Leland announces run for the 167th

Wendy Graham Leland The 2020 election season is kicking off with the first local announcement of a challenge in a Chester County state legislative district — with a military veteran announcing late Monday night, Veterans Day, that she would seek the 167th State House seat. Describing herself as a “dedicated community leader and combat veteran,” retired Army Col. Wendy Graham Leland...

Feeling a bit bluer than usual after Election Day

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times So, what to take away from Tuesday’s election results? While the county’s Congressional races and even State Representative races weren’t a surprise (regular readers will note I felt pretty strongly that Democrats could win all but three state house districts unless the national wave was immense, which it was not, and they did), you have to think that the...

Op/Ed: Time for legislative candidates to take the ‘No Nonsense’ pledge

By Susan Rzucidlo, Special to The Times Susan Rzucidlo Ethics in politics. It’s not an oxymoron or at least, it shouldn’t be. However, given Pennsylvania’s long and recent history of corruption scandals among members of both parties, well, sometimes I wonder. Will they ever learn? Will we – the voters – ever learn? All too often, it seems like integrity is the exception to the norm in...

Anti-Gerrymandering bill takes hit, but supporters continue fight

By JP Phillips, Staff Writer, The Times State Rep. Eric Roe (R-158) speaks at a forum last month on ending Gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. Gerrymandering—what it is, how it’s done, how it disenfranchises voters, and how to end it—was the subject of two April town halls held jointly by State Representative Eric Roe (R-158) and Fair Districts PA Chair Carol Kuniholm. Because of population...

Killion backs bipartisan severance tax

Sen. Tom Killion speaking Monday in Harrisburg about the severance tax proposal with Governor Tom Wolf and legislators. State Sen. Tom Killion (R-9) yesterday joined Governor Tom Wolf and legislators in calling for a severance tax on natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania. Killion is a co-sponsor of Governor Wolf’s bipartisan severance tax and permit reform plan that is being introduced by Senator...

Roe to hold Town Hall meeting, Jan. 25

State Rep. Eric Roe (R-158) EAST MARLBOROUGH — Eric Roe, first-term Pennsylvania state legislator of District 158  will be holding a town hall meeting on Thursday, January 25th, from 6:30 to 8 PM at the East Marlborough Township building.  It’s located on Route 82 between Route 926 and Doe Run Road (721 Unionville Rd., Kennett Square, PA 19348). Roe will provide a legislative update on current...

Op/Ed: Vote No on Tuesday

By Lisa Longo, Member, the Phoenixville School Board and Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times We urge voters to vote NO on the ballot question on the back of Tuesday’s ballot.  Why? Well, generally tax reform is a good thing, but in this case, it might not be. So when you hear the word “reform,” it’s time to ask questions… and there are quite a few we need to ask. The PA constitution...

Is a ‘cross-fire hurricane’ bearing down on the 6th District?

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times “I was born in a cross-fire hurricane And I howled at the morning driving rain But it’s all right now, in fact, it’s a gas But it’s all right. I’m Jumpin’ Jack Flash It’s a gas, gas, gas” — The Rolling Stones, Jumpin’ Jack Flash. It’s pretty clear that politics over the next 18 or so months will be anything but calm,...

Time for Costello to show just a hint of courage

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Sometime later this afternoon, U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (R-6) will hold a town hall meeting. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he’s holding it in Historic Courtroom 1, limiting it to 100 people, it was announced Thursday and filled up within minutes — and no one can record the video. Some sort of modern-day Stasi will be at the door, demanding “papers,...

Business before pleasure

New bill limits insurance companies ability to take back benefits By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times When trying to decide what to name this month’s column I was stumped for awhile. Yet it seems that we are going to spend a small time talking about the current state of healthcare legislation and then laughing at the lastest fad. The truth is that what I am going to share...