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🏀  Sixers (20-35) | Boston 104-124 | Sat vs. Brooklyn
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🎧  Voices of Reason. What You Need to Know About PA’s Gen Z Voters. “Freshman state Sen. Joe Picozzi and Guy Ciarrocchi discuss a number of topics with host Steve Ulrich.” (PoliticsPA)

🎂  Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Reps. Chris Rabb, Thomas Mehaffie and Joe Emrick (Sat.), and Kathy Rapp (Sun.).

📱  Social Media. Join us on Twitter and Bluesky at @PoliticsPA

Top Story

1. Republicans Have a Chance to Transform PA Supreme Court This Year

“Control of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is on the ballot this year, with three Democratic justices up for retention elections.

These yes-or-no elections are normally sleepy and almost never result in a justice being forced off the court. But Republican operatives, who have chafed at the Democratic-majority court’s decisions for a decade, say that with a flip within reach, they’re getting ready for an expensive political fight.” (Votebeat)

Elsewhere

Trump Appoints Shapiro to Council of Governors. “Given the combativeness shown during the campaign and the early days of the administration, it seemed unlikely that President Donald Trump would appoint Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to any position. Not so fast, my friend.” (PoliticsPA)

Germany’s Rightward Shift Reflects Pennsylvania’s Rust Belt Realignment — and Democratic Failures With the Working Class. “It’s hard not to see the political parallels between Cottbus, a city of 100,000 about 75 miles south of Berlin, and Rust Belt swaths of Northeastern Pennsylvania.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean Speaks On Value in Federal Funding For Community Projects. “The politician representing parts of Montgomery and Berks counties spoke about the harm of a stalled budget at the Resilience Resource Center in Huntingdon Valley.” (WHYY)

State

2. Could a Version of Musk’s DOGE Be Coming to Pennsylvania Government?

“State Sen. Doug Mastriano is pushing to establish a Pennsylvania Department of Government Efficiency to mirror the cost-cutting initiative that Elon Musk has been spearheading at the federal level.

The Pennsylvania DOGE envisioned by Mastriano would have “comprehensive authority” to audit commonwealth agencies and instantly stop spending that the group deems unnecessary, according to a memo written by the GOP firebrand. The department could also suggest scrapping “wasteful” agencies by making a recommendation to a bipartisan committee of lawmakers and state officials, says the memo released this week.” (USA Today Network)

Elsewhere

Shapiro’s Business Tax Cut Proposal Comes With Costly Strings. “As part of his newest budget proposal, Gov. Josh Shapiro suggested accelerating an ongoing reduction of Pennsylvania’s corporate net income tax. While that sounds like a good idea for the state’s economy, it appears to come with some strings attached — ones that likely won’t sit well with many of the state’s businesses.” (The Center Square)

Treasurer Stacy Garrity Bans DeepSeek AI Platform. “Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity took action on Thursday to ban the Chinese DeepSeek artificial intelligence platform from all Treasury devices in a move she said would strengthen cybersecurity and protect sensitive information belonging to Pennsylvania residents.” (City & State)

Audit Finds Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools Amassed Excessive Reserves. “Online charter schools receive taxpayer funding from the school districts where their students live. The audit makes recommendations to the governor’s office, General Assembly and the Department of Education to review and reform the cyber charter school tuition formula.” (Penn Capital-Star)

PA Gaming Control Board Announces Revenue for January Up Nearly 11%. “It turns out that Pennsylvanians, like the rest of Americans, love their online sports betting.” (PoliticsPA)

Survey: More Than 2-in-3 Support Cannabis Legalization. “ResponsiblePA unveiled independent polling that indicated 68 percent of respondents back proposed legislation. That number rises to nearly 3-in-4 (75%) when voters were given more information about the issue.” (PoliticsPA)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Top Elections Official Says PA Should Replace Its System For ‘Early Voting’

“The state’s top elections official on Thursday revisited one of the few headaches Pennsylvania had running the 2024 election — lots of people showing up before Election Day to do mail ballots in person — and said the system should be changed.

Secretary of State Al Schmidt said it wasn’t true “early voting,” even though some people may have called it that. During a Senate budget hearing, Mr. Schmidt said other states carry out genuine early voting in less clunky fashion.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Elsewhere

Higher Education in Pennsylvania Faces Declining Enrollment and Federal Uncertainty. “The schools aren’t just grappling with loss of students from the state’s population decline. They’re also seeing lower numbers of high school graduates choosing to enter two- and four-year colleges, leading some senators to question why fewer students would require more funding.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

In First Step of Breezewood’s PA Turnpike Overhaul, Chicago Firm Selected to Redesign Infamous Interchange. “Bedford County has long been home to one of America’s most controversial stretches of roadway: the Breezewood Interchange, a 3-mile forced detour between two interstate highways that’s a nostalgic stopping point for some — and a source of ire for others.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

3 Millbourne Officials Charged Federally With Voter Fraud. “Council Vice President Md Nurul Hasan, current council member Md Munsur “Mithu” Ali, and former council member Md Rafikul “Jibon” Islam are charged with conspiracy, 16 counts each of false information in registering and fraudulent voter registration, as well as aiding and abetting in an indictment filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.” (Delco Times)

Erie County Has An Official Facebook Page. Can Politicians Use It to Criticize Each Other? “Erie County Executive Brenton Davis rarely holds back an opinion on social media.” (Erie Times-News)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• How to Win, According to a Democrat Who Just Did in Trump Country. (Michelle Cottle)
• Lifting Cap On State Troopers Should Start Now. (Sunbury Daily Item)
• Beware the Public Officials Who Hate on the Haters. (Helen Ubiñas)
• A Practical Answer to Money Dominating Elections. (Cindy Black)
• Residents of Dauphin County’s Largest Township Deserve Better Governance. (PennLive)
• A Stiff Drink From the Trump Fire Hose. (Peggy Noonan)
• Josh Shapiro’s Pennsylvania Budget Trap. (Wall Street Journal)
• Democrats: It’s Time to Retire the Term ‘People of Color’ (Jerel Ezell)
• Does Philly Need Our Own (Gulp!) DOGE? (Larry Platt)

1 Thing

5. Crow Is Not the Only Thing They Eat at a Wild Game Dinner in Schuylkill County

“The buffet line inside the fire hall in rural Pennsylvania was a familiar sight last weekend as a crowd of about 150 people heaped dinner onto their plates before sitting down to eat, hear a little live music and wait for the raffle.

The menu of 14 species that included stingray casserole, bear stew, raccoon andouille and rabbit kielbasa was the centerpiece of a 12-year-old event organized by Larry Primeau, the volunteer rescue captain and a man with the cooking chops and network of sportsmen friends needed to pull it off.” (AP)

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