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6/29 Morning Buzz

Good morning politicos, here’s the buzz. The House passes a budget; PA politicos are buzzing over the Supreme Court’s Obamacare decision; Turzai gets roasted by Stephen Colbert; and Altmire and Critz break with the Dems and vote for contempt for Holder.

Don’t forget to check back for this week’s Ups & Downs!

House Passes State Budget: It looks like lawmakers are going to make it. The GOP-dominated House passed a $27.7 billion state budget, to the dismay of many minority Democrats who are dissatisfied with flat-lined education funding, social service spending cuts, and a massive business tax break.

Live Thread: SCOTUS Upholds Obamacare – PA Pols React: Today, the Supreme Court ruled on the controversial Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The court ruled in favor of the bill 5-4, also upholding the individual mandate clause requiring every American to have health insurance. Here’s what PA politicos had to say.

Turzai Gets the Colbert Treatment: We’ve come a long way from Saturday’s GOP state committee in Hershey. After PoliticsPA broke the story of Majority Leader Mike Turzai’s Voter ID comments, they’ve made the rounds on cable news – and finally arrived Wednesday night on The Colbert Report. Watch the segment here.

New Pro-Obama Super PAC Ad Hammers Vulture Capitalist Message: Liberal super PAC Priorities USA Action released a new ad in Pennsylvania Thursday attacking Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The 30 second spot blasts him for profiting off the bankruptcy of companies owned by Bain Capital while he was CEO of the private equity firm. Watch the ad here

Altmire, Critz Vote for Holder Contempt: With an NRA endorsement on the line, Reps. Mark Critz (D-Cambria) and Jason Altmire (D-Allegheny) broke with their party and voted to hold U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for failure to release information regarding the Fast and Furious scandal.

Rohrer Gets a New Gig: Former state Rep, U.S. Senate hopeful and 2010 Gubernatorial candidate Sam Rohrer has found a new job: President of The Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network, a project of Let Freedom Ring, Inc., a 501(c)(4).

Young Democrats to Hold National Conference in Phila: Although it’s yet to be seen how strongly young voters will be in Obama’s corner this election cycle, Pennsylvania Young Democrats have something to be excited about: the National Conference is coming to Philadelphia this weekend.

Legislative Election Updates

SD-13: Democratic candidate Tom O’Brien said there is no reason to celebrate the PA budget agreement — which he said implements policies detrimental to school districts — and that, in conjunction with House Bill 1307, could determine whether schools recover. O’Brien said HB 1307 would give the state more power to oversee financially distressed schools and intervene, as well as strip collective-bargaining rights from teachers. Combined with the program cuts to schools, he said students do not have the equal opportunity to “learn and succeed.”

National
Pennsylvania Ave: 2010 health care law upheld, Pennsylvania politicians react
The Hill: In 255-67 vote, House places Holder in contempt of Congress
The Hill: New Obama super-PAC ad: Romney ‘drowned’ companies in debt
USA Today: Pro-Obama group keeps up attack on Romney’s record
AP: Highways-student loan deal poised for votes
The Hill: New Obama super-PAC ad: Romney ‘drowned’ companies in debt

Statewide
Fox News: Exxon’s CEO: Climate, energy fears overblown
AP: New teacher evaluations gets support in Pa. House
AP: Corbett may face big decision on Pa. health care
PA Independent: Senate preparing to expand red light cameras to Pittsburgh, large Philly suburbs
PA Independent: PA administration still analyzing SCOTUS decision
PA Independent: Keystone state lawmaker says ACA ruling is ‘unfortunate’
PA Independent: House passes $27.656 billion spending bill, Senate vote expected Friday
PA Independent: Updated: Pension accounting rules change, makes unfunded liability seem larger
State Impact: Biden blasts Romney over energy tax credits
State Impact: Corbett administration downsizes ethane cracker job claims
State Impact: Corbett and legislative leaders agree on cracker tax break deal
State Impact: Shell’s Tioga County methane geyser captured on video
State Impact: Clean Air Council seeks federal intervention with Marcellus air complaints
Capitolwire: Budget bill wins House approval, Senate to vote on it Friday
Capitolwire: Supreme Court rules in favor of Affordable Care Act; PA organizations say how it will impact the state
Capitolwire: House readies to debate state budget bill
Capitolwire: House GOP plans to make welfare-funded non-profits reveal exec salaries
Capitolwire: Teachers, House Democrats supportive, as Gov’s top education priority poised for passage
Capitolwire: Court ruling imperils filling annual code legislation with many bills, Costa warns
Capitolwire: Progress hailed on charters, other issues still snarling budget
Capitol Ideas: Thursday Morning Coffee: Three days and counting
Capitol Ideas: Mid-Morning Budget Update: More on welfare block grants and charter schools
Capitol Ideas: Thanks for the memories: a look at the letter that was accidentally sent to PA general assistance recipients
Capitol Ideas: GOP reaches deal on cracker credit
Capitol Ideas: Early Evening Budget Update: The House approves the budget
Pennsylvania Ave: 2010 health care law upheld, Pennsylvania politicians react
PA Independent: Pa. budget calls for closer scrutiny of nonprofits performing state services
PA Independent: Federal cuts endanger smooth delivery of heating fuel to poor

