Can You Dig It!! (Thurs headlines)

We can sense the excitement over tonight's televised county executive debate teeming all over the gritty streets of Downtown Pittsburgh today. (We're covering it, which is why we're getting a late start today; look for a full story tomorrow.)

On to headlines:

Pat Toomey talks simplifying the tax code at the debt supercommittee meeting. (The Hill)

Toomey also questions tax hikes in Obama's jobs plan, after the director of HUD tours public housing communities in the Hill (Rich Lord) He also addressed it on Fox News.

Coincidence? Last week we heard that Pennsylvania's second biggest city is the second least-diverse large metro area in the whole country, after only another Pa area, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Yesterday the state House held a hearing on a bill making English the state's official language. From Tom Barnes' story:

The bills also could mean decreased state funding for English-as-a-Second-Language programs, used to teach English to foreign-born immigrants and their children. It also could prevent truckers who don't speak English from getting a commercial driving license and driving their heavy rigs down state highways where they can't read the road signs.

"How safe do you feel knowing you are driving your vehicle at 60 mph next to individuals operating vehicles up to 40 tons who have been licensed with minimal standards of English proficiency?" Mr. Perry asked the House State Government Committee on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh's city government and public schools may get a head start on reassessments next year, via an order from Judge Wettick (Len Barcousky)