This will provide a direct method by which interested and qualified borough residents can aid in the improvement of the quality of life in Pottstown.

You can find an application for the Citiznes Codes Inspector program here:

Download Citizen Codes Inspector Application

The future of more than 218,000 children hangs in the balance as the largest budget cuts in Head Start’s history are being debated by members of Congress. This week, those same elected officials have left the nation’s capital and returned to Pennsylvania’s 6th district to reconnect with local constituents.

Montgomery County Head Start is organizing a stroll-in at Jim Gerlach’s office to protect the 8,131 Pennsylvania children who will no longer have access to comprehensive Head Start services and the 1,873 Head Start staff who stand to lose their jobs. Head Start families, staff and supporters will gather at Jim Gerlach’s office to inform him of the devastating toll budget cuts will have on communities across Pennsylvania.

WHAT: Head Start Stroll-In

WHERE:

Office of Jim Gerlach

580 Main St. Suite #4
Trappe, PA l9426

WHEN: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 1:45 pm

Dennis C. Reed, of Lawrence County, who was convicted of first-degree murder in February 2008. Reed, 39, shot and killed Wendy Miller in December 2001. Reed is held at the State Correctional Institution at Greene. His execution is scheduled for Tuesday, April 5.

Aquil Bond, of Philadelphia County, who was convicted of first-degree murder in May 2005. Bond, 32, shot and killed Rasheed Grant in December 2002. Bond is a prisoner at the State Correctional Institution at Graterford. His execution is scheduled for Thursday, April 7.

These warrants, signed Feb. 8, are Governor Corbett’s first two execution warrants.

Kelly has been a prosecutor for more than 30 years, serving as both an assistant district attorney in Allegheny County and most recently as senior litigation counsel as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

“I know from my personal experience that throughout her career she has consistently demonstrated good judgment, common sense and has the experience to successfully lead the Attorney General’s office,” Corbett said.

The attorney general is the state’s top law enforcement officer, with civil and criminal court responsibilities as well as consumer protection. The office has about 750 employees with 20 offices across the commonwealth.

“I am excited about the opportunity to continue my service to the people of Pennsylvania in this new and challenging endeavor,’’ Kelly said. “I am honored and humbled by Governor Corbett’s confidence in me and I look forward to working with the men and women of the attorney general’s office.

Kelly’s nomination requires confirmation by the Pennsylvania Senate. Following the tradition of other nominees for attorney general, Kelly has promised not to run when the post comes up for election in 2012.

Kelly, 61, began her career in the mid-1970s as an assistant district attorney in Allegheny County, joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1980.

She was twice named acting U.S. Attorney, first for 15 months through October 1998 and then for five months in 2001.

After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. Attorney’s Office created a national security section within its criminal division. Kelly has served as anti-terrorism coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh and as liaison to other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the district.

In addition, Kelly has handled the prosecution of a variety of other crimes including racketeering, narcotics cases and illegal gambling operations. She has prosecuted and supervised a number of cases based on investigations by the Internal Revenue Service, Postal Inspector and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

As interim U.S. Attorney, Kelly has worked with the Allegheny County and Pittsburgh’s Youth Works job initiative, which recruits employers for at-risk youths.

Kelly is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English, and the Duquesne University School of Law.

She and her husband, Paul, are the parents of a daughter, Kate, who is a third-year student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

If confirmed, Kelly would become Pennsylvania’s first female attorney general since the office became an elected position in 1980.
The last woman to hold the post was Anne X. Alpern from 1959 to 1961.

“Brian Duke has devoted more than a decade of his career to improving the lives of our seniors,” Corbett said. “His knowledge, experience and compassion will be a tremendous benefit to Pennsylvania.”

Duke is currently the director of the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging where he oversees more than 20 programs helping older adults remain as independent as possible, an annual budget of $12 million and a network of neighborhood centers to promote the well-being of older adults. As part of his position, Duke also advocates with local, state and federal legislatures on the formation of policy and legislation.

Before taking his position in Bucks County, Duke was the Executive Director for the New Jersey Foundation for Aging, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for older adults throughout New Jersey. Prior to that, Duke served as a consultant working with the U.S. Administration on Aging and the AARP Foundation in the development of statewide caregiving coalitions in 12 states. He also co-chaired the Caring Community, a coalition of over 100 organizations convened by WHYY, the public broadcaster serving the greater Philadelphia region.

Duke received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Scranton, his Master of Health Administration from George Washington University and his MBE in bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Department of Aging oversees many services and benefits to older Pennsylvanians and advocates for their interests at all levels of government.

