😀  Buongiorno Tuesday.

PA Weather
🌥️ Clarion | Partly Sunny, 77
🌥️ Lewistown | Partly Sunny, 82
🌤️ Pittston | Mostly Sunny, 79

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (79-65) | Atlanta 8-10 (10), 7-5 | Tue-Wed vs. Atlanta
⚾ Pirates (66-78) | Washington 2-6 | Tue-Wed vs. Washington

What We’re Hearing
Oops! Mairead Lynn, communications director for Sen. Bob Casey, accidentally hit “Reply To All” to an email that included all 100 United States Senators plus their staffs and committees, crashing email communications for the entire chamber last Friday.

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Top Story

1. How Will PA Fix Its Unconstitutional School Funding System?

“After a landmark trial led a Commonwealth Court judge in February to declare Pennsylvania’s school funding unconstitutional, lawmakers are confronting the next big question: how to fix it.

Starting Tuesday, a series of hearings will be held across the state, with educators, policy experts, teachers union leaders, and students sharing their perspectives on a system that has deprived school districts of needed resources and created wide gaps between the richest and poorest districts.

While some of the testimony may mirror the trial’s, the focus will be not just on problems, but the possible solutions — and the price tag, expected to be in the billions of dollars.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

Be The Campaign Manager. “Imagine that there are just two months to go until Election Day, and you’re managing a presidential campaign. You have choices to make on where to invest your precious resources to both convince persuadable voters and turn out your base.” (POLITICO)

The 25 Staffers That Make Capitol Hill Run. “They stay behind the scenes, leading House and Senate offices, keeping committee work running smoothly, researching policies and managing lawmakers’ schedules. They draft legislation, help constituents with their problems and deal with the media. For Philip Bennett, the day then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) threw her support behind congressional staff unionizing was “like Christmas Eve.” (The Hill)

Rep. Deluzio Calls For Action On Rail Safety Legislation. “U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio pressed Congress to support federal rail safety legislation during a Beaver County visit Friday, seven months after Norfolk Southern’s East Palestine derailment.” (Beaver County Times)

PA Political Activist Files Lawsuit To Keep Trump Off Republican Primary Ballot. “A longtime Dauphin County political activist has filed a federal lawsuit to try and keep former President Donald Trump off the Republican primary ballot next year in Pennsylvania.” (Delco Times)

Biden Is Back To Courting Pennsylvania Voters With 2 New TV Ads. “With the adamant declaration that “America is back,” President Joe Biden will launch two campaign ads in Pittsburgh on Tuesday that label him an economic warrior in the face of long odds.” (Pittsburgh Union Progress)

State

2. Grub Hubs: Where PA Politicos Drink And Dine

“Who said politics can’t be discussed at the dinner table? For those in the government space, wining and dining are intrinsic elements of the political process.

Whether you’re in Harrisburg after a long session day or in Center City Philadelphia following a hearing, here are some of the venues and menus that candidates and elected officials like to frequent to create connections and get a taste of the town’s hot spots that are worth trying on your own.” (City & State)

Related

Northeast Philly Rep. Jared Solomon Is The Latest Democrat To Announce A Run For PA Attorney General. “Solomon is the fourth Democratic candidate to enter the open race to become the state’s top prosecutor, a position that’s often a springboard to higher office.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

PA Freedom Caucus Calls For GOP Not To Take Teacher Union Cash. “The Pennsylvania Freedom Caucus (PFC) is calling on their Republican colleagues to implement a new rule preventing campaign contributions from teachers’ unions such as the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA).” (PoliticsPA)

Open, Closed, Hybrid? State Primary Elections Come in Assorted Flavors. “Although primaries are the most common way parties nominate candidates today, states vary in how those elections are conducted.” (NCSL)

HD-21: Powell Holds Fundraising Advantage Entering Home Stretch. “If fundraising told you who would win a political race, Democrat Lindsay Powell would be a shoo-in for the 21st House District special election race.” (PoliticsPA)

