DV Journal

In a sign that he’s seen as a potential presidential contender, the Commonwealth Foundation announced plans to place ads critical of Gov. Josh Shapiro in newspapers in Milwaukee, Washington, D.C. and Chicago. They will coincide with the Republican and Democratic national conventions.

The free market think tank claims Shapiro, a Democrat who was elected in 2022, is not as competent as other governors who are also dealing with divided legislatures.

The full-page print ad says when it comes to Shapiro’s legislative record, he has proven “last in the nation among states with divided government.” During his first 18 months in office, Shapiro enacted only 111 bills, a mere fraction of other governors leading states with divided government. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed 1,654 bills into law over the same period.

Shapiro’s “inability to persuade his own party to get to work and pass his priorities—including scholarships for disadvantaged kids in failing schools—resulted in a lack of legislative accomplishments, making him the least productive governor of the Keystone State in at least 50 years,” the ad says.

“Gov. Shapiro acts like a figurehead who is more concerned with media appearances and public relations than working with the legislature to get stuff done,” said Commonwealth Foundation Senior Vice President Erik Telford. “It’s time for him to put the future of Pennsylvania ahead of his political ambition. Pennsylvanians deserve a governor that they can rely on to deliver.”

The ad will be published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for the duration of the Republican National Convention, as well as in the Chicago Tribune when Democrats hold their convention in August. It will also appear in The Washington Post on Sunday, July 21.

Mark Nevins of Nevins Consulting isn’t impressed by the effort.

“Trying to understand the Commonwealth Foundation’s strategy is like trying to argue with a toddler: it’s pointless and exhausting. Who knows why they do what they do? But the reason people in Pennsylvania and, increasingly, around the country like and respect Gov. Shapiro is because he delivers results that actually make a difference. And that drives the far right nuts,” Nevins said. He pointed to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece “Josh Shapiro, a Competent Pragmatist in Divided Times,” praising the governor.

Less than two years into his four-year term, Shapiro is already being mentioned as a possible presidential or vice presidential candidate—if President Joe Biden drops out of the race.

An AP-NORC poll released Wednesday found 65 percent of Democrats want President Biden to quit and allow the party to nominate someone else after his poor performance in a June debate with former President Donald Trump.

A July New York Times/Siena poll of Pennsylvania voters finds 38 percent would vote for Biden; 41 percent for Trump; and 8 percent for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Green Party candidate Jill Stein took two percent and Libertarian Chase Oliver and Cornell West each take less than one percent. Some 3 percent say they don’t plan to vote and 8 percent either don’t know or are confused.

Shapiro spokesman Manuel Bonder said, “Gov. Shapiro has been delivering for Pennsylvanians on the issues that matter most – growing our economy, investing in education, supporting law enforcement, and protecting freedom.

“In the meantime, the Commonwealth Foundation appears to have taken a break from their hobby of peddling an extreme political agenda to focus on their new passion: graphic design. It’s good to see they are equally bad at both,” Bonder added.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: X@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

With Democratic politicians and now actor George Clooney, a major fundraiser, calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of the race, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s name has been mentioned as a viable presidential or vice presidential candidate.

And if the octogenarian president were to bow out, Vice President Kamala Harris would be next in line. Harris is slated to speak at an Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote Presidential Town Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday.

And if Harris moves to the top of the ticket, various wags have said Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, 51, as her vice-presidential running mate would enhance the Democrats’ chances of winning Pennsylvania, which is now trending toward Trump.

The latest Emerson poll has Trump at 46 percent and Biden at 43 percent nationwide and shows Trump at 47 percent to 45 percent for Biden in Pennsylvania. The 538, which averages polls, has Trump at 44.3 percent and Biden at 41 percent in the Keystone State as of July 11.

Biden released a letter on Tuesday saying he will stay in the race for reelection.

“This type of baseless speculation is just a distraction – and it is unhelpful to accomplishing what we need to do this November: defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box,” said Shapiro’s spokesman Manuel Bonder.

Shapiro, who grew up in Abington, has risen steadily through Pennsylvania political offices. He started as an assistant to former Montgomery County Congressman Joe Hoeffel (D-Montgomery), then successfully ran for state representative. After that, he served as chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, then served two terms as attorney general. Shapiro was elected governor in 2022.

Republican Bruce L. Castor Jr. served as a Montgomery County commissioner with Shapiro and praises him, although they had and have policy differences.

“Josh was a tremendous county commissioner,” said Castor. “A master at the organization, excellent at arriving at a consensus and one of the best administrators I have ever seen.”

