News & Brews September 19, 2024
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
Pa. Supreme Court ‘warns PennDOT’ re: voter registration
Last week, the state Supreme Court issued yet another mail-in ballot ruling. But Broad + Liberty reports that “an underreported element of the Supreme Court’s ruling also detailed how PennDOT automatically changed a Butler County citizen’s voter registration when he registered a vehicle using an address that was his second residence in a different county, but still not his primary residence.” In his concurring opinion, Justice Wecht wrote, “Although PennDOT’s rogue transfer of voter registration in this case ultimately did not deprive O’Donnell of the right to vote, it would be troubling if PennDOT has a practice of making such a transfer without statutory authorization, or even the voter’s consent.” What did Shapiro, PennDOT, or the Pa. Department of State have to say in response? Well, “Requests for comment … were not returned by the publishing deadline. If comment is provided later, it will be added.”
Pa. senators float jail time for revenue secretary
This isn’t a story you see every day. Yesterday, GOP state Sen. Jarrett Coleman introduced a resolution to force Revenue Secretary Pat Browne to respond to a subpoena seeking information on Allentown’s Neighborhood Improvement Zone. The proposed resolution directs “the President of the Senate to instruct the Sergeant-at-Arms to bring Patrick M. Browne, Secretary of Revenue, before the bar of the Senate for refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the Committee on Intergovernmental Operations.” And if he refuses, the resolution proposes “that he [Browne] may be declared in contempt of the Senate and thereby committed to the prison of Dauphin County until November 30, 2024, unless he sooner purges himself of such contempt by producing the ordered documentation in compliance with the said subpoena.”
Philly mayor backs Center City Sixers arena
Amid opposition from many local residents, yesterday Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker announced (via social media video) her support for a new Sixers arena in the city. The Inquirer reports that Parker said “that her administration had reached an agreement with the Sixers to build a controversial $1.55 billion arena in Center City.” And, “The news came via a video released on social media as the mayor met at City Hall with Chinatown leaders, many of whom virulently oppose the development, which is planned to rise on the beleaguered Market Street East business corridor.” To move forward, the plan would need to gain the approval of City Council.
PGH mayor criticized for $1M spending pledge
Speaking of sports, on the other end of the state, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey is facing criticism “for pledging to spend $1 million in taxpayer money to support the 2026 NFL Draft in a city already on precarious financial footing.” Some city council members object not only to the spending itself but also to the fact that the Gainey administration committed to it without first gaining approval from the council.
Pa.: ‘Yes’ to confusion, ‘Not yet’ to mail-in voting
The AP reports, “Pennsylvania voters are not yet able to cast ballots, despite some confusion over a state law concerning applications for mail ballots.” Thanks to court cases that dragged out, counties have not been able to prepare mail-in ballots. With the last of the pertinent cases finally decided, counties can move forward. But that doesn’t mean ballots will be sent out immediately, as counties first “need time to test, print and mail the ballots,” a process that “could drag into next month, depending on the county.” Per Lisa Schaefer, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, “It could very well be till the first week of October until ballots start going out to those voters.”