Here are our weekly editorials from the past 5 weeks ...

This editorial will air on AM 1410 WLSH on Wednesday, September 20 and Thursday, September  21

BIZ...REMEMBER THE PAY RAISE SONG

THE PAY RAISE CONTROVERSY IS BACK. LAST WEEK, THE PA. SUPREME COURT THREW GAS ONA FIRE THAT HAS BEEN BURNING SINCE JULY, 2005. THE HIGH COURT REINSTATED PAY RAISES FOR THEMSELVES & JUDGES ACROSS THE STATE. IT ALSO DECLARED THOSE UNVOUCHERED EXPENSES LAWMAKERS' SUBMITTED AS BEING UNCONSTITUTIONAL. BUT, THE HIGH COURT DID NOT MANDATE LAWMAKERS TO PAYBACK THAT MONEY. THESE RULINGS ARE MAJOR BOMBSHELLS LESS THAN 2 MONTHS BEFORE NOVEMBER'S ELECTION. 

IN A 100 PAGE DECISION, PA.'S HIGH COURT RULED LAWMAKERS VIOLATED THE STATE CONSTITUTION WHEN THEY REPEALED RAISES FOR JUDGES LAST NOVEMBER. THE COURT SAYS THE CONSTITUTION PROHIBITS JUDGES' SALARIES FROM BEING CUT DURING THEIR TERM IN OFFICE. THAT RULING COMES AS NO SURPRISE. AS A RESULT, SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICES' SALARIES GO FROM $155,783 TO ABOUT $171,000. COUNTY JUDGES' PAY JUMPS FROM $135,293 TO ABOUT $149,000. 

CHIEF JUSTICE RALPH CAPPY RECLUSED HIMSELF FROM THE CASE. HE'S BEEN ONE OF THE OUTSPOKEN CRYBABIES FOR PAY RAISES. CAPPY SAYS THEY WERE NECESSARY BECAUSE PA. JUDGES ARE UNDERPAID COMPARED TO OTHER STATES & JUDGES ARE LEAVING THE BENCH IN PURSUIT OF BETTER COMPENSATION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THE HARRISBURG-AREA THINKTANK, COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION, SAYS CAPPY IS ALL WET. 

A COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION BRIEF SHOWS PA. SUPREME COURT & APPELLATE COURT JUDGES EXCEED THE NATIONAL PAY AVERAGE BY OVER $25,000 OR 20%. PA. IS  7TH HIGHEST FOR THE COURT OF LAST RESORT, 6TH FOR INTERMEDIATE APPELLATE COURTS, & 8TH FOR TRIAL COURTS. COMPARE OUR SUPREME COURT JUSTICES WITH MONTANA & NORTH DAKOTA...OUR JUDGES WERE GETTING $155,783 WHILE MONTANA HIGH COURT JUDGES GET ONLY $95,493 & NORTH DAKOTA HIGH COURT JUSTICES GET $99,122. OUR SUPREME COURT JUDGES WILL NOW BE CLOSER TO THE LEADER OF THE PACK...CALIFORNIA...AT $182,071. IN ADDITION TO A HEFTY PAY RAISE, PA. JUDGES GET ANNUAL COST OF LIVING PAY HIKES. AT THIS RATE, OUR JUDGES COULD BECOME THE HIGHEST PAID IN THE COUNTRY IN NO TIME. 

WHEN CAPPY WAS ASKED TO SHOW JUDICIAL TURNOVER BY ANY JUDGE WHO LEFT THE BENCH FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN RETIREMENT, DEATH, CHRONIC ALCOHOLISM, OR FEDERAL INDICTMENT, CAPPY'S RESPONSE WAS SEVERAL HAVE GONE ON TO THE FEDERAL COURT.  THEY LEFT THE STATE BENCH TO FURTHER THEIR JUDICIAL CAREERS. 

IN ANOTHER RULING, THE HIGH COURT RULED THOSE UNVOUCHERED EXPENSES MANY LAW-MAKERS TOOK ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. BUT, IT DID NOT ORDER STATE REPS & SENATORS TO PAYBACK THE MONEY. 158 HOUSE & SENATE MEMBERS TOOK AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE PAY RAISE. ABOUT 40 OF THEM HAVE NOT RETURNED THE MONEY INCLUDING LOCAL LEGISLATORS. 

