Journalists Roundtable: September 20

This week, Journalists Roundtable visited the offices of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette. Williamsport is the home of the Little League World Series, which was played in August. The Nov. 6 ballot will include two local referenda asking voters if they want to change the form of city government. To discuss the business climate, local politics and the upcoming election are this week’s guests: Business and Political Reporter Mike Reuther; County Government and Health Reporter Katelyn Hibbard; and Publisher Bernie Oravec. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: September 13, 2018

The PA House has scheduled eight voting sessions, and the Senate nine voting sessions before the election, which gives them just a few weeks to move on legislation that did not get considered in the first half of the year. To discuss what happened over the summer, are this week’s guests: Sam Janesch, Staff Writer, […]

Journalists Roundtable: June 28, 2018

Last Friday, the Senate adjourned for the summer and on Monday, the House followed suit. They concluded work on state budget more than a week early, the first time a budget has been signed before the deadline since 2001. The new budget contains no tax increases, but does rely on one-time revenue from transfers from various state funds.  A number of bills passed and were sent to the governor, including a new school safety grant program and $70 million for school safety. A measure that would change the way Pennsylvania draws its legislative districts did not receive final approval due to the filing of hundreds of amendments. Another proposed constitutional amendment to reduce the size of the state House to 151 members was not considered and will not be before voters for approval this year. To analyze the budget and recent legislative actions are: Marc Levy with the Associated Press; Katie Meyer, Capitol Bureau Chief with WITF-FM; and R.B. Swift with Capitolwire.com. Our host is Francine Schertzer.

Journalists Roundtable: June 21, 2018

On Wednesday, the House passed a budget bill and funding bills for state agencies and colleges. The budget requires no tax increases, but does rely on transferring surpluses from various state funds. Several legislative redistricting bills were considered in committee. A bill decreasing the size of the House passed the Senate. To discuss this week’s legislative action are: John Micek, Editorial & Opinions Page Editor, PennLive & The Patriot-News; Angela Couloumbis, State Government Reporter, Philadelphia Inquirer; and Robb Hanrahan, Anchor and Host of “Face the State”; CBS 21 News. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: June 14, 2018

On Wednesday, the Senate passed a constitutional amendment on redistricting. The measure was originally drafted to apply to Congressional and General Assembly districts, but was amended to create judicial districts for the first time to elect members of the state’s three appellate courts by region as opposed to statewide. The Senate State Government Committee changed a House-passed constitutional amendment that reduced the size of both the House (to 151) and Senate (to 38) by stripping out the Senate section. That House-only reduction passed last session. If it would pass again this session in identical form, it could be placed on the ballot for voters to decide. Retaining the Senate section would mean the process starts anew – an identical bill would need to pass again in the 2019-20 legislative term.  Those proposals and other legislative activity will be discussed by guests Steve Esack, Harrisburg Correspondent with The Morning Call; Stephen Caruso, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with The PLS Reporter; and Brad Bumsted, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with The Caucus. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable, June 7, 2018

On Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf held a press conference to sign an executive order on gender pay equity, which requires the state to pay male and female employees equal pay for the same job. The state budget deadline is June 30, and we’ll get an update where we are in that process with about three weeks to go. Also, House Majority Leader Dave Reed has introduced a reapportionment bill and an open primaries bill, which have been referred to the House Rules Committee, which Reed chairs. Meanwhile, the Senate positioned its own redistricting commission bill for a floor vote as soon as next week. A school safety hotline bill passed the Senate and now goes to the House. Those issues and other legislative activity will be discussed by guests Chris Comisac, Bureau Chief at Capitolwire.com; Tony Romeo, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with KYW 1060AM Philadelphia and KDKA 1020AM Pittsburgh; and John Finnerty, Harrisburg Bureau Chief for Community Newspaper Holdings. He writes for the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, Meadville Tribune, New Castle News, Sharon Herald and Sunbury Daily Item newspapers. Our host is Larry Kaspar.

Journalists Roundtable: May 24, 2018

Democrats nationwide are looking to Pennsylvania as a place where several seats in Congress can be picked up in the General Election as they hope to take control of the House in Washington D.C. In the Senate, Republicans hold a 51-49 seat advantage in Washington, but Democrats are defending 26 of 33 seats up for election nationwide.  Turnout in the primaries stood at about 20%. Under current state law, only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote in the Primary Election, so about 1.2 million voters registered as Independents, Libertarians or Greens cannot vote in the spring election.  The state House and Senate were both in session this week, with a Senate committee reporting legislation to create an Independent Redistricting Commission and legislative leaders discussing opening primaries to all voters, meaning any voter could vote for any candidate they want in the primary.  To discuss these topics and other issues are John Micek, Editorial and Opinion Page Editor with the PennLive and the Patriot-News; Katie Meyer, Capitol Bureau Chief with WITF-FM; and John Baer, Columnist with the Philadelphia Daily News. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: May 17, 2018

The Pennsylvania Primary was held on May 15. Democrats and Republicans went to the polls to elect their candidates for the Nov. 6 General Election. In the GOP governor race, Scott Wagner beat Paul Mango and Laura Ellsworth. Incumbent Lt. Gov. Mike Stack placed fourth in his primary, with Braddock Mayor John Fetterman winning handily. On the GOP side, Jeff Bartos won. For Congress, 12 incumbents ran, and there will be seven open seats in the fall. Six Democratic women and one Republican woman will be on the fall ballot.  In the General Assembly, four incumbents lost their primaries. Three Democratic representatives lost their primary: Reps. Dom Costa and Paul Costa in Allegheny County; and March 2017 Special Election winner Emilio Vasquez in Philadelphia. Republican Sen. Randy Vulakovich of Allegheny County lost his primary. To discuss the election and other issues are Angela Couloumbis, State Government Reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer; Marc Levy with the Associated Press and Liz Navratil, State Government Reporter with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: May 10, 2018

Pennsylvania Primary Election Day is May 15. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.. Political ads from the three candidates for the highly contested GOP primary for governor are saturating the airwaves. Five Democrats and four Republicans are running for Lt. Governor. There are 84 candidates running for 18 newly drawn Congressional Districts and seven seats feature no incumbent. One district, the 17th in Beaver and Allegheny counties, has two incumbents. Also on the ballot are 25 state Senate seats and 203 House seats, including three special elections for state House seats. To discuss the election and other issues are Steve Esack, Harrisburg Correspondent for The Allentown Morning Call; Dave Davies, a reporter with WHYY in Philadelphia; and Robb Hanrahan, Anchor of Face the State and CBS 21 News in Harrisburg. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: May 3, 2018

With less than two weeks before the May 15 primary, candidates are participating in their last debates, and political ads are hitting the airwaves. For Congress, 84 candidates are running for 18 seats, seven of which have no incumbent. In Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania House passed a package of regulatory and permit legislation supported by House Republicans who say this will streamline bureaucracy for businesses, and opposed by Democrats who contend rolling back regulations will be bad for the environment, health and safety. To discuss the election and other  issues are Paul Engelkemier, Managing Edicotr with Politics PA; Ryan Briggs, Reporter with City & State PA, based in Philadelphia; and Sam Janesch, Staff Writer for LNP in Lancaster. Our host is Brian Lockman.