Pennsylvania Perspective for Monday, February 6, 2023

Pennsylvania

Special Elections to Be Held in Allegheny County Tomorrow

At long last, three special elections will be held tomorrow in Allegheny County, which will likely decide control of the House once and for all. Democratic candidates won all three districts in November, though two of the candidates were also elected to higher offices, and one candidate had passed away with too little time for his name to be removed from the ballot. Spotlight PA has more.

Speaker Rozzi’s Statewide Listening Tour Reveals Desire for More Collaboration Across the Aisle

While the state House has continued to be at a standstill, Speaker Mark Rozzi has been traveling across the commonwealth on a listening tour to garner feedback on how constituents believe the chamber could improve. Ironically, the most consistent response has been frustration with the constant bipartisan gridlock. Spotlight PA has more.

State Representative Bullock Shares PLBC Priorities for 2023

Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC) Chair Donna Bullock recently revealed the caucus’s policy priorities for its 50th year, which include policing reform, raising the minimum wage, and passing the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act (CROWN) Act. City & State Pennsylvania has more.

State Representative Green Proposes Minimum Wage Increase

Representative Roni Green has issued a co-sponsorship memo for a law that would raise the minimum wage to $18 an hour incrementally by July 1, 2024. The current minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25 and has not been increased since 2008. ABC27 has more.

Pennsylvania Democrats Pledge to Take on Worker Misclassification

Pennsylvania Democrats have long taken issue with the alleged misclassification of workers as independent contractors by certain businesses. Should this week’s special elections in Allegheny County be decided in their favor, they will be poised to put forward legislation on the matter. WESA has more.

Philadelphia

President Biden Announces Federal Funding for Philadelphia Water System Upgrades, Lead Pipe Removal

During a visit to Philadelphia last week, President Joe Biden announced $160 million in federal funding to replace approximately 20 miles of the city’s water mains, including any lead service lines that are found during the process. The funding is part of a larger $340 million Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act investment to upgrade Philadelphia’s water system. WHYY has more.

Pittsburgh

Challenger Enters Race for City Council District 3

Community policy organizer William Reeves is challenging Councilmember Bruce Kraus’s Chief of Staff Bob Charland are both running to replace the outgoing District 3 Councilmember. City Paper Pittsburgh has more.

Federal

Beltway Briefing: Sizing Up 2024 GOP Presidential Primary

Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Rodney Davis, and Patrick Martin look at several widely floated contenders likely to challenge Trump and discuss the possibility of a crowded GOP presidential primary in 2024. And, as Democrats balk at negotiating on the borrowing limit while GOP pushes spending cuts, they also review the start of debt-ceiling discussion between President Biden and Speaker McCarthy, with the latter expressing cautious optimism they can come to a deal to avoid the first-ever default of the country’s debt. Listen to the latest episode here.

Hero SEPTA Bus Driver Invited to State of the Union Address

Chris DeShields, the SEPTA bus driver who recently used his Route 5 bus to stop a carjacking in Fishtown, has been invited by U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle to attend the State of the Union address on Tuesday. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

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