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What We’re Hearing
Rep. Dawn Keefer, head of the PA Freedom Caucus, will seek the SD-31 seat vacated by Sen. Mike Regan. Rep. Sheryl Delozier is also considering a run.

Happy Birthday
🎂 Cake and candles for Rep. Tim Briggs.

Start Your 2024 Smart
The PoliticsPA Playbook gives you all today’s PA political headlines in an easy-to-read format. All by 8 AM. And it’s free. Subscribe now. Gonna be a big year.

Top Story

1. In 2024, Shapiro Faces Calls For Billions For Schools, A Presidential Election And Wary Lawmakers

“In 2024, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro could face a more complicated sophomore year in charge of Pennsylvania after his first year brought a highway collapse, a budget stalemate and friction with allies and adversaries as he navigated the battleground state’s political divides.

He is under pressure to respond to a court ruling that Pennsylvania’s system of public school funding unconstitutionally discriminates against poorer districts.

His administration must also oversee a presidential election that, four years ago, was marred by a barrage of right-wing conspiracy theories, Donald Trump-allied efforts in court to overturn it and threats against election administrators.

And Shapiro, viewed nationally as a rising political star, must navigate the nation’s only politically divided legislature in which allies and adversaries alike are wary of him.” (AP)

Related

President Joe Biden’s First Big Campaign Speech Of 2024 Will Be In Valley Forge On Saturday. “Call it the fight for the soul of America, part deux.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Ward Re-Elected As Senate President Pro Tempore. “Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) was re-elected as Senate President Pro Tempore on Tuesday by her Senate colleagues.” (PoliticsPA)

• Senate Leader Hopes 2024 Brings Big Change To PA Education System, Minimum Wage Hike. (PennLive)

Lawsuit Aims To Keep Pennsylvania Congressman Off Ballot Over Constitution’s Insurrection Clause. “ A liberal activist asked a Pennsylvania court on Tuesday to bar U.S. Rep. Scott Perry from the state’s primary ballot, arguing that Perry isn’t eligible because of his efforts to keep President Donald Trump in office and block the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden.” (AP)

PA Senator To File Ethics Complaint Against Mastriano For Role In Trying To Overturn 2020 Election. “State Sen. Doug Mastriano is facing an ethics complaint from a Philadelphia-area Democrat who alleges the right-wing lawmaker violated the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions when he used his prominent role as a state senator to try to overturn the 2020 election results.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Americana’s Guide To The 2024 Political Calendar. “It’s good to know what’ll happen in the coming year, and good to be humble about what’s unknowable. What do we know? When things are supposed to start happening. Here’s a guide to the coming political year — the primaries, conventions, debates, and ballot deadlines that everyone’s going to navigate.” (Semafor)

State

2. Think Automatic Voter Registration Favors Dems? Think Again

“Automatic voter registration at motor vehicle offices was implemented in the Keystone State on September 19 and almost immediately, hues and cries went out from state and national Republicans.

Are they right? Would it be a disaster for electing GOP candidates to office?

Looking at early returns … uh, no.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Judge Anne Lazarus Elected President Judge of Pennsylvania Superior Court. “Lazarus succeeds President Judge Jack Panella, who completes his five-year term on Jan. 6. Once installed as president judge, each of Pennsylvania’s three appellate courts will be led by women.” (Latrobe Bulletin)

SD-31: Regan Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election To Third Term In PA Senate. “Sen. Mike Regan, the former U.S. Marshal who traded his badge for a lawmaker’s desk in 2012, said in a letter to supporters Tuesday that he will not seek re-election to the Pennsylvania Senate this year.” (PennLive)

SD-15: Taylor Announces Candidacy For Democratic Nomination. “Alvin Q. Taylor, a pastor from Harrisburg, is vying for the Democrat nomination to run for the 15th State Senatorial District seat.” (PoliticsPA)

PA Tackles Teacher Shortage By Offering Up To $15K Stipends To Student Teachers. “College professor Melissa Marks only has to recall a recent conversation she had with a student to know what Pennsylvania’s new student teacher stipend program will mean to future educators.” (PennLive)

