Pennsylvania
Biden calls for higher taxes on the rich on visit to Pennsylvania hometown
US president blasts rival Donald Trump as an out-of-touch elitist on visit to key battleground state.
United States President Joe Biden has renewed calls for higher taxes on the rich and criticised his rival Donald Trump as being out of touch with working-class Americans during a nostalgia-fuelled visit to his hometown.
Kicking off a three-day tour of the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Biden sought to draw a distinction between his working-class roots and Trump’s privileged upbringing and lifestyle at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
“When I look at the economy, I don’t look at it through the eyes of Mar-a-Lago. I look at it through the eyes of Scranton,” Biden said during a visit to a community centre in the city of Scranton.
Biden contrasted his plan for a 25 percent minimum tax rate for billionaires with Trump’s pledge to maintain the corporate tax rate at 21 percent after slashing it from 35 percent.
“A fair tax code is how we invest in the things that make this country strong,” Biden said. “Health care, education, defence and so much more.”
Biden said he had learned the ethic of hard work and a sense of fairness while growing up in Scranton, while Trump learned that “the best way to get rich is to inherit it”.
“If Trump’s stock in Truth Social, his company, drops any lower, he might do better under my tax plan than his,” Biden said, taking aim at the falling value of Trump’s social media platform.
Biden did not reference Trump’s historic hush-money trial in New York, which is keeping the Republican away from campaigning.
During his visit to Scranton, Biden also visited his childhood home and drove down an expressway named in his honour.
The US president will continue to Pittsburgh on Wednesday and Philadelphia on Thursday.
Pennsylvania, which has 19 Electoral College votes, is seen as crucial to Biden’s reelection prospects in November.
Biden won Pennsylvania by about 80,000 votes in 2020, flipping it back to the Democratic column after Trump took the state in 2016.
Trump, who was the first Republican to win Pennsylvania since 1988, prevailed over Hillary Clinton by fewer than 45,000 votes.
Despite the US economy posting strong growth and low unemployment, Biden has struggled to convince voters on his economic record.
Trump is trusted by voters to do a better job than Biden on the economy and jobs by a margin of 39 percent to 33 percent, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed last month.
Pennsylvania
Ice-cold temperatures overnight, Impact Day Sunday
Pennsylvania
$1M winning Mega Millions ticket sold in Pennsylvania
Check your tickets! Someone in Pennsylvania won big in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing.
While the jackpot is still rolling, someone in Pennsylvania matched all five winning numbers drawn Friday night— 2-20-51-56-67, but not the Mega Ball, 19, to win $1 million. The Megaplier was 2X.
Three other Pennsylvania Mega Millions players matched four of five numbers drawn, winning $10,000.
Click here for more information from the Pennsylvania Lottery and to check if your ticket won anything.
The Mega Millions jackpot is estimated to be worth $944 million for the next drawing on Christmas Eve.
The Mega Millions odds are 1 in 302.6 million. Winners can choose an annuity with annual payments over 29 years, but most almost always take the cash option.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Pennsylvania
Gigi Hadid, Bradley Cooper flock to Pennsylvania town turned celebrity haven: expert
New Hope, Pennsylvania, a quaint town of 2,500 people, is becoming a new celebrity haven as it offers a “peaceful and private lifestyle” away from the hustle and bustle of New York City, according to experts.
Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid and their mother, Yolanda Hadid, bought a property in the tiny town in 2017, according to Realtor.
The property, which is called Carousel Farm, was purchased for $3.7 million and consists of a 5,0000 square-foot stone house, a barn that can accommodate 16 horses, and an in-ground pool, according to the outlet.
‘YELLOWSTONE’ FANS FLOCK TO MONTANA TO ‘EXPERIENCE UNTAMED AMERICA’: EXPERT
The listing of the property describes the home as a “gentleman’s estate” where guests can “relax around the pool, go riding on the 32+ acres, or just play your own version of Gatsby.”
In April 2020, Bella and Gigi posed for Vogue’s March issue on their ranch: “Postcard from Home for Vogue,” Gigi captioned her post.
BRADLEY COOPER SAYS HE’S ‘LUCKY’ TO HAVE REMAINED SOBER FOR 19 YEARS
APP USERS CLICK HERE FOR INSTAGRAM POST
Gigi’s ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Zayn Malik, also owns a home in New Hope.
Earlier this year, Malik spoke to British Vogue about the benefits of owning a property in the Pennsylvania town and said it’s a “great place to reflect on your thoughts and think about things without the noise of the world.”
He also noted that his home in New Hope gave him the inspiration for his latest album, “Room Under the Stairs.”
The current man in Gigi’s life, Bradley Cooper, also owns a home in New Hope, just down the street from Carousel Farm, according to the New York Post. The outlet reported that Cooper, who grew up just an hour away in Jenkintown, purchased the home for $6.5 million in December 2023.
Cooper’s newly purchased home was built in 1704 and has undergone extensive renovations, per The Post. The home has seven bedrooms, six bathrooms and is 6,300 square feet.
Tabitha Heit, a licensed relator, told Fox Business, “As a real estate agent licensed in both Pennsylvania and New York, I’ve noticed a significant trend of New Yorkers relocating to Pennsylvania.
“There are several reasons for this shift: the slightly milder climate, more affordable living compared to states like New York and New Jersey, and the overall appeal of the area.”
Heit told Fox Business that since inventory has been “tight” for years, the recent increase in demand has been driving up home prices.
“I would imagine celebrities are drawn to this area as well as it likely offers them a more peaceful and private lifestyle. New Hope, with its artsy vibe, is a standout town, and its location – just across the river from New Jersey – makes it incredibly accessible,” Heit noted.
“I would imagine celebrities are drawn to this area as well as it likely offers them a more peaceful and private lifestyle.”
She added, “Doylestown is another hot spot in Bucks County, offering charm, culture and a vibrant community that continues to attract buyers.”
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Carle Robbins, a broker in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, told Fox Business that New Hope and Doylestown are where celebrities like to dine.
“But the celebs live in the surrounding townships: Solebury, Upper Makefield, Plumstead, Tinicum,” Robbins added.
According to Realtor, the median home price in New Hope is $1.3 million. The outlet also noted that New Hope is in the middle of New York and Philadelphia, which makes it an attractive location for commuters.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
The outlet reported that stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Bieber and Tina Fey have all been seen in New Hope in recent years.
-
Politics1 week ago
Canadian premier threatens to cut off energy imports to US if Trump imposes tariff on country
-
Technology1 week ago
Inside the launch — and future — of ChatGPT
-
Technology1 week ago
OpenAI cofounder Ilya Sutskever says the way AI is built is about to change
-
Politics1 week ago
U.S. Supreme Court will decide if oil industry may sue to block California's zero-emissions goal
-
Technology1 week ago
Meta asks the US government to block OpenAI’s switch to a for-profit
-
Politics1 week ago
Conservative group debuts major ad buy in key senators' states as 'soft appeal' for Hegseth, Gabbard, Patel
-
Business6 days ago
Freddie Freeman's World Series walk-off grand slam baseball sells at auction for $1.56 million
-
Technology6 days ago
Meta’s Instagram boss: who posted something matters more in the AI age