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Stephen Caruso

@stephenjcaruso.bsky.social

2.5K followers 690 following 490 posts

Pennsylvania Capitol Reporter for Spotlight PA | Yankee Fan | Lover of leaks and wannabe internet comedian | scaruso[at]spotlightpa[dot]org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Mar 24

Hi folk. Maybe you realized I've been slow on stories this year. That's because for the past 3 months, I poured over the last 2 years of campaign contributions to the governor & legislative leaders. @spotlightpa.bsky.social has the first of those findings today.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/03...

These powerful interests donated $18M to PA’s top lawmakers

Lobbyists say political donations can lead to access, but PA’s weak transparency laws make it nearly impossible to trace influence.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 9h

Harrisburg boiled over into a mess of acrimonious finger pointing as three months of frustration from fruitless closed door talks burst into public view as the budget impasse hit the 100 days mark Wednesday.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/10...

PA budget impasse hits 100 days as Democrats pass $50.3B plan

PA Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman said Wednesday’s actions took negotiations over the late budget “steps backward.”

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 5d

A State College man who spent four decades in state prison on a murder conviction that was overturned in August was released at noon today, then taken back into custody by federal immigration authorities, according to a corrections dept spokesperson.
www.centredaily.com/news/local/c...

Wrongfully convicted Subu Vedam taken into ICE custody after release from prison

He is detained in the Moshannon Valley Processing Center near Philipsburg, but many questions remain.

www.centredaily.com

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 6d

Four top Pennsylvania House Republicans (including Minority Leader Jesse Topper and campaign arm chair Jamie Barton) are hosting a $30,000 a pop golf retreat at a 5-star South Carolina resort for the RLCC, which helps elect GOP state legislators nationwide.

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 7d

I'm not particularly well sourced within the party (vs. say the Capitol) but my read is it shows an effort to bring the party apparatus and the governor's team closer together.

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 7d

Big news: Larry Hailsham Jr. is taking over as the new executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. While new chair Eugene DePasquale was a consensus pick, Hailsham is a long time top staffer to Gov. Josh Shapiro.

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 8d

Harrisburg can't agree on a state budget. That leaves counties across the commonwealth, which provide the public everything from mental health to foster care, to use up reserves, cut services, or take on debt -- the cost of which taxpayers still bear.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/10...

Taxpayers may pay for ongoing PA budget impasse

With relatively few options, PA counties eye costly loans to cover expenses as the state budget impasse continues, and taxpayers may foot the bill.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 10d

News: At least seven Pennsylvania public officials, including three Shapiro admin members and Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, are in Ireland as part of a trade mission that overlaps with the Pittsburgh Steelers Dublin game this weekend.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/09...

PA lawmakers, Shapiro officials in Ireland amid budget crisis

The trip comes amid PA’s ongoing budget impasse, which is harming counties, schools, and nonprofits.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 16d

News: Along party lines, a Pennsylvania House panel passed four bills placing stricter rules on gun ownership, including extreme risk protection orders, a ban on self-assembled firearms, and expanding background checks to long guns. The proposals advance to the chamber floor.

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 20d

SEPTA and PRT have a two year window of no service cuts or fare hikes. But small agencies across the state that connect rural communities or get seniors to medical appointments are already preparing for austerity. Via @katehuangpu.bsky.social
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/09...

Without state aid, small PA transit systems face service cuts

With recurring state funding off the table, transit systems outside Philly and Pittsburgh are preparing for service cuts, fare hikes, and hiring freezes.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 20d

Immigration advocates called for Gov. Josh Shapiro to restrict ICE's ability to use commonwealth resources, such as databases and state prisons, and to make immigration arrests in state facilities.
whyy.org/articles/pen...

Immigrant advocates want Gov. Josh Shapiro to end state collaboration with ICE

Organizers also urged the governor to support a law that would grant driver’s licenses to all residents.

whyy.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · 20d

Gov. Josh Shapiro took transit off the table last week, saying it would ease the path to a full budget deal. That has not proven to be the case. @spotlightpa.org digs into why:
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/09...

PA budget stalemate continues despite transit deal

Gov. Josh Shapiro says funding SEPTA removed a budget obstacle. The impasse moves toward a 3rd month anyway as PA Democrats and Republicans remain divided.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Aug 7

News: House Democrats have fast tracked yet another transportation funding bill, including accountability measures favored by Senate Republicans, as the deadline to avoid deep cuts to SEPTA and other transit agencies ticks down.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/08...

