Rendell and lawmakers can't afford late budget

G. TERRY MADONNA and MICHAEL YOUNG There are few governmental events more widely reported in Pennsylvania than the annual budget war. The dollar amounts are astronomic -- state government expends more than $50 billion. The budget negotiations are secretive proceedings, and the stakes, both policy and personal, are enormous. Political careers and reputations rest on budget outcomes. This year's annual budget melodrama comes complete with an exciting plot complication, and many fear that the new budget is going to be late. But, we're not so sure.The 2007 fiscal year begins on July 1. Guessing when the budget might finally be passed has become a serious Harrisburg pastime. Seasoned observers estimate it might be as late as the Christmas holidays. A protracted stalemate conjures up nightmares. Thousands of workers would be laid off. The funding for state programs would be halted. Education dollars would be held up, and public confidence in state government would plummet. Yet, many now consider this scenario likely, if not inevitable. Read the rest of the story here.

Good idea from Sen. Pillegi

A new ally in the fight for open government News Flash: "Darth Vader turns from the Dark Side." OK, you won't see that headline in today's newspapers, but a key political figure in Pennsylvania has joined the battle to reform one of the worst open-records law in the country.Pennsylvania politicians like to operate in the shadows, away from public scutiny. That's one of the reasons our state government is so screwed up.Following hearings in Harrisburg Monday, state Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi finally saw the light.The Delaware County Republican publicly announced his support for a major overhaul of Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law. Gov. Ed Rendell made a similar pledge earlier this year.Reform activists and proponents of open government have been working hard to get the state's political elite to back the presumption that government records are open unless there is an overiding need for privacy.The way the state's laws are written now, most government records are presumed secret and it's up to residents to force government to make them public.The "flip of presumption" has long been sought by open-records advocates who say the current law, which defines just two categories of records as necessarily open, allows governmental entities to bar access to information the public should know, according to the Associated Press coverage of the Senate hearings.Sen. Pileggi said he plans to amend his bill (Senate Bill 1) in the State Government Committee to reflect his new-found position."Reversing the presumption is a major change, and we need to carefully balance the right of citizens to review records with the need for appropriate exceptions to protect legitimate interests," Pileggi said. "Developing the list of exceptions should involve input from a wide spectrum of interested parties."The Pennsylvania Newspaper Association, which has been leading the fight for more open government in Pennsylvania for years, welcomed Pileggi's conversion."We are optimistic that we can work together to achieve the necessary reforms to give Pennsylvanians greater access to their government," association lawyer Teri Henning said.The Pennsylvania Newspaper Association has created a Web site to help keep residents informed about open records in Pennsylvania.The site, http://passopenrecords.org, is coordinated by Jamie Blaine, a former newspaper publisher, teacher and consultant, and is updated regularly.PNA believes Pennsylvania's open records law must be amended to include:1. Acknowledgment that records belong to the publicThe public is entitled to know and be informed fully about the conduct and activities of government.2. Improved definition of "public record" and a presumption of accessRecords in the possession or control of a public agency must be presumed to be accessible to the public. The law should include specific exemptions for records that are not public.3. Burden of proof on agencyIn Pennsylvania, the person seeking access must prove a right to that access. In most states, however, the burden is on the agency to show that specific information is not public under the law.4. Broader definition of "agency"The definition of "agency" must include the General Assembly, state-related universities and any organization or entity that relies substantially on taxpayers' money.5. Administrative appeal/Office of AccessPennsylvania must create an Office of Access to hear appeals and furnish advisory guidelines, opinions and other appropriate information about the laws to both agencies and citizens.6. Meaningful penaltiesPenalties for open records law violations need to be enforced and the fines increased to make them meaningful. Posted by TONY PHYRILLAS

