News & Brews August 12, 2024
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Harris takes the lead in new swing state poll
A new New York Times/Sienna poll of likely voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin shows VP Kamala Harris has taken a lead over former President Donald Trump, but the race remains close, with Harris’ advantage within the margin of error. In each state, Harris leads 50% to 46% in a head-to-head contest, with anywhere from 3% to 5% either undecided or refusing to answer. When 3rd party candidates were introduced, Harris’ lead in Pa. shrank to 46% to 44%.
Trump wants 2 debates in Pa.
The Post-Gazette reports that former President Trump is proposing that two presidential debates in September take place in Pennsylvania—one on Sept. 4 in Harrisburg (hosted by Fox News) and one on Sept. 10 in Philly (hosted by ABC). He also wants a third debate, on Sept. 25, in Michigan. The story continues, “The vice president previously said she would show up for the ABC debate, which had been a date agreed upon by President Joe Biden before he announced he would not run again.” After Trump pitched the three debates, “the Harris campaign pointed to an ABC report saying that the vice president would not attend any other debate until the ABC event.”
Pa. Supreme Court collecting RGGI briefs
In a case that would be over had Gov. Shapiro not gone to court in hopes of getting the authority to unilaterally force Pa. into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the Pa. Supreme Court is now accepting briefs in the case that could lead to a new carbon tax and higher electricity bills for Pennsylvanians. StateImpact Pennsylvania reports, “The state’s highest court is collecting briefs from the Department of Environmental Protection and coal power industry groups, who won a lower court decision blocking the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative…. The Supreme Court is also accepting climate advocates as a party to the case after the Commonwealth Court denied them intervenor status.” As of yet, “No oral arguments have been scheduled. Briefs are set to be due in September. After that, the court may issue a decision, schedule a hearing, or allow the lower court ruling to stand.”
Op-Ed: DEP needs to use the people who can help
The Commonwealth Foundation’s Elizabeth Stelle writes that as the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) seeks to plug so-called “orphan” wells—“nonproducing wells that need plugging to avoid contamination”—bureaucrats are missing an opportunity to work with private sector industry. “Plugging old wells is necessary when drilling new wells in the area,” Stelle writes. And “drillers already working in the area — and not bogged down by the red tape of federal dollars — can plug orphan wells quickly…. Until the DEP learns to partner with conventional drillers (rather than misrepresent them and allow bad-faith actors to smear them), the problem of unsealed gas and oil wells will persist.”
SEPTA cracks down on fare evaders
The Inquirer reports that for the first time in five years, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is once again issuing citations to riders who skip paying for their rides. In recent years, SEPTA issued a fine but not a citation. The story notes, “SEPTA stopped using summary citations for fare evasion in 2019, arguing that the system was dysfunctional and created ‘criminal stigma’ for thousands of offenders.” But the latest change “comes amid SEPTA’s ongoing struggle to address crime and lure ridership back to public transit, where antisocial behavior has fueled a sense of disorder since the pandemic.” Oh, and don’t forget that SEPTA always begs for more money from Pa. taxpayers, so maybe requiring riders to pay for tickets isn’t such a bad idea….