Some towns are worse off than Lancaster - Older boroughs and townships are feeling nonprofit pinch, Lancaster Newspapers, March 2008
"The law says [cities] must provide X services, and use Y revenue to pay for it," said Todd Vonderheid, a former Luzerne County commissioner who serves as director of strategy for the Campaign to Renew Pennsylvania, an organization that advocates solutions to "infrastructure, fiscal and governance issues that affect our economics and our communities."
Parks, churches, hospitals, government centers and other nontaxable land generate benefits not just for those in the municipalities where they're located but for entire regions. So while House Bill 2018 is a start, what Pennsylvania really needs to do is revamp its laws to boost inter-municipal cooperation -- which might include fiscal cooperation.
"It's as if Pennsylvania was set up with this Teddy Roosevelt idea of rugged individualism," Vonderheid said. But cities that struggle amid suburban affluence can't be left to fend for themselves; "We're all connected," he said."
Housing to become denser in Franklin County, Chambersburg Public Opinion, April 1, 2008
"Communities in Franklin and Adams counties face choices in how to manage increasing populations.
"Density must be accepted in appropriate locations," said Robert Thaeler, principal planner for Adams County.
"It's essential to achieve growth management goals."
Franklin and Adams rank among the 10 fastest growing counties in Pennsylvania. With military jobs coming to northern Maryland and restricted development there, more settlers are on the way.
Half of the homes needed for Pennsylvania's population in 2030 have not been built, according to the Brookings Institution.
Speakers at a land use seminar in Gettysburg said on Tuesday that people welcome some population density in their neighborhoods. The seminar was sponsored by the Adams County Partnership for Land Use Education." For the complete Chambersburg Public Opinion article, please
click here, or for a pdf of the article, please
click here.
The Next Slum?, The Atlantic, March 2008
"A structural change is underway in the housing market - a major shift in the way Americans want to live and work." Please click here for the complete article.
Choosing a Place to Live, US News & World Report, February 14, 2008
"With newly accumulated data to back him up, Florida argues in his upcoming book
Who's Your City? that the world is, in many ways, spiky—with population, opportunity, innovation, and money increasingly coalescing in metropolitan areas worldwide. That means pursuing a career and staying close to family and friends are often at odds. Deciding what makes you happy, he argues, must go hand in hand with deciding where you want to live." Please
click here for the original USN&WR article, or
here for a pdf.
In Search of a Real Urban Policy, New York Times Editorial, February 19, 2008
"By now, many Americans have heard the presidential candidates talk about issues close to the heart of rural America. They fell all over themselves to praise ethanol in Iowa and condemn nuclear storage in Nevada. But as important as rural problems are, they’re not nearly as big as the task of helping the nation’s struggling cities — where most Americans live or work. The cities have been the hardest hit as federal policies have failed or gone missing in education, housing, health care, jobs, transportation and environment, to name a few. Yet urban issues have gotten scant attention in this campaign." Please click here for the original article (may require registration) or here for a pdf of the article.
Lewistown native takes business from suburbs to the inner city, January 10, 2008
"Lewistown native Sam P. Sherman Jr. is building more than just homes in urban Philadelphia — he is
building a future. ...
“They didn’t believe Philadelphia would come back,” he said.
But the development has proved its worth, to some individuals at least, because it received the 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Bronze Award, which recognizes excellence in design and sustainability, Sherman said. " To read the complete Lewistown Sentinel article, please
click here.
Proposing a Cumberland County Municipal Cooperation Commission, December 30, 2007
"There has long been too much of a disconnect between county and municipal governments and school districts in Pennsylvania.
Cumberland County Commissioner Rick Rovegno has a great idea with a proposal for a county commission that would bring them together on common issues." For the complete Harrisburg Patriot-News editorial, please
click here.
Proliferation of Governments, Officials, Clutter Local Ballots, December 26, 2007
"After a candidate was elected to be a Newberry Twp. auditor with only two write-in votes, many residents of the northern York County community wondered if such a low vote total was legal. (It is.) ...
Beyond casting a spotlight on the need for such posts in 21st century Pennsylvania, the situation in New berry again illus trates the archaic nature of local government in this state. Although individual counties can take some steps on their own -- Dauphin County abolished assessors in the 1980s -- what is needed is a statewide commission to conduct a top-to-bottom review of local government." For the complete Harrisburg Patriot-News article, please
click here.
Diverse Butler County Towns Undertaking Joint Plan, November 25, 2007
"Try saying "multiple municipal comprehensive planning code" five times fast.
