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1/24 Morning Buzz

Red lightTransportation junkies will have to wait; the Gov. is holding back his proposal until budget day. Term limits come on the table. And a Pa. lawmaker makes the ‘Colbert Report.’ Good morning politicos, here’s the Buzz.

Colbert Dings Pileggi on Electoral Plan (Watch Video): Stephen Colbert highlighted Pa. Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi on Tuesday as part of a riff on GOP efforts to mitigate Democrats’ presidential advantage in a handful of blue states.

Toomey Takes Up DeMint’s Mantle on Term Limits: Following in the footsteps of former Sen. Jim DeMint, Pat Toomey reintroduced a bill Wednesday that restricts members of the House to 6 years and the Senate to 12.

GOP Chooses Remely for HD-42: Allegheny County Republicans have chosen Mt. Lebanon school board member Dan Remely to run against Democrat Dan Miller in the special election for Matt Smith’s vacant House seat.

Prison Closings Draw Fire: Here’s the latest on proposed Pa. prison closings. Local legislators oppose the move, but the Corbett administration says it will save the state money.

HD-95: The selection was never really in doubt, but the Democratic party of York officially and unanimously nominated Kevin Schreiber, 32, to run for now Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s seat.

Local Elections Updates:

Lehigh Co Exec: Conservative Republican County Commissioner Scott Ott will become the first and so far only candidate to announce a bid today at the Hamilton Family Restaurant. That’s right, this Scott Ott.

Erie Mayor: 2-term incumbent Joe Sinnott will seek a third and final term, he announced Wednesday (Erie limits mayors to 3 terms). It’s not clear whether he’ll have an opponent, but in any case he’s a heavy favorite.

Pittsburgh City Council: Activist Jeanne Clark will officially kick off her District 8 city council bid Saturday. “Kate Michelman, past-president of the National Abortion Rights Action League and Pittsburgh native Eleanor Smeal, President of Feminist Majority, will headline a fundraising event Saturday,” her campaign announced, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Clark faces Dan Gilman for the seat of Bill Peduto (who is running for Mayor).

Statewide

State House Sound Bites: Gun rights and gun control groups mix at Capitol
State House Sound Bites: Senate leaders waiting for response to letter asking for tweaked contract
PA Independent: PA lawmaker says dump corrupt judicial elections
PA Independent: WATCHBLOG: Turnpike chief got new $40K vehicle one week before tolls increased again
Capitolwire: Service providers support Lottery contract if it means more revenue for senior programs.
Capitolwire: Notification could’ve been better, but prison closure impacts can’t be avoided, says Corrections Sec. Wetzel.
Capitolwire: Revenue Department analysis says Camelot bid outpaces Lottery projections.
Capitolwire: Bruce Castor explains his potential challenge to Gov. Tom Corbett on PCN.
Capitolwire: Camelot executives defend report of increasing ticket prices, bonuses.

Philadelphia
WHYY Newsworks: City controller challenger posts detailed info regarding how city spends tax dollars (from salaries and contracts to office furniture!)
WHYY Newsworks: Corbett to request $20 million for “neediest Pennsylvanians”
PhillyClout: Nutter parties with the stars at White House
Heard in the Hall: Controller: city tax revenue up
Heard in the Hall: Ethics board eases campaign restrictions
Commonwealth Confidential: Gun debate draws both sides to capitol
CapitolInq: Philly-area reps cast debt ceiling votes on party lines
Inquirer: Rep. Brady (D-Philly) calls former Sunoco CEO a “wicked witch”
Inquirer: City, US Airways agree to $734 million capital investment project
Inquirer: Councilman plans bill to make Inspector General independent, permanent
Daily News: Property taxes: Philadelphians to receive new assessments in February

SEPA
Bucks Local News: Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) extols virtues of bipartisan ‘No Budget, No Pay’ legislation
Bucks Local News: Neshaminy S.D. sells closed elementary building to charter for $2.2 million
Montgomery Media: L. Moreland commissioners approve new athletic field
DelCo Daily Times: Drama, intrigue swirl in Colwyn regarding borough council’s vacancy appointment; mayor files petition

Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh City Paper: Fighting Fitzgerald: County exec steamrolls through first year in office
Tribune Review: Gun owners rally on Capitol steps in Harrisburg
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Allegheny County puts nonprofits on notice
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Lawmakers question how expanded lottery will affect Pa. casinos
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Corbett proposes ‘intellectual disabilities’ funding increase
Early Returns: Colbert highlights old electoral vote plan
Early Returns: Toomey pushes term limits
Early Returns: Casey urges job credits