State Funding For Penn State, Pitt, And Temple Hasn’t Kept Pace With Inflation, Data Show. “For more than a decade, public funding for Pennsylvania’s four state-related universities has not kept pace with inflation, according to a Spotlight PA analysis. State spending per student decreased after adjusting for inflation, even with the schools educating fewer Pennsylvania residents each year.” (Spotlight PA)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Parker Is Inaugurated As The First Female Mayor In Philadelphia History

“For the first time in its 342-year history, Philadelphia is being led by a woman.

Cherelle L. Parker, the former state lawmaker and City Council member who was the protégé of trailblazing Black female politicians, was inaugurated as the 100th mayor of Philadelphia Tuesday.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Philly Mayor, Council Inauguration Punctuated With Emotion And Humor, Lots Of Songs And Prayers. (Billy Penn)

Related

Sara Innamorato Ready ‘To Get To Work’ As She’s Sworn In As Allegheny County Executive. “She’s the first woman and fourth person to hold the county’s top office after she took her oath in front of a packed Byham Theater” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

• From Housing To Green Jobs, Innamorato Says County Will Work For All Under Her Leadership. (Pittsburgh Union Progress)
• As Sara Innamorato Takes Office As Allegheny County’s First Female County Executive, Can She Back Up Her Campaign Promises? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Kenyatta Johnson Elected Philadelphia City Council President. “The unanimous election by his colleagues is the culmination of a remarkable turnaround for Johnson, who 14 months ago to the day was acquitted by a jury of federal corruption charges.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Catena Re-Elected As Allegheny County Council President, Amid Calls For Unity From His Colleagues. “Hours after the historic inauguration of new Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, County Council re-elected Patrick Catena as its council president, with multiple members calling for collegiality as they head into another four-year term.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Reading Makes History As Latino Mayor, Auditor And Councilors Are Sworn Into Office. “History was made in Reading on Tuesday as Mayor Eddie Moran and seven other city officials were sworn into office. Moran, Reading’s 47th mayor, is the first Latino to hold the office. In addition to Moran, five of those inaugurated identify as Hispanic or Latino.” (Reading Eagle)

New Members Of DuBois City Council Fire Suplizio, Accept Cherry’s Resignation. “New members of DuBois City Council approved immediately firing previously suspended city Manager John “Herm” Suplizio and accepted the resignation of Solicitor Toni Cherry at Tuesday morning’s reorganizational meeting.” (DuBois Courier Express)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Get Excited About Our New Mayor, Philly. But Don’t Let Our Enthusiasm Cloud Our Expectations. (Helen Ubiñas)
• 2024 May Be America’s Last Election Year. (Gene Collier)
• Anniversary Of An Attack On American Democracy. (Jim Schultz)
• Lifeline Scholarships Provide Hope To Students In Failing Public Schools. (Janine Yass)
• Black People Still Face Discrimination In The Workplace, And It’s Hurting America. (Maliah Lawson)
• Gov. Shapiro Has Done An About-Face. (Karen Elias)
• Gov. Shapiro’s Office Should Have Furnished Taxpayers With More Transparency About The Governor’s Residence Redo. (LNP)
• In PA Lawmakers Take Aim at Woke Universities. (Lowman Henry)
• Planned Parenthood: Termination, Medication and Mutilation. (Jerry Shenk)
• Public Schools Have Forgotten What Makes Good Schools. (Stephen F. Gambescia)

1 Thing

5. When Should You Give Up On A Book?

“Like a lot of great ideas, Nancy Pearl’s “Rule of 50” arrived in a flash. The librarian and best-selling author was fielding questions on a public radio show when a woman called in and explained she wasn’t enjoying the book she was reading but felt guilty about abandoning it.

“I said, give the book 50 pages and if, at the bottom of page 50, all you care about is who the murderer is or who marries whom, turn to the last page, and then stop reading.” (Washington Post)

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