The First Read — November 19, 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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Onorato proposes government reform package
Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato on Wednesday proposed a series of ambitious government and ethics reform proposals, with the gubernatorial hopeful calling for a range of a initiatives from limits on campaign contributions and a ban on gifts from lobbyists to enacting term limits and reducing the size of the legislature. Read More
Also on pa2010.com: Onorato’s proposals get the skeptical treatment

Governor, lawmakers and judges won’t see raises this year
Next year is the year of the un-COLA in state government. Read More

Scranton gets some props
Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty got a little boost from BusinessWeek.com, which named Scranton among the best places to raise kids. Read More

Wagner says state should ban municipal derivatives
Pennsylvania should ban local governments from entering into derivative contracts tied to bond issues, a practice amounting to “gambling” with taxpayer funds, state Auditor General Jack Wagner said. Read More

Upper Darby Dems want Civera to resign as promised
Members of the Upper Darby Democratic Executive Committee sent a letter to state Representative Mario Civera (R-Delaware) questioning whether he truly intends to step down from his legislative post now that he’s been elected to Delaware County Council, as was promised during the campaign. Read More

Onorato resignation rumor denied
For a few weeks now, a rumor has been swirling around Grant Street that county Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato is thinking about resigning from office to give full attention to his race for the governor’s office next year. But at an afternoon meeting of the Pittsburgh Rotary Club where he unveiled his platform on much-needed political reform in Harrisburg, Onorato squelched any such talk. Read More

Specter smooches Ted Turner’s girlfriend
Senator Arlen Specter, the longtime Republican-turned-Democrat, was spotted giving a kiss to media mogul Ted Turner’s girlfriend, Sally Ranney, during a tour of Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Read More

Rendell calls for campaign finance and other major reforms
Sounding frustrated and occasionally angry, Gov. Ed Rendell decried the influence of special-interest lobbyists who prevented raising the revenue that could have avoided many “painful cuts” in the latest state budget. Read More

Have a great day!