Police: Woman stands up to prospective robber

Any relation to the Roncaglione that posts here? UPPER DARBY — A gutsy woman fended off a masked robber who demanded money and claimed he had a stun gun after a late night ATM withdrawal. Not only did she refuse to comply with his demands she followed him in her car and reported his license tag number to police. Patrolman Wayne Whitlock checked out the registration leading him to a residence on the 2500 block of Bond Avenue, Drexel Hill, and the vehicle’s owner, Robert Roncaglione. Detective Sean Rowe spoke to Roncaglione, 56, who stated he had been home “most of the night,” the investigator wrote in the affidavit. “Roncaglione did state he is not the type of person who would steal from anybody,” Rowe wrote in the document noting he never specified the nature of the investigation but detected the suspect was allegedly under the influence of a controlled substance The victim told police she was inside the ATM area of the Citizens Bank, 5045 Township Line Road, and withdrew money when a man wearing a dark colored scarf around his face entered demanding money. “When the victim refused the actor stated he was going to ’stun’ her,” Rowe wrote in the affidavit. “The victim still refused and stated the object was not a stun gun but a flashlight,” and exited the ATM area. She followed the suspect in her vehicle while sounding her horn and identified the vehicle for police. Roncaglione was arraigned on charges of robbery, criminal attempt theft, terroristic threats, possessing instruments of crime, simple assault and harassment. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 12 before Magisterial District Judge Michael Cullen.

Mario Civera - Pay Us Back - Again

Drama In Delaware County. Casey Roncaglione, president of the Delaware County Young Democrats, writes this morning to tell us that his group is calling on state Rep. Mario Civera, R-Delaware, to reimburse the taxpayers for the $114,801 the House spent on public service announcements on his behalf.The group also demands that "all other Legislators (sic), Republican and Democrat, do the same.""Mr. Civera stood on the House floor calling for restraint of new taxes in the Governor's budget," Roncaglione wrote. "A good start to that restraint would be to reimburse the Tax Payer for his own lack of restraint, anything less would be hypocritical and make his budget statements just political posturing. "Hmmm ... makes sense to us. Howzabout it?

Double Standards?

Just having read this articl in the Daily Times today, I agree with Michael Chitwood, who was quoted as saying: “It’s a disgrace,” Chitwood said. “If this was somebody poor and desolate, we wouldn’t be discussing what to charge. She’s not even arrested and they are engaging in negotiations on what the charges are going to be.” If this young woman was from a poorer or minority family, you bet your bottom dollar that she would have been arrested on the spot, and currenty awaiting trial out at the Meadows . It will be interesting now that the M.E. has ruled the babies death a homicide what charges if any are leveled against her and others who may have tried to cover up the crime.

Deleting posts

This morning I posted a response to Casey's post titled, "Your tax money wasted by Mario Civera." Being that I am a Republican and was offended by what I read, I gave a rebuttal and threw in a few sarcastic comments and a joke, which no doubt hit a nerve. I know the comment was there, because I reread to check for any spelling errors. I went back a little while later and the comment was gone. I sent an email to Fran asking him if he deleted the comment and he told me he didn't and that he would look into it. Fran called me a few minutes ago and told me that he also saw it and was going to send out a mass email to the contributors here regarding the issue. I asked if it was ok if I just could post about it and then move on, which he agreed to. First of all, I'd like to address Casey (whether it be Jr or Sr): This is FRAN's blog. Not yours. Not mine. Not anyone else's. I would NEVER stoop so low as to delete a comment in a post that I started because someone hit a raw nerve with me or posted something that I didn't agree with. A good, healty debate is exactly I was hoping for, instead the comment was deleted. I didn't name call. I didn't mud sling. I just said what I felt was an appropriate response to your post. If you can dig dirt on someone, you better expect the same to happen to you. It's politics. It happens every day. If you're that thin-skinned that a little comment got to you, than obviously, you're in the wrong field. I may not be a very savvy political person, but I sure am learning. I LIVE IN DELWARE COUNTY and will do what I can for Upper Darby Township to keep it honest and on the right track. It was very childish for my comment to be deleted. If you had an issue with me, you could have easily emailed me or Fran and I'm sure things could have been resolved and wouldn't have to come to this. Remember, we are in Fran's home. Have respect for him, and have respect for those that contribute here as well.