LAST WEEK'S PA. SUPREME COURT RULINGS ARE AN OUTRAGE & SLAP IN THE FACE TO EVERY PA. TAXPAYER WHO MUST FOOT THE BILL FOR THOSE PAY RAISES & UNVOUCHERED EXPENSES.  IF PA. VOTERS WEREN'T UPSET BY LAST SUMMER'S MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT PAY GRAB, THEY SHOULD BE MAD AS HELL NOW. 

A STATEWIDE REVOLT HAS ALREADY DUMPED 1 SUPREME COURT JUDGE & 17 INCUMBENT LEGISLATORS. VOTERS WON'T GET ANOTHER CRACK AT JUDICIAL CANDIDATES TIL NEXT YEAR WHEN 1 SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, 4 SUPERIOR COURT & 3 COMMONWEALTH COURT JUDGES ARE UP FOR RETENTION. WE EXPECT MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE NO ON JUDICIAL RETENTIONS. INCUMBENT STATE REPS & SENATORS ON NOVEMBER'S BALLOT ALONG WITH GOVERNOR ED RENDELL COULD BE SWEATING AGAIN BECAUSE OF LAST SUMMER'S PAY RAISE FIASCO. LYNN SWANN, WHO IS TRAILING RENDELL IN THE POLLS, IS ALREADY USING THE SUPREME COURT RULING TO BOLSTER HIS CAMPAIGN. 

LAWMAKERS WHO TOOK UNVOUCHERED EXPENSES & KEPT THE MONEY OR DONATED MONEY TO CHARITY WILL BE THINKING TWICE ABOUT PAYING THAT MONEY BACK TO THE STATE. EVEN IF THEY'RE FACING TOKEN OPPOSITION THIS NOVEMBER, THE RIGHT THING TO DO WOULD BE TO PAYBACK THE MONEY. YES, EVEN THOUGH LAST SUMMER'S PAY RAISE WAS REPEALED LAST NOVEMBER, BUT REINSTATED LAST WEEK FOR JUDGES, THE POLITICAL BONFIRE STAYS LIT. LAWMAKERS & JUDGES CAN STILL GET BURNED.

BIZ...PAY RAISE SONG

I'M MARK MAREK WITH THIS WEEK'S AM 1410 WLSH EDITORIAL.

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This editorial aired on AM 1410 WLSH on Wednesday, September 13 and Thursday, September  14

YOU CAN TELL AN ELECTION IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. FLY ASH, RIVER DREDGE, & BIOSOLIDS ARE MAKING HEADLINES IN OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPERS. 

LAST WEEK, TAMAQUA BORO COUNCIL RESCINDED A CONTROVERSIAL 3 YEAR OLD RIVER DREDGE DUMPING DEAL WITH LEHIGH COAL & NAVIGATION COMPANY. THE VOTE WAS 4-3. MAHLON KACHELRIES, CATHY MIORELLI, ANN SIMARD, & STEVE TERTEL VOTED IN FAVOR OF BACKING OUT OF THE AGREEMENT. VOTING AGAINST WERE MICAH GURSKY, SONNY TRUDICH,  & JIM KNOWLES. BY RESCINDING THE AGREEMENT, TAMAQUA STANDS TO LOSE MONEY...AN ESTIMATED $700,000. THAT'S BECAUSE PART OF THAT DUMPING DEAL FORCES LC&N TO PAY TAMAQUA A BUCK A TON WHEN IT STARTS TO FILL THE SPRINGDALE PIT WITH RIVER DREDGE. 700,000 TONS OF RIVER DREDGE IS SITTING IN A HOLDING BASIN IN PHILLY LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME. 

THAT 2003 RIVER DREDGE DUMPING AGREEMENT HAS RECEIVED LOTS OF CRITICISM. MANY CLAIM IT HAD TAMAQUA ENDORSING RIVER DREDGE IN THE SPRINGDALE PIT...STUFF MANY ENVIRONMENTALISTS CALL TOXIC. BECAUSE THE 3,600 FOOT LONG & 1,800 FOOT WIDE PIT IS UNLINED, ENVIRONMENTALISTS BELIEVE TOXINS WILL CONTAMINATE LOCAL DRINKING WATER SOURCES. THE "BUCK A TON" FEE TAMAQUA WOULD RECEIVE WAS CALLED "BLOOD MONEY" BY CRITICS. 

