State House Sound Bites Podcast
50 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 6 years ago - ★★★★ - 14 ratingsWITF’s Pennsylvania Politics Podcast
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Episodes
Episode 57: Food and water
July 03, 2018 19:45 - 5 MBWith the legislature out of session for (probably) the entire summer, it’s time to turn our attention to some other reporting projects outside the daily grind of Harrisburg. Paula Knudsen of The Caucus and Sam Janesch of L&P and The Caucus have spent the last couple weeks reporting on a ubiquitous, little-discussed feature of Capitol … Continue reading "Episode 57: Food and water"
Episode 56: The art of the “get out of town” budget
June 22, 2018 15:51 - 5 MBIt’s a brave new world for the commonwealth’s budget process—at least compared to the last decade or so. For the first time in many years, lawmakers are poised to pass a budget ahead of the June 30th deadline, and Wolf is likely to sign it after letting the previous three plans pass without a signature. … Continue reading "Episode 56: The art of the “get out of town” budget"
Episode 55: Amendments for all
June 16, 2018 12:31 - 5 MBThis week had everything: major bills moving, last-minute amendments, a little back-room plotting, and a lot of yelling on the Senate floor. A bill to create a citizen’s commission on redistricting has passed the Senate and is now awaiting House action—but it looks very different than it did just a few weeks ago. Now, a … Continue reading "Episode 55: Amendments for all"
Episode 54: Too many redistricting bills, not enough time
June 11, 2018 12:59 - 5 MBIt’s crunch time for the House and Senate to get a redistricting overhaul passed in time for congressional reapportionment in 2021. But you wouldn’t be able to tell there’s a month to the deadline by spending time in the Capitol. No less than seven (at least) bills on the subject are floating around both chambers. … Continue reading "Episode 54: Too many redistricting bills, not enough time"
Episode 53: Election retrospective, medical marijuana transparency
May 19, 2018 01:39 - 5 MBThis week, Pennsylvania had an election. If you’re a person who noticed this happened, you may have also noticed that some of the outcomes were expected, others were not, and various partisans and pundits still seem pretty divided about whether Democrats can expect a proverbial “blue wave” come November. Lots to take in! So, Steve … Continue reading "Episode 53: Election retrospective, medical marijuana transparency"
Episode 52: Primary primer
May 14, 2018 13:02 - 5 MBPennsylvania’s primary elections are this coming Tuesday, and there’s a lot to pay attention to. Three GOP candidates for governor are facing off to see who will take on Tom Wolf in November. York County Senator Scott Wagner, who also owns a trash-hauling company, is seen as an apparent frontrunner after clinching the important state … Continue reading "Episode 52: Primary primer"
Episode 51: Meek Mill and more
April 27, 2018 22:55 - 5 MBMarc Levy of the Associated Press and Liz Navratil of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette join us for a roundup of a whole bunch of initiatives kicking around the Capitol That includes a move to expand background checks for gun purchases, and a hearing on creating an independent citizens’ commission for redistricting. Plus, we’ll recap a recent debate between the … Continue reading "Episode 51: Meek Mill and more"
Episode 50: Philly soda tax / Capitol roundup
April 20, 2018 14:25 - 5 MBWhen Philadelphia wanted to combat obesity and reduce its impact on health care early last year, it turned to a controversial measure: the soda tax. Since then, the 1.5 cent-per-ounce tax has inspired equally passionate support and opposition. Detractors of additional food, beverage and container taxes say they result in job loss, harm communities … Continue reading "Episode 50: Philly soda tax / Capitol roundup"
Episode 49: TV ad-pocalypse
April 14, 2018 12:16 - 5 MBOn this week’s podcast, we catch up on a slew of nasty ads that have been circulating on TV—a sign the GOP gubernatorial primary is heating up. Paul Mango and Scott Wagner are taking turns calling each other liberal and (in Mango’s case) “violent,” a slumlord,” and a “deadbeat dad.” Paula Knudsen and Brad Bumsted … Continue reading "Episode 49: TV ad-pocalypse"
Episode 48: A perfect storm for change
March 30, 2018 19:47 - 5 MBPennsylvania’s not a state that changes course easily. But over the past few months of redistricting chaos, not to mention wider, national unrest over guns and sexual assault, the commonwealth has seemed on the brink of some major shifts. That’s what John Baer is hypothesizing, anyway. The longtime columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and … Continue reading "Episode 48: A perfect storm for change"
Episode 47: Dang property taxes!