Seized guns resold by police

Seized guns resold by police Upper Darby's department is under investigation for past sales of confiscated and surrendered weapons to shops. By Mark Fazlollah and John Shiffman Inquirer Staff Writers In at least 19 Phila. homicides, the firearm used came from Lou's Loans in Upper Darby, a shop police helped supply. Most local departments resisting the gun trade Hundreds of guns seized by Upper Darby police are back in circulation, many after police supplied them to two of the region's most notorious gun shops, The Inquirer has learned. These guns included illegal sawed-off shotguns and assault rifles. Just last month, special-education students found one of Upper Darby's confiscated guns as they collected litter near their school. One of the dealers who sold Upper Darby's weapons is now in prison for selling guns to felons. "I don't care if you kill a cop," he told an undercover federal agent wearing a wire. The second shop owner lost his license after authorities linked guns he sold to 19 Philadelphia homicides, including the killing of a police officer. "This involves hundreds of guns," said retired police detective Ray Britt, one of four current and former officers who told The Inquirer that police routinely resold seized firearms. "Lots of people knew it was happening, and some officers tried to stop it," Britt said. "But it went on for years." Upper Darby suspended the practice in 2005, shortly after federal agents raided one gun shop and quickly traced a sawed-off shotgun to the Police Department. "We don't need to be putting guns used in crimes back out on the street," said Township Manager Thomas Judge Jr., who said he had learned of the practice after the raid. "Guns used in crimes are now melted down." On Friday, the Delaware County District Attorney's Office, citing new information provided by The Inquirer, referred the matter to the Pennsylvania attorney general for investigation. Agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are conducting an even broader investigation. Under Pennsylvania law, police departments may resell seized or donated guns. In this case, ATF agents are trying to determine whether the proceeds from the guns went back to the township - or into the pockets of the officers, sources said. An ATF spokesman declined to comment. Upper Darby Police Chief Michael Chitwood said an ATF agent had visited him two weeks ago. He said he was cooperating. "I have not seen anything - anything - that says that the Upper Darby Police Department illegally took guns out of here and sold them to anybody else," said Chitwood, who became chief of the 127-member force in August 2005, after all the transfers apparently had stopped. But he added: "What happened prior to me coming here, I'm not responsible for, I wasn't involved in, I don't know." Vincent J. Ficchi was Upper Darby's police chief for 11 years before retiring in July 2005. He did not respond to phone calls and visits to his homes in Upper Darby and Somers Point, N.J. Sales worried some officers In interviews, several current and former Upper Darby officers said the practice had troubled them. "I tried to stop it," said one officer who asked not to be identified because he feared repercussions. He said a supervisor had told him to mind his own business. "They beat you down. After a while, you try to justify it. You get to thinking what they're doing is OK. But I wake up at night worrying about where the guns went." Harry T. Davis, a retired senior Upper Darby officer, called it a "a moral issue." "It sickens me," he said of the gun selling. Britt, the former detective, said the department had kept seized guns in haphazard fashion, many dumped in cardboard boxes on the second floor of police headquarters. Officers came and went with no controls on what they carried out, Britt said. And Davis, an accountant by training, said the department's record-keeping was abysmal. "There's no chain of evidence in Upper Darby," he said. Britt said gun seizures increased dramatically after 2001, when patrol officers were asked to confiscate weapons whenever there was a domestic dispute. "The patrol officers would say, 'We're going to take your guns until you cool down,' " Britt said. "Officers would bring armloads to the second-floor detective room," he said. "I've seen as many as 20 to 25 guns come in at a time. The guns typically were not returned, Britt said. If owners complained, he said, they were told that they'd have to spend a lot of money hiring lawyers and getting a court order. Upper Darby had no trouble finding outlets for guns. One gun dealer said he had visited the department at least once a year and bought 20 or 30 firearms at a time. "I would cherry-pick. . . . I don't take junk," said Thomas S. Milowicki, owner of the Targetmaster gun store in Chadds Ford. Milowicki said he had written checks to the Police Department and always provided required documentation. Without explanation, Upper Darby stopped selling him guns about 2001, he said. But records, including ATF investigative reports obtained by The Inquirer, confirm the guns continued to flow for years. According to one ATF document, a senior Upper Darby officer, Capt. George Rhoades, said police had supplied weapons to three gun shops. One of them was Lou's Loans on 69th Street in Upper Darby, known for more than a decade as a problematic gun dealer. Between 1995 and 1997, the ATF traced 111 guns used in Philadelphia crimes to Lou's. Later, ATF agents traced weapons sold there to 19 Philadelphia homicides, including the 1996 murder of Philadelphia Police Officer Lauretha Vaird. Finally, in