• Democrat Powell Has Big Financial Lead Over GOP’s Autenreith In 21st State House Special Election. (WESA)
• Control Of The PA House At Stake As Allegheny County Candidates Get Out The Vote. (PA Capital-Star)

PA Honors Fallen EMS Workers As Lawmakers Consider 911 Funding. “The silence that filled the state Capitol Rotunda for several minutes around midday Monday was interrupted 77 times by the reading of a name and the tolling of a bell, as Pennsylvania remembered 77 EMS providers who died over a period of decades while doing their jobs.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Argall Says Earlier Primary Would Boost PA Voters’ Role In Choosing Presidential Nominees. “State Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Twp., explained the rationale for changing the date of the 2024 presidential primary Monday” (Hazleton Standard-Speaker)

State Lawmakers Look To Stop Ticket Scalpers From Selling ‘Fake’ Seats. “State Sen. Ryan Aument wants to stop online ticket resellers from duping people into buying “fake” tickets for concerts, musicals and other shows.” (LNP)

PA House Republicans Plan Bills To Improve Safety, Security At County Jails. “As the pursuit of an escaped murderer continues in southeast Pennsylvania, state House Republicans announced a package of five bills intended to improve county jail safety and infrastructure.” (New Castle News)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Mask Mandates? COVID Vaccine Requirements? The Latest On The Debate In PA

“Pandemic policy debates continue to pop up in political circles even as health officials say there’s little reason for concern about COVID-19.

There’s also been pandemic discussion in Pennsylvania’s state Capitol, as former gubernatorial nominee and state Sen. Doug Mastriano has reintroduced a bill dubbed the Medical Freedom Act, which would bar state agencies and political subdivisions from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or discriminating against those who refuse those vaccines.” (Erie Times-News)

Related

This Philly Mayor’s Race Isn’t Over Yet. “After the most expensive mayoral primary in Philadelphia history, Cherelle Parker won the Democratic nomination and will take on Republican David Oh in the November general election. Reminder that this is Philadelphia. Democrats have held the mayor’s office since 1952 when it cost, like, 13 cents to buy a loaf of bread.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Who Is On The Ballot In York County For The Nov. 7 Election? “Voters will be selecting judges, municipal officials and school board directors in the Nov. 7 election.” (York Daily Record)

Luzerne County Councilman Stephen J. Urban Charged With Assault. “Kingston police said Urban threatened juveniles with a baseball bat during an altercation near Urban’s home on North Sprague Avenue last month.” (Scranton Times-Tribune)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• PA Voters Would Benefit From An Open Primary System. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• PA Should Ban Insurance Practice That Shifts Costs Onto Vulnerable Patients. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• SEPA Pay-To-Play Democrats Render Their Predecessors Pikers. The Time For Ethics Reform In Harrisburg Is Now. (Broad + Liberty)
• Suicide Is A Major And Often Overlooked Aspect Of Gun Violence. (Sitawa Wafula)
• Federal Agencies: Lawless, Incompetent, Untrustworthy, Partisan. (Jerry Shenk)
• It’s Time For Joe To Go. (Seth Burger)
• Learning the Lessons of School Lockdowns. (Dom Giordano)
• Rational Pot Enforcement Up In Smoke. (Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice)
• Gen Z Is Dropping The College Dream. It’s Time For America To Catch Up. (Emma Varvaloucas)
• The Lehigh Valley Is Leading The Way In The New Work-From-Home Era. (Rep. Joshua Siegel)
• Now Is the Time to Invest in All PA Public Schools. (Rep. Paul Takac)
• Important Step: Gathering Data On Seniors. (Washington Observer-Reporter)

1 Thing

5. Conshohocken Mayor Named PA Mayor of the Year

“Conshohocken Mayor Yaniv Aronson is also an assistant professor of media and communications at Montgomery County Community College, a husband, father and — most recently — the Pennsylvania State Mayors’ Association 2023 Pennsylvania Mayor of the Year.” (Norristown Times-Herald)

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