đ°Mayor Kenneyâs PAC | Morning Newsletter
đ And starter home blues
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
I hope you had a relaxing weekend and enjoyed the perfect summer weather. The rain looks like itâll return today. Expect heavy storms and patchy fog.
Our lead story follows up on Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenneyâs political action committee, Kenney PAC. Launched in 2020, it was pitched to help finance progressive candidates in Pennsylvania. Three years later, we look at where the money went.
Later in the newsletter, we also have updates on the increasing costs of getting a starter home. It can be rough out there if youâre on the hunt. If you or anyone you know needs help to demystify the housing market, I recommend signing up for our real estate newsletter.
â Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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A few months after Kenney coasted to reelection, he launched the political action committee, Kenny PAC.
In June 2020, Kenney said it would âhelp progressive candidates in the forthcoming legislative races in Pennsylvania defeat extremist pro-Trump Republicans.â
But an Inquirer analysis shows that only $60,000 of the $780,000 the political action committee raised in the past three years went to other campaigns. Instead, the bulk of the money went to benefit operatives close to Kenney and to pay for miscellaneous expenses such as events, hotel rooms, and restaurant tabs.
Some important numbers:
About $470,000 went to three consultants or firms that had worked on his previous campaigns, even though Kenney wasnât running for office during that period.
About $30,000 was spent on event expenses for fundraisers.
About $6,000 was for hotels, airfare, and train tickets for the mayorâs travels.
$24,000 was spent at bars and restaurants.
See the complete data breakdown of Kenny PACâs top expenditures.
What you should know today
A Philly church and refuge to the Haitian community turns 30.
A SEPTA trolley and a car crashed in Southwest Philadelphiaâs Kingsessing neighborhood early Sunday morning, injuring four people.
We have an inside look into how medical schools are considering race in admissions after the Supreme Court sharply restricted colleges from considering it.
With Philly Popsâ future up in the air, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center will produce and present its own Christmas show this year.
Sprouts, Raising Caneâs, and Panda Express are coming to Roosevelt Mall as part of a $50 million redevelopment of the Northeast Philly shopping center.
Columnist Stephanie Farr reviewed Otherworld Philadelphia, a 40,000-square-foot interactive art exhibit inside an old Forman Mills store. Donât miss the photo gallery of the futuristic playground.
For $150,000, Realtor Joe Vaccone bought the âDelco Shack,â the vacant building thatâs spent the better part of two decades with a seemingly perpetual âFor Saleâ sign outside, to advertise his real estate company.
Itâs not getting easier to snag your first home.
On top of having fewer starter homes to choose from these days, first-time home buyers also need to make more money to afford whatâs available.
What you need changes based on county:
In Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties, the typical buyer looking for a starter home needed to make at least $13,600 more per year this spring than they did last spring. Thatâs a 20% increase, which amounts to an income of $82,161 to afford the median-priced starter home, which cost $310,000.
In Philadelphia and Delaware County, the typical first-time buyer this spring has to make at least $34,985 â about $3,700 more than last year â to afford a starter home priced at the median of $132,000.
Note: Despite the increase, Philly is still more affordable than other cities, but Philadelphiansâ low incomes are what make the cityâs housing hard to afford.
Continue reading to understand why the costs just keep going up.
đ§ Trivia time đ§
No other state eats dinner earlier than Pennsylvania, according to a new analysis.
What time does the average Pennsylvania household start dinner?
A) 4:30 p.m.
B) 5:18 p.m.
C) 5:37 p.m.
D) 6:46 p.m.
Think you know? Check your answer.
What weâre...
đ Wondering: Which country will win the World Cup now after Sweden eliminated the U.S. womenâs soccer team.
đż Watching: Suits, now that itâs on Netflix.
𧩠Unscramble the anagram đ§©
Hint: Positive Movement đ„
HELLO IMPLY
Email us if you know the answer. Weâll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Duke Doblick, who correctly guessed Sundayâs answer: Susquehanna River.
Photo of the day
That should be enough to get your Monday started. Make the day count and Iâll catch you tomorrow. đđœ