Our opinion: Budget proposal is a fantasy

February 17, 2026

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget would spend about $53.2 billion. The proposed 2026-27 budget, like his initial proposal for the 2025-26 budget, relies on pulling deeply from reserve funding, set aside in past years by lawmakers to ensure the state was ready for future crises and on revenue from activities for which the legislature is still considerable distance from agreeing on regulatory frameworks — recreational marijuana and skills games. The 2025-26 budget, of course, was ultimately more than four months late to passage. State lawmakers already are echoing many of the ...

Other voices: Real winners in the tariff war

February 13, 2026

For decades, politicians have sold tariffs as a tonic for the working class. In reality, one particular group seems to benefit more than any other from trade wars: Washington influence peddlers. The United States collected some $288.5 billion in tariff revenue last year, up from $98.3 billion in 2024, thanks to a barrage of new levies imposed by the Trump administration. These tariffs, designed by elite lawyers in D.C. and implemented with highly technical and specialized language, presented a unique opportunity for lobbyists to charge large corporations exorbitant rates to seek relief ...

Our opinion: Putting limits on late agenda items

February 12, 2026

State lawmakers are poised to limit what local governments can add to a meeting agenda on the fly. House Bill 2146 recently passed the House of Representatives Local Government Committee and now advances to consideration by the full House of Representatives. The bill is a response to a November state Supreme Court ruling in Coleman v. Parkland School District that the Parkland School District had appropriately used what is known as the majority vote exception when it added a union contract that had been agreed upon by the school district and union to the agenda that night by majority ...

Our opinion: Wrestler proves to be true sport

February 11, 2026

Competition is only part of the reason high school sports are important for students. Sports can teach valuable lessons about leadership, perseverance, the importance of existing as part of a group and sportsmanship. As his freshman year of wrestling comes to an end, it’s safe to say Dru Abbey of Warren Area High School has aced the final part of the high school sports test. During a wrestling match against Harbor Creek on Jan. 28, Abbey competed in the 114-pound weight class against a wrestler with special needs. It was a situation Abbey and his coach discussed briefly before ...

Our opinion: No joke regarding state proposal

February 10, 2026

There won’t be many who disagree with a proposal that would allow Pennsylvania judges to sentence those convicted of serious child rape charges to be castrated. Whether enough Democrats agree will determine whether or not such sentencing is becomes law in Pennsylvania. Rep. Marla Brown is proposing to allow courts to order the chemical or surgical castration of child rapists to permanently prevent these offenders from reengaging in predatory acts against children. Brown’s proposal comes after a 2023 co-sponsorship memorandum from Republican Sen. Wayne Langerholc that would have ...

Our opinion: Energy driven by simple truth

February 9, 2026

Detailed reporting by The Center Square illuminated the challenges confronting the energy sector in meeting Pennsylvania’s needs. The ongoing efforts by PJM to assess future trends in energy demand and consumption are important. We hope the measures the entity — responsible for generating the electric grid’s supply in Pennsylvania and neighboring states — is undertaking will assist management and staff in being fully prepared for delivering service and affordability to Pennsylvania’s families and businesses. Of course, as important as having comprehensive data to weigh the ...