Pennsylvania has the third-highest percentage of elderly residents in the nation. There are approximately 2.5 million Pennsylvanians over the age of 60, with more than 302,000 over the age of 85. One in five older Pennsylvanians lives in or near poverty and more than 200,000 are identified as members of a minority group.

“Major General Craig has devoted his career to serving our nation,” Corbett said.“His record of exemplary leadership, along with more than 30 years of military experience, makes him an ideal choice for Adjutant General.”

Craig retired in 2006 from the U.S. Army as Commanding General of the 28th Division, PA National Guard, where he was responsible for 14,000 soldiers in 85 communities in three states and oversaw a combined budget of $635 million.

Craig also oversaw the selection, organization, mobilization and deployment ofmore than 6,000 soldiers of the 28th Infantry Division to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

During his career, Craig spent 11 years in senior-level command assignments: four years as the Commanding Officer of the 1-104 Armored Cavalry Squadron, four years as Commanding Officer of the 56th Brigade and three years as Commanding General of the 28th Infantry Division.

Since his retirement, Craig has served as State Chairman of the PA Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, which is a Department of Defense organization that advocates for both employers and their employees who are members of the Guard and Reserve.

Craig also serves as Chairman of the Board for the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, is a member of the Board of Trustees of the U.S. Army War College Foundation and is an active speaker for Mission Readiness, a group that advocates for quality early childhood education.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has a dual mission: to provide quality service to the state’s veterans and their families, and to oversee and support the members of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

In addition to providing resources and assistance to Pennsylvania’s 1 million veterans and their families, the DMVA also provides quality care for aging and disabled veterans.

The DMVA also prepares the Pennsylvania National Guard for combat, performs worldwide combat and combat support operations, provides global reach and the projection of U.S. military power in support of national objectives; and, at the command of the governor, provides trained personnel to support state and local authorities in times of natural disaster or civil strife.

The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is one of Pennsylvania’s largest employers, with more than 21,000 military and civilian personnel in more than 80 communities statewide.

Craig graduated from Temple University Army ROTC program as a Distinguished Military Graduate in 1968 and graduated from the U.S. Army War College in 1993. Craig and his wife, Marda, have been married for 36 years and have two children.

The owner of a home assessed at $168,580, the county average, will continue to pay $454.32 for the county portion of their real estate taxes next year.

The tax rate for the County portion of residents’ real estate taxes will remain 2.695 mills. A mill is $1 per $1,000 of assessed value.

In fact, the 2011 budget maintains the same tax rate for four years in a row and one that is 5 percent less than homeowners were paying on the county portion of their real estate taxes in 2002.

The Commissioners voted 2-1 to approve the spending plan. Commissioners Chairman Jim Matthews and Vice Chairman Joseph Hoeffel voted in favor. Commissioner Bruce L. Castor, Jr. voted against.

The budget reflects a $3.75 million reduction in expenditures that was accomplished by cutting expenditures in nearly every department.

The budget is funded in part through a $15.5 million fund balance appropriation.  The fund balance is essentially an emergency reserve fund that, through careful monitoring of spending and cost cutting, the County will maintain at $24.5 million in 2011.

The three men were recommended for commutation by 4-0 vote of the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons on Dec. 14. A fifth member was not present.

None of the men was convicted of being the shooter or triggerman in the crimes for which they were sentenced to life imprisonment; they played ancillary roles. In each case, those who played a more significant role received the same or lighter sentences, or ended up serving shorter terms, the Governor noted.

Werts and Smith rejected plea bargains that would have given each a sentence of no more than 10 to 20 years; Fultz rejected a plea bargain with a sentence of 9-1/2 to 23 months.

Werts, 59, was sentenced in 1976 for his role in a 1975 robbery and fatal shooting at a gambling house in Philadelphia. Werts, who was 23 at the time, remained outside in the car while accomplices carried out the crime. They also received life sentences.

Smith, 55, was sentenced in 1975 for serving as a lookout during a 1974 robbery in which a Philadelphia flower shop owner was killed. Smith, age 19 at the time, had no prior criminal record. Smith’s co-defendants also received life terms.

Fultz, 58, was sentenced in 1976 for his role in a 1974 killing in Philadelphia. Two other men performed the killing; Fultz disposed of one of the weapons. Fultz, who was 22 when the crime occurred, had no prior adult criminal record. His codefendants were also sentenced to life in prison.

All three men must now spend one year in a pre-release center before they are eligible for parole consideration. Commutation can be revoked if the men are convicted of future crimes upon a recommendation of the Board of Pardons.

