We preview the 13 most interesting races in PA in 2013, the state House could green light a transportation bill, and several interesting updates in SEPA congressional contests. Good morning politicos, here’s the Buzz.
The 13 Most Interesting PA Races of 2013: 2013 may be an off-year election, but some important races will set the tone for next year and could give an early picture where the two parties stand around the state.
10/18 Ups & Downs: The shutdown is over! To celebrate, we’re giving out all Up arrows this week.
Cook Report Downgrades Fitzpatrick After Shutdown: According to the Cook Political Report, Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick’s re-election chances have gone from ‘likely Republican’ to ‘lean Republican.’
Madeleine Albright to Headline Margolies Fundraiser: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will raise money for congressional hopeful Marjorie Margolies on October 31.
Leach Asks Congress to “Do Something” (With Video): In his latest campaign video, Daylin Leach gives Congress a few suggestions on what they could be doing.
Poll Shows GOP State Sens Vulnerable to Primaries, Group Says: The conservative group American Future Fund says 82% of GOP voters would support a primary challenger over their incumbent state Senator. But AFF hasn’t released a copy of the poll.
Statewide
Capitolwire: Transportation deal depends on prevailing wage concession which divides unions, Democrats.
WITF: State offers Medicare enrollment resources
PA Independent: Corbett pushes prevailing wage changes in PA transportation funding debate
PA Independent: PA lawmakers can still grab $700M more from pet project program after reforms
StateImpactPA: Battleground Dimock property sold, deed bars owners from building home there
Philadelphia
Inquirer: Skinheads’ Fairmount Park rally faces protesters’ taunts
Inquirer: Pastors to jointly officiate at same-sex marriage
Commonwealth Confidential: Group plans football flyover to protest Corbett Medicaid plan
PhillyClout: Nutter looks over edge jumps
WHYY Newsworks: Councilman boasts fundraiser appealing to LGBTQA fanbase
WHYY Newsworks: Pa.’s proposed law to track more prescription drugs is on fast track
KYW Newsradio: Race for Philadelphia District Attorney erupts in controversy
KYW Newsradio: New spat over Voter ID ads
KYW Newsradio: Hint at compromise transportation funding package in Pa. legislature
SEPA
Daily Times: Crucial transportation funding bill still faces major speed bumps in Harrisburg
Daily Times: Election 2013: Democrats outnumber Republicans by 664 this year
News of Delaware County: Rendell shows support for Transportation Bill
Daily Local News: ‘Good Works’ restores Coatesville home Saturday with help from senator’s staff
Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: Ravenstahl: Buncher should find alternative in Strip District
Post-Gazette: Ravenstahl: ‘I’ll be around’
KDKA: Lawmakers Getting Earful From Constituents After Shutdown
WPXI: Saxonburg mayoral candidate: ‘Don’t vote for me’
Urban Media Today: Celebrating the South Side Mayor Luke Ravenstahl Statement
Southwest
Beaver County Times: Gulf Coast’s chemical industry bounces back with natural gas cracker plants
Beaver County Times: JFK conspiracy theorists gather in Pittsburgh
Beaver County Times: Deadline for absentee ballots application approaching
Altoona Mirror: Lawmakers explain votes on debt deal
Altoona Mirror: Budget shortfall at prison less than originally expected
Altoona Mirror: Part of hall likely to be demolished
South Central
Carlisle Sentinel: Pa. officials differ on when to report child sex abuse
Carlisle Sentinel: Pa. transportation bill talks said to gain steam
Carlisle Sentinel: Groups say Pa. fish hatchery violates pollution limits
Harrisburg Patriot News: Pennsylvania House leadership striving toward vote on transportation funding package next week
Harrisburg Patriot News: With battlefield shutdown some Gettysburg businesses hurt, helped others
Harrisburg Patriot News: Taxpayers wait for restitution payments from recent Capitol corruption cases
Lancaster Intelligencer/Era: The race for Lancaster mayor: Comparing the records of Rick Gray and Charlie Smithgall
Lancaster Intelligencer/Era: County Democrats hear from 5 gubernatorial hopefuls
NEPA
The Times Leader: Going to Uganda in a search for common ground
Times-Tribune: Scranton mayor candidates brainstorm solutions on city finances
Times-Tribune: Cuts in food stamps have pantries preparing for increased need
Citizens Voice: Pittstown magistrate race creates scramble
Citizens Voice: Barletta explains shutdown vote
Standard Speaker: A neighbor offers a compliment from the other side
Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: State House to vote on transportation funding bill
Morning Call: South Whitehall aims to get problem roads on PennDOT’s priority list
Morning Call: Politics as Usual
Reading Eagle: Repairs to start on Oley bridge
Reading Eagle: As Latino-owned businesses continue to increase, organizations provide resources to keep up
North by Northwest
Sun-Gazette: City Council candidates sound off on public safety
Sun-Gazette: End of jury commissioners constitutional
Sun-Gazette: Market enters new era with change in ownership
Daily Times: Bridge connecting Rush Township to Osceola Mills to remain closed
Daily Times: Creativity rewarded at Bellefonte Fall Festival
Opinions
Observer-Reporter: No winners to be found, but we the people lost
Salena Zito, Tribune Review: Obamacare could go way of Prohibition – Brittany
WITF: Should judges be appointed in PA?