July 2006, ATF revoked Lou's federal gun license. Soon afterward, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence issued a report on the shop, titled "Lethal Lou's." It quoted Rhoades. "Every time you turn around another crime is being committed with a Lou's gun," he said. "If Lou's tightened their sales even a little bit, how many people would have been saved?" Reached this month, Rhoades declined to be interviewed. Recycled sawed-off shotgun The events that brought the gun sales to light began Sept. 8, 2004. That day, police responded to a report of a man threatening to kill himself - Larry Pluck, a township sanitation supervisor and part-time bounty hunter. Pluck was found outside his home "with two shotguns strapped to his legs and a silver black handgun on his waist," the police incident report said. Pluck was "tackled to the ground," the report said, and taken to a psychiatric facility. Officers seized assault rifles, shotguns, pistols and switchblades. About nine months later, police took Pluck's 14 guns from the evidence locker to a gun shop. How did this happen? The participants tell different stories. Chitwood, the chief, contended that because police believed that Pluck had not broken any laws, they approached Delaware County prosecutors with a plan to prevent the mentally unstable man from getting the guns back: The guns would be sold by Mac's Gun Shop in Clifton Heights and Pluck would get the money. At the time, prosecutors agreed that made sense. Now they aren't so sure. A spokesman for District Attorney Michael Green said Friday that prosecutors had not known that one of Pluck's guns was an illegal sawed-off shotgun until The Inquirer told them. In a statement, prosecutors said: "Based upon information provided by The Inquirer and our review of information provided by other sources, Mr. Green believes that this shotgun should never have been returned to the stream of commerce." Pluck told the ATF that he had never asked for his guns back, and was "shocked that the guns he had given up a year prior had not been destroyed already." Pluck said that he had met Rhoades at Mac's, and that they had carried the 14 weapons - including two sawed-off shotguns - into the shop. In an interview Friday, Pluck said, "I never got any money, but I didn't worry about that." What was important, he said, was that "no one got hurt." Records show Mac's Gun Shop resold at least five of Pluck's weapons, putting them back on the street. ATF raids Mac's Mac's might have sold more, but on July 28, 2005, ATF agents raided the store and arrested owner Michael McGinnis. Unbeknownst to Upper Darby police, McGinnis, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, had been the target of an unrelated ATF probe. As agents took dozens of weapons during the search, they questioned McGinnis. When they asked about a sawed-off shotgun, agents got a surprising answer. "McGinnis replied that he had just gotten that from the Upper Darby Police Department a couple days ago," an ATF agent wrote in his report. McGinnis later told the ATF about another gun he had gotten from Upper Darby police - an AR-15 assault rifle confiscated during a domestic dispute. McGinnis said he had resold the gun for $500, and had given the cash to the husband in the quarrel, an old friend. McGinnis pleaded guilty and is serving a 41/2-year sentence for selling guns, including a fully automatic machine gun, to informants and ATF agents posing as felons. "I don't give a f- what you do with this gun," McGinnis said during one secretly recorded conversation at the gun shop. "I don't care if you kill a cop." After the raid, the Police Department buzzed with talk about the guns sold to Mac's, said Davis, who became acting chief days later. He said he hadn't known about the gun sales. He called Judge, the township manager. "I said, 'There's a problem here that's got to be dealt with,' " Davis recalled. "Judge was, like, livid." "I was not happy," Judge said. Judge said the township had received some money for guns, but declined to elaborate, citing the federal investigation. Asked about the guns, Chitwood, the current chief, said he believed they had not been sold, only traded for ammunition. He said an internal report had indicated the gun transfers ended by 2002. When told about Rhoades' statement to ATF - that police were supplying guns to dealers as late as 2005 - Chitwood said he hadn't seen that statement and could not comment. Judge and Chitwood declined to provide any records to The Inquirer, citing the federal investigation. Recently, though, ATF agents began collecting those financial records, a source said. A frightening find In mid-April, a group of students from the Kanner Learning Center, a school for mentally challenged children in West Whiteland Township, were on a nature walk outside the school. As part of their walks, the students collect trash thrown from cars using nearby Boot Road and Kirkland Avenue. Hidden in a plastic shopping bag dumped in the brush, the children found a pistol. West Whiteland Police Chief Ralph Burton called the discovery "very scary," the kind of thing that every parent fears. When West Whiteland police traced the gun, they learned that it had once been owned by a suicidal woman in another town. Her worried family had wanted to get it out of her hands. So they called their local police, who took it. That police department? Upper Darby. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To see a list from the Upper Darby Police Department detailing confiscated guns that the police gave to a local gun shop to be sold, go to http://go.philly.com/gunlist