ALSO LAST WEEK IN A UNANIMOUS MOVE TAMAQUA COUNCIL TOLD LC&N IT WON'T GO TO BAT FOR THE EMBATTLED COMPANY & SEND A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO DEP. LC&N OFFICIALS HOPED THE BORO WOULD HELP GET ITS DUMPING PERMITS REINSTATED. THEY WERE REVOKED BY DEP EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE STATE AGENCY CLAIMS LC&N WAS BEHIND ON ITS MINE RECLAMATION PROGRAM. COMMENTING ON LC&N'S REQUEST FOR HELP, COUNCIL MEMBERS THOUGHT THE FIRM MUST BE NUTS TO ASK. 

ALTHOUGH 4 COUNCIL MEMBERS BELIEVE ENDING THE '03 DEAL SENDS A STRONG ANTI-DUMPING MESSAGE TO LC&N & STATE OFFICIALS, WE FEEL THEY ACTED IN HASTE. DUMPING THE '03 AGREEMENT WON'T STOP RIVER DREDGE DUMPING IN LOCAL PITS. IF DEP RESTORES LC&N'S PERMITS TOMORROW, THERE IS NOTHING TAMAQUA CAN DO TO STOP IT. AT LEAST WITH THE '03 AGREEMENT, TAMAQUA HAD SOME PROTECTIONS IN COURT...PROTECTIONS AGAINST A FIRM MANY CALL DISREPUTABLE & A POOR CORPORATE NEIGHBOR. TAMAQUA COUNCIL COULD HAVE DIRECTED ITS SOLICITOR TO INVESTIGATE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE '03 DUMPING DEAL & GIVE LEGAL ADVISE AT ITS NEXT MEETING. COUNCIL DID A KNEE-JERK & ACTED IN HASTE INSTEAD...SOMETHING THAT COULD COME BACK TO HAUNT THE TOWN A COUPLE MONTHS OR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. 

AND WHAT ABOUT THE $700,000 IN LOST REVENUE? CALL IT BLOOD MONEY BUT WHERE DO TAMAQUA LEADERS HOPE TO FIND THAT KIND OF MONEY? RAISE PROPERTY TAXES...RAISE WATER, SEWER, & GARBAGE FEES...CREATE NEW TAXES TO FURTHER DISCOURAGE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT? IF DEP SAYS IT'S OK FOR LC&N TO FILL THE PITS WITH RIVER DREDGE, LC&N NO LONGER IS OBLIGATED TO PAY TAMAQUA A BUCK A TON OR COOPERATE WITH TOWN LEADERS. TAMAQUA & SURROUNDING TOWNS END UP BEING THE REAL LOSERS. 

MOST LOCALS OPPOSE RIVER DREDGE DUMPING INTO UNLINED PITS. THAT INCLUDES US. BUT, YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN POWER WHO SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH DREDGE DUMPING...PEOPLE LIKE GOVERNOR ED RENDELL, DEP SECRETARY KATIE MCGINTY, & BIG MONEY PEOPLE WHO STAND TO BENEFIT FROM DREDGE DUMPING IN OUR LOCAL PITS. IT'S A TOUGH BUNCH TO BEAT. AS MUCH AS WE OPPOSE RIVER DREDGE DUMPING & BIOSOLIDS DUMPING, HOW CAN WE FIGHT BIG MONEY, POLITICIANS, & BUREAUCRATS IN POWERFUL PLACES? 

I'M MARK MAREK WITH THIS WEEK'S AM 1410 WLSH EDITORIAL.

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This editorial aired on AM 1410 WLSH on Wednesday, September 6 and Thursday, September  7

2 RUSH TWP. SUPERVISORS WANT TO HIRE A NEW POLICE CHIEF. RUSH  TWP. FOLKS SAY THEY DON'T WANT A NEW CHIEF...THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THE PRESENT CHIEF.  WELCOME TO WHAT IS BEING CALLED THE RUSH TWP. POLITICAL WITCH HUNT. 

BOB ROMANICK HAS BEEN ACTING CHIEF FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS. HE HAS BEEN ON PROBATION FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS. ROMANICK'S PROBATION WAS EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER 60 DAYS IN AUGUST. WE HEARD OF CONDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT FOR 3,6, EVEN 9 MONTHS. WHO WOULD KEEP SOMEONE ON PINS & NEEDLES FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS? THE RUSH TWP. SUPERVISORS WOULD. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, SUPERVISORS STEVE SIMCHAK & MARION LAZUR VOTED TO ADVERTISE FOR A NEW CHIEF & THROW AWAY TAXPAYER MONEY TO HIRE A CONSULTANT. 

