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Scranton, City of Scranton

Cities, Chambers Join Forces to Address Financial Woes

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A new group is calling on state lawmakers to provide mandate relief for Pennsylvania’s cities and towns.  It’s called the Coalition for Sustainable Communities, and it’s comprised of a variety of business and municipal groups from across the state. 

Chambers of commerce and local government groups had been working independently to strengthen Pennsylvania’s communities, but Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce President Ellen Horan says they realized they had some common goals.  “The areas where we saw our agendas conform were in seeking relief from state mandates on local governments, specifically on the areas of binding arbitration and pension.” 

Pennsylvania League of Cities & Municipalities Executive Director Jack Garner believes the new partnership speaks volumes to the General Assembly and public.  “Over 2,500 municipalities are continuing to function in an outdated, inflexible and uncompetitive set of local laws, which haven’t been changed since – in some cases – 1930,” Garner explains. 

The group’s third priority is reforming Pennsylvania’s Act 47 program for distressed cities, an issue that’s already been the subject of great debate under the capitol dome.

Garner hopes to see three or four bills materialize from the coalition’s efforts.  Horan tells us vibrant communities are key to Pennsylvanians’ quality of life.  “It directly has an impact on businesses ability to attract and retain talent,” she says.

Lawmaker: One Ridiculous Bill Deserves Another

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The Women’s Right to Know Act would require Pennsylvania women seeking abortions to receive an ultrasound within 24-hours of the scheduled procedure.  It’s sparked a new health care debate at the state capitol.  Supporters say women deserve to be informed; critics call it a legislative overreach. 

Philadelphia Democrat Larry Farnese has added a new twist to conversation by introducing a bill he calls similarly invasive and unnecessary.  Senator Farnese’s bill deals with men seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction.  “Men who seek to have this medication will have to watch a video enumerating the side effects of ED medication, they’ll have to undergo a cardiac stress test, we’ll have to make them undergo a prostate exam,” Farnese says.  

Farnese says his point is that Republicans’ attack on women’s health care has to stop.  “Whether it’s ultrasounds or erectile dysfunction medication, I think that we should stay out of people’s lives.” 

Democrats seized on governor Tom Corbett’s comments about the ultrasound bill last week.  Here’s the entire exchange with WGAL-TV reporter Matt Belanger during the governor’s media availability:ultrasound

While Corbett’s ‘close your eyes’ reference received national media attention, we asked Sen. Farnese about the last portion of those comments.   Would it make any difference to him if provisions in the bill ensured a more traditional external ultrasound as opposed to a transvaginal procedure? 

“It’s absolutely positively unnecessary, at least in my opinion, whether it’s internal or external,” Farnese replied. 

House leaders tabled the ultrasound legislation (HB 1077) earlier this month, prior to both Corbett’s comments and Farnese’s bill.

Romney Wins Illinois, Rick Santorum Fights On

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    Rick Santorum was in Gettysburg last night to watch returns from the Illinois primary. While Mitt Romney would take the contest, Santorum spoke to supporters, once again claiming that he is the only viable candidate to run against President Obama in the fall.

    Romney’s win Tuesday dampens some of the momentum Santorum enjoyed after last week’s victories in Mississippi and Alabama, but the scene shifts back to the south this weekend as Louisiana holds its primary on Saturday. Santorum has shown a lead in that state in recent polls.

    Following Louisiana, there will be a 10-day break before voters in Maryland, Wisconsin and D.C. go to the polls on April 3rd. Pennsylvania votes on April 24th.

Spring is Here, Allergy Season Too

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Six Pennsylvania cities made the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s list of the 100 worst places to live with spring allergies. 

The good news is that you’ll have to look a little further down the list to find the Pennsylvania locales; the bad news is that it’s going to be a difficult spring for allergy sufferers, no matter where they live. 