March 24, 2018 19:27 - 5 MBThe Morning Call’s Steve Esack recently co-authored a series investigating Pennsylvania’s little-discussed Clean and Green program, which essentially shifts property tax burdens off large landowners and onto regular homeowners—particularly in rural areas. (You should read it). We’ll discuss why the heck this policy exists, and how the billions and billions of dollars it functionally … Continue reading "Episode 47: Dang property taxes!"
Episode 46: Small races writ large
March 16, 2018 23:49 - 5 MBPennsylvania had an election this week. Though it was only a special election to replace a resigned congressman in a single district, it received wall-to-wall national coverage. Like several other small or special contests this year and last, PA18 is seen as a signifier of how well democrats will do in this year’s midterms. Also, … Continue reading "Episode 46: Small races writ large"
Episode 45: Guns, guns, guns
March 05, 2018 17:27 - 5 MBIn the wake of the Florida shooting that killed 17 people, lawmakers around the country have been grappling with how—or if—to reform gun laws. Pennsylvania’s own US Senator Pat Toomey found himself in the thick of the conversation this week as he proposed moderate gun reforms to President Donald Trump, and was then immediately undercut … Continue reading "Episode 45: Guns, guns, guns"
Episode 44: Let’s sue the court
February 23, 2018 18:13 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBIn a little bit of a departure, this show was recorded live as an episode of Smart Talk, WITF’s morning radio show, on Thursday, February 23. We’re cross-posting because it covers all the important redistricting news we would have discussed on the podcast anyway, and who wants to be redundant? WITF’s Scott LaMar, Emily Previti, … Continue reading "Episode 44: Let’s sue the court"
Episode 43: What does ‘fair’ even mean?
February 16, 2018 22:02 - 23 minutes - 5 MBIt’s been almost a month since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declared the commonwealth’s 2011 congressional map an unconstitutional Republican gerrymander and ordered lawmakers to redraw it in time for the 2018 election. And as the February 19 deadline approaches for the justices to select a replacement, the contentious saga might be coming to an end. … Continue reading "Episode 43: What does ‘fair’ even mean?"
Episode 42: Making it up as they go along
February 09, 2018 23:16 - 26 minutes - 22.3 MBBy the time you listen to this podcast, there’s a good chance that things will look a bit different. All week, we’ve been waiting to see what the state legislature will do to respond to the state Supreme Court’s declaration that Pennsylvania’s congressional maps are unconstitutional, and justices’ subsequent order for lawmakers to redraw them … Continue reading "Episode 42: Making it up as they go along"
Episode 41: More fights about redistricting
February 02, 2018 23:58 - 5 MBYes, this is the third podcast in a row that has focused on the fallout from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declaring the state’s congressional maps unconstitutional. And yes, we still have a lot more to say about it. This week saw more volleys back and forth between legislative republicans and the court, and perhaps most … Continue reading "Episode 41: More fights about redistricting"
Episode 40: Unconstitutional maps, uncertain future
January 26, 2018 22:02 - 5 MBToday’s podcast was recorded live as an episode of Smart Talk, WITF’s morning show. That means it’s twice as long, and features listener calls and emails. It features Keystone Crossroads’ Emily Previti and Marc Levy of the Associated Press, who help us break down the biggest issue in Pennsylvania (and one of the biggest issues … Continue reading "Episode 40: Unconstitutional maps, uncertain future"
Episode 39: Redistricting, races, and the return of the legislature
January 19, 2018 23:53 - 5 MBLawmakers have been on vacation from Harrisburg for over a month, but next week they’ll return to start off their 2018 session. Jason Gottesman of the PLS Reporter and City and State PA joins us to run down a list of their top priorities—from overhauling the tax code to shrinking the state House. But before … Continue reading "Episode 39: Redistricting, races, and the return of the legislature"
Episode 38: Farm Show fever
January 12, 2018 20:07 - 5 MBThe Pennsylvania Farm Show is in full swing, and we had planned to do a very Farm Show-centric episode. But as someone probably once said, state politics operates on its own mystical schedule, so lots of other unexpected stuff happened this week as well. Therefore, Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer columnist John Baer and Paula … Continue reading "Episode 38: Farm Show fever"