Philadelphia
Philly Clout: Corbett wins on health care (since he took both sides of issue)
Philly Now: In Blow to Gov. Tom Corbett, Health Care Law Upheld
Philly Now: Rep. Fattah, Dems, To ‘Walk Out’ of Congress Over Holder Contempt Vote
Philadelphia Tribune: House Holds Holder in Contempt
Philadelphia Tribune: Officials weigh in on healthcare vote
WHYY Newsworks: With constitutional question settled, divining what’s next for Affordable Care
WHYY Newsworks: $27.7 billion budget moves toward final vote in Pa.
City Paper: Low-income wage-tax relief axed. Call it tactical brilliance.

SEPA
Montgomery Media: Reaction comes quickly to Supreme Court’s ruling on health care overhaul

Pittsburgh
Tribune Review: Corbett promises to ‘limit’ healthcare impact on Pennsylvanians
Tribune Review: Obama calls healthcare decision a victory for people across U.S.
Tribune Review: Healthcare law verdict to be pivotal
Tribune Review: Budget proposal set for lawmakers’ vote
Tribune Review: Jury finds Democrat guilty of corruption
Post-Gazette: Pennsylvanians react to Supreme Court decision
Post-Gazette: Jury finds ex-Rep. Stetler guilty on all counts
Post-Gazette: Poll shows Obama has slim lead in Pa. over Romney
Post-Gazette: State system to require funding before university project begins
Post-Gazette: House strengthens bill on illegal construction workers
Post-Gazette: Pa. House recesses without starting budget debate
Early Returns: AFL-CIO doesn’t endorse Maggi
Early Returns: Critz, Altmire vote for Holder contempt
Early Returns: Corbett’s two HCR reax
Early Returns: ACA reax
Early Returns: Thursday morning; Hello ScotusBlog
Early Returns: Turzai ID remark makes ‘Colbert Report’

Southwest
AP: Tax credit for Shell plant in Pa. has plenty of critics
Beaver County Times: Budget cuts cause five county layoffs
Observer-Reporter: Neuman move could embarrass Corbett
Valley News Dispatch: Casey wants nuke cleanup investigated
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Highway bill vote may come Friday

Lehigh Valley
Express Times: Bethlehem Area School District agrees to join electronic medical record exchange                                                                                                                                 Express Times: Lopatcong Township Planning Board deems housing proposal with ties to mayor’s law firm incomplete
Express Times: Warren County Community College raises tuition $3 per credit
Express Times: Easton city council officially introduces commuter tax increase
WFMZ: Democrats begin attack on state Republicans’ spending plan
WFMZ: Pa. lawmaker, Neuman, calls for vote on Sandusky probe review                             WFMZ: Lehigh Co. Commissioners discuss federal funding
WFMZ: Pa. cash assistance program may not be part of new budget
WFMZ: Court’s ruling on health care law could impact election, pundits say
The Morning Call: Impact of health care reform decision on Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley
The Morning Call: Whitehall-Coplay district passes school budget with tax hike