SEPTA says it will cut service if the Pa. legislature doesn’t act by Aug. 14.

A new PA House bill increases transit funding with provisions to win GOP support as SEPTA sets an Aug. 14 deadline to avoid fare hikes and service cuts.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Aug 4

New: A @spotlightpa.org analysis has revealed 15% of the donors to Gov. Josh Shapiro's $5.4 million inaugural committee, which the admin has refused to divulge. The committee also gave $750k of it to Team PA, which has paid for Shapiro's sports tickets.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/08...

We finally know who paid for Josh Shapiro’s inauguration celebrations (kinda)

Spotlight PA traces unions, lobbyists, and corporations behind 15% of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s $4M inauguration, but most donors remain undisclosed.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 29

News: Pennsylvania's budget secretary warned in letters Tuesday that at least $2.5 billion in funding for school districts, child welfare offices, ambulance services and homeless shelters among others is at risk due to the state's almost month late budget.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/07...

PA budget impasse delays $2.5B in school, county funding

Pennsylvania lawmakers missed the June 30 budget deadline, forcing delayed funding for schools, counties, libraries, and shelters until they strike a deal.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 28

Facing a budget crisis last decade, Pennsylvania's GOP-controlled state government made deep cuts to public mental health services. Those cuts have never been restored, leaving thousands of people without access to key care. Via @dtohl.bsky.social
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/07...

The tragic consequences of PA's failed mental health system

One family's story reveals the human cost of hospital closures, funding cuts, and the resulting failures in Pennsylvania's mental health care system.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 27

Yes, but to the broader point, I don't see a huge implication difference between funding and aid. It was just an attempt to avoid repeating a word.

Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 27

Heard, agreed, I often contemplate how my work contributes to the public understanding all the time. But your response also makes me think you didn't read this article or any other piece I have written on this since 2024. Hence my desire to be cheeky. If you have, apologies! I am a skutch.

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 27

Because i'm in the pocket of big oil

Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 25

Both Gov. Josh Shapiro and Senate Republicans have said they want more road funding as the state considers expanding aid for mass transit. But there are few specifics of how to pay for another expensive item on the budget table.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/07...

Road funding is a little-discussed factor in PA budget delay

Republicans want road money in exchange for more public transit funding, but resources are tight and a PA budget deal remains tricky.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 19

Tom Wolf also tried to eliminate this. The horse racers have good lobbyists
www.google.com/amp/s/whyy.o...

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 19

The latest on Pennsylvania's budget talks: Despite sunny public remarks, Democrats & Republicans remain far apart on spending as universities, school districts, counties and transit agencies all prepare to weather a coming fiscal storm.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/07...

PA budget delay puts education and transit programs at risk

Key Pennsylvania lawmakers say budget talks are progressing, but privately, they are struggling to agree on how much to spend.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jul 4

Inbox: State Sen. Nikil Saval (D., Philly) says Trump's omnibus bill is effectively "a jobs program for fascists" due to it cutting public assistance to increase funding for immigration enforcement. "Hospitals will close, families will go hungry, and people will die."

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jun 25

News: Private citizens would be able to petition their local government, or private property owners, to evict encampments that "appear to have an indication of nuisance" under a bill passed by the Pennsylvania Senate today 34-16. It goes to the state House.

Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jun 24

New: An "ugly" brawl has opened up between top Senate Republicans and skill game producer Pace-O-Matic amid budget talks, threatening one of the only viable proposals for new revenue as lawmakers try to hash out a tough budget deal. www.spotlightpa.org/news/2025/06...

Pa. Senate in ‘ugly’ fight with skill games as budget deadline looms

Powerful skill games operator Pace-O-Matic says the Pa. Senate forced lobbyists to drop them as a client. Senate says they’re being ‘embarrassing.’

www.spotlightpa.org

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Stephen Caruso @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social · Jun 13

Turned away from a clinic, a Lancaster woman bought her 17 year old daughter abortion pills at 20 weeks, outside the medication's range but within the legal timeline. Now they face criminal charges as the DA argues that the mother put her daughter at risk. open.substack.com/pub/jessica/...

A Pennsylvania Mom & Teen Were Arrested Over Abortion

A conversation with Dr. Shelley Sella about the latest post-Dobbs arrest, 'viability', and later abortion care

open.substack.com

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