News & Brews July 28, 2023
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Here’s how Pa. counties spent election grants
Counties that were awarded $45 million in election funding spent the money on things including “polling place staffing;” “secure transportation, storage, and management of voting equipment and polling place materials;” and “ballot printing,” Spotlight PA reports. The biggest chunk—$8.7 million—went to poll worker pay.
Trump to rally in Erie tomorrow
Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to come to Erie tomorrow for a rally at the Erie Insurance Arena. The Erie Times-News gives a rundown of additional speakers who will address the crowd before the former president takes the stage. They are: U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly and Dan Meuser, former U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, former U.S. Ambassador Carla Sands, and former congressional candidate Sean Parnell.
Op-Ed: Shapiro ‘fixed’ I-95 but is silent on crumbling schools
Our president and CEO, Matt Brouillette, writes in RealClear Pennsylvania that Gov. Shapiro has congratulated himself on the quick reopening of I-95. But he’s not willing to use the same “get it done” approach to fix Philadelphia’s crumbling schools. Worse, he’s caved to the government unions that fight to keep kids trapped in these schools.
Philly trades union leader backs school choice
Ryan Boyer, the head of the Philadelphia Building &. Construction Trades Council, sets the record straight on his support for school choice after the Philadelphia Citizen “erroneously” listed him as an opponent of Lifeline Scholarships. “I’d be a hypocrite to oppose school choice,” he writes, “because I’ve exercised it myself. Yes, I send my son to a private school on the Main Line.” He writes it would be “hypocritical … to come out publicly against an option I take advantage of for my own child.” Sadly, many lawmakers lack this same aversion to hypocrisy.
Some lawmakers forego pay during budget impasse
About a dozen lawmakers have asked that their $8,570 monthly pay be suspended for July, “and several signaled their intent to not accept a paycheck until the 2023-24 budget gets done.” The group includes 7 Republicans and 6 Democrats. One of the Republicans—freshman Rep. Jill Cooper of Westmoreland County—also plans to introduce legislation that would suspend pay for Senate and House members, as well as the governor and lieutenant governor, during a budget impasse.