Hospital Closures Renew Push to Limit Private Equity in Health Care -
The closure of Crozer Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital, resulting in over 2,600 job losses, has prompted Pennsylvania legislators to push for...more
4/29/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Hospitals ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Private Equity ,
Proposed Legislation ,
SCOTUS ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
Gov. Shapiro Reflects on Arson Attack in NYT Guest Essay-
In a guest essay for The New York Times, Governor Josh Shapiro (D) recounted the traumatic experience of an arson attack on his residence, emphasizing the importance...more
4/25/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Consumer Privacy Rights ,
Federal Funding ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Hospitals ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Candidates ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
State and Local Government
Mayor Cherelle Parker unveiled details about the programs to be funded by her signature Housing Opportunities Made Easy (HOME) Initiative on Monday. More than 75% of the $800 million bond amount will be allocated to seven key...more
Gov. Shapiro Orders Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Pope Francis-
Governor Josh Shapiro (D) has ordered U.S. and Commonwealth flags to be flown at half-staff across Pennsylvania in honor of Pope Francis, who passed away...more
4/23/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Budget Cuts ,
Federal Budget ,
Healthcare ,
Marijuana ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Candidates ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State and Local Government ,
Trump Administration ,
USDA
Gov. Shapiro Addresses Arson Incident -
During a press conference following the opening of the Hershey Corporation’s new manufacturing plant, Governor Josh Shapiro made his first public comments since the arson at the...more
4/18/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Clean Energy ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Political Candidates ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Transportation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration
Mayor Parker's Housing Plan Relies on $800M in Bonds-
Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Housing Opportunities Made Easy (HOME) Initiative aims to build or preserve 30,000 housing units in Philadelphia, primarily funded through $800...more
4/18/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Bonds ,
Budget Cuts ,
City Councils ,
Housing Market ,
Interest Rates ,
Mayors ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government
BALTIMORE—City Files Lawsuit Against DraftKings, FanDuel -
The City of Baltimore filed a lawsuit against DraftKings and FanDuel, alleging that the sports betting companies exploit vulnerable gamblers through promotional...more
4/17/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
New York ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Safety ,
Public Transportation ,
Sports Betting ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Taxes ,
Wage and Hour
Gov. Shapiro, State Leaders Condemn Weekend Arson Attack -
Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were safely evacuated after a suspected arson attack on their residence early Sunday morning, prompting state and local leaders...more
Gov. Shapiro Pledges Support for PA Farmers Amid Tariff Uncertainty -Governor Josh Shapiro warned that new tariffs could harm Pennsylvania farmers and pledged to protect them, highlighting his administration’s investments in...more
Mayor Parker Announces Continued Support for SEPTA Fare Subsidies -Mayor Cherelle Parker announced plans to maintain funding for SEPTA fare subsidy programs that provide City employees and low-income residents with free rides...more
PA Senate Passes Bill to Crack Down on Fentanyl Dealers -
The state Senate approved a bill imposing a mandatory minimum 25-year sentence on drug dealers whose fentanyl sales result in fatal overdoses. The bill, known as...more
Bill Proposed to Tax Political Ads in PA -
Pennsylvania Representative Robert Matzie (D-Beaver) proposed a bill to subject all political advertising to state sales tax, aiming to generate revenue for public services and...more
Last week, Mayor Cherelle Parker announced the appointment of Tyrell Brown as Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs, Andy Toy as Director of the Home Appraisal Program, Robin Torrance as Director of Pan Hellenic & HBCU Engagement, and...more
CHICAGO—City Begins Converting Loop Office Buildings to Housing -Chicago’s La Salle Corridor Revitalization Initiative kicked off last week, beginning with the transformation of a historic 14-story Loop office building into...more
Medical Marijuana Oversight Bill Advances -
The Pennsylvania House advanced a bill earlier this month to address concerns about doctor practices and patient care by increasing oversight of the state’s medical marijuana...more
Gov. Shapiro Fights USDA Funding Cuts for PA Farmers, Food Banks -Governor Josh Shapiro is challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to cancel $13 million in funding for Pennsylvania farmers who supply...more
During her speech outlining details of her proposed $2 billion Housing Opportunities Made Easy (HOME) Initiative on Monday, Mayor Cherelle Parker urged the City Council to streamline redevelopment processes and consider...more
Governor Josh Shapiro announced that Pennsylvania’s Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Pilot Program—in partnership with OpenAI and Carnegie Mellon—saved employees an average of 95 minutes per day and improved efficiency...more
3/26/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Energy Sector ,
Healthcare ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Machine Learning ,
Pennsylvania ,
State and Local Government ,
Technology Sector ,
Transportation Industry ,
Trump Administration
Hundreds of Former Federal Workers Apply for PA State Jobs
Pennsylvania has received around 1,100 applications from former federal employees for state jobs following an executive order by Governor Josh Shapiro (D) giving...more
City Council Begins Repeal of Center City Sixers Arena Legislation -
During Thursday’s meeting, the City Council initiated the repeal of legislation for the since-abandoned Center City Sixers arena project. The Council also...more
CHICAGO—City Incentives Aim to Attract Data Centers -
Chicago is positioning itself to capitalize on the data center boom, with the City Council adopting an ordinance offering incentives for developers to store municipal...more
3/20/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Data Centers ,
Employment Policies ,
Gig Economy ,
Labor Reform ,
Minimum Wage ,
Property Tax ,
Public Health ,
Real Estate Development ,
State Taxes ,
Tax Incentives ,
Technology
Gov. Shapiro Criticizes Dems’ Strategy in Government Shutdown Fight -During an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher, Governor Josh Shapiro criticized U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for not leveraging more...more
3/18/2025
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employment Policies ,
Environmental Policies ,
Federal Budget ,
Government Agencies ,
Infrastructure ,
Pennsylvania ,
Public Health ,
Public Transit ,
State and Local Government ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Relations
On Thursday, March 13, Mayor Cherelle Parker delivered her second annual Budget Address to the Philadelphia City Council, unveiling her $6.77 billion FY26 Budget proposal—an approximately $400 million increase over the FY25...more
3/18/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Business Taxes ,
Environmental Policies ,
Infrastructure ,
Public Safety ,
Real Estate Development ,
Renewable Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Tax Reform ,
Urban Planning & Development
Extra Funding for Hundreds of PA School Districts in Question-
Top Republican lawmakers are skeptical about Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposal to allocate an additional $494 million to underfunded Pennsylvania school...more
Mayor Parker Delivers FY26 Budget Address-
Mayor Cherelle Parker presented her $6.7 billion FY26 budget proposal to the Philadelphia City Council today, highlighting an $800 million housing plan, significant business tax...more