“In fact, I used to tell people, I thought he was a better commissioner than me,” said Castor. One of Shapiro’s trademarks is being “well-prepared.”

Which is why Castor believes it’s unlikely that Shapiro would suddenly agree to run for president or vice president.

“It’s unlike the man I know to do anything without carefully planning,” said Castor. “And putting an organization together and having his ducks in a row.”

Shapiro planned his run for attorney general a year in advance “so this would be inconsistent with the man I know,” said Castor.

“I think the Democrats are playing with fire trying to swap out Biden this late in the game,” said political consultant Albert Eisenberg, principal with BlueStateRed. “The downside of Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket could be lower than sticking with the guy they’ve got, however enfeebled he obviously is. A hypothetical Harris-Shapiro ticket could be a strong one in Pennsylvania, theoretically, but with so many factors in play this late in the game, and voters gobsmacked by Biden’s performance and the Democrats’ covering for him, I don’t think there’s an easy path to winning or even a guaranteed way to stop the bleeding at this point.”

Guy Ciarrocchi, a political commentator who writes for Broad +Liberty, said, “It says a lot about today’s Democrat Party. The president is old and confused—and, now abandoned. They fear the vice president isn’t able to actually be president. So, they’re left considering the most unsuccessful governor in California’s history and Pennsylvania’s freshman governor who’s yet to actually achieve any policy goal.”

While Castor believes Shapiro is unlikely to jump into the race, he added, “There is the caveat to that. When the president asks you, it is very hard to say no. And having had that happen to me, I can attest to that, directly. So that would be the only thing that I think might tip the scale, if President Biden asked him to do it, otherwise I don’t see the carefully prepared, thoughtful man that I know, doing something so spontaneous.”

“He’s a thinker and a planner and he doesn’t go off half-cocked,” said Castor, who added he’s seen very few people like Shapiro in his 40 years in public life.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Some school districts would get more state funding, others less under a plan from the Democratic-controlled state House that was discussed recently by the House Republican Policy Committee.

One of the 126 districts likely to lose some or all state funding under the Democratic is the Souderton School District.

Rep. Donna Scheuren (R-Harleysville), representing the Souderton area, said the district was the first to adopt performance-based budgeting in Fiscal Year 2014. In the Democrats’ 87-page bill that was “pushed through in 24 hours” with no Republican input, “Souderton is being penalized for not taxing enough,” said Scheuren, who called the situation “outrageous.”

She said Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposals, like a $60,000 minimum salary for teachers, take away local control. The district is 75 percent funded by local residents, 24 percent by the state, and 1 percent by the federal government. Many SASD residents are senior citizens who cannot afford additional property taxes to make up funding that state officials want to send to other districts, she said.

Shapiro is proposing $3 billion in new spending, while Republicans propose giving $3 billion back to taxpayers by reducing the personal income tax (PIT) from 3.07 percent to 2.8 percent and eliminating the gross receipts tax on electricity, the representatives noted.

Andrew Holman, a policy analyst with the Commonwealth Foundation, testified Pennsylvania is losing thousands of residents — many of them younger, working-aged adults — to states like Florida and Texas, where taxes are lower.

According to the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), Pennsylvania’s working-age population will fall 2.6 percent between 2020 and 2025 and an additional 1.7 percent between 2025 and 2030, resulting in an adverse “dependency ratio” shift from 3.5 working adults per senior to 2.5 by 2030. This shift will have a drastic impact on state finances, he said.

State Reps. John Lawrence, Kristin Marcell, Donna Scheuren, Policy Committee Chair Josh Kail, Torren Ecker, Joe Hogan and David Rowe

Souderton Superintendent Frank Gallagher Ed.D. testified that a state committee report recommended $5.4 billion be used to fund public schools, and $291 million would be paid by 75 school districts, including Souderton.

“This is a penalty on school districts that worked hard to keep their taxes low,” he said. Souderton is “one of 14 districts that will not qualify for (state) adequacy funding. We will be expected to raise local taxes.”

Ironically, if the district had not been careful with its spending and raised taxes over the years to the Act 1 limit, they could continue to get state money.

“If the new formula passes, we would say we’re sorry,” said Gallagher. “We are being forced to raise our taxes. I am asking the General Assembly to provide an allocation for the 7 5 districts that kept taxes low during the Act 1 era.”

“Our taxpayers should not be penalized because we have worked hard to fund schools in a responsible way,” said Gallagher.

