Wows & Scowls
Scowl: What’s the point in the Albert Gallatin Area School Board having appointed a tax study commission if the board chose to ignore its recommendation? That’s exactly what the school board did this week, in deciding to ask voters to approve a .4 percent increase in the earned income tax, four times the .1 percent the study commission recommended. Superintendent Walter Vicinelly says the board had to reject the commission’s recommendation because it didn’t factor slots revenue into the equation. OK, Walt – but what happens if and when the slots money starts rolling in? Does the AG school board then roll back the earned income tax from .4 to .1 percent? We think you already know the answer to that one. Wow: At the same meeting, the AG school board voted unanimously to terminate teacher Donald J. Rosie, who pleaded no contest to corruption of minors for having sex with a 16-year-old student. Rosie had filed a union grievance against the school district, which was withdrawn. A court plea tends to trump even the best union job protection mechanisms.
Scowl: What the heck does the state legislature need with a $215 million spending reserve? If they don’t spend money allocated to them, they obviously don’t need it or they’re getting too much. If your friendly state legislator were really on the ball, he or she would have been at the forefront of allocating that money toward the $400 million of revenue that needs to be in the gambling-fueled Property Tax Relief Fund before property tax relief kicks in. Right?
Scowl: If incumbent Fayette County Commissioner Joseph A. Hardy III wants to keep his re-election intentions under wraps until he’s ready to make an official announcement, he might have done well to unveil his decision before all three county commissioners asked the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas to name temporary replacements for them. That’s a sure-fire sign that they are all running in May, since they are prohibited from serving on the election board is they are candidates. If Hardy were not running, there would be no need to relinquish his seat.
Scowl: Brownsville Borough’s laid-off police and other employees remain off the job. Will they ever get back?