🕺  Ladies and Gentlemen … The Weekend.

🗞️  The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe for free.

PA Weather
🌥️ Oil City | Decreasing Clouds, 26
🌤️ Lewistown | Mostly Sunny, 34
🌤️ Northampton | Mostly Sunny, 35

PA Sports
🏈 Eagles (16-3) | Sun vs. Kansas City
🏀 Sixers (20-30) | Fri vs. Detroit | Sun vs. Milwaukee
🏒 Flyers (23-26-7) | Washington 3-4 | Sat vs. Pittsburgh
🏒 Penguins (22-24-9) | Fri vs. NY Rangers | Sat vs. Philadelphia

🔊  What We’re Hearing. “Pennsylvania is a proxy for the national challenge Democrats face. Only twice since World War Two have Democrats won the national popular vote without carrying Pennsylvania. If Democrats can figure out how to turn Pennsylvania reliably blue, they will be well on their way to regaining a sustainable national advantage.”

🎂  Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Rep. Dan Miller (Sun.).

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

Top Story

1. What’s In Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025-2026 Budget Proposal?

“A total of $51.47 billion has been earmarked as part of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025-2026 budget proposal — a non-binding proposal that will still be subject to much partisan jockeying over the coming months — which he laid out during a joint session of the state House and Senate at the Capitol, Tuesday in Harrisburg.

So what’s in the proposal that, if enacted as is, would see a 7% increase in expenditures from the current year?” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Elsewhere

The Week ‘Democrats Must Work With Trump’ Died. “The past chaotic week or so has convinced most Democrats that Trump has zero interest in compromise, bipartisanship, or even adherence to the law and to the Constitution.” (New York Magazine)

PIAA to Follow Trump’s Order Barring Transgender Athletes From Girls Sports. “Transgender athletes have been allowed to compete in PIAA girls sports if that athlete’s school identified the student as a girl. The PIAA policy on gender identity consists of one sentence in the bylaws: “Where a student’s gender is questioned or uncertain, the decision of the principal as to the student’s gender will be accepted by PIAA.”” (Greensburg Tribune-Review)

Federal Employee Buyout Could Affect Offices in Pennsylvania. “More than 60,000 civilian federal employees work in many locations like federal offices and courthouses or Veterans Administration offices and care centers or serve as food or safety inspectors.” (WGAL)

Cook Political Report Unveils 18 Toss-Up House Races For 2026. “The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report is rating 10 Democratic-held seats and eight seats held by Republicans as toss-ups ahead of the 2026 election.” (The Hill)

State

2. Senate Approves Legislation to Repeal RGGI Tax

“The Pennsylvania Senate approved bipartisan legislation on Tuesday to repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) electricity tax.

Senate Bill 186 repeals the state’s participation in the multi-state compact and ensures that decisions on electricity taxes or emissions programs go through the legislature.” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

Shapiro Uses Visit To Central PA Preschool to Plug Childcare Workforce Plan: ‘Critically Important’. “Gov. Josh Shapiro spent part of his afternoon on Thursday talking fiscal policy with children — with surprising success.” (PennLive)

Josh Shapiro is Going to the Super Bowl on a Harrisburg Nonprofit’s Dime. “The trip is being paid for by the Team PA Foundation, a Harrisburg-based nonprofit which doesn’t disclose its donors and paid more than $12,000 for Shapiro to attend sporting events in 2023.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Governor Signs Bill Into Law Intended to Help Stop Spread of Avian Flu. “House Bill 324, led by Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freyitz (D-Berks), updates the poultry technician licensure law to allow residents to become certified poultry technicians upon completing a state training course.” (WHTM)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Governor Eyes State Prison Closures In Cost-Saving Maneuver

“Gov. Josh Shapiro is proposing the closure of two state prisons and two community corrections centers in a cost-saving measure that his administration projects would save Pennsylvania more than $110 million.

Administration officials said they haven’t yet identified which facilities would be tabbed for closure. If ultimately approved, the prison closures would be the first since 2020, when SCI Retreat near Wilkes-Barre was shut down.” (Johnstown Tribune-Democrat)

Elsewhere

Pittsburgh Wants More Police Officers. What Will It Take? “Blame for the size of the force has been focused on Mayor Ed Gainey, and staffing seems likely to be a major issue in his re-election. But the problem is much bigger than Pittsburgh.” (WESA)

Three of Lia Thomas’ Swim Teammates at Penn Sue the School, Saying Inclusion of the Trans Athlete Violated Their Rights. “In the days following the lawsuit, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports, and the U.S. Department of Education opened a probe into Penn.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Former State Rep. Boyle Has Landed a Job in Parker’s Administration. “Former State Rep. Kevin Boyle — a Northeast Philadelphia Democrat who lost a reelection bid last year amid extraordinary circumstances, including his family publicly expressing concerns about his mental health — has landed a new job working for the City of Philadelphia.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Voters Will Pick Erie County’s Newest Judge This Year. Race Starts With Three Candidates. “One seat on the Erie County Court of Common Pleas is up for election this year, and the race so far resembles the race for another open seat two years ago.” (Erie Times-News)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Trump’s ‘Cultural Revolution’ Purges Trigger Alarming Echoes of Mao. (Will Bunch)
• The Immigrants May Go. But the Work Won’t. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Undocumented Workers Are Good For the Economy. (Steven Hill)
• ‘Sovereign Wealth’ For Politicians. (Wall Street Journal)
• DEI is Good For Business. (Meghan Pierce)
• Renewing the Democratic Party. (William A. Galston and Elaine C. Kamarck)
• What Does Trump Mean When He Invokes America’s ‘Manifest Destiny’? (Scott Neuman)

1 Thing

5. Super Bowl Picks: Experts Predict Chiefs-Eagles Score, MVP

“There’s officially one game left in the 2024 NFL season. The Philadelphia Eagles will face off against the two-time reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans in Super Bowl LIX. Which team will take home the Lombardi Trophy? Which player will win Super Bowl MVP?

We asked ESPN’s NFL analysts, writers, commentators, columnists and pundits to make predictions for the big game. More than 60 experts picked the winner of Eagles-Chiefs, including the final score of the game and who they think will win Super Bowl MVP.” (ESPN)

Thank you for starting your morning with us.
And reading the PoliticsPA Playbook