News & Brews October 24, 2025
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Garrity: Shapiro’s got a book but no budget
The Post-Gazette reports that state Treasurer and GOP gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity “blasted” the news that Gov. Shapiro plans to release a memoir, even as the state budget remains unfinished. “Pennsylvania is broke, but Shapiro got a book deal,” Garrity posted. “If it’s about accomplishments, you can bet it’s a short story. And if it’s a ‘how-to’ guide on passing a budget, then the pages are probably blank.” She added, “Shapiro is more focused on running for president than helping hardworking Pennsylvania families.” A Shapiro campaign spokesperson declined to comment.
‘Tempers flare’ as budget remains undone
WESA reports, “As the impasse over Pennsylvania’s state budget nears four months, many of the details about the sticking points are still unknown. But lawmakers are more openly showing their anger.” Over the summer, “leaders said negotiations remained mostly cordial.” But now, Democrats and Republicans are more openly criticizing each other. And as for when the spending plan might get done? Well, “No one who spoke to WESA could hazard a guess about when a deal would be finalized.”
Kevin Dougherty’s ties to Johnny Doc re-emerge
The Inquirer reports that as Pa. Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty campaigns for another 10-year term on the bench, his ties to his brother—convicted former Philly labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty—have become “unavoidable.” During his 2015 election, Justice Dougherty “certainly benefited from his brother’s former union’s help.” Indeed, Johnny Doc’s union gave more than $1.5 million to help Dougherty. And during Johnny Doc’s trial, prosecutors alleged that Justice Dougherty “received free home repairs” or “snow removal on the union’s dime.”
Pa. ranks 20th in Rainy Day Fund
Pew recently reported, “At the end of fiscal 2025, the median state could run on just its rainy day funds for 46.9 days, down from the record high of 53.2 days in fiscal 2024.” Pennsylvania ranks 20th in terms of “days of spending” in our Rainy Day Fund. The Commonwealth Foundation’s Nate Benefield observes that this is “only slightly higher” than the national average, and it “remains below average in total balances as a percent of spending.” Meanwhile, Gov. Shapiro and Democrat lawmakers have offered spending plans that would deplete our Rainy Day Fund.
New college rankings offer ‘holistic assessment’
The City Journal has released rankings of “100 prominent colleges,” looking at questions including: “Does a college encourage respectful discussion and vigorous debate? Is the curriculum strong, or is the university coasting on a reputation that it earned a century ago? Does the school force divisive ideology on its students? Do administrators prioritize activism over education—and even tolerate chaos and violence? Does the university prepare students to earn enough to pay back their tuition and thrive as citizens and workers in the twenty-first-century economy?” The University of Pennsylvania is the top-performing Pa. school, coming in at Number 17.