Episode 37: Frozen pipe(line construction)
January 08, 2018 13:55 - 5 MBThis week, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection made an unexpected decision to halt construction on the Mariner East 2 pipeline, a massive $2.5 billion Sunoco project that’s intended to eventually link the Marcellus Shale gas formation in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania to an export terminal near Philadelphia—a distance of 350 miles. Over the course … Continue reading "Episode 37: Frozen pipe(line construction)"
Episode 36: Happy holidays, time to talk about harassment
December 22, 2017 21:22 - 5 MBOver the last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have published two stories on sexual harassment that have caused some uproar. One reported complaints of chronic sexually-tinged misconduct by Montgomery County Democratic Senator Daylin Leach. And another uncovered a secret quarter-million-dollar settlement on a sexual harassment complaint against longtime Berks … Continue reading "Episode 36: Happy holidays, time to talk about harassment"
Episode 35: Holiday bedlam
December 15, 2017 20:01 - 5 MBThis was the legislature’s last session week of the year, and they made the most of it. Dozens of bills were passed between chambers and onto the governor, including a contentious abortion restriction measure, GOP-backed proposals to change the budgeting process, and funding reauthorization for the state’s CHIP and unemployment compensation programs. There were also … Continue reading "Episode 35: Holiday bedlam"
Episode 34: Why we need to talk more about gerrymandering
December 08, 2017 22:27 - 5 MBOver the last month or so, WITF and other public media stations have been rolling out a series of stories in collaboration with PennLive about the weird ways Pennsylvania draws its electoral maps. Reporting these stories has taken us across the state, from coal mines to cornfields to cities to suburbs to random nursing homes. … Continue reading "Episode 34: Why we need to talk more about gerrymandering"
Episode 33: Political games
December 01, 2017 20:21 - 5 MBThis week’s episode was recorded live for WITF’s morning show, Smart Talk. It’s about twice as long as usual, plus features calls from listeners. With the year winding down, lawmakers are still entrenched in talks on a few major bills. Marc Levy of the Associated Press and the Morning Call’s Steve Esack join us in … Continue reading "Episode 33: Political games"
Episode 32: Health scares, campaigns, gerrymanders and salamanders
November 17, 2017 21:17 - 5 MBAngela Couloumbis of the Philly Inquirer stops by to review a week that may not have seen much significant legislative action, but certainly made up for it in scattershot news items. First up, Tom Ridge (former governor, Vietnam veteran and the country’s first Homeland Security Secretary) had a sudden heart attack this week and, as … Continue reading "Episode 32: Health scares, campaigns, gerrymanders and salamanders"
Episode 31: How to kill a bill (and more)
November 10, 2017 21:47 - 5 MBFor years, Democrats and moderate Republicans in Pennsylvania’s legislature have been trying to pass a severance tax on natural gas drillers. They’ve never been successful, and—particularly in the House—attempted legislation has rarely made it out of committee. Right now, a measure is actually poised to make it to the House floor; it just needs leaders … Continue reading "Episode 31: How to kill a bill (and more)"
Episode 30: Loose ends and looming deadlines
November 03, 2017 18:26 - 5 MBNow that the state budget is basically done, what’s next? PennLive’s Charlie Thompson and the AP’s Marc Levy sit down to discuss the remaining unfinished business in the fiscal picture—namely, the details of expected revenue from borrowing and gaming expansions. We also delve into the ethical questions that are now plaguing reauthorization of Pennsylvania’s CHIP … Continue reading "Episode 30: Loose ends and looming deadlines"
Episode 29: Not with a bang, but a whimper
October 27, 2017 19:44 - 5 MBIt’s probably a little much to reference T.S. Eliot in a podcast title. But dealing as we are with a budget balanced on a borrowing-based plan that none of its makers even like, it does feel appropriate. This week, after four months of trying, the House and Senate successfully got an entire $2.2 billion revenue … Continue reading "Episode 29: Not with a bang, but a whimper"
Episode 28: We all hate it. Let’s vote for it.
