Letter: Howard is misinformed on horse fund

To the Editor, It is apparent, after reading Mr. Howard’s letter on the Race Horse Development Fund, that he should not be running for Representative.  His research and information could not be further from the truth and lack any comprehension of the importance of the horse breeding industry and its impact on Chester County’s economy and the preservation of open space. First of all, the RHDF...

Letter: Howard misled on race horse development fund

To the Editor: It is a sad reflection on the values of politicians in these times that Roger Howard has chosen to open his campaign for the Republican nomination in the 158th State House District with a negative and deceptive letter to this publication.  I am writing to set the record straight on Mr. Howard’s unfounded and deceitful personal attack on his opponent, Cuyler Walker. In 1961, when...

Letter: Fleecing the public

To The Editor: Last year, the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development Fund (RHDF) was given $264 Million of state revenue. This year it is budgeted to receive $301 Million. Since the passage of the 2004 Gaming Act that established this fund, $1.7 Billion has been given to wealthy horse owners and breeders. Most of this money is not used for racing infrastructure; 80% of it is simply used to increase...

Letter: In support of paycheck protection

To The Editor: Pennsylvania needs Paycheck Protection laws. It’s not fair that public sector unions have special privilege.  It is not the responsibility of government entities to collect union dues.   Furthermore, I do not want my tax dollars being used to collect union dues – and that includes using our/my tax dollars to collect union dues in our school districts.   Should taxpayers...

Letter: Healthcare contributions to Pitts are unethical

To The Editor:  Candidates for public office filed their fundraising reports this week and I was shocked by the report submitted by Congressman Joe Pitts. Mr. Pitts is the Chair of the House Subcommittee on Health. As such, he has oversight and regulatory powers over the health care industry. Yet Mr. Pitts’ filing revealed that he accepted contributions from 29 organizations representing corporations...

State campaign finance Website is a fiasco

‘New and improved’ site less useful that HealthCare.gov By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times And they said HealthCare.gov is bad. Try spending some quality time searching campaign finance reports on the Pennsylvania Department of State. I did this past week, as Tuesday was the always dreaded deadline for the Cycle 1 campaign finance report that has to be filed for state legislative candidates,...

Op/Ed: Help us protect Pennsylvania’s kids from sexual predators

By David Heckler,  Bucks County District Attorney, Tom Hogan, Chester County District Attorney Jack Whelan, Delaware County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, Montgomery County District Attorney Seth Williams, Philadelphia District Attorney  As prosecutors, we confront harrowing and heart-wrenching cases nearly every day.   It is the child sexual abuse cases that are among the toughest and...

Letter: We must work together to protect our community

To The Editor,The current application by Sunoco Pipeline L.P. to exempt itself from local zoning control in its efforts to bring a natural gas pipeline through Chester County should be a serious concern for all Chester County residents. Sunoco’s proposal involves repurposing the current Mariner East Pipeline to deliver Marcellus Shale liquids from Western PA to the Marcus Hook refinery in Delaware...

Op/Ed: More opportunities needed for Pa. higher-ed. students

Proposed REACH scholarship would put school in reach for many By Josh Maxwell, Mayor of Downingtown Josh Maxwell Over the last few years, higher education has become one of the most controversial issues facing our state. When Gov. Tom Corbett unveiled his first budget in 2011, it included roughly $2 billion in cuts to education, including steep cuts to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education...

Democrats step up in legislative races

GOP faces opposition in all but two races in Nov. elections By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Petition season is over, and unless there are some write-in candidates, we know who will appear on the May primary ballots. And, although I took the Democrats to task for seeming to have a shortage of candidates, they’ve managed to challenge all but two legislative races in Chester County. Yes, there shouldn’t...