Governor Rendell previously commuted the sentences of two other men, George Orlowski and Michael Anderson, bringing to five the total number of commutations he has granted during his two terms as governor.

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Economists Alan Blinder and Mark Zandi estimate the national unemployment would now be approaching 16% without the economic policy actions of the Federal Reserve, the Bush and Obama administrations, and Congress. The effect in Pennsylvania, factoring in population growth, would be an economy roughly 690,000 jobs short of full employment and a state unemployment rate above 14%.

“Our economy is a product of conscious policy choices,” said Dr. Mark Price, Labor Economist for the Keystone Research Center. “Federal policy stopped the economic free fall. And policy choices at the national and state level will powerfully shape the future health of the economy for middle-class families.”

In the center’s annual State of Working Pennsylvania report, researchers note that the public debate has shifted from boosting the economy to closing the federal deficit. However, the report finds, two deficits of another kind are far more threatening to the economic recovery: a jobs deficit and a deficit in the buying power of the middle class.

“The federal deficit is the wrong enemy,” said Dr. Stephen Herzenberg, Economist and Executive Director of the Keystone Research Center. “Our economy will recover only when we put Americans back to work and pay them a fair wage.”

Federal Policies Avoid Second Great Depression but Challenges Remain

Federal policy actions taken in the wake of the Great Recession have worked by stabilizing an economy that was on the brink after the recession took hold, the report found.

Before passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in early 2009, Pennsylvania was losing nearly 30,000 jobs per month. By contrast this year, job growth has returned to the Pennsylvania economy, which added 64,000 jobs during the first half of 2010.

More recently, Congress’ extension of federal Medicaid assistance to the states and additional school funding to preserve teacher jobs have averted the further loss of as many as 12,000 jobs in Pennsylvania.

Despite the success of ARRA and other measures, Pennsylvania’s economy faces an enormous jobs deficit that requires further policy action. Current projections put the state’s unemployment rate at a high 7.2% in 2014 – a full seven years after the recession started.

In July, Pennsylvania was nearly 300,000 jobs short of full employment and had an unemployment rate of 9.3%.  To close this jobs deficit by July 2015, the Pennsylvania economy would have to produce 7,900 jobs a month – a rate of job growth more than three times larger than the average job growth that occurred during the last economic expansion.

Middle-class families are also struggling with a deficit in buying power, after decades of stagnant wages, the report found. This deficit prompted many working families to borrow against their homes or take on risky loans that helped precipitate the Great Recession. When the housing bubble burst, it took $8 trillion out of the economy, prompting massive job losses.

The wage deficit is a product of decades of stagnant wages for working families. In Pennsylvania, over the past 15 years, productivity grew by 43%, while the inflation-adjusted hourly wages of college- and high school-educated workers barely budged.

Had wage distribution remained as equal as it was in 1979, full-time, year-round workers would be earning between $2,800 and $3,750 more per year today. Two-earner, middle-class families would be making between $5,600 and $7,500 more per year – more than most Pennsylvania families pays in state and local taxes.

A Need to Shift Focus

The jobs and wage deficits pose far more immediate problems for Pennsylvania families than the federal debt and deficit, which has dominated public discourse during this election cycle, the report concludes.

Despite the contributions of ARRA, economic growth has stalled again in recent months and unemployment remains stubbornly high. Cuts in state and local government are reducing economic demand that much further.

“We have reached a moment of truth,” Dr. Price said. “Anything less than stellar employment growth over the next several years will be an unmitigated disaster for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania families. Our policymakers need to make averting this disaster Priority No. 1.”

View the full report at: http://keystoneresearch.org/sites/keystoneresearch.org/files/state-of-working-pa-2010.pdf

The Keystone Research Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that promotes a more prosperous and equitable Pennsylvania economy.

Blox has 65 skilled employees manufacturing the modular units and 11 administrative employees. It has eight projects either underway or contracted to begin over the next three years and projects it will add another 57 employees during that time.

The company is eligible to take an additional $50,000 in loans for every 15 jobs it adds to its Pottstown facility up to a maximum of $250,000 in calendar year 2010.

The Commissioners also gave a $50,000 grant to Brooks Instrument for the company to upgrade its headquarters on West Vine Street in Hatfield.

Brooks Instrument manufacturers high-precision flow meters, pressure meters and other measuring devices. It employs 204 at its Hatfield facility and will move 113 high-skill jobs from Texas over the next two years.

The Montgomery County Commissioners awarded $50,000 grants to these two companies that will create jobs under the County’s Economic Development program.

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