Op/Ed.: Keystones should not be a graduation requirement
The one-size-fits-all approach to education is wrong
By Stephen Barrar, State Representative, 160th District
State Rep. Stephen Barrar
This September will mark the first year the Keystone Exams will be used as the deciding factor for whether or not students will graduate from Pennsylvania’s public high schools.
This September will also mark the five-year anniversary of House Resolution 456, the bi-partisan...
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 legislature...
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...
Two difficult issues in Pocopson require patience
The Barn and Denton Hollow need cooler heads to prevail on all sides
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
POCOPSON — Let’s face it, it’s kind of a lousy week to be supervisor here in the township.
Facing not one, but two issues, where pretty much no matter what the Board of Supervisors do, they’re going to make people angry, it makes me kind of glad I have such a lousy record when it comes to...
Op/Ed: All budgets reflect values
By Susan Rzucidlo, Candidate, State Representative, 158th District
Susan Rzucidlo
Budget season in Harrisburg is in full swing. Mark Kennedy Shriver, (Former Maryland Representative and now with Save the Children), once said, “All budgets reflect values.” This is a statement with which I agree. What values does this year’s budget reflect?
As we face a $1.2 billion dollar deficit, Gov. Tom...
Unionville says feds are out to lunch. Good.
It’s high time local government and school boards pushed back on state and federal overreach
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
There’s a little bit of revolution brewing in Unionville. And it’s a good thing.
In case you missed it, the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Board of Education voted last week to withdraw Unionville High School from the National School Lunch Program. While on...
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...
The coming public safety crisis
If we don’t deal with it now, fire, EMS and police issues could cost us dearly
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
You’ve probably heard about the pension crisis, maybe the school funding crisis or any number of other challenges facing the commonwealth in the coming years.
But let me clue you in to one that might just have you up nights thinking about it: the coming public safety crisis.
The...
Primary aftermath: Dinniman comes out the big winner
The state senator was not on the ballots, but he emerged as county’s top Democrat
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
While most primary elections in non-presidential years are kind of ho-hum events, Tuesday’s elections turned out to be more revealing than expected, and at minimum give us some hint of what is to come in November.
Not shockingly, turnout was lousy, especially on the Republican...
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...