ADS APPEARED IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS IN JULY SEEKING POLICE CHIEF CANDIDATES. THE POSITION WAS ADVERTISED AS FULL-TIME, NON CIVIL SERVICE, & EXEMPT FROM THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT. A NEW CHIEF WOULDN'T HAVE MUCH JOB SECURITY. SALARY & WAGES ARE NEGOTIABLE BASED ON EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS. SALARY & WAGES...ISN'T THAT 1 & THE SAME THING? THERE'S NO MENTION OF BENEFITS, PENSION, VACATION TIME, COMP TIME. THE NEW CHIEF MUST BE AVAILABLE TO WORK ALL SHIFTS, ALL DAYS...PERFORM ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES IN ADDITION TO ESSENTIAL POLICE FUNCTIONS & HAVE A MINIMUM OF 5 YEARS POLICE EXPERIENCE. WHAT GOOD COP WOULD RESPOND TO A HELP WANTED AD LIKE THAT? 

SHORTLY AFTER THAT LAUGHABLE AD APPEARED, SIMCHAK & LAZUR VOTED TO HIRE A RETIRED STATE COP TO REVIEW THE CHIEF'S JOB, POLICE DEPARTMENT & MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS. PAUL MENDOFIK IS SUPPOSED TO SPEND 32 HOURS OVERSEEING THE OPERATIONS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 16 HOURS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, PLUS 10 HOURS INTERVIEWING.  58 HOURS OF CONSULTING WORK AT $20 AN HOUR FOR A TOTAL OF $1,160. 

LAST WEEK, MENDOFIK TRIED TO GET IMPUT FROM RUSH RESIDENTS. MENDOFIK GOT AN  EARFUL INSTEAD. MANY WANTED NO PART OF THE SURVEY MENDOFIK DISTRIBUTED. MANY IN ATTENDANCE VOICED THEIR SUPPORT FOR BOB ROMANICK. IT SEEMS MENDOFIK'S ROLE IS BEING VIEWED AS A STOOGE & SCAPEGOAT FOR THE MAJORITY SUPERVISORS. MENDOFIK INDICATES 5 APPLICATIONS FOR THE CHIEF'S JOB WERE RECEIVED. BOB ROMANICK DID NOT APPLY ON THE ADVICE FROM HIS ATTORNEY. 

BOB ROMANICK & RUSH TWP. RESIDENTS WANT ANSWERS FROM SIMCHAK & LAZUR. SO DO WE. ROMANICK HAS BEEN ON THE FORCE SINCE 1997. HE STARTED AS A PART-TIMER & BECAME A SERGEANT IN 2004. LATER IN 04 HE BECAME ACTING CHIEF AFTER ED CARROLL RETIRED DUE TO HEALTH ISSUES. ROMANICK SAYS HE HAS NEVER BEEN WRITTEN UP...NEVER REPRIMANDED. ROMANICK WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE ACTIONS OF THE SIMCHAK & LAZUR ARE BREAKING THE MORALE OF THE WHOLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHAT HAS CHIEF ROMANICK DONE TO WARRANT THE TREATMENT HE IS NOW RECEIVING? 

IT'S TIME FOR SIMCHAK & LAZUR TO STOP GIVING ROMANICK & RUSH TWP. TAXPAYERS EMPTY STATEMENTS & POLITICAL BULLPUCKY. IF ROMANICK HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG, FIRE HIM OR DEMOTE HIM NOW. DON'T KEEP EXTENDING PROBATIONARY PERIODS. BUT, IF SIMCHAK & LAZUR CONTINUE TO USE BOB ROMANICK AS THEIR OWN POLITICAL PIN CUSHION & WASTE TAXPAYER MONEY TO HIRE AN OUT OF AREA SCAPEGOAT, THEN IT'S TIME FOR BOTH TO STEP DOWN. IN FACT, MANY RUSH RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED FOR THEIR RESIGNATIONS & SOME ARE TALKING ABOUT A RECALL VOTE. 

