Reading School District Running Deficit Of Nearly $1 Million

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Public School Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Four months into the 2013-14 fiscal year, the Reading School District is already running at a nearly $1 million deficit, the school board learned Monday night.

Robert Peters, chief financial officer, presented the board with a status update on the 2013-14 budget at a committee of the whole meeting.

He said unexpected increases in expenses and decreases in revenues have the district facing a $952,000 deficit.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=517608

Budget Preparations Getting Started In Pottstown Borough

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN, PA — Although Pottstown Borough Council has yet to be presented with a budget draft, the members of council’s finance committee have.

It is too soon to say if council will be able to avoid raising property taxes for two years in a row, but it is obviously on everybody’s mind.

Councilman Dan Weand, who chairs the finance committee, told council that he likes the way the borough finances are shaping up.

“So far, with 75 percent of the year passed, we’ve brought in 85 percent of the revenue and only seen 74 percent of the expenses,” said Weand.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131019/budget-preparations-getting-started-in-pottstown-borough

New York Parks In Less Affluent Areas Lack Big Gifts

When Frederick J. Kress, who sits on the board of the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Conservancy, heard about it, he had only one thought: What about us?

Flushing Meadows-Corona, which has been the setting for two World’s Fairs, is considerably larger than Central Park, at 1,225 acres, compared with 843. Last year, its conservancy attracted $5,000 in donations.

The park’s bicycle and walking paths are cracked and pitted, Mr. Kress said, and its natural areas are overgrown with invasive species.  “Central Park is doing pretty well,” said Mr. Kress, who is also president of the Queens Coalition for Parks and Green Spaces, noting that though Mr. Paulson’s home on Fifth Avenue overlooks Central Park, he grew up in Queens.  “I’m not saying he owes anyone anything, but how about you give Central Park $98 million and Flushing Meadows-Corona $2 million?  That two million would have gone so much further in an underappreciated park.”

Read more:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/nyregion/new-york-parks-in-less-affluent-areas-lack-big-gifts.html?hp&_r=0

Pottstown Mayor Whines About Budget Cut

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Only in Pottstown!  Our illustrious Missy Mayor, Bonnie Heath is upset with Pottstown’s new $38.9 million budget.  In an effort to cut frivolous expenditures and luxuries we cannot afford, her $300.00 Mayor’s budget was reduced to $50.00.  Well cry me a big fat river!  I find this absolutely amazing for several reasons:

a. Bonnie was whining about eating “fuel costs” for attending events.  Excuse me, but the last time I checked, driving around a 5 square-mile borough does not exactly use much gas.  You might consider buying a more fuel-efficient vehicle if gas to drive around Pottstown is such a strain on your budget.  You already require a free ticket to attend an event!  Or better yet, don’t make unauthorized and secret trips to Norristown to undermine binding votes of Council you disagree with.  That would save a couple bucks!

b. Does the totally ceremonial position of mayor even need a “budget” to be a ribbon-cutter and baby-kisser?  I think not!

c. Considering the state of the economy and the state of Pottstown; does this petty whining about $250.00 seem out of touch with reality to anyone else?  People are starving, a large percentage of PSD students are on reduced or free lunch, homes are being foreclosed, jobs are hard to come by and our mayor has the chutzpah to carp about her “budget” being cut when we are trying to avoid raising taxes!

Two Roy’s Rants thumbs down for this selfish behavior from a public servant.  Why don’t you try being part of the solution instead of being part of the problem, Bonnie!

United States Postal Service Looking To Close Thousands Of Post Offices

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The United States Postal Service has released its “closure list” but it’s copyrighted and I am not allowed to post it 😦  However, I can report that no post offices in the Greater Pottstown area are on the list.

Fourteen post offices in Philadelphia are on the list and a Wayne location.  Those were the only 19xxx zip codes.

Most of the locations are small offices in Central, Northern or Western Pennsylvania.  There are a few exceptions but mostly more rural areas.

Here is a link to the list but it appears to be in no particular order.  I copy pasted into Excel and sorted by zip code or alphabetically to make it easier!

http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/states/pennsylvania.htm