News & Brews May 16, 2025
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Education spending in Pa. hits all-time high
If it seems we report a new all-time high in education spending every year, it’s because we do! Pennsylvania’s per-student revenue reached $23,061 in the 2023-24 academic year, according to data from the Pa. Department of Education. As the Commonwealth Foundation explains, this is a 44% increase since the 2014-15 school year, and it does not include the $1.2 billion increase in education included in the 2024-25 state budget. Do you know what hasn’t increased by 44% (or pretty much at all) in recent years? Actual student learning. It’s time to fund students, not systems.
Philly’s position as 6th-most populous city faces challenge
Philly is still the country’s 6th-largest city population-wise, but San Antonio is putting up a good fight. The Inquirer reports that “compared to other large peer cities Philadelphia’s growth rate was among the lowest” from July 2023 to July 2024. In fact, the story describes Philly’s growth as “somewhat anemic.” Over that time period, the city gained about 10,500 people. And as of July, Philly’s population was “1,573,916 residents, about 1.9% lower than at the start of the pandemic in 2020.” San Antonio, meanwhile, “added nearly 24,000 residents between 2023 and 2024, bringing its population to 1,526,656, according to census estimates.”
‘Bare-knuckled’ mayor’s race divides Pittsburgh Dems
The acrimonious Democrat primary race for Pittsburgh mayor between incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey and challenger Corey O’Connor—with attacks flying from both sides—has some Democrats concerned that the party will have trouble uniting post-Primary. WESA reports that per the president of the Young Democrats of Allegheny County, “I think the energy from the mayor’s race has put a cloud over Pittsburgh politics, regardless of which side you are on. We’ve all disagreed before, but the party is going to have a hard time healing after this. I don’t think we’re going to wake up on May 21st and just be friends.” How this might affect the November general election is anyone’s guess.
GOP lawmakers push for answers on arson attack
Pa. House Republican leaders are not satisfied with the secrecy surrounding the security review of the governor’s mansion following last month’s arson attack, and they’re pushing for answers. The Inquirer reports, “Two top House Republicans introduced a resolution this week requesting that a House committee investigate the April 13 attack on the governor’s residence that would give lawmakers subpoena power to uncover any security vulnerabilities and a clear timeline of what occurred the night of the attack…” The story notes that since Democrats control House committees, however, the resolution is unlikely to go anywhere, as Dems will likely side with Shapiro in wanting secrecy.
Krasner endorses judges, raising ethical concerns
Imagine if a district attorney—whose office prosecutes cases that, of course, come before judges—picked which judges he wants to win in elections and announced those picks publicly. Well, imagine no more! Philly DA Larry Krasner, who is running for re-election himself, “has endorsed a slate of judicial candidates who will appear alongside him on the Democratic primary ballot in next week’s election, a move that has prompted … questions from a legal ethics expert about judicial independence,” the Inquirer reports. “Defense attorneys representing clients being prosecuted by Krasner’s assistant district attorneys in courtrooms overseen by Krasner’s endorsed judges will likely argue the relationship is a conflict of interest.”