BETHLEHEM, Pa. — What's happening in politics this week in the Lehigh Valley?
'Lehigh Valley Political Pulse' aims to answer that question through a local and national lens.
Host Tom Shortell, WLVR and LehighValleyNews.com politics reporter, is joined by Chris Borick, Director of Muhlenberg College's Institute of Public Opinion, to discuss politics at the local, state and national levels. They unpack how politics works — or doesn’t work — and what it all means for you.
Pennsylvania is in an odd place right now with both $9 billion in cash reserves and a structural deficit. Gov. Josh Shapiro will propose a course for the state’s financial future when he delivers his 2025-2026 budget proposal in Harrisburg on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
In this week's conversation, which was taped before Shapiro's budget address, Tom and Chris discuss the areas likely to be included in the state budget, including education funding, school vouchers and a possible bailout for SEPTA.
They also delve into a proposal to legalize marijuana as a way to boost state revenues.