Scheuren said, “Instead of being rewarded, the governor has chosen to penalize you.”

Rep. Torren  Ecker (R-Adams) asked Gallagher how he accounts for the success of his district’s students while other districts struggle.

“You’re doing a lot with a little,” he said.

Gallagher said one challenge the district has is “a significant increase” in students who don’t speak English. The biggest industry in the area is meatpacking, with “the largest meat packing plant east of the Mississippi,” and many of the workers are immigrants.

However, they have had success for students learning English with an immersive program. What helps students achieve is “the school and families working together,” he said.

Lower Salford Township Supervisor Chris Canavan, president of W.B. Homes, Wendell Weaver, vice president, Alderfer Glass, and Keith Freed, tax collector for Franconia Township, also testified about the “real world” effects of tax increases.

Weaver said businesses and families are feeling inflation. Healthcare expenses continue to rise, as does the cost of housing. There has also been a “major increase” in the price of electricity.

Canavan said there is a need for skilled labor, and he’s pleased that area school districts are seeing the importance of technical schools. But the area’s housing costs makes it difficult for people to afford homes. Many of his workers commute to the area, he said.

“They need homes, places to raise their children,” said Canavan. “As a township supervisor, I worry about the same thing. We have a wonderful group of volunteer firefighters, most in their 20s. They need homes,” he said. Otherwise, they’ll move to towns with more affordable housing, and Lower Salford will lose those much-needed volunteers.

“If there was ever a time in our lifetime when we needed less government, it is now,” said Kail. “We need lower and fewer taxes. Pennsylvanians deserve control over their own destiny, and both school choice and tax reform can accomplish this.”

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Rap star Jay-Z has not only voiced his support for $300 million in scholarship money from public funding in Pennsylvania, but he has taken concrete steps by organizing a series of events in Philadelphia to promote it. This high-profile endorsement, along with the backing of figures like Meek Mill, carries significant weight and makes it more challenging for the opposition to discredit the initiative.

It’s much harder for progressives, the “Abbott Elementary” show writers, and The Philadelphia Inquirer editors to villainize him than it is to attack Jeff Yass, the Pennsylvania billionaire who is a huge donor to scholarships for poor kids and a loud public voice for vouchers.

Jay-Z, Meek Mill and others realize a good education as the secret sauce to lift people out of poverty and reduce the number of young men of color committing crimes and going to prison. Dania Diaz, Jay-Z’s managing director of philanthropy, said of the initiative, “We want to empower the youth and families with the knowledge to pursue their scholastic dreams, make their voices heard and become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Diaz has also pointed out that the scheduled events will challenge the myth that the $300 million scholarship proposal would weaken funding for the state’s public schools because this is a separate line item. It was, in part, supported by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro during last year’s budget battle.

As a parental rights advocate and a former teacher for over 20 years, I see this. A recent report on 2024 test scores across Pennsylvania public schools showed that 66 percent of fourth graders are not proficient in reading, and 73 percent of eighth graders are not proficient in math.

Those who support a system that produces these results expect us to believe that today’s historic public school spending levels are not nearly enough and that adding tens of billions to the spending will somehow produce results.

The crux of the matter is that Democratic Party officials are aligning with the teachers’ unions, disregarding the desires of parents to have the freedom to make the best educational decisions for their children.

The PSEA and other unions, as major Democratic Party donors, are instrumental in securing election victories. This dynamic perpetuates a system where students in underperforming public schools are essentially pawns traded for political gain.

The Center Square reported this week that dozens of Black pastors and other religious leaders sent an open letter to Shapiro urging him to support school choice and educational freedom. Black Pastors United for Education emphasized the need for parents and students to finally have educational freedom and opportunity.

In the Delaware Valley Journal, Taylor Millard reports that state Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) doesn’t seem to want to address Black and Latino leaders calling for parental choice and at a recent education rally. Instead, Williams said school choice backers support White, Christian Nationalist goals. According to Millard, she said that supporters of choice “want to drive straight, White, able-bodied kids into private religious schools.” This form of attack is not all that uncommon. Williams just said the quiet part out loud. She represents the failing status quo that will not easily be dislodged.

As we approach the final budget negotiations, the crucial question remains: Will  Shapiro uphold his commitment to bring about some form of school choice? The support of influential figures like Jay-Z, Meek Mill, and other prominent African Americans, coupled with the advocacy of Republicans in Harrisburg, could significantly sway the outcome of this pivotal battle for educational freedom.

