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A daily newsletter by  |
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| Today: Surplus spending, U.S. Steel sale, population data, health hazard, housing issues, and website access. It's Friday. Enjoy the weekend. |
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 AN URGENT CALL: We must raise $25,000 by March 23 to keep Spotlight PA"s unmatched brand of investigative journalism strong. Hurry a gift now and as a special bonus, every dollar you give will be DOUBLED » |
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Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to spend $3.5 billion of Pennsylvania’s surplus as part of his second budget proposal.
The state can afford such an expense. It has built up roughly $14 billion in financial reserves over the past four years, thanks to federal COVID-19 dollars and strong tax returns.
But if Pennsylvania had to rely solely on the tax revenue the Shapiro administration projects to bring in over the next few years, it wouldn’t be able to cover the tab.
That’s because Pennsylvania has a structural deficit — an issue that could soon catch up to the governor and lawmakers.
Read Spotlight PA’s full report: Pennsylvania is flush with surplus cash, but it still faces a looming budget problem. |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
“I’m not ignorant to the fact that this stuff does need to go somewhere, but you already have it in my backyard, I don’t need it as my neighbor as well.”
—Katie Sheehan, a Plum resident who lives down the street from a injection well site, on the proposed second well approved in 2022. Commonwealth Court reversed the approval in January. |
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We need your help: You won't find anyone else providing the reporting we provide, or getting the results we're getting for the people of Pennsylvania. At a time of hyper-partisanship and democracy under pressure, we need independent, nonpartisan, no-nonsense journalism more than ever.
Make a tax-deductible gift now & get it DOUBLED »
You can also give via PayPal or Venmo, or send a check to: Spotlight PA, PO Box 11728, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1728.
Thank you to the more than 199 people who have given so far, including Richard H., who said, "There is no other site to get this in-depth PA state and local news." Join Richard and make a gift now » |
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The falls at Silver Lake in Bristol, via David M. Have a photo you want to share? Send it to us by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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  PA POPULATION: The U.S. Census Bureau has released its annual population estimates, showing little change between Pennsylvania’s 2022 and 2023 numbers, the Morning Call reports. Southeastern counties grew over the past four years while southwestern counties shrank.
 SCHOOL LAWSUIT: A Philadelphia teacher is suing the school district, claiming he was diagnosed with a rare breast cancer after spending decades in a building contaminated with asbestos, The Inquirer reports. A previous investigation by the paper found the city’s aging school buildings were heavily impacted by deteriorated asbestos; the district has inspected hundreds of buildings and closed schools in recent years.  CARE CONCERNS: Pennsylvania counties were unable to properly house dozens of children with complex behavioral needs during the first six months of 2023, forcing kids to sleep in hotels or offices, a new report finds. According to WITF, the report recommends that counties pool their resources to create regional facilities where these children can be safely placed.
 LIMITED INFO: Only 22 of Centre County’s 35 municipalities have fully functioning websites that include officials’ contact information, meeting agendas, and more, the Centre Daily Times reports. The others either have outdated websites or none at all. One expert said the Sunshine Act doesn’t require municipalities to have a website but added that the benefits of operating one outweigh the cons. |
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CASE UPDATE: A man who was shot by Wilkinsburg police in 2017 was recently acquitted of the charges used to justify the shooting. Now he’s seeking an independent investigation by the attorney general, City Paper reports.
ABORTION ACCESS: Walgreens will now offer an abortion pill in Pennsylvania after getting federal approval, the York Daily Record reports.
ROUTE RECORD: Inspired by a YouTuber’s journey to ride every London bus route, a Temple University senior is on a mission to visit all 284 SEPTA stations and rank them, Billy Penn reports.
BOBBLE GONE: The Pittsburgh Penguins were forced to cancel plans to give away Jaromír Jágr bobbleheads this week because the shipment was stolen after arriving in California, KDKA reports.
HANGING UP THE HAT: The designer of former Eagles player Jason Kelce’s championship hat is retiring the iconic piece, saying fans have until April 30 to buy a signed commemorative hat, the Delaware County Daily Times reports. |
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ON SALE NOW It's Sunshine Week, and our limited-edition towel is selling fast!
Promote government transparency & tan lines, all in support of Spotlight PA's vital journalism. SHOP THE SALE NOW > |
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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. E O R T R U I L
Yesterday's answer: Libation
Congrats to our daily winners: Stacy S., Kim C., Beth H., Jody A., Bob C., Pat B., Kimberly D., Mike B., Elaine C., Jane R., Jon W., Becky C., Lynne E., Beth T., Don H., Richard A., Craig E., Bruce B., Jon G., Barbara F., Daniel S., Ted W., William Z., Amelia M., Patricia E., Cameron T., Susan N., Johnny C., Vicki U., Janet S., John A., Alan B., and David T.
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