This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Endorsement time in the Allegheny County Executive race means that many eyes are on organized labor. Two major unions came through for progressive Sara Innamorato, who picked up endorsements from the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council, a local branch of the AFL-CIO, as well as the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters and two locals of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Meanwhile, Republican nominee Joe Rockey has endorsements from three law enforcement unions.

Gov. Josh Shapiro got some good news this week, as a new poll from Franklin & Marshall College saw his job performance ratings increase. In April, 43% of registered voters said Shapiro was doing an “excellent” or “good” job – a number that rose to 47% in August. According to the F&M poll, that’s the highest rating of a governor’s job performance since former Gov. Tom Ridge was in office more than two decades ago.

Thomas Jefferson University appointed its first Black medical school dean this week, announcing that Said A. Ibrahim – a physician with an extensive background in internal medicine, public health and diversity and inclusion efforts – will take over the role on Dec. 1. Ibrahim, who currently works at Northwell Health in New York, will lead the Philadelphia medical college into its 200th anniversary next year. 

Going from Ivy League college president to U.S. Ambassador is one thing, but taking a hefty loan on the way out of the school is another. Former University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann received a nearly $23 million payout, including deferred compensation, as she left the university. But a newly unveiled $3.7 million, 0.38% interest home loan the school’s trustees authorized in late 2020 for Gutmann has many up in arms as many schools raise tuition rates and are dealing with financial questions of their own.

The Pennsylvania State Police were dealt a blow in court this week when the state Supreme Court ruled that the agency can’t keep its social media policy secret from the public. The agency had argued that disclosing its policy for monitoring online postings could jeopardize public safety, but ultimately the court ruled against the agency, determining that the Commonwealth Court went beyond its authority in giving the state police a chance to justify keeping the policy secret, according to The Associated Press. 

In the same poll that gave Shapiro high approval, members of the General Assembly weren’t given the same leeway. According to the F&M survey, just 13% of respondents said state lawmakers were doing an “excellent” or “good” job; 52% said the legislature is doing a “fair” job, while 24% rated their job performance as “poor.”