Energy price fluctation and economic development in Onorato’s Allegheny County

October 29, 2009 at 1:35 am

With the expiration of electricity rate caps quickly approaching, it is interesting to look at the debates that energy pricing have sparked in the past. The cost of energy is intimately tied to Pennsylvania’s economy in ways that are not immediately visible, as highlighted by a 2006 presentation to the Public Utilities Commission by Dan Onorato, a current Democratic gubernatorial candidate. The presentation urged the Public Utilities Commission to find a solution to an energy…

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Inefficiencies in Philadelphia’s election system?

October 26, 2009 at 12:56 pm

Some are questioning the efficiency of Philadelphia’s election system, as well as to suggest the creation of an organization to oversee it.

The Inquirer reports that the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority has drafted a report that shows Philadelphia spends $9.18 per voter, as opposed to the $4.68 median spent in other counties.

The report looks at Pennsylvania’s 15 most populated counties and examines how much it costs to carry out election…

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Specter rebukes Sestak’s claims that he came late to Amtrak funding debate

September 28, 2009 at 7:32 am

When Arlen Specter sent a request to Joe Biden asking for federal stimulus funds to help repair Pennsylvania’s Amtrak bridges, Joe Sestak criticized the Senator for not advocating for funding sooner. Sestak’s criticisms were included in an Inquirer story that ran last week. Specter says that the claims are unfounded and misleading.

In the Inquirer article, Joe Sestak accuses Specter of being a late convert to funding for Amtrak. The Inquirer quotes Sestak as saying:…

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The pols come out for Philly health care chat

August 31, 2009 at 11:30 pm

PHILADELPHIA—Seven current and former Congressmen came together here Monday night to talk health care reform during a town hall meeting at The Inquirer building. Hosted by conservative talk-show host Dom Giordano, the event drew a crowd of mostly conservative voters who came to hear what the pols had to say about the possibility of a public health care option, one of the more contentious segments of the emerging legislation.

Democratic Congressmen Bob Brady, Chakka Fattah…

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Knox has solid plans to improve the Pennsylvania budget

August 20, 2009 at 2:26 pm

It’s not surprising that Tom Knox, the wealthy Philadelphia businessman and Democratic candidate for governor, has stated his concrete ideas to improve Pennsylvania’s budget.

In The Reading Eagle, reporter Mary E. Young covers Knox’s plans for the state’s beleaguered finances. The article has been re-published on Knox’s campaign Web site.

Among Knox’s plans are the collection of about $1.6 billion in past-due taxes, the closing of a loophole that sends approximately $750…

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Competing endorsements for gubernatorial candidates

August 17, 2009 at 9:57 pm

As the 2010 elections vamp up, endorsements for gubernatorial candidates are coming in. Recent endorsements include Congressman Bill Shuster’s endorsement of Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) and state Senators Daylin Leach and Andy Dinniman’s endorsements of Democrat Dan Onorato.

Shuster’s endorsement was announced in an last week. “Having worked closely with Jim, I know that  he has the work ethic, experience and guiding principles that resonate with the citizens of central and western…

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Explaining Specter’s dip in the polls

August 14, 2009 at 11:28 am

The latest Rasmussen poll shows Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey leading Senator Arlen Specter by 12 percentage points in a 2010 matchup. Analysis of the poll suggests that Obama’s health care bill is swaying voters towards Toomey. In the analysis, it is suggested that Washington’s health care bill is losing its favorability among Pennsylvania voters, turning them against Specter. While the health care debate is currently a great determinant, there are many subtle factors—including a deliberate…

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Schroder responds to Ballard and Spahr lawyers’ accusations of defamation

August 11, 2009 at 9:09 am

State Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester), who is running for Congress in the 6th District, recently responded to accusations of defamation made by the former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Ed Rendell, Adrian King. An attorney with the Ballard, Spahr, Andrews and Ingersoll law firm in Philadelphia, King is representing GTECH, a gaming technology firm that is based out of Rhode Island.

In a statement on the House GOP Web site, Schroder lambasted…

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Assault weapons ban becomes a critical divider among Senate candidates

August 10, 2009 at 7:01 am

In the recent interviews on MSNBC’s Hardball, Republican Pat Toomey emphasized one of the biggest cultural differences between his campaign and the campaign of Democratic Senate candidates Joe Sestak and Arlen Specter.

Last week, that difference was exacerbated when Joe Sestak urged his colleagues to reinstate a Clinton-era ban on assault weapons, pointing for justification to the recent shootings in Allegheny County, as well as the killings of police officers in Pittsburgh.

“As we continue to see the…

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Chris Matthews raises tough questions for Senate candidates

August 5, 2009 at 1:23 pm

Chris Matthews raised tough questions last night for Senate candidates Pat Toomey, Arlen Specter and Joe Sestak. The candidates answered Matthews but then shied away in favor of mentioning some of their own accomplishments and campaign messages.

Among the questions targeted towards Pat Toomey and Arlen Specter were Matthews’ severe critique and harsh questioning about their past support for the McCain-Palin campaign. Matthews asked both Toomey and Specter how they felt about voting for Palin over Joe Biden, which would…

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