News & Brews March 3, 2026
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Philly on ‘short list’ to host DNC in 2028
The Inquirer reports that along with Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Denver, Philadelphia is under consideration to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention. “If Philadelphia is selected, the convention would likely be held at the Xfinity Mobile Arena at the South Philly stadium complex, the largest indoor event space in the city.” Among the DNC’s criteria for choosing a host city, the party will look at how each city employs “new and innovative approaches in response to the challenges and opportunities that arise from hosting an event of this magnitude.” The Inky notes that Philly has previously hosted major party conventions eight times, most recently the DNC in 2016.
AG Sunday on why he hasn’t sued Trump a gazillion times
PennLive reports that at state budget hearings yesterday, Attorney General Dave Sunday answered questions on why he’s “allowing Gov. Josh Shapiro take the helm of lawsuits against the Trump administration.” In short, Sunday “point[ed] to the commonwealth’s unique division of powers and suggest[ed} that the work may be better to lawyers under the governor’s control.” Shapiro, of course, has a longstanding hobby of suing the Trump administration. Meanwhile, when it comes to defending state laws he may not like, Sunday said, “We will follow the law, we will defend every statute that is passed by this body whether I like it, I don’t like it, I’m indifferent to it. We are going to defend each statute that is passed by this body, signed by the governor, and has not been ruled unconstitutional yet.”
More than 1/3 of Pa. counties lag in property reassessmentst
The Erie Times-News reports that reassessment—”the process of valuing property for taxation purposes”—”is a dirty word in some parts of Pennsylvania.” In fact, some counties “are so opposed to it that their officials have not done one since the 1960s.” All told, “more than a third of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have not performed a full property reassessment since 2000, leaving around 40% of the state with antiquated data that is used to tax it. Since 2020, just 14 counties have either completed or begun a reassessment.” Where does your county stand? Click here for the story and a handy map.
Pa. House committee advances data center bills
City & State PA reports that the Democrat-controlled state House Energy Committee voted along party lines to advance two bills relating to data centers. The first “requires data centers to submit yearly reports to the state Department of Environmental Protection that outline each center’s total energy and water consumption for the previous calendar year, as well as any measures undertaken … to improve energy or water efficiency and reduce consumption.” The second “would direct the state Department of Community & Economic Development to develop a model zoning ordinance to assist municipalities in regulating data centers in their communities.” Republicans expressed concerns over both.
Allegheny County advances bill to ban ICE cooperation
A committee of the Allegheny County Council voted 4-3 to advance a bill that would “limit elected officials and county employees’ cooperation with federal immigration agents,” WESA reports. “Some individual municipalities have approved resolutions barring police from working with ICE; the county legislation would similarly forbid county agencies and row offices from working alongside ICE or entering into any agreements to enforce federal immigration law.” Somehow we’re not sure all these anti-ICE bills will age well.