MANY IN RUSH SMELL A LAWSUIT WITH THE BOB ROMANICK CASE. THE OUT OF TOWN CONSULTANT COULD BE DRAGGED INTO THOSE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IF HE RECOMMENDS A POLICE CHIEF CANDIDATE OTHER THAN ROMANICK. WOULDN'T IT BE IRONIC IF PAUL MENDOFIK AFTER 58 HOURS OF RESEARCH & $1,160 RECOMMENDS RUSH HIRES ROMANICK AS ITS FULL-TIME CHIEF. 

THE BOB ROMANICK CONTROVERSY ISN'T THE ONLY ONE FACING THE RUSH SUPERVISORS. SOME RESIDENTS ALLEGE THE SUPERVISORS HAVE VIOLATED THE SUNSHINE ACT & ABUSE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS. MANY WONDER WHY THE TOWNSHIP CAN'T KEEP EMPLOYEES. MANY QUESTION THE COMPENSATION DEAL FOR THE TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR & THE AMOUNT OF PAY SIMCHAK & LAZUR ARE RECEIVING. REMEMBER WHEN THE SUPERVISORS TRIED TO STRONG-ARM THE TAMAQUA SCHOOL BOARD TO AGREE TO CORPORATE WELFARE FOR WALMART. FORTUNATELY, SCHOOL DIRECTORS STUCK TO THEIR GUNS & WALMART WILL COME TO HOMETOWN WITHOUT CORPORATE WELFARE. 

THE POLITICAL WITCH HUNT IN RUSH FORTIFIES OUR ARGUMENT FOR REGIONAL POLICE. 1 OF THE POSITIVES OF THE REGIONAL POLICE CONCEPT IS THE REMOVAL OF POLITICS FROM THE EVERYDAY OPERATION OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS. PERHAPS IT'S TIME FOR RUSH, WALKER, WEST PENN & SCHUYLKILL TWPS. & TAMAQUA TO INVESTIGATE THE MERITS OF REGIONAL POLICE WHILE THERE ARE STILL GOOD OFFICERS LIKE BOB ROMANICK AROUND THAT ARE WILLING TO PROTECT & SERVE AREA RESIDENTS. 

I'M MARK MAREK WITH THIS WEEK'S AM 1410 WLSH EDITORIAL.

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This editorial aired on AM 1410 WLSH on Wednesday, August 30 and Thursday, August  31

THE COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION, A HARRISBURG AREA THINK TANK, IS CONDUCTING A SURVEY OF ALL CANDIDATES FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY & GOVERNOR. INCUMBENTS & CHALLENGERS HAVE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST TO COMPLETE, SIGN, & RETURN THE SURVEY.  HOW MANY RETURNS DO YOU THINK THE COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION WILL GET? 

THE SURVEY CONSISTS OF 24 STATEMENTS ON A RANGE OF ISSUES FACING OUR STATE. CANDIDATES CAN WRITE-IN A 25TH STATEMENT IF THEY WISH. IT'S A SIMPLE SURVEY...ALL CANDIDATES MUST DO IS CHECK OFF IF THEY AGREE, DISAGREE, OR ARE UNDECIDED ON AN ISSUE. THE COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION SAYS THE SURVEY'S PURPOSE IS TO EDUCATE VOTERS ABOUT CANDIDATES' VIEWS & POLICY POSITIONS. SURVEY RESULTS WILL BE POSTED BY MID-SEPTEMBER AT WWW.COMMONWEALTHFOUNDATION.ORG  

ISSUES ADDRESSED INCLUDE: CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS TO STATE SPENDING, OUR TAX BURDEN, PARENTS BEING ABLE TO USE EDUCATION TAX DOLLARS TO SEND THEIR CHILD TO ANY APPROVED PRIVATE OR RELIGIOUSLY-BASED SCHOOL, PUBLICLY-FUNDED PRESCHOOL,  VOTER REFERENDUMS ON ALL SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX INCREASES. THE SURVEY ASKS CANDIDATES HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT ILLEGAL ALIENS HAVING ACCESS TO PUBLICLY-FUNDED SERVICES; SHOULD PA. PROHIBIT LABOR UNIONS TO COMPEL WORKERS TO PAY DUES OR FEES AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT; & PAYING FOR MASS TRANSIT. 

