Letter: Our legislators need to get back to work:
To The Editor:
On behalf of our membership, the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry (CCCBI) is calling for the General Assembly and Governor Shapiro to avoid a prolonged state budget impasse, which is now entering its fourth week.
Before an impact is felt by the residents and employers of the Commonwealth, legislative leaders and the Governor should meet jointly and collaboratively...
COVID-19 Update, May 29: Shusterman pushes for hair salons to reopen in Yellow Status; Wolf signs budget
By Mike McGann, Editor, the Times @mikemcgannpa
As parts of the state move to Green status and eight more counties move to Yellow — with Chester County just one week from moving into Yellow — a local State Rep. is asking Gov. Tom Wolf to reconsider his limit on hair salons in areas with a Yellow status.
As of right now, only areas in Green status are permitted to have barbers and hair salons...
GOP putting the ‘mean’ in meaningless legislative efforts
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Fall, that time of year when a young man’s fancy turns to…a budget crisis, political dysfunction, a renewed health care mess and, oh, yeah, off-year elections.
So, let’s see, the state still lacks a revenue plan to pay for a spending plan it passed some months ago, so now some bills aren’t being paid. The state House Republicans have come up with a wacky...
Local legislators back bipartisan state budget
Senate, Gov. must OK $31.55 billion state spending plan
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Correction: Adds Rep. Truitt’s vote.
It appears last year’s long, drawn out state budget process may be shorter — based on the bipartisan passage of a new $31.55 billion budget by the state House of Representatives, Tuesday, 132-68.
The budget was supported by seven Chester County State Representatives...
Grab a No. 2 pencil and underline this: the Keystones are unfair
While the legislature fiddles, teachers and students suffer
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
The good news is that the kids got to sleep in a bit on a school day.
And while it’s becoming increasingly clear that our teens don’t get enough sleep — and a movement to delay the start time in Chester County high schools is slowly gaining momentum — that my twins, freshmen at Unionville High...
Scalia’s death puts Toomey in an impossible position
Plus: more juvenile budget behavior and the Kane show that will never end
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
After this past week of watching Pennsylvania politics, I almost wish I was back on the serious pain meds I took after my recent back surgery — because it wasn’t exactly a week that covered the commonwealth with glory and it hurt a bit to watch it all.
From the juvenile tussle over the...
Out with the old, in with the new….state constitution?
Dysfunction, failure points to need to revise 1968 state constitution
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Happy Old Year!
Or, same old, same old.
With precious few days left in 2015, the ongoing battle of the budget for the state of Pennsylvania continues unabated.
There is, to be sure, lots and lots of blame to be shared by all sides, from a state legislature that seems not to know what it wants...
Commissioners OK halt of payments to state due to budget impasse
WEST CHESTER — The Chester County Board of Commissioners said Thursday they would stop sending funds to the state — about $4 million a month on average — collected by county row offices, in light of the ongoing state budget impasse, which has cut state funds to county services.
The three commissioners, chair Terence Farrell, vie Kathi Cozzone and Commissioner Michelle Kitchline issued the...
OP/Ed.: Wrong for state and Rafferty to back drilling on parkland
By Kathi Cozzone, Chester County Commissioner
Kathi Cozzone
On Tuesday afternoon, we saw over twenty committed citizens standing outside my opponent’s office protesting the Senator’s vote to lease state-owned parkland to drilling companies. In addition to being harmful to our forests and parks, this vote was part of a larger problem happening in Harrisburg right now.
The vote to lease state...
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...
