Journalists Roundtable: April 6, 2017

Journalists Roundtable is in Philadelphia this week to discuss issues facing the city, including the 7-way Democratic primary for Philadelphia District Attorney. The primary election is on May 16 and comes in the wake of an indictment on 23 counts of fraud, extortion and bribery of Philadelphia’s outgoing DA Seth Williams, who decided not to run for another term. A new House member from Philadelphia was sworn in this week after winning a March 21 special election that Republicans say was fraught with irregularities. Rep. Emilio Vazquez was a rare write-in campaign winner, with just 5 percent of the eligible electorate coming to the polls. In Harrisburg, the House passed a budget bill this week that cut $800 million from Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed budget. The House also debated mandatory minimum sentences for several hours. This week’s guests are: Dave Davies, with WHYY FM; Claire Sasko, with Philadelphia Magazine; and Solomon Jones, Host of Wake Up With WURD on WURD 900 AM. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: March 30, 2017

The Senate was in this week, and held a long hearing on the health-related agency consolidation proposal of Gov. Tom Wolf. With April on the horizon, the state budget deadline is now just three months away. How to pay for anticipated shortfalls without consistently relying on short-term fixes and fund transfers was the main topic, as well as other legislative activity from the past couple weeks. This week’s guests are: Chris Comisac, Bureau Chief of Capitolwire; Robb Hanrahan, anchor of Face the State and the CBS21 News in Harrisburg; and Dennis Owens, anchor and state capitol reporter with ABC27 News in Harrisburg. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: February 9, 2017

Gov. Tom Wolf’s $32.3 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2017-18 includes spending increases for education and human services, to be paid for by $2 billion in government efficiencies and nearly $1 billion in new revenue. That revenue package includes the elimination of certain sales and business tax exemptions. To discuss these budget-related topics as well as legislation on sanctuary cities, a bill on paycheck deductions for public employees and a bill banning a certain abortion procedure beyond 20 weeks were all considered by the Senate. This week are guests: John Baer, Political Columnist with the Philadelphia Daily News, Karen Langley, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; and Katie Meyer, Capitol Bureau Chief with WITF-FM in Harrisburg. Our host is Brian Lockman.