News & Brews September 27, 2023
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Dem state rep announces bid for treasurer
Democrat state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (Erie County) announced his candidacy for state treasurer yesterday. Bizzarro is the first Democrat to enter the race, and he hopes to challenge incumbent Republican Treasurer Stacy Garrity. In his announcement video, however, Bizzarro didn’t focus on the job of state treasurer or seek to emphasize his qualifications for the role. Instead, he took a page from the Left’s playbook and apparently plans to make his campaign about abortion and Donald Trump. This led a Garrity advisor to suggest that Bizzarro doesn’t seem to know what office he’s running for.
Pa.’s ‘$650M windfall may soon vanish’
You know all that talk about how the commonwealth is awash in cash? Leading Democrat lawmakers to argue it’s time to spend, spend, and then spend some more? Well … not so fast. According to a report from the state’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), the dramatic upswing in revenue “isn’t from a permanent shift in the economic standing of state government. Instead, it’s a result of temporary pandemic-era federal largesse and ‘historically’ high interest rates,” the Center Square reports. And the IFO has “noted that state spending could outpace tax revenue, wiping out the budget surplus and rainy day fund by 2027-28.” So, when you hear “spend, spend, spend,” maybe think again…
4th Dem enters 10th congressional district race
John Broadhurst, and entrepreneur and businessman, announced his plans to run in the Democrat primary next year for the 10th congressional district seat, currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry. ABC27 reports that Broadhurst is originally from Delaware County and is “a Villanova graduate who began his career as a truck driver for his father’s business.” He went on to become “an entrepreneur and consultant in international business development.” He joins three other Democrats who have already announced their candidacies. Perry has been in Dems’ crosshairs for multiple election cycles, and he’s successfully fended off previous challenges.
Op-Ed: Dem senator supports school choice, but only for the rich
Gerard College Interim President and Commonwealth Foundation Fellow Dave Hardy has an exceptional op-ed in The Philadelphia Tribune. Hardy explains how Democrat state Sen. Lindsey Williams—who vocally opposes school choice—actually supports it, but only for the wealthy. Hardy recently testified in favor of school choice at a Senate Education Committee Hearing. After his testimony, Williams left in a huff. “During this hearing, Williams demonstrated the power of exit. Unsatisfied with her surroundings, Williams chose to leave …. But to exit, one must first have a choice. I implore Williams to consider how many kids and families would benefit from having the same choice to exit failing schools and find better alternatives.”
Op-Ed: ‘PASS Scholarships are bipartisan path to better education’
GOP state Reps. Josh Kail (Beaver and Washington counties), Martina White (Philadelphia), and Clint Owlett (Tioga and Bradford counties) penned an op-ed reflecting on a recent House Republican Policy Committee hearing—where parents and educators “advocated for … the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) scholarship program, a bipartisan policy initiative that would serve as a transformative solution granting families the opportunity to select the educational curriculum most suitable for their child’s needs.” They write that this is an issue that “goes beyond party lines.” And they urge Gov. Shapiro to “deliver on [his] promise” to support PASS Scholarships.