I think this time, the answer will be yes to these questions. The time is right to do the right thing, support parental rights, and give kids a real shot at a better future.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

(This column first appeared in Broad + Liberty.) 

Black pastors from across the state held a press conference at the Capitol this week, calling on Governor Shapiro to “courageously lead us beyond the toxic, bipartisan politics and preferences that undermine a quality education for every child in Pennsylvania.”

Led by the Black Pastors United for Education, a network of non-sectarian, bipartisan pastors and congregations, the group’s founder, Reverend Joshua C. Robertson, presented an open letter to the Governor, signed by sixty pastors across the Commonwealth.

The rotunda was filled with pastors, parents, and students for the press conference where Rev. Robertson passionately called on lawmakers to put politics aside and focus on children and their education.

“Lawmakers should not be beholden to unions, school districts, special interest groups, lobbyists, and beyond. We need lawmakers to put Pennsylvania students at the center of their decision.”

Robertson then read the letter to Governor Shapiro asking him to fully fund public schools, enact Lifeline scholarships for children in the state’s lowest performing schools, and oppose cuts to public cyber charter schools.

The letter details the three requests:

1. Fully and properly fund our public schools. We want to be part of a robust conversation that includes several groups and results in a multi-year strategy and commitment to properly invest, sustain, and secure funding for our public schools. We recognize the need for high-quality traditional public schools.
2. Enact Lifeline Scholarships for children in Pennsylvania’s lowest-performing schools. These scholarships open doors, provide access, extend relief, and empower our communities to build schools and education environments that work for our kids.
3. Oppose cuts to public cyber charter schools. In Pennsylvania, public charter schools and cyber charter schools educate and serve a higher percentage of low-income and non-white students than traditional school districts. Our parents are choosing cyber charter schools as the only free alternative educational option for their children.

In an interview after the event, Robertson elaborated on the requests in the letter. Specifically on the call for fully funding public schools, he said, “money doesn’t solve everything. We need to change the pedagogy of teaching because it is not currently working for many students.”

He and his coalition want to change the way that schools are teaching to ensure that students are prepared for a career, the military, or college. Robertson wants to be part of a “robust conversation” to address the fact that approximately half of Pennsylvania students are not proficient in reading and math.

Black Pastors United for Education are immediately focused on the students in the lowest performing schools. Robertson said that they “need to stop the bleeding.” He described a recent incident in Harrisburg where a nineteen-year-old pregnant woman was shot and killed. In his words, “education plays a direct role.”

A recent high school graduate spoke at the press conference about the impact of educational freedom in her life. She, too, worried about the violence and bullying in the public school system and thrived in the Rock City Learning Center, run by Reverend Robertson’s church. The young woman is headed to college in the Fall.

Robertson also said that it is imperative that charter school funding is not cut. For families who cannot afford private schools, charter and cyber charter schools are the only affordable option. He acknowledged that the system for funding charter schools may need to be addressed, but the answer is not cutting the funding.

He challenged public schools to offer an education that parents want.

Almost a year ago, Governor Shapiro declared, “every child of God deserves a quality education.” Despite his sentiments, he yielded his power to veto the Lifeline Scholarships, newly branded as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS).

Speculations remain whether Shapiro and other Democrats were beholden to the special interest groups that Robertson mentioned.

Now, the governor has another opportunity to fulfill his campaign promises, and more importantly, ensure that every child has access to a quality education regardless of their zip code.

Let’s hope for the sake of our children that Shapiro puts “toxic politics” aside and grants “every child of God a quality education.”

Pennsylvania Democrats are trying to cut funding for special needs students in Pennsylvania public schools. Now, brace yourself—the more you learn, the worse it gets.

While state spending on public schools has soared to $22,000 per student, Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to cut funding to $8,000 for cyber charter students. Many of these students learn from home because they require a level of flexibility and care that a brick-and-mortar school cannot provide.

For example, take Stacy Phillips, who enrolled her children in cyber charter schools. She strongly supports the public school system and even taught special education in the Philadelphia School District for a decade.

But when her daughter entered Central High School and struggled with worsening depression, fear of self-harm, and physical illness, Stacy—as a specialist and a mother—knew her daughter needed a change.

Stacy and her husband transferred her from one public school to another: Agora, a cyber charter that allows students to take classes from home. The new school changed her daughter’s life. Once she felt safe enough to learn, she excelled in the rigorous curriculum, found a healthy social balance, and now attends the community college.