That's not a problem among those in a coalition of five Butler County towns whose planners say the tongue twister could be a smart-growth savior.
The five communities are as different from each other as big-box malls are from cow pastures."
For the complete Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, please
click here.
Footloose and Fancy Free: A Field Survey of Walkable Urban Places in the Top 30 U.S. Metropolitan Areas
"The post-World War II era has witnessed the nearly exclusive building of low density suburbia, here termed “drivable sub-urban” development, as the American metropolitan built environment. However, over the past 15 years, there has been a gradual shift in how Americans have created their built environment (defined as the real estate, which is generally privately owned, and the infrastructure that supports real estate, majority publicly owned), as demonstrated by the success of the many downtown revitalizations, new urbanism, and transit-oriented development.
This field survey attempts to identify the number and location of “regional-serving” walkable urban places in the 30 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., where 138 million, or 46 percent, of the U.S. population lives. This field survey determines where these walkable urban places are most prevalent on a per capita basis, where they are generally located within the metro area, and the extent to which rail transit service is associated with walkable urban development." Please
click here for the survey and related research.
CAN WE ‘FLIP’ THE PYRAMID TO MAKE U.S. METROS THRIVE? - a column by Neal Peirce
"In the mid-20th century, the Brookings study suggests, we had a federal government “sitting on top of a pyramid, raining down resources and mandates and directives to states and localities.” Then we switched to devolution -- pushing responsibilities downward, sometimes with enough money, often not. And now, it’s suggested, “we need a 21st century compact” that reflects “realities of our moment--fast-moving, super-competitive, unpredictable, tumultuous, and metropolitan-led.” For Mr. Peirce's complete column, please
click here.
Regional planning would protect Gettysburg from encroachment, November 7, 2007
"Pennsylvania's land-use laws and regulations, which are left to the devices of more than 2,500 separate municipal entities, are far from the ideal means of attempting to preserve the integrity of a national shrine. If land-use planning were done on a regional or county basis, as it should be, Adams County would have regulations in place that, first and foremost, would protect the battlefield from any further developmental encroachments that threaten to detract from what transpired there on those blistering hot days 144 years ago." For the complete Harrisburg Patriot-New editorial, please
click here.
New Cumberland Isn't Joining, But That Shouldn't Kill the Idea, October 9, 2007
"New Cumberland Borough Council tiptoed to the water's edge but couldn't dive into the future by joining a regional police department.
Though the issues that prompted those in the 4-3 council vote to oppose it are legitimate, we think it's unfortunate the borough won't be joining Lemoyne and Wormleysburg in West Shore Regional Police."
Please
click here for the complete Harrisburg Patriot-News editorial.
Realtors' Class Addresses Growth, October 4, 2007
"Eighty area real estate professionals attended one of two local classes on "smart growth" issues this week sponsored by Pen-Mar Regional Association of Realtors in conjunction with Hagerstown (Md.) Community College.
Ed Wilson, vice president for policy and research for 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, and Metta Barbour, executive director for the Coalition for Smart Growth, were featured speakers at the event Wednesday in Capitol Theatre's Woods Center."
Please
click here for the complete Chambersburg Public Opinion article.
DEAR READER: Cooperation makes for better government, October 1, 2007
" If economies of scale work in the private sector, why can’t they work in the public sector? Actually, they can — if they are properly managed."
Please
click here for the complete New Castle News editorial. Please
click here for a pdf of the editorial.
Municipal Cooperation Starts with Change in Law, October 2, 2007
"Luzerne County can't compete.
When it comes to enticing new businesses to the area, ensuring top-notch police protection, brainstorming comprehensive plans for flood control and handling other major issues, the county is too splintered into tiny municipalities to respond quickly and decisively.
Why should this matter to you?"
Please
click here for the complete Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader editorial.
Expanding the Meaning of Common Good, October 2, 2007
"David Rusk can’t boast the best hearing – he bears the trademark round plastic device on his skull for a cochlear implant – but his vision proves crisp and far-sighted.
The former mayor of Albuquerque and peripatetic proponent of regionalization presents a potent case, if you take off your provincial blinders and allow your own view to broaden a bit.
Municipal boundaries become meaningless in daily activities, Rusk argued. With so many small boroughs and townships in our area, people often sleep in one, work in another, shop in a third. “You live your lives crossing municipal lines every day.”
Please
click here for the complete Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader article. Please
click here for a pdf of the article.
