From the BCCT.
Ordinance could have resulted in lost grants
By DANNY ADLER
STAFF WRITER
It all came down to money and one clause.
Morrisville council voted down a responsible-contractor ordinance after its attorney said a clause in the eight-page proposed law could prevent the borough from receiving some federal money.
The ordinance’s downfall was a provision that would have required all public construction and maintenance contracts worth at least $10,000 be awarded to firms that participate in an apprenticeship program.
The council voted 6-1 against the ordinance Monday night after solicitor James Downey warned the board the borough could lose community development block grants with such a provision. He said he received a letter from the Bucks County Department of Community and Business Development after an article about the proposed ordinance appeared in this newspaper earlier this month. The solicitor said he was told that the Department of Housing and Urban Development determined years ago that another borough’s nearly identical ordinance restricted competition. That borough was then disqualified from receiving the grants.
He also noted that neighboring Falls missed out on some of those funds because it would not waive its ordinance for the block grants. Still, Falls Supervisors Chairman Robert Harvie lauded his borough’s ordinance while talking to Morrisville’s council at the Monday night’s meeting.
“We have had nothing but success with this,” Harvie told Morrisville officials.
Council President Nancy Sherlock and Councilman Dave Rivella wanted the solicitor to tweak the ordinance to make it work. That could happen or the issue could be dropped entirely at next month’s council meeting.
Others, including a handful of audience members who bashed the proposal within the last week, simply disagreed with the requirement.
Rivella, a union worker, cast a “symbolic” vote in favor of the bill. Councilman Edward Albertson, another union man, was absent from the meeting.
The apprenticeship requirement not only limits work to union shops, opponents say, but it would exclude smaller local businesses from bidding on borough work and push up prices. Supporters of the ordinance disagreed, saying it ensures that companies have qualified, welltrained workers and has no impact on project costs.
The rest of the ordinance would require contractors to confirm they hadn’t defaulted on any project or been prohibited from bidding on any federal, state or local government contracts in the last three years. They also would have had to confirm they’re free of “willful violations” of federal or state safety laws; that all employees are U.S. citizens or legal aliens allowed to work in the country; and that they adhere to prevailing wage rates and fringe benefit requirements, among other things.
Councilman Stephen Worob, who said he was a union chairman in New Jersey for several years, said there’re good things about unions. But sometimes, he said, “they go too far. And I think in this case, you’d almost have to be blind not to see the union influence here. It eliminates competition. And if you eliminate competition, you inevitably are going to raise the cost of projects.”
Councilwoman Eileen Dreisbach said she would have considered voting yes if there was no apprenticeship clause, but she didn’t feel that all local contractors should put all their workers through an apprenticeship program.
Councilwoman Kathryn Panzitta didn’t see it the same way. She said apprenticeships create a standard for a qualified worker.
Rivella, who has said that the proposal was not an attempt to promote union work, maintained his support of it.
“I think it’s a good ordinance,” Rivella said. “It has a lot of merit. I would feel even better supporting it if Mr. Downey had the opportunity to tweak it one more time.”
Residents chimed in during public comment, expressing a mixed bag of opinions. Some said the proposal discriminated against contractors and tried to “fix a problem we don’t have.” Others said it ensured that those doing borough work were trained and would prevent flyby-night contractors.
One woman, Morrisville school board member Marlys Mihok, said Sherlock, Rivella and Panzitta should have abstained from voting because the three Democrats were running in the 2007 election when the Morrisville Democratic Club accepted $10,300 in campaign contributions from unions. That was the same year Sherlock introduced the idea in the borough’s ordinance committee.
“There are no coincidences in Morrisville,” she said.
At the end of the meeting, Sherlock said the accusations implied “that these contributions were made by various unions so that the (responsiblecontractor ordinance) would be implemented, which is really further from the truth.”
“Those contributions were made to the party because they believed in the team that was running,” she added.
Sherlock said officials were not approached by union representatives about the ordinance and that some officials became interested in the proposal several years ago when other municipalities were considering a responsible-contractor ordinance.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
We don't want your merger
From the Lebanon Daily News
W.Pa. school board rejects offer of merger study
The Associated Press Updated: 03/17/2009 09:27:22 AM EDT
ROCKWOOD, Pa.—A western Pennsylvania school board has rejected an offer by the state to pay for a feasibility study that would assess consolidation options.
