USATODAY: Home prices rose in December for the seventh month in a row, but more foreclosures are expected to pull down prices later this year. Seasonally adjusted home prices in 20 major metro areas rose 0.3% in December compared with November, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Fourteen cities showed higher prices […]
Month: February 2010
NEW ERA
From “Clash of privacy, students’ laptops”: “Now there’s this word from a suburban Philadelphia school district, where officials admit they remotely activated the webcams to find missing laptops and nothing more. But at least one student has his doubt…[Blake] Robbins learned he was photographed when an assistant principal approached him and accused him of engaging […]
City applies for $500,000 financing for South Square project
The $15 million proposed South Square project just received a $500,000 show of support from the City of Lancaster. Counting an additional $200,000 in “home improvement” funds, City financing would account for about 5% of the total project cost, economic development director Randy Patterson said at the February 23 city council meeting…
NEW YORK TIMES
David Brooks’ column “Into the mire” discussing proposals for healthcare points out: “The excise tax is one of those ideas health care economists of all stripes love. Currently, we have a perverse tax system that taxes salaries but not health benefits. This exclusion favors the rich over the middle class… “According to the Congressional Budget […]
US consumer confidence falls sharply
From the Financial Times: Figures on Tuesday showed that consumer confidence in the US fell to the lowest level in 10 months on fears about a slow labour market recovery. The Conference Board’s index of consumer sentiment fell to 46 in February from a revised 56.5 the prior month.
County adopts tighter rules for 2010 urban grants; Emphasis on “bricks and mortar”
If approved by the commissioners, Lancaster County’s $2 million urban enhancement fund will be distributed in 2010 with eligibility criteria stricter than in previous years. At their Tuesday, February 23 work session, the county commissioners voted to approve the new requirements; however, they will not vote to authorize the actual funds until their Wednesday public session…
NEW ERA
An editorial points out: “Pennsylvania is facing a huge shortfall in the way it funds the state’s two largest public pension plans &tstr; the State Employees’ Retirement System and the Public School Employees’ Retirement System. “Other states are in a similar predicament. “Collectively, states are a trillion dollars short when it comes to paying for […]
THE STATE BUDGET AFTERMATH: Nonprofits still feel impasse’s pain
From the Patriot News: … Last year, human-service agencies throughout Pennsylvania went almost four months without state aid during the standoff. From July 1 through Oct. 9, state money for day cares, drug and alcohol treatment services, emergency shelters, food banks and more was held up while Gov. Ed Rendell and state lawmakers fought over […]
Crackdown on aggressive driving is working
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: State Transportation Department officials credited more targeted police patrols — funded by the federal agency — for the significant drop in fatal crashes on state roads in 2009. The 1,256 fatalities recorded represent the lowest number since PennDOT started keeping records in 1928 and a 14 percent decrease from 2008. There […]
What Alexander Haig actually said
It is terrible injustice when mistruths become popular beliefs concerning people of good intentions and meritorious service. For example, Charlie Wilson is misquoted as saying, “What is good for General Motors is good for the USA, and vice versa.” What he actually said was “What is good for the USA is good for General Motors, and […]
Crossings center likely won’t see County funds
Since the County has not been awarded a $91.5 million federal transportation grant, High Real Estate Group is looking for other ways to fund about $48.2 million in Route 30 / Harrisburg Pike improvements needed to accommodate their planned “Crossings at Conestoga Creek” shopping center. At the Monday, February 22 meeting of the Lancaster County transportation coordinating committee, the prospect of County help appeared unlikely…
Fire House relocation to Lancaster Community Park topic of scheduled pubic meeting
According to Lancaster Township manager Bill Laudien, March 31 at 7:00 PM has been chosen for a public meeting at the Maple Grove Community Building to discusst the proposed relocation of the fire house and other services to Lancaster Community Park. Laudien stated further information will be forthcoming as we draw closer to the event.
CC finances far worse than NewsLanc reports
The “reserve fund” does not yet exist. According to the agreement between the LCCCA and Wachovia (now Wells Fargo) drawn up by Stevens & Lee, the reserve fund cannot be created until the official completion of the project, which means all construction contracts must be fulfilled and all outstanding construction bills must be paid.
Two questions about PAM
There are a lot of unanswered questions to the PAM puzzle, including: How did a building that was to have cost $12 million ($6 million in donations and $6 from in state funds) turn into a $32 million building? (See archived New Era story below). Also: When did the purpose of the Academy, as stated […]