Author: SPY

Columbia mayor vetoes stay-the-same tax rate for 2015

“Unless they override my veto or change the tax millage to something I would agree to, they will have no money for the budget,” Lutz said.
Council President Mike Beury expressed surprise when called today for comment.  Lutz had not, apparently, officially informed council of the veto.

State could be ready to rule if Susquehanna is "sick" by this summer

Last week, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, in its every-two-year review of Pennsylvania’s water-quality plans, said it agreed that there is still a lack of data to declare the Susquehanna sick or not.
But that determination may be soon at hand, EPA said.
MORE:

Little Boy Captures Video Evidence of Santa in Columbia

A Christmas wish came true for a little boy named Evan.
The 7-year-old’s family helped him set up a video camera on Christmas Eve, and he managed to capture something magical — Santa personally delivering presents to his home in Columbia, Pennsylvania.

Let there be light – Take 2

Yes, let there be some.
These three street lights on the first block of North Third Street (near Burning Bridge Antiques) have been out for several weeks. This issue was first brought to the attention of council at its December 8 meeting, during citizen comments. At the December 22 Meeting of the Whole, Acting Borough Manager Ron Miller said there had been a “hiccup” as lights were being strung, which had knocked out some street lights.  Are these the ones? This section of the block is very dark at night, with the only light available coming from businesses and passing vehicles.

Keeping an eye on things

Four new security cameras were installed Monday at the Northwest River Trail Services Building at Columbia River Park. Installation was approved November 24 at Columbia Borough Council’s Meeting of the Whole. The total cost for the cameras was $9420, with half coming from a grant and half from the borough. Including an existing camera near the front of the building, the addition of the four new cameras (two outside and two inside) brings the total number of cameras monitoring the building to five. 
 A technician checks an existing camera near the front of the building.

 Installation of this new camera on the south side of the building is almost complete.

A second camera, almost ready, on the north side.
A long view of the camera shown above.

Gap between rich, poor schools doubled in 4 years under Gov. Corbett

Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The gap between what wealthy districts and poor districts spend to educate children has widened dramatically in the four years since GOP Gov. Tom Corbett took office, amid deep budget-balancing cuts in state aid under Republican-controlled Harrisburg and long-delayed pension obligation payments coming due.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/pennsylvania/gap-between-rich-poor-schools-doubled-in-years-under-gov/article_53334702-5bf0-50cf-a772-6e4cd841dfd9.html

And according to spundge.com, he’s one of the villains who approved a gas tax increase:

“The Republican governor did approve a gas-tax increase in November as part of a more than $2.3 billion transportation package. The increase for gas and diesel is charged at the wholesale level, but multiple businesses have said they have to pass the cost along to consumers.
The increase is being phased in over multiple years, and the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, a think tank that says it’s dedicated to rolling back the size of government, calculated that it equals a minimum 27-cent per gallon increase for gas by 2017. The minimum increase would be slightly less than that by 2018.
The minimum increase would be higher for diesel.
The increases could be higher, depending on average wholesale prices calculated by the Department of Revenue.”