|
FINAL DAY: Our $5K for Independence Day drive ends TODAY, and you could put us over the top with a generous gift right now. Your support now can power some of the best investigative and public-service reporting in the U.S. Donate now » |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Today: The cost of Trump's big budget bill, another scrutinized Bresnahan stock sale, Pa. increasingly a pot policy island, and 'magnificent' hotel art. |
|
|
|
Cost of Cuts
|
 |
|
Commonwealth Media Services
|
|
NEED TO KNOW: Now that President Donald Trump has signed his massive, marquee spending bill, it is all but certain that Pennsylvania will need to scrounge up, at minimum, an additional $125 million in its budget in the next fiscal year to keep food benefits for poor and disabled Pennsylvanians intact. Read Spotlight PA’s full story →
GOOD TO KNOW: Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro had warned of the devastating impact Trump’s domestic policy bill will have on Pennsylvania’s ability to feed its poor and disabled residents. Dubbed the “one big, beautiful bill” and supported by the majority of congressional Republicans, it extends tax cuts the president made in his first term in office, paid for in part with steep cuts to health care and food assistance programs used by millions of low-income and disabled Americans. The House approved the plan Thursday following a near party-line vote in the Senate, with just one Pennsylvania Republican voting “no.”
IN THE KNOW: The bill would make sweeping changes to how much states pay into managing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which 2 million Pennsylvanians rely on to buy groceries and feed their families. In the worst-case scenario, Pennsylvania’s tab could balloon to nearly $800 million, an amount that would likely require a large-scale tax hike or other major fiscal policy change to generate such vast revenue in a short period of time. At a recent news conference, Shapiro said: “Pennsylvania can't backfill those cuts … There's a real question as to whether or not we will be able to operate SNAP any longer.” Continue reading. |
|
|
|
|
FINAL DAY |
|
|
 |
 |
|
Today is the FINAL DAY of our $5K for Independence Day challenge, and we have less than $1,000 to go! Your support means more than ever as independent, nonpartisan reporting is more important than ever. Hurry a tax-deductible gift now »
|
| GIVE ONCE OR MONTHLY |
| MAKE AN ANNUAL GIFT |
|
If you prefer to send a check, mail it to: Spotlight PA, PO Box 11728, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1728.
Thank you to those who have given so far, including Eli B., who said, "I deeply appreciate the work y'all do to maintain free, honest, and fair reporting in a society that is becoming beleaguered by misinformation and propaganda." Join Eli & give now » |
|
|
|
📅 Upcoming Events
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
Direct Quote
|
|
“UPenn came back to the table and asked us what they can do to make it right. We said, ‘You have to completely rewrite your institutional policy.’ They signed on the dotted line.”
—U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon on the university's recent agreement with the White House over trans athletes and $175 million in federal funding |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Power Briefs
|
-
Pa. lawmakers look to protect vaccine access under RFK Jr., via Echo-Pilot
-
Pitt shuts down DEI office amid Trump administration pressure, via WTAE
-
Pa. bill to protect municipal workers from political violence, via PennLive
-
Proposed bill would create threat assessment for Pa. hospitals, via WHTM
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Commonwealth Media Services |
|
|
|
Big Story: Wage Boost
Supporters believe Pennsylvania lawmakers will include $21 million in the final budget deal to raise wages for a small group of home care workers in an industry known for low pay. The increase, pitched by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in his budget proposal earlier this year, would affect roughly 8,500 workers directly employed by their patients through a Medicaid-funded state program. But advocates say much more is needed before pay is competitive. Read Spotlight PA's full report →
|
|
|
|
Daily Roundup
|
|
STOCK SALES: U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R., Pa.) voted for Trump's tax and spending bill with steep cuts to Medicaid after selling his stock in a company that provides health-care exchanges for the low-income insurance program, the investment research platform Quiver Quantitative reports. The stock fell 43% after he did. Bresnahan has said his stocks are managed by an adviser. Quiver Quantitative reports he also vowed to set up a qualified blind trust, “but does not appear to have done so yet.”
BIGGER LOTTO PAYOUTS: A bill to let Pennsylvania’s Lottery offer more games with bigger payouts — a move critics fear could further fuel problem gambling — is waiting to be signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has signaled his support, Next Generation Newsroom reports. Supporters say the bill would bring in millions of additional dollars for programs benefiting senior citizens, such as low-cost prescriptions and rent rebates, that Lottery profits fund.
ANOTHER FUNDING FREEZE: More than $230 million in congressionally approved federal funding that Pennsylvania schools use for after-school programs, teacher training, English language services, and more has been frozen by the Trump administration. The sudden shift came after the deadline for schools to approve their budgets, and may complicate state budget talks now well past the June 30 constitutional deadline. Education advocates called the pause reckless and unlawful.
A POT POLICY ISLAND: Recreational pot will be on sale in all but one of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states come Aug. 1 as legalization efforts continue to falter here. Delaware is joining New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Maryland with legal adult-use markets. Spotlight PA reported in May that the future of Pennsylvania’s legal cannabis push was uncertain following a GOP-led state Senate panel's high-profile rejection of a legalization bill with an unusual sales model. |
|
|
|
|
|
Summer Bingo ☀️
We've crafted a Pennsylvania summer bucket list full of hidden gems and off-the-beaten path attractions with help from our readers. Now we’re challenging you to put it to use as you try to score a summer bingo. Start playing here » |
|
|
|
|
|
In Other News
|
|
QUIZ TIME: A lot happened last week. Take our weekly news quiz to see what you remember.
EXEMPTION REQUEST: Nine Pennsylvania Republicans sent the president a letter last week requesting relief from tariffs on certain foods — specifically, the ingredients used to make chocolate.
PAINTED HISTORY: LehighValleyNews tells the story behind the World War II-era murals inside Hotel Bethlehem, which were recently recognized as among the country’s “most magnificent” historic hotel art.
DOCUMENT DATABASE: Ahead of America’s 250th birthday, some Philadelphia institutions have pooled their archives, digitizing original Revolutionary-era documents to be made available to the public online.
REST IN PEACE: Jackie Perry, Harrisburg’s longest serving school crossing guard, died last month at age 88. She’s remembered as “dedicated” and “mission minded,” a friend of hers told PennLive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post It
|
 |
|
Lu C.'s shade garden, a peaceful oasis. Send us your photos by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag @spotlightpennsylvania.
|
Scrambler
|
|
Unscramble and send your answer to scrambler@spotlightpa.org. We'll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA swag. Answers submitted by 5:30 p.m. on issue date will be counted. Please include first name and last initial.
A C I A O K M E C M
Thursday's answer: Workstation
Congrats to our weekly winner: Lori T.
Congrats to our daily winners: Sherman S., Bob C., Kimberly D., Stacy S., Richard A., Barbara F., Lori T., Elaine C., Dallas D., Jody A., Susan N.-Z., Kathy G., Don H., Martha O., Marla C., Jon W., Beth H., Perry H., Wendy A., Tom M., Annette I., John P., Karen W., William Z., Sharon B., and Jeff F. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © Spotlight PA, All rights reserved.
Spotlight PA
PO Box 11728
Harrisburg, PA 17108
United States
This email was sent to: _t.e.s.t_@example.com. You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to PA Post, a daily newsletter by Spotlight PA.
Receiving too many emails from Spotlight PA? To manage your preferences, click here. To unsubscribe from the PA Post email list, click here. |
|
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan & nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds the powerful to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania.
Read Our Investigations
Newsletters
About Us
Contact Us
www.spotlightpa.org |
|
|
|
|
|
|