Urge Police to Merge: York Daily Record editorial, September 16, 2007
" At the Rotary Club of York last week, leaders of the Metro-York initiative said several local suburban police departments have expressed strong interest in consolidating into a regional force.
That's wonderful news.
But the best part is that, for the first time in recent memory, a regionalization proposal would include York city."
Please
click here for the complete York Daily Record editorial. Please
click here for a pdf of the article.
Steris In Mexico: A series of special reports from the Erie Times-News, September 3-5, 2007
"As Steris Corp. moved the last of its Erie manufacturing jobs south of the border, Erie Times-News reporter Jim Martin followed those jobs to Mexico to report on who and what Erie is up against.
He discovered that the stereotypes about the Third World and cheap labor can’t be trusted. The truth is a lot more complicated.
The big news in Erie, of course, is when good jobs leave. In the case of Steris, the result is about 450 families whose lives have been turned upside down.
Unfortunately, that story hasn’t been rare in recent years in this region. But perhaps more important is why those jobs leave.
In a series of reports that began on Labor Day, Martin and photographer Greg Wohlford looked at the destination of those Steris jobs. They found that in this global economy, economic officials in Mexico are a lot more sophisticated than many of us have given them credit for.
It’s about cheap labor, but that’s not all it’s about. It’s also about knowing what you’re after, getting everyone on the same page and working together toward common goals.
In other words, it’s about things the Erie region has struggled with. It’s about getting our own act together."
Please click below for the articles. For the original Erie Times-News articles, please
click here.
Twps., city's police mull united force, September 13, 2007
"Crime is increasing countywide and police departments are being stretched thin, York Area Regional Police Chief Tom Gross said.
That's why Eshbach and Gross support taking a look at a consolidated police department in and around the York city."
Please
click here for the complete York Daily Record article. Please
click here for a pdf of the article.
New Path to University Success: Community ties, a column by Neil Pierce
"The message to all universities is clear: Your time for leadership has arrived; being a constructive, good neighbor isn’t fluff -- it’s absolutely critical."
Please
click here for the complete Neil Pierce article.
Business leaders gather to discuss progress made in state’s economy,
Citizen's Voice, July 14, 2007
"The state needs to allow municipalities to move away from property taxes to other forms of funding. Another proposal gaining steam in Harrisburg would allow a group of municipalities who want to create something like a regional police force to have a special tax district. Five municipalities in Cameron County have worked for years to consolidate, delayed by state laws."
Please
click here for the complete Citizen's Voice article.
Less Is More, July 13, 2007
"It's time for Pennsylvania to start consolidating. The patchwork nature of our state - 67 counties that are home to 2,566 municipalties - is undermining our ability to maximize our financial resources and effectively plan our growth."
To read the complete Central Penn Business Journal, please
click here.
Municipal Partnership Will Benefit Businesses, July 6, 2007
"The leaders of eight rural Cumberland County municipalities have approved a joint comprehensive plan to diversify and strengthen their commercial sectors through targeted development and improved services, such as sewer and water."
To read the complete Central Penn Business Journal article, please click here.
The State of Rural Pennsylvania
KRC's new report, The State of Rural Pennsylvania reveals good news and bad news for the 28% of Pennsylvanians who live outside the state's metropolitian areas.
Please
click here for more information and the full report.
10,000 Friends Founder Honored by Pennsylvania Environmental Council
"The Pennsylvania Environmental Council honored Joanne R. Denworth and Joseph M. Manko with the Curtin Winsor award at its 37th Annual Philadelphia Dinner this week."
"As a direct outgrowth of her work with the Council, she founded and became president of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, a statewide organization dedicated to revitalizing cities and towns, conserving rural lands, and reducing sprawl."
Roads not taken in funding SEPTA?, June 17, 2007
"When Pennsylvania legislators complain that SEPTA already gets more state funding and less local funding than most transit agencies in the United States, they're right.
But whose fault is that?
In Pennsylvania, the state prevents regional transit agencies and local governments from raising money in many of the ways used by their counterparts elsewhere."
Please
click here for the complete Philadelphia Inquirer article.
Stores Leave Old Locations For Something New, June 10, 2007
"Since opening in August, Logan Town Centre has helped propel the county from 25th to 19th on the state unemployment list, while introducing a spate of national franchise stores to the area.
Tempering those positives are grumbling about sprawl, the altering of the city’s mountain view and the loss of key tenants in two local shopping plazas."