Southwest
AP: Unions shrunk in Pa. in 2012, following US trend
AP: Corbett plans to roll out highway plan with budget
AP: 2 jurors picked in Pa. judge corruption case
AP: Pa. House bill deals with care of seized animals
AP: Pa. faculty union plans demonstration at schools
AP: MORNING BRIEFING: Turnpike officials still getting free cars
Beaver County Times: DEP shelves more stringent water test
Altoona Mirror: Prison closure looms despite hearing

NEPA
AP: 12 jurors picked in Pa. judge corruption case
AP: Corbett plans more money for services for disabled
AP: Unions shrink in Pa. in 2012 following US trend
AP: Corbett plans to roll out highway plan with budget
Times-Tribune: No bidders again for Scranton ad plan
Times-Tribune: Inaugural speech thrills NEPA backers of gay rights
Times-Tribune: Gun rights, gun safety rallies come to Pa. Capitol
Times-Tribune: Commissioners introduce row-office elimination
Times-Tribune: First Scranton mayor candidate emerges
News Item: City nears inspection requirement

Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Lehigh Valley Congressmen split on debt ceiling vote
Pennsylvania Ave: Lehigh County board approves green grants, eases off affordable housing
Morning Call: Republican Commissioner Scott Ott running for Lehigh Co. executive
Reading Eagle: Tax increase proposed for Twin Valley
Express Times: Warren County Republican legislators gather at courthouse to announce re-election bids
Express Times: Lehigh County Commissioners approve long-delayed grants for open space, parks projects
Express Times: Lehigh County Commissioners delay proposal to end affordable housing program

South Central
AP: Pa. faculty union plans demonstration at schools
AP: Pa. turnpike officials still getting free cars
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Boycott of Harrisburg show over assault weapon ban snowballs
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Pennsylvania charter schools fare poorly under different method of measuring performance
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Pennsylvania gun control debate heats up, but top target may be Washington
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Harrisburg mayoral candidate Lewis Butts Jr. has history of driving on a suspended license
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Women in combat: Joe Sestak, Patrick Murphy support move
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will close two of its 14 fish hatcheries
Harrisburg Patriot-News: A $20,000 raise for SERS’ chief investment officer draws opposition
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Lawmaker aims to make federal gun control laws unenforceable in Pa.
Harrisburg Patriot-News: CeaseFirePA registers last and most emotional word in opposing gun control events at state Capitol
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Lottery privatization: Corbett’s administration sales pitch falls short for some lawmakers at House hearing
Harrisburg Patriot-News: Gun owners strike first in dueling gun-control rallies at Capitol
York Daily Record: York County Democrats formally choose Schreiber as 95th District candidate
York Daily Record: Perry explains vote for ‘No Budget, No Pay’ bill
York Dispatch: County weighs courthouse project, could cost nearly $9 million
Roxbury News: City of Harrisburg: Resigning Mayor’s Communications Director Bob Philbin, “I’ll be involved in the Mayor’s campaign.”
Roxbury News: CeaseFirePA Rally: Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson
Roxbury News: Dauphin County Gaming Grants: Local Share Funds
Roxbury News: PA Child Protection Task Force: Reform

North by Northwest
Campaign ’13 Blog: What’s in a name?
AP: Gun rights, gun safety rallies come to Pa. Capitol
AP: Corbett plans more money for services for disabled
Williamsport Sun Gazette: WASD shows $3.5 million budget deficit
Williamsport Sun Gazette: Board Reviews Expenses

Opinions
Pittsburgh City Paper: Irregular Guy (re: Keith Rothfus)
Centre Daily Times: Our View | Districts must stay vigilant on security
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Last call: Now is the time to end the state liquor monopoly
Times Leader: Working as one, we can overcome
Pottstown Mercury: Reading crime summit focused on all of Berks
Times-Tribune: Mortgages against futures
Times-Tribune: ‘We must act’
Citizens’ Voice: Hazleton’s woes may be solved with regionalization
News Item: Time for pension reform nearing; start internally
Wayne Independent: Speech was glimpse into what’s coming
Standard Speaker: When will the tax increases stop? When we’re dead
Standard Speaker: Lottery private, so why aren’t Pa. liquor sales?
Harrisburg Patriot-News: It’s time for Pennsylvania to legalize same-sex marriage
York Daily Record: Train police to handle people with mental illness
Lancaster Intelligencer/Era: Don’t trade safety for prison savings
Lancaster Intelligencer/Era: An assertive Obama

Blogs
Keystone Politics: More Context on the CivicScience #PGHMayor Analysis
Citizens’ Call: Unusual Martin Luther King Day Event at Arcadia Works to ‘Stop Hunger Now’
Citizens’ Call: Meeting with Area State Legislators this Thursday Sponsored by League of Women Voters
Citizens’ Call: Rally Downtown Opposes Flood of Corporate Money into Politics: A ‘Fight for Democracy’s Future’

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