Agora also became a lifesaver for Stacy’s son, who enrolled in sixth grade after the bullying was too much to bear in private school. His speech and behavioral issues escalated, and his school forced second-grade-level coursework on him despite his 10th-grade reading skills.

Attending Agora, his challenges no longer stall his progress.

“All his Agora teachers presume competence and implement everything he needs to believe he can do it and be successful,” Stacy says.

Watching her son flourish in a class of students his age has been a relief and a joy beyond imagination.

But if Shapiro and state lawmakers cut funding, many cyber charters will struggle to support students like the Phillips.

“At a time when everyone is acutely aware of the mental health and trauma needs of students, this proposal would be over a 40 percent cut in funding, suffocating our ability to meet the diverse needs of students in reaching their highest potential,” says Rich Jensen, CEO at Agora Cyber Charter School.

These closures would be devastating, considering Pennsylvania’s 13 cyber charters enroll about 57,000 students. Such drastic cuts would be equivalent to closing the second-largest school district in Pennsylvania. Finding a way to accommodate the individual needs of all those displaced students would be an educational crisis.

Politicians, as usual, talk out of both sides of their mouths. While they push cuts to one sector of public schools (i.e., cyber charters), these same lawmakers demand more money for another (i.e., district schools). However, districts are already flush with $6.8 billion in reserve funds.

Moreover, many lawmakers also propose higher taxes to subsidize spending hikes, despite Pennsylvania already achieving historic education funding. Pennsylvania spends $21,985 per student, making the Keystone State the seventh-highest spender nationally.

Can lawmakers look mothers like Stacy in the eye and claim charter schools, which save taxpayers 27 percent per student, are the source of Pennsylvania’s budget woes?

Of course they can’t. The campaign to defund educational alternatives has nothing to do with fiscal responsibility. Instead, it’s Shapiro’s attempt to appease the more radical elements of his party and his union backers.

Rather than defunding successful alternatives, districts should figure out why students leave their schools in the first place.

Parents don’t casually pull their kids out of school. When students enroll in a cyber charter school, it is rarely the first stop on their educational journey. Most likely, their local district schools have already failed them somehow. Meanwhile, in the 87 percent of districts that lack a brick-and-mortar charter school, cyber charters offer the only tuition-free alternative for students seeking to escape.

And make no mistake: Families are looking for an escape. Since the pandemic began, almost 51,000 students have left their school districts for alternatives, including 11,000 students in Philadelphia alone.

If lawmakers are willing to deny help to the most vulnerable students in the state, they are going to need a better answer for moms like Stacy.

Claiming to support public schools while slashing cyber charters will not suffice.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Monday a new state tourism brand: “Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway.”

The governor, in his role as the state’s cheerleader, hopes to encourage more people to visit the commonwealth. Tourism is a key piece of the Governor’s economic development strategy, generating some $76 billion for the state’s economy and supporting more than 486,000 jobs a year in Pennsylvania. The new brand builds on Shapiro’s proposed $18 million tourism and business marketing line item in the state’s budget to boost the economy, attract more visitors, and support good-paying jobs.

After unveiling the new brand, Shapiro and his family will embark on their own Great American Getaway – a statewide, week-long RV tour across 14 counties to visit small businesses, promote Pennsylvania destinations, and showcase all the state has to offer as a premier getaway destination.

Location, location, location: Pennsylvania is a weekend getaway destination within close driving distance to major hubs along the East Coast, including New York City, Baltimore, and Washington DC. The state’s main streets and small towns, world class restaurants and bars, renowned historical sites, thrilling outdoor recreation, and top tier events and sports can be experienced in a single weekend by nearly 72 million people who live within a four-hour drive of thousands of getaways and experiences.

“Here in Pennsylvania, we have it all – from top-tier sports and events, award-winning restaurants, incredible hikes and state parks, and the most important historic sites in the country that tell the story of our shared history. More people deserve the chance to come here and experience the magic of Pennsylvania for themselves,” said Shapiro. “Seventy-two million people live within a four-hour drive of Pennsylvania – and once you’re here, you’ll find there’s something for every member of the family.”

Many Delaware Valley residents are looking forward to having fun locally on Memorial Day weekend and commemorating the military heroes who lost their lives while serving our country.

Here are some DelVal events:

In Bucks County:

Some specific Memorial Day focused events include Sellersville Borough’s Memorial Day & Sesquicentennial Parade and Chaddsford Winery’s Memorial Day Taco Fest.

Other ideas can be found on the Visit Bucks County website.