Please
click here for the complete Altoona Mirror article.
Three PA Cities Named Among 100 Top Places to Live
Pennsylvania cities Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and State College were named to Relocate-America's "100 Top Places to Live" list for 2007.
Study: States should do more for cities, May 20, 2007
"Pennsylvania and other states are coming up short in help to their struggling cities, according to a new report which suggests urban areas are ripe to take advantage of any aid."
Please
click here for the complete Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article. For additional information and links to the report " Restoring Prosperity: The State Role in Revitalizing America’s Older Industrial Cities" please
click here.
Pittsburgh rated 'most livable' once again, April 26, 2007
"Mayor Luke Ravenstahl doesn't remember the last time Pittsburgh was rated No. 1 in the country by "Places Rated Almanac." That was in 1985, and he was only 5."
Please
click here for the complete Pittsburgh Post Gazette article.
Partnership With Region Key for Cities, April 17, 2007
Mayor John Hickenlooper of Denver, CO, has written an article on cities and regional cooperation. Please
click here for the complete Philadelphia Inquirer article.
A Region of Big Shoulders, March 2007
Chicago's successes ows much to a concerted effort in regional cooperation. Please
click here for the complete Urban Land article.
U.S. Census Bureau Releases 2006 Metro and Micro Area Population Estimates: York-Hanover Metro Area is the fastest growing in the Northeast, April 5, 2007
"The York-Hanover Metropolitan Statistical Area is the fastest growing metro area in the Northeast region, and is ranked nationally among the fastest growing in the nation, according to 2006 Population Estimates for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas, released today by the U.S. Census Bureau."
Please
click here for the complete Pennsylvania Data Center release.
City Backs Formula for Taxing of Nonprofit Organizations, February 21, 2007
"Contributions by universities, hospitals and other nonprofit organizations to the city of Pittsburgh should be based on a fair formula, rather than the current pay-what-you-want system, several city officials said yesterday."
For the complete Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, please
click here.
Voters Back Regionalization, February 18, 2007
"Pennsylvania voters want local governments to pool resources and jointly work on development and land-use issues, according to a statewide survey released last week by the Campaign to Renew Pennsylvania."
For the complete Citzen's Voice article by Michael Buffer, please
click here. For the poll, please
click here.
Sprawl's Common Ground, Februrary 18, 2007
"Quietly, almost under the radar screen, the sprawl debate in Pennsylvania is beginning to change."
Please
click here for the complete article by John C. Dernbach in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
Weighing In on City Planning - Science News, January 20, 2007
Does sprawl make us fat? This week's Science News cover story is about the relationship between city design and health. New transdisciplinary research is exploring whether urban sprawl makes us soft, people who don't like to exercise move to the suburbs, or, more likely, some combination of both. For example, this image demonstrates how "A community's so-called network efficiency influences its walkability. In an efficient network, such as in the gridlike neighborhood at left, pedestrians can walk relatively directly between any two points. The maze of cul-de-sacs at right forms an inefficient network."
Reforms Needed to Sustain Older Communities - View from the Corner Office, Central Penn Business Journal, January 16, 2007
"Much has been written about our fragmented local government structure in Pennsylvania – most of it focused on the cost of duplicative services or on breakdowns in regional planning.
Not much has been written about how this fragmentation affects the ability of our core cities of Harrisburg, York and Lancaster to make the types of public-sector investments that make a city a place worth living or doing business."
Please
click here for the rest of Eric Menzer, chair of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania's Board of Directors, contribution to the Central Penn Business Journal's new blog
View from the Corner Office.
Five-part Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Series on Pensions, December 17-21, 2006
"In 2012, the cost of subsidizing pensions for state employees and teachers is expected to jump from less than $1 billion to more than $3 billion a year -- and the higher payments are expected to continue for decades." For the five-part series on government pensions and the fiscal impacts, click below.
A Road to Nowhere, December 3, 2006
"The recent release of the Transportation Funding and Reform Commission's report makes one thing perfectly clear: Pennsylvania's aging rural road, bridges, mass transit agencies and other existing infrastructure are in need of new funding."
Please
click here for Janet Milkman's article in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
It's Getting Much Easier to Be Green in Pittsburgh, November 26, 2006
"The [Heinz] Endowments sponsored the design competition for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the largest green convention center in the world; funded a study of steep hillsides that led to city guidelines controlling steep-slope development; and funded a collaboration between 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania and the Brookings Institution to come up with a competitive agenda for the state."