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Vice President Mike Tringale says the extremely mild winter has given way to an allergy season that started earlier.  “An earlier season means the trees bloom and pollinate earlier, they bloom and pollinate longer, and they bloom and pollinate with greater ferocity.” 

Tringale says the best way to be prepared is to get properly diagnosed, talk to your doctor about over-the-count medications and consider nasal rinsing to clear out those sinuses. 

The spring allergy rankings were based on cities’ pollen scores, per capita use of allergy medicines and density of board certified allergists.  Philadelphia is the first Pennsylvania city to appear on the 2012 list, in the 30th position.  It’s followed by Pittsburgh (33), Allentown (41), Scranton (44), Harrisburg (61) and Lancaster (75).

Apartments, Apartment Building

Report Examines Affordable Housing Gap

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Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom apartment in Pennsylvania comes to $835/month.  That means 2.2-minumum wage earners would have to work 40-hours/week in order to afford the average unit, according to the 2012 “Out of Reach” report. 

Pennsylvania’s minimum wage is $7.25/hour. 

The National Low Income Housing Coalition and Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania released the report, which concludes a Pennsylvania household must earn more than $16/hour to afford the average apartment (without spending more than 30% of income on housing). 

“It means that having a decent place to live – that people can afford, that’s near their job – it’s out of reach for many people who are working hard and playing by the rules,” says Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania executive director Liz Hersh. 

She says how state government addresses the budget can either make things better or worse for the housing market.  “We’re really seeing a lack of investment in accessible housing, even thought a small investment actually saves a lot of money in nursing home placement.”

Neither the Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program nor Homeless Assistance received funding in the governor’s budget plan. 

HEMAP may be restored through mortgage foreclosure settlement dollars.  While Homeless Assistance is slated for elimination, budget documents indicate that 80% of the savings would be transferred to Human Services Development Block Grants.

High Heels

The High Risk of High Heels

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Long-term, repeated use of high heels can cause problems from the hip down to the foot, according to Geisinger Medical Center podiatrist David Troutman, and he says studies continue to reinforce that fact. 

For instance, a study recently published in the Journal of Applied Physiology finds that high heels strained the calf muscle, even when the subjects were no longer wearing them.  “If they would take their heels off and work out, they were more susceptible to strains and sprains because their foot was still functioning that,” Troutman says.  “So that was the real interesting key to this study.” 

The new study examined women who wore a significant heel at least 40-hours a week for two years. 

“Wearing a high heel shoe once in a while is not terrible, but I think it’s the more repeated, chronic use of it where people get in trouble,” Troutman says. 

He recommends that women limit the height of their heels to two inches, and to alternate high heels with more sensible shoes.  “I think the more that you can alternate, wear a little bit better shoe here and there, you’re going to be fine.”

Pennsylvania Highway Deaths Decline in 2011 to Second Lowest Level on Record

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The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is reporting a decline in highway deaths.  The numbers in 2011 were the second lowest on record.   1,291 people were killed in crashes on Pennsylvania roads last year. That number is 33 fewer than in 2010.

Fatal crash statistics improved in several areas.  There were fewer alcohol-related deaths along with declines in motorcycle and bicycle fatalities. DUI-related fatalities fell from 417 to 379. That number was the lowest in more than a decade. Motorcycle deaths dropped from 223 to 198 and bicyclist fatalities dropped from 21 to 11.   Head on collision deaths dropped to their lowest level in a decade.

Erin  Waters of PennDOT says there was an area of concern. Fatalities involving 16-year-old drivers rose from 19 to 29.  She says that’s an area where they want to continue emphasizing safety and get that number back down. PennDOT has two new tools, the texting ban and new teen driver law.   The teen driver law took effect in late December, the texting ban took effect earlier this month.

Waters says PennDOT invests about 20 million dollars in state and federal funds each year, educating people on safety and helping police enforce the laws.  She says the state also focuses on safety improvements to roadways, including center and edge line rumble strips.  She says those have reduced some of the crashes involving  people crossing over roadways or running off a road and striking a tree.