October 20, 2017 19:46 - 5 MBThis week, a budget plan based almost entirely on borrowing and internal fund transfers was mostly passed by the House, and Senate leaders indicated they’re going to give it serious consideration. Even the Republican authors of the plan admit, they don’t like it much. So why, then, does everyone seem so resigned to passing it? … Continue reading "Episode 28: We all hate it. Let’s vote for it."
Episode 27: What happens next? It’s anyone’s guess.
October 13, 2017 20:40 - 5 MBState Treasurer Joe Torsella stepped back into the political fray this week when he authorized a short-term loan to get the commonwealth’s general fund through a few lean days. That move comes after he spent about two months refusing to authorize a loan on the grounds that the budget wasn’t balanced. It technically still isn’t, … Continue reading "Episode 27: What happens next? It’s anyone’s guess."
Episode 26: Meltdown
October 06, 2017 17:54 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MBAt the beginning of this week, it seemed as though Pennsylvania’s three-months-late, unbalanced budget was finally heading toward a resolution. But then, one after another, various plans to close the gap sputtered out. By Wednesday afternoon, negotiations had suffered their worst collapse yet. Governor Tom Wolf called a surprise press conference to draw a “line … Continue reading "Episode 26: Meltdown"
Episode 25: What even is a severance tax?
September 29, 2017 19:34 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBPennsylvania has been drilling natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation for about a decade now, and in all that time, a question has come up over and over without ever being resolved: is the commonwealth getting enough money out of it? Democrats, like Governor Tom Wolf, usually say no. They want a new tax … Continue reading "Episode 25: What even is a severance tax?"
Episode 24: Whoever Blinks First
September 22, 2017 20:01 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MBIn the past week, Pennsylvania has delayed a major payment to Medicaid insurers, the commonwealth’s credit has been downgraded by a major rating agency, and the Senate has formally vetoed the House’s conservative budget proposal, effectively resetting negotiations once again. The funding plan that was due on June 30 still appears far from finished. PennLive’s Charlie … Continue reading "Episode 24: Whoever Blinks First"
Episode 23: In which everyone blames everyone else
September 15, 2017 19:28 - 27 minutes - 25 MBThe state House returned to session this week and, after several days of intense budget negotiations, put their cards on the table: a plan—passed narrowly without Democratic support—that relies on monetization of the state’s Tobacco Settlement Fund, internal fund transfers, and very little new revenue. It’s not expected to become law. But it restarts inter-chamber … Continue reading "Episode 23: In which everyone blames everyone else"
Episode 22: It’s on the House
September 08, 2017 21:01 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBThe state budget isn’t done, major bills are coming due, credit rating agencies are breathing down lawmakers’ necks, and it’s time for House Republicans to decide what they’re willing to do to fill a $2.2 billion deficit. The problem is, the caucus itself may not even be unified enough to rally around one plan. This … Continue reading "Episode 22: It’s on the House"
Episode 21: Revenue problem or spending problem?
September 01, 2017 20:44 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBWhen it comes to balancing Pennsylvania’s budget, there’s a phrase you’ll hear over and over from Republicans: “we don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem.” And most Democrats say the opposite, with equal conviction. The one thing everyone agrees on? There’s definitely a problem. As the impasse over the ’17-18 budget creeps … Continue reading "Episode 21: Revenue problem or spending problem?"