Please
click here for the full Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.
State Needs $1.6 Billion to Fix Roads, Bridges, November 14, 2006
Janet Milkman, President and CEO of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, comments on the Transportation Funding and Reform Commission’s final report. Please
click here for the article in the November 14, 2006 Sunbury Daily Item.
Thomas Hylton: State Should Stop Subsidizing Sprawl to Revitalize Towns, November 12, 2006
"Rethinking how we arrange our homes, stores and offices across the landscape -- and changing our daily driving habits -- could not only reduce government spending at all levels, it could dramatically cut nearly everyone's cost of living. "
Water-pollution Credits Help Developer Build Homes, November 8, 2006
A housing developer in northeastern Pennsylvania is the state's first buyer of water-pollution credits that help meet tougher standards to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. For a pdf of the Harrisburg Patriot-News article, please
click here.
The Brookings Report, Pennsylvania Edition, October 20, 2006
Janet Milkman, President and CEO of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, has written an op-ed for the
Kennebec Journal in Maine where they are sorting through their own Brookings Institution report "Charting Maine's Future. For a pdf of the article, please
click here.
What's Really Propping Up the Economy? - Economic development strategies crafted around biotech and health care
"If you really want to understand what makes the U.S. economy tick these days, don't go to Silicon Valley, Wall Street, or Washington. Just take a short trip to your local hospital. Park where you don't block the ambulances, and watch the unending flow of doctors, nurses, technicians, and support personnel. You'll have a front-row seat at the health-care economy."
Share Services, Ideas, September 20, 2006
The Campaign to Renew Pennsylvania hosted a meeting of government officials and industry representatives in Erie on Tuesday, September 20, 2006, to discuss the Brookings report "Back to Prosperity" and to discuss ways of helping Pennsylvania and the Erie region in particular. For John Guerriero and George Miller's article on the conference, please
click here.
Task Force Formed to Fight Blight, September 15, 2006
"Brownsville is still in the midst of fighting blight in its downtown area, but its plight may help bring an end to dilapidated downtowns across the state.
A newly formed task force met Wednesday in Harrisburg to examine the causes of blight and to look at ways of getting rid of existing blight while preventing it in the future. The task force was formed by state Sen. James J. Rhoades, R-Schuylkill County."
City Sleekers: Where we live plays an important role in how much we exercise and in how healthy we are, August 20, 2006
"Since World War II, said Jackson from his office in UC Berkeley's University Hall, the majority of communities have been built for cars instead of people. What may have been good for the cars, however, turns out to be bad for people: The rate of obesity and diabetes among U.S. citizens has reached epidemic proportions. Twenty-two percent of school-age children are obese. The number of stomach-stapling surgeries is growing faster than any other procedure. Ten percent of U.S. citizens have Stage II diabetes. Depression is the nation's most prevalent disorder. "
Could Rising Gas Prices Kill the Suburbs?, August 18, 2006
Could rising gas prices kill the suburbs? When a high-cost commute reaches the point of no-return, home buyers will start finding houses closer to work. In fact, some already are. Please click here to read this article, posted on MSN.
State, Lehigh, Bethlehem Planners Can Save Broughal, August 22, 2006
The Bethlehem Area School District sees mounting pressure to forego the demolition of the 1917 Broughal Middle School, where 90 percent of the 630 students arrive on foot, and to use the public’s $43 million better than on a less pedestrian-friendly school farther away, writes Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author Thomas Hylton, in his Allentown
Morning Call guest column, revealing that last year the district’s architect Spillman Farmer unsuccessfully offered a plan that would have met all its criteria. Please
click here for the column.
International Economic Development Council Releases Report on Smart Growth and Economic Development, August 2006
A new report from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) looks at connections between economic development and smart growth, and cites Pittsburgh as one of eight case studies. Download the report
here.
Philadelphia's 'Green' Formula for Swimmable, Drinkable Water - a column by Neil Peirce, August 13, 2006
"Big pipes to drain off stormwater aren't necessarily your friend. They may even be the reason the stream or river near your home isn't fit for swimming." Please
click here to read Mr. Peirce's article.
Cameron County Officials Look to Consolidate Governments, July 27, 2006
"In what's believed to be an unprecedented move, officials in the tiny northcentral Pennsylvania county are looking at consolidating its seven municipal governments into one under a Home Rule Charter." Please
click here for the Bradford Era article.
