Pennsylvania Perspective for Monday, May 2, 2022

Pennsylvania

Today is the Registration Deadline for Pennsylvania’s Primaries

Voters must register by today in order to take part in the May 17th primary election, with candidates for governor and U.S. Senator on the ballot. You can register or check your registration status here.

House’s Passage of Bill May Finally Make Reduction in Corporate Tax a Reality

After the State House passed a bill which would lower the state’s corporate net income tax, progress on lowering the state’s tax rate may finally become a bipartisan reality. As passed, the corporate net income rate would reduce from 10% to 9% and if the State’s revenues are sufficient, it could even be reduced down to 8% by 2025. Read more from City & State PA.

PennDOT Pulls Inspector Notes from Public Database of Bridge Conditions

A Post-Gazette investigation revealed that PennDOT removed inspector notes from a public database on bridge conditions this February after the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge. PennDOT said they pulled the information so it would not be “misinterpreted,” though the Post-Gazette saved the notes before they were removed. Read more from PennLive.

Renewed Push for Cash Bail Reform Reaches Harrisburg

Bail reform activists and advocates visited the state capitol complex, taking place in hearing and outlining problems with the current bail system which they believe incarcerates legally innocent people and harms communities of color. The Tribune-Review has more.

Family Members Could Drop Off Mail-In Ballots in New Bill

Three Democratic State Representatives are drafting a bill which would allow spouses or blood relatives to drop off mail-in ballots, actions which are currently illegal under the state election code. WLVR has more.

Federal Probe Jeopardizing Availability of Solar Panels in State

Companies under contract to provide solar panels for major projects in Pennsylvania say their deliveries are being held up indefinitely as a federal probe is conducted into their supplier’s potential avoidance of tariffs. Read more from WESA.

State Collections for April Break Record for Most Revenue Recorded

Governor Tom Wolf said the state tax revenue collected in April was over $6.5 billion, the highest one-month collections in state history. Year to date state collections are $4.5 billion (or 12.4 percent) over estimates. Read the press release here.

Philadelphia

166th House Seat a Rare Competitive Race Between Incumbent and Challenger

Longtime State Representative Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) is facing a strong challenge from political strategist and musician Matthew Brown, who won an endorsement from the Haverford Democrats. The DelCo Times has more.

Philly’s First-Time Buyer Grant Program Returns

First-time homeowners in Philadelphia are again eligible for up to $10,000 in grant awards from the City, which is reinstating the program (discontinued in 2020) thanks to new funds from the Neighborhood Preservation Initiative. Read more from the Inquirer.

Pittsburgh

Solar Panels to Supply Fallingwater’s Power in Future

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy said it would install a group of solar panels on a nearby field in order to provide the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Fallingwater with sustainable power. The Post-Gazette has more.

Plan to Toll Some I-80 Bridges Subject of Environmental Hearings

A PennDOT plan to put tolls on at least two I-80 bridges, as well as turn them over to a private company, will have federally mandated environmental impact hearing this week, giving critics and supporters of the plan an opportunity to make their voices heard. Read more from the Post-Gazette.

Pittsburgh Immigration Court Closing, Forcing Those with Hearings to Philadelphia or West Virginia

The Department of Homeland Security announced that it was closing Pittsburgh’s immigration court, forcing those with hearings to go to still-open courts hundreds of miles away. Immigration advocates say this presents an undue burden on those with hearings. WESA has more.

Federal

Beltway Briefing: Forest and Trees

A barrage of divisive economic signals played a role in recent market turmoil. On Capitol Hill, politicians are pouncing on the numbers to support their political agendas ahead of the critical 2022 midterm elections. Meanwhile, the path forward in the war in Ukraine remains unclear, as what many predicted would be a swift victory for the Russian military enters its third month, with no end in sight.

Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin take a step back from the minutiae of Washington to reflect on the bigger picture of politics and try to bring some perspective to the challenging environment in which the country finds itself. Listen here.

Share

Share this...

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Linkedin