In Chester County:

Longwood Gardens Festive Friday It’s a Love Story – Taylor Swift themed – culminating with Illuminated Fountain Performance Shake it Off:Taylor Swift

Chaddsford Winery’s Taco Fest – enjoy tacos, refreshing wines and spirits and live music all weekend long.

Walk or drive through Styers Peony Festival – 25 acres of more than 55,000 blooms in beautiful Chadds Ford PA

Visit the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair the largest and longest running multi-breed horse competition in the U.S. The country fair features delights for the whole family. Amusement rides, festival fare, renowned shops and vendors await at this storied event.

Kennett Collaborative announced the Kennett Square Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 27, 2024 at 10 a.m.

In Delaware County:

If you’d like to see art by members of the iconic Wyeth family, check out the Brandywine Museum of Art.   “Jamie Wyeth: Unsettled” will be on exhibit through June 9.

On Memorial day both Radnor and Media will have Memorial Day parades on May 27.

The Media parade will begin at 10 a.m. on State Street outside the theater.

The Rdnor parade will begin at 9:45 at the corners of Runnymede and S. Wayne avenues.

In Montgomery County:

Enjoy a day of theater and music at the Act II Playhouse  in Ambler. The theater’s latest show, “Forever Plaid”, tells the story of four friends united by their love of 1950’s pop music and the creation of their own band, “The Plaids”.

Take time on Memorial Day to soak up history on a Trolley Tour of Valley Forge National Park. The 90-minute, guided tour includes extended stops at the Muhlenberg Brigade huts and Washington’s Headquarters. Reservations are suggested.

“Pennsylvania is the Great American Getaway, and my Administration is making tourism a top priority for the first time in more than a decade – it is a central part of our economic development strategy and my new budget calls for an $18 million increase for tourism and business marketing. This new brand and funding will help us grow small businesses, support our communities, and create opportunity for more Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro added.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

Gov. Josh Shapiro brought his budget-promoting roadshow to the Delaware Valley Thursday, talking up increased spending on mass transit. What he didn’t discuss is the growing gap between rising costs and declining ridership.

The Democratic governor has been going around the state drumming up support for his $48.3 billion proposed 2024-25 budget.

On Thursday, Shapiro jumped on the SEPTA train at Rydal Station in Abington and rode to Langhorne Station in Bucks County to focus attention on his call for $282.8 million in additional spending on public transit. He was joined by PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, SEPTA CEO Leslie Richards, and Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson, along with local legislators.

Shapiro argues millions of state residents take public transit to work, school, or travel. He says public transit availability also helps employers recruit workers, connect with clients, and makes the state economically competitive.

Shapiro’s budget would increase the state share of public transit funding by 1.75 percent, adding up to nearly $1.5 billion in new taxpayer dollars over five years.

Critics believe SEPTA already gets its fair share of state funding.

“Gov. Shapiro is proposing a mass transit bailout forcing taxpayers across the state to further subsidize a transportation system they will never use. Polling shows only 35 percent of voters support the bailout. And Pennsylvania drivers already send more than $600 million to mass transit systems,” said Elizabeth Stelle, director of policy analysis at the Commonwealth Foundation.

“Funneling more funds from Harrisburg to SEPTA won’t save the system that’s seen a rapid decline in ridership. It’s time for SEPTA to find cost savings and increase its reliance on fares—not state taxpayers,” Stelle said.

A Commonwealth Foundation analysis found SEPTA and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) have lost riders since 2019. SEPTA lost 39 percent of its riders, and PRT lost 32 percent. The Norristown High Speed Line lost 50 percent of its passengers.

In October 2023, average ridership was just 67 percent of the October 2019 number. On Regional Rail, ridership was just 56 percent of the pre-COVID average.

Former riders cite crime as a reason they no longer ride SEPTA. Since 2019, crime and quality of life violations on SEPTA vehicles and stations increased significantly. Robberies and aggravated assaults on SEPTA increased by more than 80 percent between 2019 and 2021 despite ridership decreasing by 50 percent during that time period.

Quality of life violations on SEPTA increased by 34 percent from 2019 to 2022. Certain offenses, such as littering, disorderly conduct, public urination, and smoking, increased by more than 200 percent from 2019 to 2022.

Shapiro addressed those concerns on Thursday.

“My budget includes an additional $161 million to help keep SEPTA clean and safe, and if the General Assembly passes it, SEPTA will be able to fund 40 more police officers, 30 more safety personnel, and 100 more cleaners without cutting service or raising fares. This is a commonsense investment that will help provide real freedom and opportunity for more than 700,000 Pennsylvanians who use SEPTA every day,” Shapiro said.

