Good Wednesday morning and welcome to the Buzz! Last night was the last scheduled debate between the Republican candidates for President. Sen. Santorum’s record as the U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania came under close scrutiny. A point of contention was Santorum’s support of Arlen Specter in the Republican primary in 2004. Sen. Santorum said he was assured Specter would support conservative judges for the federal bench.  Former Gov. Romney, on the other hand, believes Santorum’s support of Specter provided the 60th vote to overcome a filibuster of health care reform.

Legislative Leaders Fail To Reach Agreement on Legislature Districts
Legislative leaders met in negotiation this morning and did not agree on new maps for the General Assembly. They will meet again next Tuesday.

Fitzpatrick Speaks With Philly College Students
Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick payed a visit to St. Joseph’s University students on Tuesday night in a discussion spanning topics of sustainable energy, foreign policy, immigration and Medicare to name a few.

National:

Pennsylvania Ave: Veterans advocate David Christian says GOP trying to kick him off ballot Politico: 10 Republicans who could jump in
Politico: Super PACs: 2012’s campaign Godzillas
Politico: White House to call for cutting corporate tax rate
Politico: Paul on Santorum: “He’s a fake”
Politico: Conservative pundits come to Santorum’s defense
Politico: Another court finds Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional
Politico: Herman Cain seeks influence in 2012
Roll Call: Bob McDonnell backs D.C. budget powers
Roll Call: Business community split on corporate tax reform
Five Thirty Eight: Mormon voter raise Romney’s advantage in Arizona
Washington Post: Fireworks at final debate before Super Tuesday as Santorum, Romney spar over earmarks
Washington Post: Romney, Obama release dueling tax overhaul proposals
Washington Post: Santorum’s ‘phony theology’ criticism of Obama follows a familiar theme
LA Times: Amid uncertain GOP race, talk of brokered convention
Real Clear Politics: Politicians fiddle while fiscal crisis looms
Real Clear Politics: Santorum, Romney, Obama and the merits of “likeability”
The Hill: Simpson calls Santorum ‘homophobic’
The Hill: Democratic senators back FCC rule that could shed light on campaign ads
The Hill: Federal judge strikes down Washington state’s morning-after pill mandate
The Hill: Debate crowd boos contraception question
The Hill: Dem leader Pelosi blames Wall Street for spike in gas prices
The Caucus: Romney on birth control and George Stephanopoulos
The Caucus: Debate Fact Check: The auto bailout and the U.A.W.
The Caucus: The bailout scorecard from the Arizona debate
The Caucus: Santorum vows to continue discussing social issues at debate
The Caucus: Romney details tax overhaul
NY Times: Governor of Virginia calls for change in abortion bill
NY Times: In tightening race, top GOP candidates race to capture two battleground states
NY Times: Before critical debate, Gingrich is urged to be himself
Early Returns: Daily Santorum: Debate day

Statewide:

AP: Corbett plans $55M in State Capitol renovations
AP: Universities ask Pa. House to reject more aid cuts
Capitol Ideas: In Court Filing, Speaker Smith Says Right To Call Special Election Rests With Him
Post Gazette: New maps for state House, Senate districts delayed again
Post Gazette: State-related universities decry proposed subsidy cuts
Capitolwire (Paywall): Revenue Secretary Pledges To Work With Lawmakers To Avoid Revenue Estimation Squabbles
Capitolwire (Paywall): DEP Secretary Says Department Can Handle Regulatory Workload, Despite Budget Cuts
Post Gazette: Corbett’s plan to cut Pa. pension watchdog questioned
Capitolwire (Paywall): Meuser says Revenue Department Might Seek Advice From Private Management Firms on Lottery
Indiana Gazette: State Senate to drop high-end health insurance

Philadelphia:

WHYY Newsworks: Spreading the word about banning “the box” in Philadelphia
WHYY Newsworks: April 24th Primary seems more likely in PA
WHYY Newsworks: Philly library balks at realignment of of PA services for the blind
WHYY Newsworks: Philadelphia city officials say Corbett budget is disastrous for social services
Philadelphia Weekly: Does a neighborhood tax make sense  for an area that can’t afford it?
Philadelphia Weekly: Housing ordinance  barring  Temple students from specific still  drawing ire from lawyers, landlords
PhillyClout: City commission agrees on issue that caused clash last week
The Inquirer: Health official: Proposed budget cuts a ‘recipe for disaster’
The Inquirer: With no deal on distracts, PA primary still on for April 24th?
Philadelphia Magazine: Ed Rendell: Our very own Rupert Murdoch
Washington Times: Sale of Philadelphia newspapers raises bias concerns

SEPA:

PhillyBurbs: Lawmakers clash over future of gas drilling
PhillyBurbs: BCC board appoints Malone as new chairman
Delco Daily Times: Corbett’s budget could kill pension overnight
Delco Daily Times: Upland councilman takes oath
Bucks Local News: State General Assembly  considers  bill requiring  ultrasounds before abortions

Pittsburgh:

Tribune Review: Chelsa Wagner says she wants to handle weights and measures
Tribune Review: Reassessments, transit top county executive’s ‘to do’ list
Tribune Review: Allegheny nonprofit leaders lobby lawmakers to restore funding
Tribune Review: Critz challenging Altmire’s nominating petitions
Tribune Review: Springdale Council puts landlords on notice
KDKA: Local hospitals concerned about cancer drug shortage

Southwest:

