11/4 Morning Buzz

Harrisburg Capitol stepsA flurry of last minute campaigning in the 2013 races, Gov. Corbett will launch his re-election campaign on Wednesday, McCord scores a big union’s backing, and F&M polls Hillary’s numbers in Pa. Good morning politicos, here’s the Buzz.

Corbett To Officially Launch Campaign: Updated with the full event schedule. Governor Corbett will officially launch his reelection campaign on Wednesday in Pittsburgh with stops across the state.

F&M Poll: Hillary Clinton Most Popular Politician in PA: The former Secretary of State is the most popular politician in the state according to Franklin & Marshall’s new look at potential 2016 presidential candidates.

11/1 Ups & Downs: Endorsements, polls and a board game make this week’s list. Check out the Ups & Downs.

AFSCME Endorses McCord: Union heavyweight AFSCME announced their support of Rob McCord for governor in a press release this afternoon.

Wolf Campaign Hires PA Dems’ Nicastre: Mark Nicastre, who served in 2010 and 2012 as the Pa. Democratic Party’s communications director, joined Tom Wolf’s campaign for Governor.

PA-Gov Roundup: Philly Dems Back Schwartz & More: A look at the important events you may have missed this week in the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Toomey Vocal in Blocking Rep. Mel Watt from FHFA Director: Senator Toomey was outspoken about Rep. Mel Watt after Senate Republicans denied his FHFA appointment.

Statewide
Washington Post: Rep. Matt Cartwright, loyal Democrat, stands by health-care law, takes stage to defend it
State House Sound Bites: State points to better law enforcement
State House Sound Bites: Poll shows way ahead for Corbett on health care message
PA Independent: Tea party group says two Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices do not deserve retention
StateImpactPA: Obama issues executive order on climate change
Capitolwire: Schwartz gets Philadelphia Democratic Committee nod as McCord reels in AFSCME
Capitolwire: Big endorsement for McCord comes on eve of AFSCME Dem Gov decision
Capitolwire: Union endorsement scorecard shows McCord leading field
Capitolwire: In retention race, Castille and Baer face tea party hurdle

Philadelphia
AP: Pa. taxpayers foot growing bill for gas subsidies
Commonwealth Confidential: Deal clears way for witnesses to see entire execution
Inquirer: Corbett administration’s legal bills rising
Inquirer: Phila. GOP opposes $94.7M bond issue on ballot Tuesday
Inquirer: Republican making long-shot run at judgeship
WHYY Newsworks: Local law enforcement accused of wrongfully targeting immigrants in Philly suburb
WHYY Newsworks: Women in Pa. to be notified of dense breast tissue
KYW: Parents And Public School Advocates Voice Their Displeasure With School District’s Plans

SEPA
Courier-Times: Jury commissioners join list of obsolete offices
Courier-Times: Poll: 47 percent of voters ‘less likely’ to support Fitzpatrick after shutdown
Courier-Times: Clinton, Albright issue call to action for women’s rights
Pottstown Mercury: Disappearing campaign signs frustrate candidates
Pottstown Mercury: Incumbent Republican supervisors face challengers in Limerick

Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: William Coyne, retired long-time congressman from Pittsburgh, dies
Post-Gazette: Mayoral election could strengthen Pittsburgh-Allegheny County partnership
Post-Gazette: Oil and gas drillers in Pa. to begin well inspections
Post-Gazette: With more than 270 tests at Pittsburgh schools this year, when is enough enough?
Tribune-Review: Many voters in Pittsburgh region expected to skip trip to polls
Tribune-Review: Races in Pittsburgh region struggle to attract candidates
UrbanMediaToday: Gross Endorsement Event Prompts Criticism by Opponents in D7 Special Election

South Central
AP: Gay rights groups pressure Sen. Pat Toomey over vote on workplace-discrimination bill
Sentinel: Financing an Election: PAC tackles issues in Mechanicsburg race
Sentinel: Financing an Election: What have Midstate campaigns spent?
Sentinel: Commission warns drivers to take caution of deer
CBS 21: Face the State: Auditor General Eugene DePasquale
ABC 27: Some Navy Depot workers still not getting paid from shutdown
ABC 27: Corbett signs bill to protect land owners who allow hunting
ABC 27: Penn State trustees updated on presidential search
York Dispatch: Print Email Commonwealth Court orders review of whether Harley overpaid taxes
York Dispatch: York County voter turnout predicted to be low on Tuesday
Lebanon Daily News: Low voter turnout expected for Lebanon County races Tuesday
Roxbury News: Pre-Election Voter Data and Primary Results
Roxbury News: Harrisburg Election 2013: The Campaign Trail
Public Opinion: Franklin County voters to decide local races Tuesday
Record Herald: President won’t attend Gettysburg commemoration
Evening Sun: Some York County lawmakers want to require public schools to display ‘In God We Trust’
Evening Sun: 2013 Elections: What you need to know

Southwest
Altoona Mirror: The Forgotten Link
Altoona Mirror: Susan Corbett addresses education
Altoona Mirror: Pa. court upholds Padilla rulings
Beaver County Times: Local races dominate Tuesday’s ballots
Beaver County Times: County wants yet more time in Friendship Ridge Right-to-Know case

NEPA
Times Leader: Committee: Pa. transport bill ‘in flux’
Times-Tribune: Campaign ho-hum as Election Day approaches
Times-Tribune: Scranton 2014 budget starts with largest city deficit, potential for big tax hikes
Citizens Voice: County council preview: 11 candidates for 5 seats
Citizens Voice: Former unknowns face off for bench
Wayne Independent: Mayor frustrated by council
Standard Speaker: County finances top issue in council race
Standard Speaker: Profiles of 11 candidates for Luzerne County Council
Pocono Record: 2 run in Pocono Township as second class status uncertain
Pocono Record: Smithfield Township supervisors race

Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Hillary Clinton leaves ‘em guessing in Philadelphia over 2016 run
Express Times: ‘Show It’ voter ID commercials may depress election turnout, some Lehigh Valley leaders fear

North by Northwest
Centre Daily Times: Four candidates run uncontested for State College School Board
Williamsport Sun Gazette: Gas impact fees fueling local projects
Williamsport Sun Gazette: At the polls, new voters will need ID
Williamsport Sun Gazette: Council candidates list varied reasons for seeking office
Williamsport Sun Gazette: Council candidates mull cost-cutting possibilities

Opinions
Tribune Review: ObamaCare’s Widening Disconnect
Post-Gazette: Voters’ choice: Most of Tuesday’s election picks are close to home
Tribune-Review: For mayor of Pittsburgh: Elect Bill Peduto
Citizens Voice: 2013 county candidate endorsements
Inquirer: A view from the right, the right way
Patriot-News: Patriot-News endorses Eric Papenfuse for Harrisburg mayor
Patriot-News: For Dauphin County judge: Anne Gingrich Cornick
Sentinel: Up the ante with Small Games of Chance law
York Daily Record: Pa. lottery a jackpot for consultants

Blogs
Keystone Politics: Pay for Philly Land Bank With a Tax on Unimproved Land
Keystone Politics: The Republican Message is Out
Keystone Politics: How to Stop Scott Ott From Turning Lehigh County into a Tea Party Lab
Keystone Politics: All of the Republican Health Care Overhaul Plans Are More Disruptive Than Obamacare
Pittston Politics: Gloves come of in Pittston DJ race
Pennsylvania Progressive: Superior Court Endorsement: Jack McVay
Pennsylvania Progressive: Fudeman Runs From Questions

4 Responses

  1. WHY DOES TOM CORBETT LOVE CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL CORPORTE WELFARE QUEENS MORE THAN OUR CHILDREN?
    Corporate Reformers, Education Reform, Privatization

    Moody’s: Charters Pose Serious Risk to Struggling Cities

    By dianerav

    November 4, 2013 //

    8

    Back in the olden times, advocates claimed that charters would provide healthy competition and beneficial innovation. This would benefit the public schools and urban districts as well.

    But it turned out to be a false promise.

    By skimming off the best students in poor neighborhoods, charter schools leave the public schools in worse condition, overburdened with the neediest students that the charters don’t want and lacking the resources to educate them appropriately. Where the public school system is struggling to improve, charter schools may actually hasten their collapse.

    Now Moody’s Investors’ Service has issued a bulletin warning that the proliferation of charters in economically weak cities damages those cities’ economic viability.

    The report summary says:

    The dramatic rise in charter school enrollments over the past decade is likely to create negative credit pressure on school districts in economically weak urban areas, says Moody’s Investors Service in a new report. Charter schools tend to proliferate in areas where school districts already show a degree of underlying economic and demographic stress, says Moody’s in the report “Charter Schools Pose Growing Risks for Urban Public Schools.”

    “While the vast majority of traditional public districts are managing through the rise of charter schools without a negative credit impact, a small but growing number face financial stress due to the movement of students to charters,” says Michael D’Arcy, one of two authors of the report.

    Charter schools can pull students and revenues away from districts faster than the districts can reduce their costs, says Moody’s. As some of these districts trim costs to balance out declining revenues, cuts in programs and services will further drive students to seek alternative institutions including charter schools.

    Many older, urban areas that have experienced population and tax base losses, creating stress for their local school districts, have also been areas where charter schools have proliferated, says Moody’s. Among the cities where over a fifth of the students are enrolled in charter schools are Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. Nationwide about one in 20 students is in a charter school.

    One of the four risk factors Moody’s identifies as making a school district vulnerable to charter school growth is that the school district is already financially pressured and grappling with weak demographics.

    A second factor is having a limited ability to adjust operations in response to a loss of enrolment to charter schools.

    “Shifts in student enrollment from district schools to charters, while resulting in a transfer of a portion of district revenues to charter schools, do not typically result in a full shift of operating costs away from district public schools,” says Moody’s Tiphany Lee-Allen, the Moody’s Associate Analyst who co-authored the report. “Districts may face institutional barriers to cutting staff levels, capital footprints and benefit costs over the short term given the intricacies of collective bargaining contracts – leaving them with underutilized buildings and ongoing growth in personnel costs.”

    A third risk factor for a school district is being in a state with a statutory framework promoting a high degree of educational choice and has a relatively liberal approval process for new charters and few limits on their growth, as well as generous funding.

    For example in Michigan, the statutory framework emphasizes educational choice, and there are multiple charter authorizers to help promote charter school growth. In Michigan, Detroit Public Schools (B2 negative), Clintondale Community Schools (Ba3 negative), Mount Clemens Community School District (Ba3 negative) and Ypsilanti School District (Ba3) have all experienced significant fiscal strain related to charter enrollment growth, which has also been a contributing factor to their speculative grade status.

  2. When is the Harrisburg Press Corps going to find out what the Tom Corbett/Brabender Administration wants in the next PSU president? Obviously conservative, not a RINO. Someone who won’t trouble COS Gromis-Baker and Charly Zogby with ever-increasing budget requests; so the Cyber Charter School Corporate Welfare queens can grow and prosper. Isn’t the PSU search process a total SHAM because the Corbett/Brabender administration has the only vote that counts?

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    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

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