He argues that public transit is critical in Southeastern Pennsylvania, where it serves the five-county area. In addition to SEPTA, the governor’s proposal would fund 31 other public transit systems across the state.

Ahead of his budget address in February, the governor and his administration worked closely with SEPTA to assess its needs and develop a plan to address riders’ concerns about cleanliness and safety on the system. Richards thanked Shapiro for his “historic investment” into public transportation.

However, in 2017, SEPTA invested in new double-decker train cars from a Chinese company, spending more than $50 million. The Inquirer reported that the transit agency canceled the order in April over “shoddy work.” The transit agency said it would try to recover that money.

Richards and Shapiro, both Democrats, served as Montgomery County commissioners, elected together in 2011.

In April, SEPTA proposed a $2.6 billion total budget for Fiscal Year 2025 that includes twice the funding for safety and cleanliness programs, including a total of $72 million to fund 40 more police officers, 30 more safety professionals, and 100 more cleaners.

Despite lower ridership, SEPTA’s operating budget has increased by 9.3 percent since 2019. The agency reports a $240 million budget shortfall and has threatened 30 percent fare increases and 20 percent service cuts to offset the shortfall.

“When it comes to spending more money on SEPTA, I will echo the words of [Philadelphia] Mayor Parker: ‘People will not return to SEPTA if they don’t feel safe,’” said House Republican Appropriations Chairman Seth Grove (R-York). “Ridership has dropped 39 percent from 2018-2019 levels.  Before approving more state money to a public transit system that hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, we need to see a comprehensive plan to reform the system.”

But DelVal legislators in both parties praised Shapiro’s visit.

“I appreciate the opportunity of having Gov. Shapiro in our district to discuss the important issue of transit funding,” said Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks). “Transit plays an important role in the 6th Senatorial District for our citizens, students, and workforce. I look forward to continuing the discussion on adequate funding for our transit agencies.”

“SEPTA is an important part of the Philadelphia area’s transportation infrastructure,” said Rep. Joe Hogan (R-Penndel). “With headline events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America250, and the 2026 MLB All-Star game coming to Philadelphia, this investment is necessary to make sure SEPTA is prepared for the crowds that will come with them.”

“Folks who are struggling to make it across Pennsylvania told me that lack of transportation is a key barrier to getting ahead,” said Sen. Art Haywood (D-Montgomery). “Transportation equals pay. We cannot afford to delay Gov. Shapiro’s plan.” 

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

The GOP-controlled Pennsylvania Senate has approved the largest tax cut in Keystone State history, slashing taxes by $3 billion.

The proposal is a Republican rebuttal to Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose proposed $48.3 billion state budget would increase spending by $3.7 billion or 8.4 percent over the current year.

Senate Bill 269 passed the Senate in a 36-14 vote over the objections of Democratic leaders, though eight Democrats broke ranks to back the GOP proposal.

It would reduce the Personal Income Tax (PIT) rate from 3.07 percent to 2.8 percent, lowering the income tax to its pre-2004 rate.

“If you work and pay taxes, you deserve a tax cut. People should keep more of their own hard-earned money,” said Delaware Valley Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-Bucks). “This plan could jumpstart Pennsylvania’s economy by putting $3 billion back into the pockets of taxpayers, who then could spend or invest it in our communities.”

It would also eliminate the gross receipts tax on energy, effective on January 1, 2025, providing relief from high energy costs. The 4.4 percent gross receipts tax on profits of private electric utilities is passed along to consumers.

“Cutting income taxes and the tax on energy bills is a much better option than the governor’s plan for new government spending,” said Montgomery County Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R). “The Senate Republican Caucus plan invests $3 billion into all Pennsylvanians, by lowering their utility bills and adding more money to their paychecks – not by massive expansions of government programs.”

The state’s free-market think tank also supports the bill.

“We applaud the Senate for putting taxpayers first and passing SB 269,” said Commonwealth Foundation Senior Vice President Nathan Benefield. “Voters overwhelmingly express concerns with the rising cost of living. Simultaneously, they believe Gov. Shapiro’s proposed budget spends too much and want lawmakers to reduce wasteful government spending.

“In contrast to Shapiro’s massive, unending deficit spending and proposed energy taxes, the Senate plan would keep more money in the hands of working families while reducing energy costs,” Benefield said.

