Will Corbett stand up to the legislature on pensions?
How the governor plays this issue could decide the Nov. elections
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
A wise attorney once told me, “never ask a question in court if you don’t know what the answer will be.”
It appears that Gov. Tom Corbett failed to adhere to that maxim when he hinted he would not sign the new $29.1 billion state budget passed by both houses of the legislature — unless the legislature...
Op/Ed.: Keystones not ready to graduate
By Rep. Duane D. Milne, State Representative, 167th Legislative District
State Rep. Duane D. Milne
As the 2013-14 school year ends, and we look forward to 2014-15, I am calling on my fellow citizens to join me in demanding a halt to the implementation of the Keystone Exams as proposed.
In short: the Keystone Exams, if adopted as is, will require Pennsylvania high school students in general to take...
Bad state budget could wipe out Corbett and local legislators
If House plan is the final budget, GOP could face electoral doom in November
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
It looks like Gov. Tom Corbett could be winning his budget battle, but could be losing the war — and maybe a handful of state legislative seats in Chester County. We may have a better sense how bad the mess will be once a state budget is passed, maybe even by Monday.
The House of Representatives...
Op/Ed: All budgets reflect values
By Susan Rzucidlo, Candidate, State Representative, 158th District
Susan Rzucidlo
Budget season in Harrisburg is in full swing. Mark Kennedy Shriver, (Former Maryland Representative and now with Save the Children), once said, “All budgets reflect values.” This is a statement with which I agree. What values does this year’s budget reflect?
As we face a $1.2 billion dollar deficit, Gov. Tom...
Unionville says feds are out to lunch. Good.
It’s high time local government and school boards pushed back on state and federal overreach
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
There’s a little bit of revolution brewing in Unionville. And it’s a good thing.
In case you missed it, the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Board of Education voted last week to withdraw Unionville High School from the National School Lunch Program. While on...
Op/Ed: Time to fix Special Ed. funding
It’s time for a funding system based on actual needs
By Lisa Lightner, Special to The Times
Lisa Lightner, as seen with her special needs son at The White House, recently.
The time is now to reform Pennsylvania’s special education funding
Based on broad, bi-partisan support, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has introduced companion special education funding reform bills: HB 2138 and SB...
The coming public safety crisis
If we don’t deal with it now, fire, EMS and police issues could cost us dearly
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
You’ve probably heard about the pension crisis, maybe the school funding crisis or any number of other challenges facing the commonwealth in the coming years.
But let me clue you in to one that might just have you up nights thinking about it: the coming public safety crisis.
The...
Redevelopment in Coatesville for real this time
Announcements this week signal best opportunity in a generation
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
COATESVILLE — Finally, for once in a city plagued by misfires, the rhetoric and reality appear to be merging.
This week’s announcement that real redevelopment is planned at the corner of First Avenue and Lincoln Highway — 40 to 60 apartments along with retail space — is the first tangible proof...
Primary aftermath: Dinniman comes out the big winner
The state senator was not on the ballots, but he emerged as county’s top Democrat
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
While most primary elections in non-presidential years are kind of ho-hum events, Tuesday’s elections turned out to be more revealing than expected, and at minimum give us some hint of what is to come in November.
Not shockingly, turnout was lousy, especially on the Republican...
Coatesville resident addresses state lawmakers
She calls attention to unmet needs of those raising relatives’ children
Debbie Willett (second from left) is joined in Harrisburg by Karen Brenneman (from left), former director of the Family Outreach Program at Child and Family Focus, Inc., a nonprofit advocacy agency; Rep. Tim Hennessey, who invited Willett to speak; and Deb McKinley, a grandparent from the support group.
Debbie Willett, who...
