Final Countdown in Harrisburg

[Yellow Horse]

Final countdown in Harrisburg
Thursday, 30 June 2011 16:58
Written by Laura Olson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


State lawmakers have less than eight hours left to send the remaining pieces of the state budget to the governor’s desk by the deadline this evening.

While they sent Gov. Tom Corbett a state spending plan bill last night, the governor says that measure will sit unsigned until he receives another bill to restrict the ability of school districts to hike property taxes above the rate of inflation.

(more at link -- it's serious shit, may put school districts in a real bind with unfunded mandates)

http://earlyreturns.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/early-returns-20/53-post-gazette-staff/2979-final-countdown-in-harrisburg


PA education is being cut hard, and our schools are going to lose decades of progress. But the politicians in Harrisburg still have their WAMS money and the gas giants remain unscathed. There's no tax on the gas they suck out while polluting our land.

In the meantime, this Pennsylvania forum is dead, pretty much like the Democratic Party in PA. Practically nobody does anything while we are losing elections. A few people post on here and what they post gets an answer or two or three. It's very telling that the most lively post in days or weeks focused on radio programming in one PA market, and whether or not a person who can't afford a late model or cash contributions to charity is fit to have 'standing' to express an opinion on what kind of music they want on listener-supported radio.

Pitiful.

[Yellow Horse]

1. Well, it passed.

It was signed before midnight if anybody cares.

[blue neen]

2. Believe me, we do care.

Just because someone is not posting doesn't mean they don't care. It just means they have some other things going on in their lives (like yet another surgery!). ;)

I understand your frustration. It feels like we are powerless to do anything while our state literally goes to hell in a hand basket.

It's overwhelming. Everyday I see the impact of Marcellus Shale drilling on our environment, roads, and the very culture of our state. It makes my stomach turn--the prospect of the fight we have on our hands is quite scary.

The schools are in a terrible mess, and many people have lost their jobs because of it. Corbett's budget disaster will continue to affect our lives in a very negative way. Sadly, we haven't seen anything yet!

I believe Tom Corbett will have his day of reckoning. Isn't it interesting how he doesn't make many public appearances these days?

Thank you for your post, and thank you for caring about our state. :patriot:

[femmocrat]

3. This forum is hardly "dead".

I just looked at the Ohio forum and it is similar in the number of posters and replies. If you look at the "Views" column, you will see that plenty of people are reading the posts here.

I think we have a loyal and extremely well-informed group in the PA forum. I certainly learn more here than from my local fish-wrapper, the Tribune-Review!

Thanks for your article on the budget. It's summertime... maybe people are off doing other things (which the crooks in Harrisburg are counting on!) Also, everyone seems to be following the budget process in Harrisburg, so maybe they didn't really have anything to add.

:shrug:

:hi:

[unionworks]

4. Disagree

Pennsylvania always has been and will remain vitally important. My hometown of Erie had the honor of having Sarah Palins crosshairs put on it, and big money has been spent to crush the Democratic party here. Tom Ridge and Rick Santorum did not just pop out of thin air, big out of state money propelled their "careers". Reagan bent over backwards to destroy the steelworkers in Pittsburgh for the same reason. They go after the vital Democratic strong points, and a lot of them are right here in Pa.

[femmocrat]

5. Welcome to DU, unionworks!

Nice to meet you. :hi:

[mk2guy7355]

6. +1