Homeowners Driven to Extreme, July 23, 2006
"What we're seeing is really the continuation of a trend that started back in the 1950s, but the affordable housing then was five miles, 10 miles away from downtown. Now the affordable housing, where it's being built, is 50 to 60 miles from downtown." Please
click here for the Baltimore Sun article.
You Gotta Have 'Friends': Janet Milkman Keeps Pennsylvania Communities Strong, July 11, 2006
UrbanProbe, a new website devoted to bringing real estate and building professionals together to network and collaborate on-line, has interviewed 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania's president and CEO Janet Milkman. Please
click here for the article.
All Aboard Mass Transit, July 12, 2006
"As a nation, for both economic and national security reasons, we need to become more energy efficient and less reliant on foreign oil. Enhancing our public transportation infrastructure and encouraging transit use should be foundations of that effort."
Please
click here for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.
Why Regionalism Is So Hard, July 9, 2006
"At the heart of the issue is the question of whether local governments can, or indeed should, work toward consolidation."
Please
click here for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article by Christopher Breim.
Sustainability and Property Rights, June 2006
Balance is needed between government property takings, zoning regulations, and private property rights. Please
click here for the Urban Land Institute article.
Erie's Future Mapped Out, June 28, 2006
"City leaders glimpsed the future face of Erie on Tuesday. They liked what they saw. A plan showing a markedly different downtown was unveiled for the first time."
Please
click here for the Erie Times-News article.
Wanted: Citizens who'll Turn Their Love to Action, June 25, 2006
"Combining our fractious local governments would be the biggest step we could take to make it less likely our children and grandchildren will need plane tickets to visit us".
Please
click here for the Erie Times-News editorial.
Brick by Brick, July 2, 2006
"Pennsylvania truly can be on the cutting edge when it comes to good development. In many ways, as the Design Awards finalists demonstrate, we already are. "
Please
click here to read Janet Milkman's article in the Harrisburg Patriot News.
A Regional Approach to Growth, July 2, 2006
"Maryland's Eastern Shore is home to 59 municipalities, each with its own government and growth priorities. But in some states, many small towns have worked together to plan as a region - an approach conservationists say Maryland should try."
Is Global Warming to Blame?, June 29, 2006
"Environmentalists believe the Delaware River's recent proclivity for flooding might not be a fluke, but a sign of things to come."
Please
click here for the article in the Buck County Courier Times.
PennFuture - Clean Environment Key to Economy, Philadelphians Tell Pollster; Mayoral Candidates' Position on Environment Very Important to Residents and Business Owners, May 22, 2006
"In a newly conducted poll, Philadelphia's business leaders and residents agreed that environmental damage is harming the city and that protecting the environment is vital to growing the region's economy."
Public Transit - We're All In It, May 21, 2006
"We love our cars, but the reality has changed. A new vision for transit is crucial to the Pittsburgh region's well-being,” says Caren Glotfelty. Click here to read her essay in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Forever Young, May 3, 2006
For Jane Jacobs, the best historic preservation is about maintaining the civic fabric in which humanity thrives. Many young people in Pittsburgh agree. Please
click here for the article.
Pennsylvania Environmental Council Appoints Brian J. Hill President and CEO, April 20, 2006
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), a leading voice for Pennsylvania's environments for nearly 4 decades, today announced the selection of Brian J. Hill as the organizations new President and CEO. Please
click here for the press release.
New report identifies alarming state and federal funding shortfalls for PA farmers
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and its partners today released “Voices of Agriculture,” a new report that identifies the alarming state and federal funding shortfalls for Pennsylvania farmers, and summarizes the comments of a cross-section of the agricultural community on the potential solutions. Please
click here for the article.
Home-building Fees Sought to Ease Growth, April 16, 2006
Representative Stephen Maitland has proposed a bill that would allow municipalities facing development pressure to impose a fee on new home construction to help pay for services and schools. Please
click here for the article.
Demand for Homes Continues in Region, April 16, 2006
"Everywhere you look in Central Pennsylvania, a housing development is being built. Who is moving into all those new houses, and who is buying the existing homes being sold?" Please
click here for the article.
New Push Under Way to Bind York, Suburbs as Metro-York, March 31, 2006
York's problems cannot be tackled in isolation. That's not a new idea in York County, but a task force launched last week will try to breathe fresh life into the thought. Please
click here for the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal article by David Dagan
Ten U.S. Cities Best Prepared for an Oil Crisis
SustainLane has ranked the largest 50 U.S. cities based on recent city commute practices, metro area public transportation, sprawl