Rockwood school board members turned down the offer at a meeting Monday, indicating opposition to Gov. Ed Rendell's efforts to eliminate about 400 of the state's 501 districts.
Rockwood is about 15 miles south of Somerset. Rockwood is a rural district serving about 900 students.
Board member Mark Lucas says the study could put the district "on the road to lose local control" and give Rendell "the ammunition he needs to force a merger."
Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District has approved the study. Rockwood and Turkeyfoot have discussed in the past consolidating or sharing resources.
W.Pa. school board rejects offer of merger study
The Associated Press Updated: 03/17/2009 09:27:22 AM EDT
ROCKWOOD, Pa.—A western Pennsylvania school board has rejected an offer by the state to pay for a feasibility study that would assess consolidation options.
Rockwood school board members turned down the offer at a meeting Monday, indicating opposition to Gov. Ed Rendell's efforts to eliminate about 400 of the state's 501 districts.
Rockwood is about 15 miles south of Somerset. Rockwood is a rural district serving about 900 students.
Board member Mark Lucas says the study could put the district "on the road to lose local control" and give Rendell "the ammunition he needs to force a merger."
Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District has approved the study. Rockwood and Turkeyfoot have discussed in the past consolidating or sharing resources.
Show us the money first
From the BCCT.
Pa. lawmakers: Stimulus money must go through us
House GOP leaders want the governor to send a new budget proposal to the Legislature, saying the one unveiled in February is deficient because it was written before Congress passed the stimulus bill.
By MARC LEVY, ASSOCIATED PRESS
HARRISBURG — Republican legislative leaders are urging Gov. Ed Rendell to allow input from legislators on how to spend Pennsylvania’s share of federal economic stimulus money or risk missing a midsummer spending plan deadline.
“It will facilitate our joint goal of starting successful budget deliberations earlier than in the past,” Sens. Joseph Scarnati, Dominic Pileggi and Jake Corman — the top three Republican Senate leaders — wrote in a letter delivered to the Democratic governor Monday.
House GOP leaders said Rendell should send a new budget proposal to the Legislature, saying the $29 billion state budget he unveiled in February is deficient because it was written before Congress passed the stimulus bill.
“It is the responsibility of the General Assembly to appropriate these federal stimulus funds, thus we are anxious to hear your proposals and your goals as they relate to the utilization of this federal aid,” Reps. Sam Smith and Mario Civera wrote in a letter to Rendell released Monday.
Pennsylvania’s new fiscal year begins July 1, the deadline for Rendell and the Legislature to settle on a spending plan for the next 12 months.
The uniqueness and breadth of the federal stimulus package have frustrated administration and legislative officials trying to understand how to handle it. Among the difficulties have been figuring out how much money is coming to Pennsylvania, what strings are attached and how the money is supposed to be distributed.
The administration currently projects that Pennsylvania will get $18 billion — up from its earlier estimate of $16 billion — including $8 billion in tax breaks and other direct benefits for state residents.
Rendell has said little about the Legislature’s role in approval of the billions of dollars that Pennsylvania state and local governments are expected to receive from the stimulus package.
Earlier this month, Rendell did not dispute that he must seek legislative approval to use much of the money. But he sounded no note of urgency, and warned that the federal government has dictated the terms of how the money must be spent, and left even his administration with little decision-making power.
“Probably in July we’re going to have to get appropriation authority for a lot of this money and, again, the Legislature can work with us to help us with the decisions that are made,” Rendell said.
But much of the money simply passes through the state on its way to school districts, housing authorities and other local governments.
For instance, public school boards will decide how to spend the majority of nearly $2.6 billion in education money coming to Pennsylvania, according to the administration.
“We’re working hard with them, we’re giving them advice, but they can thumb their nose at us and use it for anything they want,” Rendell said. “So once I share that information with the Legislature, I think they’ll have a better understanding of where we are.”
Even before July arrives, the Rendell administration plans to spend at least a portion of the money for highways, bridges and water and sewer systems.