THEY ARE HOT-BUTTON ISSUES LIKE STOPPING TEACHER STRIKES, REPEALING PREVAILING WAGE LAWS FOR TAXPAYER-FUNDED PROJECTS, DEFINING MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN & A WOMAN, GUN LAWS, ABORTION, SHOULD GAS TAXES BE RAISED TO PAY FOR NECESSARY ROAD & BRIDGE REPAIRS & UPGRADES, SHOULD PA. RETURN TO A PART-TIME LEGISLATURE & TERM LIMITS. WE DID NOT SEE ANY STATEMENT ON THE SURVEY ABOUT LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION PACKAGES & PERKS...IT HAS TO BE 1 OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN THE UP-COMING ELECTION. 

LET'S HOPE THE COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION DOES BETTER WITH ITS SURVEY THAN THE FOLKS AT PROJECT VOTE SMART. THEY HAVE A VOTER QUESTIONAIRE & AT LAST REPORT, 19 PA. CANDIDATES INCLUDING LYNN SWANN, BOB CASEY JR. & RICK SANTORUM HAVE DECLINED TO RESPOND. WE'RE TOLD THAT SURVEY IS A LENGTHY ONE COVERING EVERYTHING FROM ABORTION TO TAXES.   

THIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND MARKS THE OFFICIAL START OF THE ELECTION SEASON. WE'LL BE BLASTED EVERYWHERE WE TURN...RADIO, TV, NEWSPAPER, BILLBOARD, ROADSIGNS,  INTERNET, & INTRUSIVE TELEMARKETER CALLS. WHAT YOU SEEN & HEARD UP TO NOW WAS JUST AN APPETIZER.  YOU HAVE A HOT SENATE RACE BETWEEN CASEY & SANTORUM...YOU HAVE THE SWANN-RENDELL GOVERNOR'S RACE...CONGRESSIONAL RACES LOCALLY WILL BE PRETTY DULL, BUT RACES FOR STATE REP WILL MAKE UP FOR THAT. 

IT WOULD BE NICE FOR A VOTER TO CLICK ON THE COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION SITE & VIEW HOW EACH CANDIDATE STANDS ON CERTAIN ISSUES. BUT, WE HAVE THIS FEELING MANY CANDIDATES WILL PASS. IN RECENT YEARS, CANDIDATES BELIEVE THROWING MUD AT EACH OTHER IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN FILLING OUT VOTER SURVEYS. USUALLY, THE GUY OR GAL WITH THE MOST BUCKS WILL WIN THAT FIGHT. YOU'LL HEAR CALLS FOR DEBATES...SOMETHING A MAJORITY OF VOTERS JUST TUNE OUT. VIEWING THE RESULTS OF SURVEYS LIKE THE COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION IS A EASY, QUICK, SIMPLE WAY FOR VOTERS TO GET A PICTURE WHERE THEIR CANDIDATES STAND. 

I'M MARK MAREK WITH THIS WEEK'S AM 1410 WLSH EDITORIAL.

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This editorial aired on AM 1410 WLSH on Wednesday, August 23 and Thursday, August  24

DAYS BEFORE THE START OF ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR PANTHER VALLEY IS LOSING 2 OF ITS 3 SCHOOL PRINCIPALS. THE RESIGNATIONS COME HOURS BEFORE THE PUBLIC RELEASE OF THE LATEST STATEWIDE PSSA TEST RESULTS...RESULTS THAT WERE NOT BELLRINGERS AT PV. THESE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AGAIN HAVE TAXPAYERS ASKING IF THEY'RE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR THEIR TAX BUCKS. 

THE MORNING CALL INDICATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ANTHONY GUERRERO WILL START A HIGHER PAYING JOB IN THE BETHLEHEM SCHOOL DISTRICT. HE HAD BEEN A PRINCIPAL AT PV FOR LESS THAN A YEAR. HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL MARTIN MERSKY RESIGNED CITING PERSONAL REASONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PUBLICLY DISCLOSED. MERSKY IS THE 2ND KEY ADMINISTRATOR TO QUIT FOR PERSONAL REASONS THIS YEAR. TOM CIPRIANO JR. LEFT HIS BUSINESS MANAGER POST UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES LAST WINTER. WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHY. 