Episode 20: Stack’s snacks get attention, but budget stays stalled
August 25, 2017 19:57 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBApart from House members flitting in and out of various low-profile meetings, the state Capitol has been mostly deserted this week, and devoid of official legislative activity. The only exception was Wednesday, when House State Government Committee chairman Daryl Metcalfe convened an “informational meeting” on Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack’s heavy use of government money. Paula … Continue reading "Episode 20: Stack’s snacks get attention, but budget stays stalled"
Episode 19: Social unrest; fiscal distress
August 18, 2017 20:51 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBViolent clashes between white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia dominated this week’s news cycle, and have inspired a wave of intense discussions over the way Americans think about hate. In the first half of this week’s podcast, we’ll discuss the partisan differences that have colored the conversation—both in Pennsylvania, and more broadly. And we’ll … Continue reading "Episode 19: Social unrest; fiscal distress"
Episode 18: We have a water problem
August 11, 2017 20:15 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MBThe Pennsylvania constitution is clear: residents of the commonwealth have a right to clean, safe drinking water. But that doesn’t mean the funding to make sure that happens is always available. Over the last decade, cuts to the Department of Environmental Protection have drastically reduced Pennsylvania’s complement of water quality inspectors. That means the onus … Continue reading "Episode 18: We have a water problem"
Episode 17: Money, power, and not many rules
August 04, 2017 19:34 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBWith the legislature on an indefinite recess and budget negotiations effectively paused, this week we focus on a different—but ever-present—part of state politics: the often-tangled web of money and influence that, to a considerable extent, shapes policy. Veteran reporter Brad Bumsted, who does investigative works for L&P’s The Caucus, talks us through a few stories … Continue reading "Episode 17: Money, power, and not many rules"
Episode 16: A fiscal change of heart
July 28, 2017 20:21 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MBThis week, we left our usual low-fi home in Little Amps coffee shop to record the podcast at WITF’s studio. It first appeared live on-air as an episode of Smart Talk. But never fear—if you miss the sweet sounds of latte machines in the background, they’ll be back next episode. A lot happened over … Continue reading "Episode 16: A fiscal change of heart"
Episode 15: Greetings from an empty Capitol
July 14, 2017 20:58 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBIt has now been several days since an unbalanced budget became law in Pennsylvania, and state government still hasn’t been able to agree on a way to balance it. After a flurry of unsuccessful negotiations that went on night and day and through the weekend, lawmakers have now taken a break from Harrisburg for an … Continue reading "Episode 15: Greetings from an empty Capitol"
Episode 14: Lines in the sand
July 08, 2017 19:17 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBThe state budget was due a week ago, and lawmakers still haven’t come to an agreement on how to pay for it. If they don’t figure something out by midnight on Monday, the unbalanced spending plan becomes law without Governor Tom Wolf’s signature. The House and Senate GOP are driving negotiations. Both caucuses have staked … Continue reading "Episode 14: Lines in the sand"
Episode 13: When is a budget not a real budget?
June 30, 2017 17:11 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBAs of this writing (around noon on Friday, 6/30), the legislature is on track to send a spending plan for the 2017/18 fiscal year to Governor Tom Wolf’s desk by the end of the day, which means they’ll successfully meet their budget deadline. Kind of. The spending plan is a bipartisan compromise—no easy thing for … Continue reading "Episode 13: When is a budget not a real budget?"
Episode 12: Do deadlines even matter?
June 26, 2017 14:42 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBWith five voting days to go until the state budget is due, we still have very few specifics about what it will look like. ABC27’s Dennis Owens and Karen Langley of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette join us to recap what we know so far–and to ask whether lawmakers are even trying to meet the deadline. … Continue reading "Episode 12: Do deadlines even matter?"
Episode 11: The calm before the storm
June 16, 2017 22:57 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBWith two weeks until the budget due date, lawmakers are staying mostly mum about negotiations. So unlike last week—which saw a major pension bill pass to the governor, and an omnibus gaming bill get through the House—the last few days have primarily been full of legislative odds and ends. The Caucus’s Brad Bumsted and PennLive’s … Continue reading "Episode 11: The calm before the storm"
Episode 10: Did we fix the pension system?
June 10, 2017 12:30 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MBPennsylvania’s legislature is kicking off the month of June with a bang. This week, all four caucuses (and governor Tom Wolf) were able agree on something that’s been evading them for years: a new structure for the state’s two biggest pension systems. Some lawmakers are calling the plan historic. Others are saying it’s an ineffective … Continue reading "Episode 10: Did we fix the pension system?"
Episode 9: Goodbye TMI
June 02, 2017 22:37 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBEven if you don’t typically keep up with all the latest nuclear energy news, you’re probably familiar with Three Mile Island. The infamous Dauphin County nuclear plant partially melted down in 1979, in what is still the most severe nuclear accident in US history. So why are we talking about it now? Officials at the … Continue reading "Episode 9: Goodbye TMI"
Episode 8: It’s protest season!
May 26, 2017 14:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBAfter a few quiet weeks, the last three session days brought with them some notable legislative action. The Senate passed a long-awaited bill to expand gambling and provide the commonwealth with needed revenue; the governor signed a measure to bring PA’s IDs into federal compliance; and there are whispers that it might soon be possible … Continue reading "Episode 8: It’s protest season!"