NEPA
Pocono Record: Pocono Medical Center issues statement on healthcare ruling
AP: Pa. Democrats see too much in budget for business, too little for needy
AP: Corbett may face big decision on Pa. health care
AP: Where states stand on implementing health care law
AP: Dems go after GOP Pa. spending plan
Times-Tribune: Short on cash, Doherty slashes wages
Times-Tribune: Evans rips Doherty pay cut, vows long court fight
Times Leader: Pa. property tax rebates coming next week
Times Leader: Reactions to the healthcare ruling
Times-Tribune: Pennsylvania’s use of secret grand juries sparks legal debate
Daily Item: Court upholds Centralia ruling
Daily Item: Northumberland County deficit reached $1.8 million; cannot be allowed to get deeper, controller says
Citizens Voice: County committee seeks split with tax collector
Citizens Voice: Short on cash, Scranton mayor slashes wages
Citizens Voice: Senators protest flood insurance requirement
Citizens Voice: Governor’s education panel meets today in W-B
Citizens Voice: Judiciary committee hears from two Pennsylvania nominees for federal bench
Citizens Voice: House expected to vote on budget proposal
Standard Speaker: Hazleton Area to cast final vote on 2012-13 budget today
Standard Speaker: Not all Hazleton City Council members ready to play by new rules
Standard Speaker: Forum encourages Latinos to get involved in community, civic affairs

South Central
Lancaster Intelligence/Era: Hearing on Brunswick Hotel’s liquor license postponed
York Daily Record Editorial: Give Stephen Stetler county jail time
York Daily Record: What does the Supreme Court ruling on healthcare mean for you? Chat live with experts Friday.
Harrsiburg Patriot News: Affordable Care Act supporters urge politicians to come together to enact plan for Pennsylvania
Harrisburg Patriot News: Sen. Toomey joins Republican calls for repeal of Affordable Care Act
Harrisburg Patriot News: Pa. State System of Higher Education board extends chancellor, seven presidents’ contracts
Harrisburg Patriot News: Gov. Tom Corbett ‘disappointed’ but defiant at Supreme Court health care ruling
Harrisburg Patriot News: Legislation to help Pennsylvania’s fiscally distressed school districts gets no love from Harrisburg and York House members
Patriot-News: A fed­eral appeals court upheld a lower court’s deci­sion to con­demn the prop­erty of the few remain­ing res­i­dents in Centralia
Carlisle Sentinel: Pa. House opens debate on GOP’s $27.7B budget plan

North by Northwest
Times-News: Former U.S. Rep. Dahlkemper ‘very happy’ with health-care ruling
Times-News: Court’s health-care ruling spurs varied reaction in Erie and state
Centre Daily Times: Local Democrats seeking restored funding cuts

Opinion
South WhiteHall Patch: Schools Advocate Takes Aim at ‘Nostesia’                                   Express Times: The Morning Note: Why would the GOP want to kill a health care insurance bill, the parts of which it supports?
The Morning Call: Are public school rainy-day funds too big?
Post-Gazette Editorial: Justice with heart: Top court strikes down cruel sentences
Post-Gazette Editorial: Voter ID honesty: Rep. Turzai’s slip unmasks the Republican agenda

Blogs
PA Budget and Policy Center: Supreme Court Upholds Affordable Care Act
2 Political Junkies: ObamaCare upheld by US Supreme Court
2 Political Junkies: Sightings of the Extremely Rare Female PA Pol
John Hanger: Stunning Fact: Just 7% Of America’s Combined Cycle Gas Plants Operate More than 70% Of Time
John Hanger: Repeating The Shale Gas Boom: How Unconventional Oil May Crush Oil Prices By 2015
Pennsylvania Progressive: Confusion Reigns on SCOTUS ObamaCare Ruling
Pennsylvania Progressive: News & Notes
Above Average Jane: Health Care in Pa
Keystone Progress: Obama Upheld!
Keystone Politics: Roberts Votes With the Left to Uphold the Affordable Care Act
Keystone Politics: Nutter and Pawlowski: Romney Is A “Pioneer of Outsourcing”
Keystone Politics: Maybe Pension Funding Gaps Are About to Double Under New Reporting Standard
Citizens’ Call: Turzai Gets Shelled for . . . Candor on Voter ID
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Matt Cartwright Applauds Supreme Court Obamacare Ruling
NEPArtisan: Health Care Rules!
NEPArtisan: PA-17 Cartwright on Health Care

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