Wolf’s budget proposal is great…and dead on arrival

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa Gov. Tom Wolf introduced his 2021-22 budget, and I have to say it is audacious, ambitious and goes a long way to solve the root problems of much of what has plagued Pennsylvania for more than three decades. It is also, sadly, deader than Elvis. That says more about Pennsylvania and Republicans in the General Assembly than it does about Wolf. Not that...

Op/Ed: Inequitable public schooling in a nation of equality

Zack Zahlaway, Special to The Times Zack Zahlaway In a nation built on the principle that all people are created equal, how is it acceptable for certain children to receive more school funding based on their location and family’s income than other children? The fact of the matter is that this hypocritical truth plagues public school systems, especially in Pennsylvania. In a research report done by...

The AHCA: the perfect bill…to hate

Deeply flawed health-care bill will raise taxes, unemploy local Congress members By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Having read through the new Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act, the — the American Health Care Act — I’m left with just one thought: I guess we’re going to find out how Lloyd Smucker, Pat Meehan and Ryan Costello fare in the private sector if this mess somehow passes...

It’s not just Coatesville: funding crisis coming to your school, too

As poorer districts struggle, they are everyone’s future without state action By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times If you’ve been in and around Coatesville recently, you may have seen picketing teachers — as was the case at the district’s three middle schools Thursday night. The contract between the district and the Coatesville Area Teachers Association expired in late August and there has...

As Philly goes, so goes Chester County?

In this week of HS graduations, why you need to be concerned about Philly’s schools By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Out here in Chester County, we’ve been relatively insulated — we think — from the collapse of the Philadelphia Public Schools. Maybe you’ve seen some of the recent discussion about all extra curricular activities, even sports, being cut from the public schools....