As the state budget continues on a remarkable glide path toward timely passage in Harrisburg – legislators in both chambers have agreed to the outline and Gov. Tom Wolf has issued a statement that he would sign the package in its current iteration – from Philadelphia’s vantage point, the monies glass is decidedly half full. […]
BY JOE SHAHEELI The ruling Democratic Party of Philadelphia emerged from is quadrennial housecleaning in the May primary in good shape. All signs are that the May primary, which turfed up young winning candidates in several state rep races and yielded new Democratic City Committee ward leaders in 20% of its wards, has refreshed the […]
Continue reading …BY JOE SHAHEELI There’s a new chair at Philadelphia City Commission. Democrat Lisa Deeley, who was elected to that body in 2015, was nominated as chairwoman by Republican Al Schmidt at City Commission’s monthly board meeting on Dec. 13. Schmidt had always previously supported Democrat Anthony Clark for that post. Chairman Clark had earlier announced […]
Continue reading …BYJOE SHAHEELI Everybody who is a Democrat, from Gov. Tom Wolf on down, is calling for the Philadelphia Parking Authority to revert to City government. But it won’t happen. This odd State agency was set up in 2001 under the aegis of powerful Republican State Rep. John Perzel, who argued that it could generate more […]
Continue reading …BY JOE SHAHEELI Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District, which takes in most of the River Wards and South Philadelphia along with a good chunk of Delaware County, is preparing for an unaccustomed tussle in the Philadelphia Democratic primary next year. Deputy Mayor of Public Engagement Dr. Nina Ahmad quit her City position to announce a run […]
Continue reading …BY JOE SHAHEELI Key battles for the Pennsylvania governorship are being waged midstate in small, quiet cities and rural counties. State Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York), who was first out of the gate in the Republican primary, has unleashed a hard pitch for the Pennsylvania “T’s” Trump voters with a full-throated evocation of the president’s attacks […]
Continue reading …BY JOE SHAHEELI Lt. Gov. Mike Stack announced he will seek re-election at City Hall yesterday, surrounded by a legion of Philadelphia political leaders. A Northeast Democratic ward leader of long standing and former state senator, Stack is Philadelphia’s highest-ranked statewide elected official. As the lieutenant governor presides over the State Senate, his position gives […]
Continue reading …BY JOE SHAHEELI A united Philadelphia Democratic Party brought home its municipal candidates for district attorney and city controller, Larry Krasner and Rebecca Rhynhart. With 98.1% of the vote tallied, Krasner had 147,666 to Republican Beth Grossman’s 50,107. That was actually a good result for Republicans – 25% of the vote – since registered Republicans […]
Continue reading …BY JOE SHAHEELI The Democratic primary race is seeing an unusual cluster of early candidates. That sounds like bad news for incumbent Lt. Gov. Mike Stack – but could prove to be good news. Usually, incumbents are walked on base by their party’s voters. But Stack ran into a patch of bad news earlier this […]
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