Pennsylvania Perspective for Monday, August 1, 2022

Pennsylvania

DelRosso Plays Balancing Act with GOP Running Mate Mastriano

Representative Carrie DelRosso will be on the ballot in November as the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor. Her challenge will be to balance out her controversial running mate, Senator Doug Mastriano, who has drawn criticism for his views on abortion and mail-in voting, as well as his alleged involvement with the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more.

Senate State Government Committee Looking into Amending Procedural Law, Requesting Testimony From Lieutenant Governor Fetterman 

The Senate State Government Committee is currently evaluating and considering changes to a 1974 law that outlines the proper procedure in the event that the state’s governor or lieutenant governor is temporarily disabled. This was prompted by Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman’s recent stroke and subsequent surgery, and the questions that remain pertaining to when Governor Tom Wolf was notified. The committee is now requesting that the Lieutenant Governor appear to give testimony later this month. PennLive has more.

What Increasing Rates of Marijuana Legalization Mean for Road Safety in the Commonwealth and Beyond

With many states having legalized the recreational use of marijuana in recent years — with more anticipated to do so in the future — attention is turning toward ways that governments can prevent citizens from driving while under the influence. Last week, the Governors Highway Safety Association, Responsibility.org, and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving released a report that aims to helps states raise awareness of the perils of driving while high. While only medical marijuana is currently legal in Pennsylvania, the state is still taking necessary steps to keep roads safe. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more.

New Statewide Minimum-Wage and Tip Regulations to Go Into Effect Friday

This Friday, Pennsylvania’s minimum-wage and tip regulations will change for the first time since 1977. New rules that prohibit the deduction of credit card processing fees from employee tips, determine the correct process for calculating hourly wages, and update tip sharing and pooling policies, among others, are intended to protect restaurant workers. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

Lieutenant Governor Fetterman, Attorney General Shapiro Maintain Ample Leads in Respective Races

The Democratic candidates for both U.S. Senate and Governor of Pennsylvania are leading in their respective races. According to data recently released by Blueprint Polling, Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman leads Republican opponent Mehmet Oz by nine points, while Attorney General Josh Shapiro leads his Republican opponent, Doug Mastriano, by 11. Politics PA has more.

Philadelphia

Potential Candidates for Philadelphia Mayor to Begin Assembling Teams

While no one has officially entered the race to become Philadelphia’s 100th mayor, the local rumor mill is nevertheless in full swing, as predictions about what each potential candidates’ campaign team might look like begin to swirl. The milestone election will undoubtedly draw a number of high-profile operatives to the city. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

Owner of Fire-Damaged Jim’s Steaks Eyes Spring 2023 Reopening

Last week, locals looked on in shock and concern as Jim’s Steaks — a perennial favorite cheesesteak restaurant that has been operating from its South Street location for nearly 50 years — endured a two-alarm fire for four hours. Luckily, the damage is less extensive than originally thought, and second-generation owner Ken Silver believes Jim’s could reopen as soon as spring of 2023. Billy Penn has more.

Pittsburgh

Chairman of Allegheny County Republican Committee DeMarco Re-elected

On Saturday, At-Large Allegheny County Council Member Sam DeMarco won re-election as chairman of the Allegheny County Republican Committee. This will be his second four-year term. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more.

Older Americans Are “Aging Into” Their Student Loan Debt

While many may still picture a struggling millennial or recently graduated gen-Z as the poster child of the student loan debt crisis, Americans aged 62 and older are increasingly more likely to become student borrowers. Among this fastest-growing demographic is Pittsburgher Betty Ann, whose story was recently highlighted in a piece on the subject for The New Yorker. Read more here.

Tensions Flare in Ongoing Legal Battle Among UPMC, Surgeons

In 2019, Dr. Jonathan D’Cunha filed a federal complaint regarding billing fraud against his then-employer, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UMPC), and his boss, Dr. James Luketich. The complaint kick-started a Justice Department investigation, and has only devolved into further chaos and scandal in the years since. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more.

How Will Current Ridership Trends Impact the Future of Pittsburgh Public Transit?

Across the country, public transit systems saw a uniformly staggering decline in ridership as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As many continue to work from home, some transit systems that have traditionally catered to 9-to-5 commuters, such as the Pittsburgh Regional Transit system, still have yet to fully rebound, and may need to consider significant redesigns as a result. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more.

Federal

Beltway Briefing: How Will Two Most Recent Bills Impact Midterm Elections?

Last week brought news of two impending legislative breakthroughs in Congress: the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes significant funding for energy and climate investments, and the CHIPS and Science Act, which is intended to boost the domestic semiconductor industry, thus decreasing U.S. dependence on international chip production. But once officially passed, how will these initiatives impact President Joe Biden’s approval ratings, and what is the prognosis heading into the upcoming midterm elections? Listen to the latest Beltway Briefing here.

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