First Read PA – Nov. 6, 2023

WEATHER: Philadelphia: mostly sunny, high of 59; Harrisburg: mostly sunny, high of 59; Pittsburgh: mostly sunny, high of 63.

FROM CITY & STATE:

* ICYMI: City & State spoke with Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt about what the commonwealth is doing to better inform voters and to combat fake news before and during the election. 

NEW THIS MORNING:

* Democrat Sara Innamorato and Republican Joe Rockey spent the weekend connecting with voters ahead of tomorrow’s election for Allegheny County Executive, WESA reports.

* A new survey from the Urban Affairs Coalition lists crime as the most pressing issue facing Philadelphia, though respondents were less united on how to reduce crime in the city, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

* Despite some contentious and closely watched races on the ballot, election directors from Dauphin, Perry and Cumberland counties expect around a quarter of registered voters to turn out to vote in this year’s elections, PennLive reports.

* While the state’s high court race has received plenty of attention from donors, political spending in races for Commonwealth Court and Superior Court has surpassed $2.8 billion, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports.

* John Fetterman took a shot at California Gov. Gavin Newsom during a speech in Iowa over the weekend, suggesting that Newsom is secretly running for president, NBC News reports.

* The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is using artificial intelligence to conduct traffic counts on all roads that are eligible for federal funds, the Pittsburgh Union Progress reports.

* Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5, the labor union representing Philadelphia police officers, elected Roosevelt Len Poplar to replace John McNesby as the union’s next president, making Poplar the first Black man to lead the union, The Philadelphia Tribune reports.

* Gov. Josh Shapiro signed several bills into law last week, including a bill that establishes a flood insurance premium assistance task force, New Castle News reports.

* James Sipe, who most recently led a team at Amazon that handled IT security and technical guidance for Amazon’s 25 largest global customers, will be joining the Shapiro administration as the state’s chief information security officer, Politics PA reports.

* Lawmakers are beginning to debate whether to legalize marijuana for recreational use seven years after legalizing it for medical use, and proponents say the potential tax revenue is a major incentive, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

EDITORIAL PAGES:

* The Inquirer has an op-ed from Commonwealth Foundation Executive Vice President Jennifer Stefano, who writes that Gov. Josh Shapiro is the “least productive governor” in the state over the last 50 years.

* The Tribune-Review examines Shapiro’s recent decision to partner with the natural gas producer CNX to share information about emissions and water quality.

NATIONAL POLITICS:

* Tomorrow’s elections will serve as a major litmus test on whether abortion is a winning issue for Democrats, as abortion groups have spent millions of dollars in state races this year, Axios reports.

* Former President Donald Trump is set to testify today in a $250 million civil fraud case where Trump is accused of orchestrating corporate fraud to boost his net worth, Politico reports. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: To Pennsylvania Superior Court President Judge Emeritus John T. Bender … to Donna Cooper, executive director of Children First … and to Vincent Galko, senior vice president, Mercury Public Affairs … Want to wish someone a happy birthday in our newsletter? Email their name, job title and upcoming birthday to editor@cityandstatepa.com.

TODAY’S SKED:

9:30 a.m. – The Shapiro administration stresses safe driving around school buses and announces Operation Safe Stop Results, West Shore School District Headquarters, 507 Fishing Creek Road, New Cumberland. 

10 a.m. – The Shapiro administration marks an I-95 milestone as traffic shifts to new travel lanes, Cottman Avenue and State Road, Philadelphia. 

10 a.m. – The Pittsburgh City Council meets, Council Chambers, City-County Building, Pittsburgh. Watch here. 

1:30 p.m. – The Pittsburgh City Council Standing Committee meets, Council Chambers, City-County Building, Pittsburgh. Watch here. 

KICKER: 

“There are two additional Democrats running for Pennsylvania, excuse me, running for president right now … One is a congressman from Minnesota, the other one is the governor of California, but only one has the guts to announce it.” – Fetterman speaks about Newsom, via NBC News