Op/Ed: Rendell (and Wolf) shouldn’t escape pension blame
By Kelly Lewis
Kelly Lewis
I have read about 5% of the noise surrounding the upcoming Governor’s race in Pennsylvania. As a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, I’m always amazed at what issues become amplified, minimized, and often buried. Less than 1% of the voters will read this little note, but as a son of teachers, and a friend to many current and retired teachers,...
Poll numbers don’t always tell the whole story
Also: is it time to fire legislators too busy ‘on vacation’ to do their jobs?
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Ah, the sweet smell of late summer. Fruits ripening, corn growing, backyard grills fired up, maybe even a whiff of chlorine from the pool all in the air.
Also floating in the air: polling data, much of which might leave folks scratching their heads a bit.
You may have seen this...
Letter: GOP protests costing tax dollars
To The Editor,
As we move into this election season, it’s interesting to me to see what fear and panic produces as Gov. Tom Corbett, sinks to 20% below his opponent, Tom Wolf in the polls. Could it be that the polls are right? Could it be that the Republican legislators from Chester County, all of whom supported Governor Corbett’s failed policies, are worried about losing as well?
Traditionally,...
Op/Ed: Time to deliver justice
By Susan Rzucidlo, Candidate, State Representative, 158th District
Susan Rzucidlo
I am disappointed that the Republican House leadership in Harrisburg continues to fail to help victims of abuse.
HB 832 and HB 878 as well as SB 1392, all bills focused on helping victims of past abuse find justice; all were left to die in committee. Recently, state Sen. Anthony Williams brought forward SB 46, a bill...
Letter: GOP pension claims ring hollow
To The Editor,
The claim made in the recent OP/ED that Southeast Pennsylvania’s GOP backed Corbett’s pension revamp rings hollow. What the GOP fears is that Corbett is likely to be replaced by Tom Wolfe in the next election and some of them will go down with Corbett.
Frankly, it will serve them right. If the GOP had truly supported revising the pension system for the teachers union...
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: 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...
Walker: a small government is a better one
158th GOP candidate sees low taxes as key to sparking growth
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Cuyler Walker
EAST MARLBOROUGH — When it comes to government, if you ask Republican state house candidate Cuyler Walker, less is more.
“In order to have a strong economy, I think the more limited amount of resources the government takes out of the economy, the better off we are,” said, Walker, running...
Spring brings out the senseless in politics
May brings flowers and Silly Season, Part I
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Ah yes, it’s May. The blooms are on the trees, warm sunshine is here (that is when we don’t get washed away by five inches of rain), the birds are singing and Spring is in the air.
Oh, and the crazy is really ramped up in the political world. From the 158th state house district to Gov. Tom Corbett, the red mist has fully...
Letter: end gifts to legislators
To The Editor:
In Pennsylvania, giving gifts to legislators is big business. Under current law, only gifts valued over $250 or transportation and lodging over $650 must be disclosed however in Pennsylvania any gifts of any value can legally be given to legislators, as long as it can’t be linked directly to a vote. This is an improper law and practice that is counter to the principles on which our...
