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The First Read — June 22, 2009

Every Monday-Thursday morning, pa2010.com compiles the most important political news of the day, from newspapers to the blogosphere and back. Enjoy this edition.

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Specter and Sestak go back-to-back with DelCo Dems
BROOMALL—Delaware County Democrats packed the Marple Public Library’s meeting room here Thursday night to hear the party’s two leading Senate candidates speak one after the other, but the event had an away-game feel for incumbent Senator Arlen Specter. Read More

Toomey trails both Specter and Sestak in new poll
Republican Pat Toomey trails both of his potential Democratic rivals for Senate, according to a poll released today. Read More

New light shed on lawmakers’ secretive grants
HARRISBURG — Tens of millions of tax dollars that support Pennsylvania lawmakers’ favored causes are directed by legislative leaders through a secretive process that appears to benefit some leaders’ constituents the most, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. Read More

Pittsburgh Mayor Ravenstahl to nonprofits: pay up or else
One way or another, you’re going to pay was Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s message to big hospitals and universities, and to commuters yesterday, as he outlined his strategy to win new revenues for the city — either through changes in state law or surcharges that he thinks he can impose unilaterally. Read More

Rendell has an ace in the hole: table games
The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort, just over the state line near Chester, West Virginia, is flaunting gambling attractions the Rivers Casino won’t have when it debuts Aug. 5: table games. Read More

Berks Democrats welcome former Republican Specter
Berks County Democrats welcomed U.S. Senator Arlen Specter like a lost son when he visited them Saturday for the first time since becoming a Democrat. Read More

The people are waiting: Deadline looms for state budget
Among the countless possible outcomes of negotiations over state spending for the next year, the prospect of a deal being struck on the budget by the end of the fiscal year on June 30 — barely a week away — is dim at best. Read More

Pennsylvania’s budget gap is bad, but not the worst
Pennsylvania’s budget situation isn’t good, but just be glad you don’t live in California. The state’s budget deficit is worth $402 for every man, woman and child who lives there. In Pennsylvania, by contrast, the per-capita budget gap stood at $209 per person based on April data collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures.  Read More

Write-ins fill Crawford races
MEADVILLE — Bill Taylor might get that second term yet. Taylor, a 48-year-old tool-shop owner who is currently serving as a Richmond Township supervisor on the unexpired term of a former supervisor who had died, failed in his bid to win the Republican nomination for a six-year term in the May 19 primary. But a Primary Day plea to township Democrats earned him 64 write-in votes — the same number of votes that Shirley F. Frazier received as the only Democratic candidate listed on the ballot. Read More

Have a great day!

June 22, 2009 at 5:30 am

--pa2010.com Staff

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