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A new premium newsletter from Spotlight PA aims to give readers a deeper understanding of the decisions, lobbying efforts, and political dynamics shaping Pennsylvania government.
Called “Access Harrisburg,” the weekly newsletter is written by Capitol reporter Stephen Caruso and focuses on the inner workings of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, state budget negotiations, political spending, and the influence of powerful interest groups.
“This is a new newsletter that Spotlight is doing,” Caruso said during an interview with Radio Catskill. “I’m writing it once a week. It dives into the nitty gritty of Pennsylvania government and politics.”
Caruso said the goal is to move beyond surface-level political headlines and provide readers with in-depth reporting and analysis about how decisions are made in Harrisburg and how those decisions affect residents across the commonwealth.
“I think local government, state government is what matters most. It’s the one that’s closest to you,” Caruso said. “Giving people good information about that has always been Spotlight PA’s priority.”
The newsletter is aimed both at readers whose professional lives revolve around state government and everyday residents who want a better understanding of Pennsylvania politics and policymaking.
Caruso said the project also reflects the realities of sustaining investigative journalism and in-depth statehouse reporting.
“Running around the state government looking through campaign finance reports, looking through lobbying reports, calling sources — all that stuff takes a lot of time and effort,” he said. “This goes to support the good work that we do at Spotlight PA.”
One recent edition of the newsletter focused on the growing influence of Pennsylvania’s skill games industry and its involvement in a Democratic primary race in the state Senate. Caruso described how outside political groups tied to the industry have begun spending money to influence key races.
“It is certainly new, I think, to see the skill game industry playing particularly in a Democratic primary,” Caruso said.
Caruso said many Pennsylvanians underestimate how much influence state government has over their daily lives, from education funding and property taxes to infrastructure, healthcare, gun laws, and public safety.
“The state budget dictates how much funding your local school gets,” he said. “A lot of the bread and butter of what your daily quality of life looks like comes from your state government.”
The newsletter also covers topics including cannabis policy, energy issues, data centers, utility rates, and legislative priorities moving through Harrisburg.
Access Harrisburg is available through Spotlight PA’s website as a paid subscription newsletter with monthly and annual options. According to Spotlight PA, the newsletter is designed to deliver “scoops, expert analysis, and more from Capitol reporter Stephen Caruso.”