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Battleground: Pennsylvania – An Election Preview from Radio PA (Part 1)

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This is “Battleground: Pennsylvania,” a special 2-hour election preview from Radio PA that examines the candidates and races appearing on the statewide ballot on Tuesday, November 8th.

Hour #1 features interviews with Pennsylvania Attorney General candidates John Rafferty (REP) and Josh Shapiro (DEM), as well as Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Katie McGinty. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey’s campaign rejected numerous requests to take part in the program.

In hour #2, we will be joined by political analyst and pollster Dr. Terry Madonna from F&M College in Lancaster for a top-to-bottom analysis of the statewide ballot. Also, we talk to founding board member Adelaide Kimball from Project Vote Smart to talk about the resources that organization makes available to voters in every state. Learn more about the candidates on your ballot at www.votesmart.org.

Click the audio player below to hear hour #1 of this special two-hour election preview from Radio PA:

This audio/video material is being presented by Radio PA and PAMatters.com for the private use of our web visitors. This copyrighted programming may not be broadcast, reproduced or otherwise exhibited without the written consent of Radio PA.

Battleground: Pennsylvania – The Attorney General Candidates

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These are the complete interviews with Pennsylvania Attorney General Candidates John Rafferty (GOP) and Josh Shapiro (Democrat), from WITF-Harrisburg’s “Smart Talk” radio program with host Scott LaMar.

Portions of these interviews were aired in Radio PA’s special election preview “Battleground: Pennsylvania.”

Click the audio player below to hear the full interviews:

This audio/video material is being presented by Radio PA and PAMatters.com for the private use of our web visitors. This copyrighted programming may not be broadcast, reproduced or otherwise exhibited without the written consent of Radio PA.

Corbett to Unveil Transportation Plan Soon

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As Governor Tom Corbett preps to unveil his transportation funding plan, House Democrats have already introduced a series of related bills.  They reflect the recommendations of the Governor’s Transportation Funding Advisory Committee, which released its report in August 2011.  Some of the funding streams it outlined as ways to help close the $3.5-billion dollar annual gap include: uncapping the oil company franchise tax and indexing vehicle & driver fees to inflation. 

House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) tells Radio PA that Pennsylvanians are willing to invest in their transportation infrastructure.  “They’ll pay a little bit more knowing that it is going to improve roads and bridges and transit – make them safer – and put their families and neighbors to work again.”

Dermody says the governor needs to step up and lead on this issue, and lawmakers will get to work from there. 

One lawmaker that’s been working behind the scenes with the Corbett administration for weeks is State Senator John Rafferty (R-Montgomery), chairman of the Transportation Committee.  “The Senate will be very assertive this year in transportation funding,” Rafferty says, noting that he has legislation that’s almost ready to be introduced. 

Meanwhile, Governor Corbett has publicly said he will introduce a transportation funding plan before his February 5th budget address, meaning some much anticipated news will be made within the next two weeks.