Bird’s-Eye View

In on a Friday, again. So it’s a special Friday edition of “Evening Coffee,” and we’re pointing the mug toward Millersville University.
Members of the public, you won’t get to meet Bill Ayers in person when he comes to MU’s campus on March 19. It’s unlikely you will even see Ayers in person, period. Find out why in tomorrow’s […]

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Stopped by Cross Keys in downtown Lancaster to say hello to the proprietor, Jerry. And let me alert you caffeine-heads to something here I like to call a little slice of heaven. A 16 oz. medium roast coffee made from Indonesian beans and a succulent cinnamon-apple muffin cost less than $3, and you’ll be hard […]

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If I was going to make a difficult sacrifice for Lent, this would be it. I’ve sworn to forsake my beloved lattes for the next 40 days. But, you know, I see this as a good thing because now instead of syrupy goodness I can expand my horizons to the drip coffees.
Time to deal a […]

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The fare for this week’s column is a little light, kinda like a brothy soup with crackers for lunch instead of a sandwich. 
Topics include another look at charging municipalities which use state police for law enforcement; Lancaster County Commissioner Scott Martin’s new job; and a small plug for PCN’s “Journalist Roundtable” this Thursday. If you tune in […]

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Cup of newsroom brew at my side. Could use some Spenda Flavor packets. Ever had the cinnamon? Delish! 
Have the city elections on my mind.
 
We’re going to learn tonight of at least one Republican who’s taking a shot at Lancaster City Council, which if true at least makes for a race. Whether it’s a competitive race is […]

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Biden his time in Harrisburg

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Gov. Ed Rendell threw this into his budget address today, too:
It has also been suggested that we enact an assessment on municipalities who rely on the State Police for their local policing needs. In the last year alone, 18 more municipalities have shifted their tax burden for policing to the state. These are good ideas […]

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HARRISBURG - Some quick thoughts following the budget presentation by state Secretary of the Budget Mary Soderberg:
-Right now, the state revenue is 7.5 percent below projections or $1.1 billion. But the hammer may not have fallen yet. That could come in March and April when corporate and income taxes start rolling in. Business taxes are […]

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Two years ago, the day was about dazzling and ambitious new programs like expanded health care and highway and bridge improvements.
Last year, the day was about creative devices (i.e. taxes) to bring about parts of the ambitious agenda yet unfinished.
Each time, the Democratic Governor Ed Rendell threw out eye-popping spending plans with accessories that could impress […]

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State Rep. Dwight Evans, the Democratic House Appropriations chairman, said there are five tools by which the state can solve its mountainous $2.3 billion deficit problem:

Raising taxes. On the table are hikes in either the personal income tax (3.07 percent) or the state sales tax (6 percent statewide; 7 percent in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties).
Dipping into […]

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