CAN GUERRERO & MERSKY'S DEPARTURE BE LINKED TO PV'S LATEST PSSA TEST RESULTS?  YOU BE THE JUDGE. ONLY 14.3% OF PV JUNIORS PERFORMED AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL IN MATH...THE POOREST PERCENTAGE OF ANY CARBON OR SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL. THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE WAS 52%. 64.7% OF PV JUNIORS SCORED BELOW GRADE LEVEL IN MATH...THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IN CARBON & SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. THE STATEWIDE MATH BELOW BASIC AVERAGE WAS 30.4% 

READING SCORES FOR PV JUNIORS WERE A TAD BETTER BUT BELOW STATEWIDE AVERAGES. 50.4% WERE CONSIDERED READING PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED. JUNIORS IN MINERSVILLE & SCHUYLKILL HAVEN POSTED POORER PERCENTAGES. THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE WAS 65.1%. 32.2% OF PV JUNIORS WERE BELOW READING BASIC...THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IN CARBON & SCHUYLKILL. THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE WAS 18.5%. 

STATE EDUCATION OFFICIALS COMMENTING ON THE PSSA RESULTS SAY PA. IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO MEETING REQUIREMENTS OF THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT. THAT CONTROVERSIAL '02 MANDATE SAYS EVERY STUDENT MUST BE 100% PROFICIENT IN MATH & READING BY 2014. EDUCATION BUREAUCRATS POINT OUT THE STATE'S BASIC EDUCATION SUBSIDY INCREASED BY NEARLY $700 MILLION DURING THE ED RENDELL ADMINISTRATION. HARD WORK & GENEROUS STATE FUNDING HAVE PRODUCED THE LATEST STATEWIDE TESTS RESULTS. 

BUT, PANTHER VALLEY PARENTS ASK IF PV IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO MEETING 2014 TARGETS...IT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR COALDALE PARENTS THINKING ABOUT SECEDING FROM PV & HOOKING UP WITH TAMAQUA. LET'S COMPARE TAMAQUA & PV JUNIOR TEST RESULTS. 50.3% OF TAMAQUA JUNIORS WERE MATH PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED AS COMPARED TO PV'S 14.3%.  26.5% OF TAMAQUA JUNIORS WERE BELOW MATH BASIC AS COMPARED TO PV'S 64.7%. 70.7% OF TAMAQUA JUNIORS WERE READING PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED WHILE 17.1% WERE BELOW.  AGAIN, PV'S PERCENTAGES WERE 50.4% & 32.2%. COALDALE RESIDENTS MUST DEMONSTRATE TO EDUCATION OFFICIALS THEIR KIDS COULD GET A BETTER EDUCATION AT TAMAQUA IF THEY WERE TO SECEDE FROM PANTHER VALLEY. THE LATEST PSSA TEST RESULTS COULD GO A  LONG WAY TO SUPPORT COALDALE'S CASE. 

LAST WEEK, PV'S BUDGET COMMITTEE TOSSED AROUND IDEAS HOW TO TRIM THE BUDGET TO APPEASE ANGRY TAXPAYERS. CUTTING THE SCHOOL YEAR FROM 183 DAYS TO 180 DAYS & HAVING 1 OR 2 SATURDAY DETENTIONS A MONTH INSTEAD OF 4 WERE DISCUSSED. AFTER SEEING THE LATEST TESTS SCORES, DO YOU THINK THEY'RE VIABLE OPTIONS? WE STILL SAY REDUCING BLOATED COACHING STAFFS & POSSIBLY ELIMINATING SOME SPORTS ON AN INTER-SCHOLASTIC LEVEL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CUTTING BACK ON EDUCATIONAL AVENUESTHAT WILL FURTHER HAMPER PV TO MEET NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND DICTATES. 

IT SEEMS YOU ONLY HEAR NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT PANTHER VALLEY. YOU HAD THE RIOT AT THE FOOTBALL GAME...THE BB GUN INCIDENTS & FIRING OF 2 TRACK COACHES...KEY SCHOOL PERSONNEL QUITTING. FOLKS ASK IF SCHOOL OFFICIALS DELIBERATELY VIOLATED ACT 72 WHEN SUBMITTING A BOGUS PRELIMINARY BUDGET TO THE STATE TO SIDESTEP A VOTER REFERENDUM MANDATE...YOU HAVE GOVERNOR ED RENDELL SUGGESTING SOMEBODY SUE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. YOU HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS BEING BLASTED FOR SKIPPING IMPORTANT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. WITH ALL THE NEGATIVES & FEW PUBLICIZED POSITIVES, IS IT TIME FOR THE STATE TO TAKE OVER THE PANTHER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT? 

I'M MARK MAREK WITH THIS WEEK'S AM 1410 WLSH EDITORIAL.

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