Your tax money wasted by Mario Civera

Mario Civera and his spending of your money Here is the latest report from the state on how much of your money Mario Civera spends on "Public Service Announcements". What a waste. Think of the good that money could have been used for.These announcements are little more than state paid commercials. I hereby ask that Mario stop this waste of taxpayer money, and demand that he explain to all of us why he abuses this program. When the vote came up on the issue in Harrisburg Mario voted no, I wonder why. PSA money spent by Mario J CiveraMonths of 2005 Cable Spots and Radio Spots May $13,090.00 Website June $11,866.00 PHEAA July $11,628.00 District Office August $11,866.00 CHIP September $11,866.00 Tutoring Pgm November $11,628.00 Liheap Total 2005 PSA Money Spent $71,944.00Months of 2006 of Cable Spots Radio Spots January $11,866.00 PACE February $10,251.00 Senior Pgms July $10,370.00 Prop Tax-Rent Rebate August $10,370.00 Veterans Event Total 2006 PSA Money Spent $42,857.00 Total PSA Money Spent for Mario J Civera $114,801.00 Indicates Multiple Cable Systems/Radio Stations

I'm back!

I'm here to help with the township and maybe stir up a hornet's nest or two. I'm probably the one, lone Republican who contributes here, but who doesn't love a challenge. Thank you, Fran for allowing me back to voice my never-ending opinions. I hope to do well. kate PS. It's nice seeing my name there on the side bar as a contributor again. I like seeing my name in lights. HA!

CIVERA'S FINAL ACT

Act 1 Civera's Last Act For 27 years, Mario Civera has promised property tax cuts. Check your tax bill and you'll see his complete failure. He stood with the Governor and rattled on how he would get it done. Well the voters said you failed Mario. “They saw this for what is was: smoke and mirrors and just another way for the legislature to pretend they are doing their jobs.” For Sure Mario will get you a handicapped parking spot, but when it comes to saving your home , that spot isn't worth much. Worse yet The Upper Darby School District has proposed a 4.6 property tax hike. To quote from the Delco Times, “When the next election rolls around, I don’t care if it’s a Democrat or Republican,” she said. “If you recognize their name, don’t vote for them. If they don’t get this issue, get them out of there.”