First Read PA – Oct. 3, 2023

WEATHER: Philadelphia: sunny, high of 83; Harrisburg: fog advisory until 10 a.m., then sunny, high of 78; Pittsburgh: patchy fog then sunny, high of 83.

FROM CITY & STATE:

* The City of Philadelphia saw an 11% increase in overdose deaths in 2022, with fatalities among Black residents rising by nearly 20% last year alone, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced yesterday. 

* To get a better look at two of the more consequential contests this November – the mayoral race in Philadelphia and the county executive race in Allegheny County – City & State reviewed political donations to see which candidates are getting support from the state’s labor unions.

NEW THIS MORNING:

* The state Senate has already passed a bill that would move the state’s 2024 primary from April 23 to March 19, while the state House is back in Harrisburg this week and ready to consider legislation, Spotlight PA reports. 

* Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey wants to invest more money in infrastructure and public safety next year, according to a draft proposal for the city’s 2024 budget. The plan envisions delivering on long-promised infrastructure improvements, while taking steps to restructure the city's police department and continuing a controversial use of park tax money, WESA reports. 

* Approximately $1.1 billion from the state budget still needs approval, and was left hanging when lawmakers left Harrisburg for their summer break amid a breakdown in budget negotiations. So was hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for four state-related universities that allows those schools to offer in-state tuition discounts, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. 

* Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward told The Inquirer that Mike Vereb, Gov. Shapiro’s secretary of legislative affairs, shouldn't have been allowed to remain in his cabinet-level position for months after the sexual harassment allegations were made.

* Democratic county executive candidate Sara Innamorato is on the airwaves for the first time since the spring primary – and while her new 30-second spot takes a swing at opponent Joe Rockey, the Republican wasted little time in counterpunching this weekend, WESA reports. 

* Pennsylvania communities are set to benefit from $1 billion in federal money to plant trees. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is awarding nearly $28 million to 12 projects across the state through its Urban and Community Forest Program, StateImpact Pennsylvania reports.

* A new ad from the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign points to President Joe Biden’s upbringing in Scranton as giving him a unique perspective on –  and empathy for – the struggles of middle-class Americans, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports. 

* Lindsay Powell took office as state representative of the 21st District yesterday, making official the results of a Sept. 19 special election that tipped the balance of power in the state House back to Democrats, the Penn Capital-Star reports.

* Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Tim Schaeffer yesterday launched the eastern hellbender license plate, which honors the state amphibian and supports the Wild Resource Conservation Fund, The Sentinel reports.

* Two scientists, part of the University of Pennsylvania's historic mRNA vaccine research team, won the Nobel Prize in medicine yesterday for discoveries that enabled the creation of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19, CBS News reports.  

EDITORIAL PAGES:

* The Inquirer writes that Karikó and Weissman’s well-deserved honor should continue to cement Philadelphia’s place among the top cities for life sciences.

* The Center Square has an op-ed from Rebekah Paxton, director of research at the Employment Policies Institute, who writes that instead of pushing for harmful wage hikes, Shapiro should focus on policies that help the state’s small businesses – and their employees – thrive.

NATIONAL POLITICS:

* The New York Times reports: The hard-right move to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his post has presented House Democrats with a tricky question – should they help rescue the California Republican who has worked against their agenda and recently opened an impeachment inquiry against Biden?

* A civil trial over alleged business fraud by former president Donald Trump and his company began yesterday, with attorneys for New York Attorney General Letitia James and Trump presenting opposing views on whether he misrepresented business deals by drastically inflating the value of his real estate properties, The Washington Post reports. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: To Stephen Kulp, principal attorney at Kulp Legal LLC … Want to wish someone a happy birthday in our newsletter? Email their name, job title and upcoming birthday to editor@cityandstatepa.com.

MOVING ON:  Philadelphia City Solicitor Diana Cortes will depart from her role as the City of Philadelphia’s Chief Legal Officer to rejoin the litigation team at Morgan Lewis … and First Deputy City Solicitor Kristin Bray will step in to serve as interim City Solicitor … Have a career change or life event to announce? Email us: editor@cityandstatepa.com.

TODAY’S SKED:

9 a.m. – The House State Government Committee meets, Room 523, Irvis Office Building, Harrisburg. Watch here. 

9:30 a.m. – Press conference on a proposal to ban off-road vehicles from city streets, Soldier’s and Sailor’s Grove, Harrisburg. 

9:30 a.m. – The House Insurance Committee holds a public hearing on HB 660, Room 60, East Wing. Watch here.

9:30 a.m. – The House Judiciary Committee meets, Room 140, Main Capitol. Watch here.

10 a.m. – The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee holds a public hearing on the reauthorization of Chapter 14, Responsible Utility Customer Protection, Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. Watch here.

10 a.m. – The House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee meets, Room 205, Ryan Office Building. Watch here.

10 a.m. – The House Labor & Industry Committee meets, Room B31, Main Capitol. Watch here.

10 a.m. – The House Professional Licensure Committee meets, Room G50, Irvis Office Building. Watch here.

10 a.m. – Pittsburgh City Council meets, Council Chambers. Watch here. 

10:30 a.m. – The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee meets, Room 8E-B, East Wing. Watch here.

11 a.m. – The Senate Health & Human Services Committee holds a public hearing on barriers to addiction treatment, Room 8E-A, East Wing. Watch here.

11:30 a.m. – The Senate Judiciary Committee meets, Room 8E-B, East Wing. Watch here.

12:30 p.m. – Fair Districts PA provides its legislature performance report, Main Rotunda. 

1:30 p.m. – Press conference on expanding Philadelphia’s automated speed enforcement program, Main Rotunda. 

Off the Floor – The Senate Appropriations Committee meets, Rules Committee Conference Room. 

Off the Floor – The Senate Rules & Executive Nominations Committee meets, Rules Committee Conference Room.    

Call of Chair – The House Appropriations Committee meets, Room 140, Main Capitol. Watch here.

To have your events included in Today’s sked, please email the information to editor@cityandstatepa.com.

KICKER: 

“We are committed to doing all we can to provide truly excellent core services while protecting our bridge infrastructure and furthering our work to make Pittsburgh the safest city in America.” – Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, via WESA