Wolf’s budget proposal is great…and dead on arrival
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
Gov. Tom Wolf introduced his 2021-22 budget, and I have to say it is audacious, ambitious and goes a long way to solve the root problems of much of what has plagued Pennsylvania for more than three decades.
It is also, sadly, deader than Elvis.
That says more about Pennsylvania and Republicans in the General Assembly than it does about Wolf. Not that...
Op/Ed: Inequitable public schooling in a nation of equality
Zack Zahlaway, Special to The Times
Zack Zahlaway
In a nation built on the principle that all people are created equal, how is it acceptable for certain children to receive more school funding based on their location and family’s income than other children? The fact of the matter is that this hypocritical truth plagues public school systems, especially in Pennsylvania.
In a research report done...
The AHCA: the perfect bill…to hate
Deeply flawed health-care bill will raise taxes, unemploy local Congress members
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Having read through the new Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act, the — the American Health Care Act — I’m left with just one thought:
I guess we’re going to find out how Lloyd Smucker, Pat Meehan and Ryan Costello fare in the private sector if this mess somehow...
It’s not just Coatesville: funding crisis coming to your school, too
As poorer districts struggle, they are everyone’s future without state action
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
If you’ve been in and around Coatesville recently, you may have seen picketing teachers — as was the case at the district’s three middle schools Thursday night. The contract between the district and the Coatesville Area Teachers Association expired in late August and there...
Wolf pitches severance tax, education funding in Caln
Proposed act would put 5% tax on natural gas extraction, raise up to $1B
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
Gov. Tom Wolf introduces his proposal for a natural gas severance tax, with much of the proceeds to go to education funding, at Caln Elementary School, Wednesday.
CALN – Gov. Tom Wolf visited Caln Elementary School Wednesday morning to introduce the Pennsylvania Education Reinvestment...
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...
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...
As Philly goes, so goes Chester County?
In this week of HS graduations, why you need to be concerned about Philly’s schools
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Out here in Chester County, we’ve been relatively insulated — we think — from the collapse of the Philadelphia Public Schools. Maybe you’ve seen some of the recent discussion about all extra curricular activities, even sports, being cut from the public schools....