Pottstown Mercury: Convicted state court justice Joan Orie Melvin deserves jail time
Bucks Local News: A Woman’s Place of Bucks County, Women’s Advocacy Coalition press for expansion of gun background checks
Daily Local News: Thorns to the other legislature, the one in Pa.
Blogs
Commonwealth Foundation: Unions Fight to Block $40 Million in Taxpayer Savings
Keystone Politics: Margolies hosting Halloween fundraiser with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
Keystone Politics: Why We’re Backing Daylin Leach in #PA13
Keystone Politics: Pay for Alcohol Reform With RACP Money
Keystone Politics: Post-Gazette is Disgusted with Tea Party Republicans But Won’t Name Names
Above Average Jane: Shapiro Receives National Award
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: How the Tea Party Bargains
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Lamont’s Revenge Law Will Jeopardize County Preparedness, Hurt People
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3 Responses
How does Tom Corbett show his love to corporate welfare queens, Vahan Gureghian and K12 Inc.? Budget Secretary Charles Zogby helps them find the GREEN!!!
WHY IS THE CORBETT/BRABENDER ADMINISTRATION SO INDIFFERENT TO DRUG-TRAFFICKING RELATED CRIMES IN THE T OF PENNSYLVANIA? IS THIS HOW SANDUSKY AND NICKY TROMBETTA GOT AWAY? CORBETT CARES, JUST NOT VERY MUCH!
http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2013/10/corbett-marijuana-addictive-gateway-drug/
Dear Budget Secretary and Acting Education Secreatry Charles Zogby: Is K12 out-sourcing the scoring of Student essays in PA to India too? The Idaho Virtual Charter Academy outsourced the scoring of student essays to India, according to local reports. The company involved, K12, has been criticized for its business practices and its poor academic results; its bottom line is cost-cutting, not academic quality. Its virtual schools typically have high student turnover, low test scores, and low graduation rates, yet the corporation is profitable because it continues to lure students with a promise of a “customized,” “individualized,” “personalized” education.
One of the most important responsibilities of teachers is to give tests and grade them, to know what their students know and don’t know, and to help students who need extra help. Having the essays scored in India removes that function from teachers and places it in the hands of readers who may not understand American idioms or cultural references.
Investor Whitney Tilson recently announced that he would sell the stock of K12 short. This education company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and makes handsome profits, despite its poor academic results.
One of the big investors in K12 is the billionaire Albertson family of Idaho, whose foundation has been placing advertising across the state disparaging public education and touting the virtues of charter schools and virtual schools.
Terry Ryan of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute recently moved to Idaho to lead the battle for charters. Ryan supports both charters and vouchers.
According to a story in an Idaho paper:
Ryan also is excited about his seat on the nine-member Rural Opportunities Consortium of Idaho. The group of national experts will focus on the unique issues and challenges of rural schools in Idaho. ROCI is sponsored by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.
“Albertson’s’ vision is very compelling,” Ryan said. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help make Idaho a leader and a model in education.”
Ryan is a nice, amiable guy whom I knew when I was on the board of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Ohio, where Terry Ryan worked on behalf of charters for many years, has some of the worst charters in the nation. The biggest charter chain in Ohio is White Hat, which has made its owner very rich. The charter founder, a non-educator, is a major contributor to Republican candidates. His schools are never held accountable for poor performance. They fail and fail, and get more money. Currently, ten of the boards of his White Hat charters are suing the company to try to get information about how the money is spent. The owner takes 96% of public dollars and says how he spends it is proprietary information and not available for public scrutiny, not even to the board members of his charters.
Idaho, beware of the privatization movement. In a matter of years, you will have no public schools, just charter schools, vouchers, and virtual charters.