News & Brews December 5, 2025
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New info on taxpayer-funded security upgrades to Shapiro’s private home
Following a Right-to-Know request, Spotlight PA has received new details on the more than $1 million in taxpayer-funded security upgrades to Gov. Shapiro’s private residence. And the details raise even more questions. For example, “Administration officials have … said that before carrying out any of the security improvements at the governor’s family home, the governor consulted with the State Ethics Commission to ensure there was no improper financial gain.” But the documents obtained via Right-to-Know “confirm that some of the contractors began billing for work at the governor’s house as early as mid-August, or about two months before the ethics commission issued its opinion.”
Shapiro names new PSERS head
Gov. Josh Shapiro has named state budget secretary Uri Monson as the new head of the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS)—the state’s $80 billion school pension fund. The Inquirer reminds us that Monson is “a former top finance officer for the School District of Philadelphia, and for Montgomery County government….” Replacing Monson will be Zachary Reber, who is currently a deputy secretary in Monson’s office.
Trump coming to Pa. next week to talk inflation
President Trump plans to visit Pa. on Tuesday of next week. The AP reports, “A White House official said Trump would be making the trip to discuss ending the inflation crisis that he says was inherited from his predecessor, Joe Biden. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the trip has not been formally announced. It was not immediately clear where in Pennsylvania Trump would be visiting.”
Shapiro admin praises taxpayer-funded abortion ruling
WITF reports that a federal judge has ordered the government to restore Medicaid funding for facilities like Planned Parenthood that specialize in executing abortions. Shapiro had joined in a lawsuit “suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over a provision in the Republican tax and funding package passed in July. The bill prohibits federal health care money allocated through Medicaid from going to health care centers that provide abortions for one year.” The Shapiro administration praised the ruling, as Gov. Shapiro is an enthusiastic abortion fan.
It’s pay raise time for Pa. lawmakers
Beginning this week, Pennsylvania state lawmakers received their automatic annual pay raise. This year’s 3.25% increase raises base salary for lawmakers to $113,575. As PennLive reminds us, “Only New York and California’s legislators make more.” In 2025, “The national average for state lawmakers was $47,904, less than half of what the commonwealth’s lawmakers made.” Gov. Shapiro’s salary, meanwhile, increased from $245,760 to $253,747.