News & Brews April 10, 2025
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Poll: 71% of Pa. voters support school choice
A new poll conducted by Ragnar Research Partners shows that 71% of voters in the commonwealth support school choice. This includes 89% of Trump voters, 84% of Republicans, 82% of Black voters, 80% of Hispanic voters, 79% of Independents, 70% of White voters, and 56% of Democrats. Specifically, the poll asked, “Do you support or oppose the concept of school choice, which gives parents the right to use the tax dollars designated for their child’s education to send their child to the public or private school which best serves their needs?” You’ll recall Gov. Shapiro line-item vetoed school choice in 2023 after promising to support it—and that program didn’t even touch tax dollars designated for education funding.
Fetterman wants government to fund weight-loss drugs
In an op-ed in the New York Times, Democrat U.S. Sen. John Fetterman recounts his own experience with prescription Mounjaro, a GLP-1 (the same category as Ozempic and Wegovy). “Even though I started taking it for my heart health,” he writes, “I’ve been struck by how much better it has made me feel across the board.” He outlines his support for expanding Medicare and Medicaid coverage for these prescriptions. As for the added costs to taxpayers? He argues that the long-term benefits outweigh those.
Government union’s ‘unlimited piggy bank’?
Here’s a story we didn’t expect from POLITICO. The Lefty outlet did an investigation into 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East—the biggest healthcare union in the country, representing 450,000 healthcare workers spanning five states—and found the union’s president, George Gresham, “has for years used the politically influential union’s funds to benefit himself, his family and political allies.” As just one example, “the union has spent $60,000 and counting to cover his [Gresham’s] daughter’s room, board, and transportation to accompany him on business trips as his caregiver.” And this is on top of his $300,000-per-year annual salary.
Pa. Supreme Court will hear RGGI arguments next month
As the state Supreme Court prepares to hear oral argument on the constitutionality of Gov. Shapiro’s attempt to unilaterally force Pennsylvania into the harmful Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, André Béliveau, Senior Manager of Energy Policy at the Commonwealth Foundation, offers a video retrospective of how we got here. Click here to watch the video on X, or click here to read an overview of RGGI—past, present, and future.
Shapiro’s small business plan is merely a ‘photo op’
Gov. Josh Shapiro has been pushing his so-called “Main Street Matters” plan, which he claims will “help revitalize downtowns, support small businesses, and strengthen local economies.” But not all actual business leaders are impressed. In a statement, National Federation of Independent Business Pennsylvania State Director Greg Moreland said, “The Main Street Matters program is unfortunately a way for the governor’s office to attempt to be small business friendly. Instead of advancing actual legislation that would ignite economic growth and strengthen our workforce, this program is a photo-op for elected officials. If leaders in Harrisburg want to really invest in Main Street, they should prioritize lowering taxes and allowing small businesses and individuals to invest in their own communities.” Read more here.