Still, lawmakers insisted Tuesday that there is space to negotiate.
Pa. lawmakers: Stimulus money must go through us
House GOP leaders want the governor to send a new budget proposal to the Legislature, saying the one unveiled in February is deficient because it was written before Congress passed the stimulus bill.
By MARC LEVY, ASSOCIATED PRESS
HARRISBURG — Republican legislative leaders are urging Gov. Ed Rendell to allow input from legislators on how to spend Pennsylvania’s share of federal economic stimulus money or risk missing a midsummer spending plan deadline.
“It will facilitate our joint goal of starting successful budget deliberations earlier than in the past,” Sens. Joseph Scarnati, Dominic Pileggi and Jake Corman — the top three Republican Senate leaders — wrote in a letter delivered to the Democratic governor Monday.
House GOP leaders said Rendell should send a new budget proposal to the Legislature, saying the $29 billion state budget he unveiled in February is deficient because it was written before Congress passed the stimulus bill.
“It is the responsibility of the General Assembly to appropriate these federal stimulus funds, thus we are anxious to hear your proposals and your goals as they relate to the utilization of this federal aid,” Reps. Sam Smith and Mario Civera wrote in a letter to Rendell released Monday.
Pennsylvania’s new fiscal year begins July 1, the deadline for Rendell and the Legislature to settle on a spending plan for the next 12 months.
The uniqueness and breadth of the federal stimulus package have frustrated administration and legislative officials trying to understand how to handle it. Among the difficulties have been figuring out how much money is coming to Pennsylvania, what strings are attached and how the money is supposed to be distributed.
The administration currently projects that Pennsylvania will get $18 billion — up from its earlier estimate of $16 billion — including $8 billion in tax breaks and other direct benefits for state residents.
Rendell has said little about the Legislature’s role in approval of the billions of dollars that Pennsylvania state and local governments are expected to receive from the stimulus package.
Earlier this month, Rendell did not dispute that he must seek legislative approval to use much of the money. But he sounded no note of urgency, and warned that the federal government has dictated the terms of how the money must be spent, and left even his administration with little decision-making power.
“Probably in July we’re going to have to get appropriation authority for a lot of this money and, again, the Legislature can work with us to help us with the decisions that are made,” Rendell said.
But much of the money simply passes through the state on its way to school districts, housing authorities and other local governments.
For instance, public school boards will decide how to spend the majority of nearly $2.6 billion in education money coming to Pennsylvania, according to the administration.
“We’re working hard with them, we’re giving them advice, but they can thumb their nose at us and use it for anything they want,” Rendell said. “So once I share that information with the Legislature, I think they’ll have a better understanding of where we are.”
Even before July arrives, the Rendell administration plans to spend at least a portion of the money for highways, bridges and water and sewer systems.
Still, lawmakers insisted Tuesday that there is space to negotiate.
Board Agenda and Committee Meetings tonight
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Education Committee
All Committee meetings will be held in the G Hall Conference Room of the Morrisville Middle/Sr. High School.
Site: HS G Hall Conference Room, 6:30PM
Human Resource Committee
All Committee meetings will be held in the G Hall Conference Room of the Morrisville Middle/Sr. High School.
Site: HS G Hall Conference Room, 7:00PM
Board Agenda Meeting
The monthly Board Agenda Meeting will be held at 7:30PM in the LGI Room of the Morrisville Middle Senior High School, 550 W. Palmer Street, Morrisville, PA.
Site: HS G Hall Conference Room, 7:30PM
Education Committee
All Committee meetings will be held in the G Hall Conference Room of the Morrisville Middle/Sr. High School.
Site: HS G Hall Conference Room, 6:30PM
Human Resource Committee
All Committee meetings will be held in the G Hall Conference Room of the Morrisville Middle/Sr. High School.
Site: HS G Hall Conference Room, 7:00PM
Board Agenda Meeting
The monthly Board Agenda Meeting will be held at 7:30PM in the LGI Room of the Morrisville Middle Senior High School, 550 W. Palmer Street, Morrisville, PA.
Site: HS G Hall Conference Room, 7:30PM
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