Abortion Rights in America. (POLITICO)
•  

State

2. Credit Card ‘Swipe Fees’ Could Decrease Under New PA Bill, But Banks Hate The Idea

“A bill that aims to slightly lower credit card “swipe fees” is moving quickly through the Pennsylvania House. But it faces long odds in the state Senate and has drawn vehement opposition from banks and credit unions.

Financial institutions say the current system works well and that changing it would create “chaos,” while merchants argue these fees are an undue burden on both them and their customers.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

The Pennsylvania Budget is Due June 30. These Issues Could Be Sticking Points. “Questions about education, income tax and recreational vice remain unresolved as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s second budget proposal approaches the June 30 deadline.” (USA Today Network)

Questions of Fixing or Replacing Old PA School Buildings Remain a State Budget Issue. “The infrastructure question is linked to the outcome of a Democrat-driven proposal for a massive, $1 billion-plus increase in K-12 education spending, which was triggered by a court finding that the current basic education funding system is unconstitutional. That proposal has already been approved by the House.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Rural Hospitals Call For Fiscal Help As PA Budget Season Wears On. “Hospital leaders hope for a boost in Pennsylvania’s next budget to stabilize rural operations and improve access to obstetric and neonatal care for some 3.1 million residents in rural communities.” (CNHI News)

Joint Session of Congress at Independence Hall Proposed For Nation’s 250th Anniversary. “U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle will propose a bill next week to hold a commemorative joint session of Congress at Independence National Historical Park in 2026 as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations. If the bill succeeds, it will be only the third time a joint session of Congress has been held outside of Washington, D.C., since the capital was moved there from Philadelphia in 1800.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Around The Commonwealth

3. ‘Too Many Old People’: A Rural PA Town Reckons With Population Loss

“Lee Goldthwaite might have the most stable job in this remote corner of northwestern Pennsylvania.

The caretaker of Sheffield Cemetery is busier than ever directing crews clearing trees to make space for more graves as deaths dramatically outpace births here and in other vast stretches of rural America. Each time he buries a newly deceased resident he wonders how the town that once drew scores of young families will survive.

“We already lost our bank,” Goldthwaite said as he took a break from trimming the grass around headstones. “We lost our liquor store, and we may be about to lose our high school.” (Washington Post)

Related

Groundbreaking For New Structure Replacing Pittsburgh Synagogue Targeted In 2018 Mass Shooting. “Second gentleman Douglas Emhoff and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro were among the dignitaries marking the groundbreaking Sunday of a new structure replacing the Tree of Life synagogue, where 11 worshippers were murdered in 2018 in the deadliest act of antisemitism in U.S. history.” (AP)

How ‘Dark Money’ Fueled The Race For Allegheny County Executive in 2023. “To this day, donors to the nonprofit – Save Allegheny County – remain hidden behind obscure corporate filings, complex tax laws and a campaign finance system that shields the names of donors at a time when most Americans consider transparency a fundamental safeguard of elections.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Teenage Campaign Manager Working On Former Teacher’s Bid For Congress in PA-06. “Eighteen-year-old Lucca Ruggieri made headlines a few years ago when he launched a polling firm while still in high school. Now bound for college in the fall, Ruggieri, who will vote in his first presidential election this year, is heading up his former teacher’s campaign for Congress.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Pennsylvania School District Taxes Expected to Rise Almost 5%. “School district property taxes are a major source of revenue for schools and a heavy burden on local residents in some places. In the near future, they’re expected to grow even more.” (The Center Square)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Lawmakers, Leaders Call For Release of Marc Fogel. (Sens. Bob Casey, John Fetterman and Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, Glenn Thompson, Mike Kelly and Chris Deluzio)
• On Climate Change, Donald Trump Is Ready To Sell Out Our Future. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Trump Has Taught America’s Elites They Can Get Away With Literally Anything. (Will Bunch)
• The Pennsylvania Senate Must Ensure Patients Have Access To Biomarker Testing. (Clay Jacobs and Donna Kemberling)
• President Biden Is Taking Concrete Steps Toward Immigration Reform, While His Opponent Plays Politics. (Mark S. Singel)
• Three Takeaways From Meek Mill’s Probation Reform Win. (Jennifer Stefano)
• I’m Fighting For My Health, Don’t Make It Harder For Me—The Case For Contraceptive Access. (Julie Wright)
• Government Can’t Touch People’s Right To Bear Arms. (Sen. Cris Dush)
• State Sen. Ryan Aument’s Proposal To Restrict Cellphone Usage In Schools Addresses A Legitimate Concern. (LNP)
• Ten Commandments Test 1st Amendment. (Bill Ketter)

1 Dodgeball Thing

5. Go Balls Deep

“Twenty years ago last week, a first-time director and a mostly green group of actors led by Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller introduced the world to the five Ds of dodgeball. In the process, they defied box office expectations, revitalized a fading sport, and left behind a cultural footprint that still resonates today.

Rawson Marshall Thurber has held on to a pet theory for a while.

“When you say ‘dodgeball’ to someone, they either break into a smile or break into a sweat,” the filmmaker says.”

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