Tribune Review: Veon nonprofit, legislative funds were intertwined
Beaver County Times: EPA reaches final settlement for Moon superfund site
Beaver County Times: Freedom area employees accept wage freeze
Observer Reporter: J-M sees decrease in fund balance
Altoona Mirror: Ex-mayors say distressed municipalities program inevitable

Lehigh Valley:

Express Times Allentown City Councilman Mike Schlossberg sole candidate for Jennifer Mann’s state house seat
Express Times Nazareth police union files grievance against borough over shift change
Express Times Parkland School District teachers’ contract freezes wages, cuts tuition reimbursement
Express Times Parkland School Board votes to put ads in school buses
Reading Eagle: Federal grant to fund work-force training
Reading Eagle: Union Township taxes to go up in 2013, supervisors chairman says
Morning Call: Bethlehem City Council again split on new controller
WFMZ: Life-saving pediatric medicine supply gets surprising boost

NEPA:

The Daily Review: Frack water treatment plant under review
Go Lackawanna: PPL bills go lower thanks to falling natural gas prices
Go Lackawanna: Citizen files complaint over Mellow campaign expenditures
Times-Tribune: Casey requests independent review of Scranton/Lehigh Postal Service consolidation
Standard Speaker Feissner may lose seat as district judge
Citizens’ Voice: NEPA veterans receive long-overdue medals

South Central:

Carlisle Sentinel: Big Spring School District considers eliminating positions
Carlisle Sentinel: Vance, Gordner field questions at legislators’ forum this morning
Harrisburg Patriot News: Brothers to square off at ex-Rep. Mike Veon’s corruption trial
Harrisburg Patriot News: Penn State trustees held retreat to discuss future operating structure
York Dispatch: Lawmakers air concerns with York County Chamber of Commerce
Lebanon Daily News: Jackson sets meeting procedures
Lebanon Daily News: Senator announces he has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

North by Northwest:

Erie Times-News: Erie school district releases facilities study that could lead to mergers, megaschools
Erie Times-News: Coroner’s office seeks relatives of man who died in Erie in January
Campaign ‘12: Mike Kelly stops by the Erie Times-News
Sharon Herald: Gentile: Ethics ‘violation’ resolved
Courier Express: Petitioners seek audit of Battaglia campaign
Courier Express: Voters asked if they’ll pay more for police
Courier Express: Piney decision tabled; support for trail granted
Centre Daily Times: Students shocked by landlord; GOP presidential contender Santorum gets thousands in rent each month
Centre Daily Times: Erickson at House hearing on PSU funding: University produces top graduates

Opinion:

Washington Post: Opinion: Wall Street’s candidate on its side
Washington Post: PostPartisan: Arizona Republican debate: Mash-up in Mesa
Washington Post: PostPartisan: NBC News-Marist poll: Romney might need a Michigan miracle
Washington Post: PostPartisan: Santorum’s Ash Wednesday test
Washington Post: PostPartisan: What makes a strong third-party candidate?
NY Times: Opinion: For teachers, shame is no solution
NY Times: Opinion: Who decided that this election should be about sex?
NY Times: Opinion: Is Romney reading Krugman?
USA Today: Editorial: Disclose donors on Super PAC ads
USA Today: Opinion Column: The federal budget challenge
USA Today: Opinion Letters: Santorum misguided in objection to prenatal tests
Tribune Review: Struggle for the soul of America
Post Gazette: Now and the future: a benchmark report captures the region’s progress
Indiana Gazette: A poor plan
Altoona Mirror: Obama skimps on miners
Daily News: Editorial: Lawmakers should  drop out of charter involvement
Daily News: President’s broken budget promises
The Inquirer: Editorial: Affirmative action faces another showdown
Big Government: Santorum was Senate point man for Lobbyist-Legislator revolving door
Daily American: House Republican transportation gimmick is bad for Pa.
Morning Call: Toomey’s view on taxes punishes middle class

Blogs:

Keystone State Education Coalition: There is no prohibition against lawmakers and elected officials or heads of public agencies being associated with charter schools.  But there should be Commonwealth Foundation: Sec. John Wetzel talks corrections reforms on The BOX
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Sixteen questions for Allentown’s NIZ whiz
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Cunningham announces Lehigh County Hall of Fame
Lehigh Valley Independent: Why Bob Donchez should never be Mayor of Bethlehem
Lehigh Valley Independent: Shorter GOP: Fed should stop telling us we’re wrong
Lehigh Valley Independent: Did Allentown pay too much for arena properties?
NEPartisan: Bob Lesh: Money > Ethics, Power > Ethics, Anything > Ethics?
2 Political Junkies: Heartland Institute, deception, and the Trib
PA Water Cooler: Is Philadelphia Archdiocese lying or just incompetent?
Lu Lac Political Letter: Write on Wednesday: Austerity and the County
Pennsylvania Progressive: Some hope for PA revenue in January but corporate taxes still lag
Above Average Jane: Call to honor religious freedom – Elyse
Above Average Jane: Weissmann endorses Murphy – Elyse
Keystone Politics: Allyson Schwartz tries to kick “occupy” candidate Nate Kleinman off the ballot
Keystone Politics: 10 reasons to oppose the House transportation bill
Keystone Politics: GOP Senate primary turning into rich dude fight
John Hanger: PA joins 1 trillion cubic feet club
John Hanger: Past time to regulate water well construction in PA
Citizens’ Call: Schwartz challenges Kleinman’s bid for primary ballot; Kleinman says Schwartz’s inner circle urged him to drop out to “avoid embarrassment”