The two sides are debating what to do with the $14 billion in excess revenue Pennsylvania will have in reserve as of July 1. Shapiro has proposed major spending increases, including an additional $1 billion in public school spending. He says the GOP proposal is a sign that “Senate Republican leaders are … acknowledging that we must invest in Pennsylvania’s future,” according to a statement from his office.

Tomeka Jones-Waters, president of AFSCME Local 2587 says the tax cuts would be bad for government workers and the Pennsylvanians who rely on them for services.

“A $3 billion tax cut to public services would be detrimental for workers and their families, and to families in need of these services to survive,” Jones-Waters said. “Instead of giving tax cuts to the wealthy, invest that money in those who need it most.”

But Republicans retort that if the taxpayers have overpaid for government, that money should go back to them — not spent by politicians in Harrisburg.

“Given the state’s current financial position, I believe the most responsible thing we can do today is to give this money back to the hard-working families and small businesses I represent in Berks and Montgomery counties,” said Pennycuick.

Pennsylvania voters are increasingly concerned about rising energy costs. According to recent polling, 80 percent of Pennsylvanians say their utility bills have climbed over the past two years, with 34 percent saying their bills jumped “a lot.”

Yet, the experience of other states shows Gov. Josh Shapiro’s preferred policies practically guarantee increased electricity prices.

Currently, Pennsylvania’s electricity prices are in the middle of the pack. A report by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) found the commonwealth’s average price is 9.97 cents/kilowatt-hour—the 26th most expensive. ALEC based its state rankings on a weighted average electricity price drawn from the rates of four sectors: residential, industrial, commercial, and transportation.

Most of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states—including New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, plus all six of the New England states—have higher energy prices. Obvious reasons exist for Pennsylvania’s favorable pricing position in the region. For one thing, the Keystone State has abundant coal and gas and substantial nuclear power assets, generating enough surplus electricity to make Pennsylvania the country’s top kilowatts exporter.

However, the ALEC report points to another reason: The 10 northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states with higher prices than Pennsylvania all have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and a carbon tax imposed through the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

Californians pay the highest electricity prices at 19.65 cents, followed by Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. And all these states impose a carbon tax and RPS mandates.

“In contrast, the three states with the lowest electricity prices—Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah—avoid RPS mandates and cap-and-trade programs,” the report notes. Idaho’s rate of 8.17 cents is the lowest in the country.

Last year, the Commonwealth Court blocked Pennsylvania’s entry into RGGI. Also, Pennsylvania’s current RPS, so far, requires alternative energy sources to comprise a relatively modest 18 percent of electricity sales. Eschewing RGGI and keeping uneconomical energy to a minimum will keep prices lower.

Unfortunately, Shapiro displays more tenacity than good sense with his recently unleashed bevy of bad policies. The governor appealed the judicial block of RGGI, called for the enactment of Pennsylvania’s version of a carbon tax, and proposed to more than double its mandate for the kind of energy that customers must buy.

Any one of these attempts at energy policy by the governor will hit consumer pocketbooks hard, according to the relationship shown between electricity prices and government mandates in the ALEC report.

“Previous data showed that states could have up to an 11 percent increase in electricity costs due to the implementation of an RPS alone,” said ALEC.

The report continues: “In the 48 contiguous states, the 16 with the highest electricity prices all have an RPS in place, as do 18 of the highest-priced 20 states. Similarly, with the exception of Virginia, each of the states in the RGGI or another cap-and-trade program is within the 15 states with the highest prices of electricity.”

Two adjacent border states, Ohio and West Virginia, boast lower electricity prices. As does Pennsylvania, these states have substantial energy resources. Moreover, neither has a carbon tax, and only Ohio mandates RPS. Yet, sadly, Shapiro prefers the paths of the high-cost states, like California and New York, over those taken by Pennsylvania’s two growing neighbors.

Shapiro’s penchant for forcing energy choices on customers and taxing energy producers threatens further harm to Pennsylvania families and businesses already burdened by high taxes and the effects of inflation.

And the governor’s timing couldn’t be worse. This spring, electric distribution utilities that serve 56 counties have requested a major rate increase, varying from 28 to 43 percent. Layering a new carbon tax on top of rate hikes would be especially challenging for Pennsylvania households and businesses.

A better approach would offer consumers choices among energy options and allow producers to operate responsibly without the government favoring one competitor over another.

Moreover, increased competition and supply—enabled by more pipelines—and a streamlined regulatory framework focusing on grid reliability (rather than arbitrary quotas) could reduce both the burden of utility bills and the threat of power blackouts. Both are worries Pennsylvanians could do without.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal