July 2012
Political representation in the Town of Delaware
During a heated discussion at the Delaware Town Board meeting last week, it was said that New York State embraces a representative model of government. This is true. But that does not mean that the proper attitude of elected officials is: “We won, we call the shots.” Though part of what it means to represent is to fulfill a mandate by enacting the policies you campaigned on, more important is the idea that the representative is a trustee, looking out for the welfare of all constituents. Read more
Email this pagePolitical representation in the Town of Delaware
During a heated discussion at the Delaware Town Board meeting last week, it was said that New York State embraces a representative model of government. This is true. But that does not mean that the proper attitude of elected officials is: “We won, we call the shots.” Though part of what it means to represent is to fulfill a mandate by enacting the policies you campaigned on, more important is the idea that the representative is a trustee, looking out for the welfare of all constituents. Read more
Not my priorities
It’s too bad that Representative Rosemary Brown feels she is so unknown in Pike that she must put up a billboard this early in Delaware Township. The message “Focused on our priorities” is revealing though. Who is the “our” in that slogan, I wonder? Read more
The will of the people?
The Town of Highland recently passed a ban on fracking, and Fremont passed a pro-fracking resolution the very next night. The difference between these two actions is striking. I’m not talking about the different views they represent; I’m talking about the way the towns conducted business. Read more
Affordable healthcare via universal Medicare
As long-time advocates for the elderly, the Senior Legislative Action Committee of Sullivan County (SLAC) approves of the June 29 Supreme Court decision affirming and preserving most of the Affordable Care Act. To be sure, by allowing states to reject the expanded Medicaid coverage without losing federal funding for existing Medicaid, this decision may have doomed the expanded coverage, leaving thousands of people again with no health benefits. Read more
Egg on their faces
So the Wall trial is over before it began. The pre-trial hearing came off with all the excitement of a deflating balloon. Some scheduled to testify dropped out, while the majority of witnesses gave the Walls glowing reports. Charges of extortion and unlawful letting of contracts were thrown out. In the end, there wasn’t a case worth trying, and Mr. Fluhr and Mr. Hoeper now sit with egg on their faces. Read more
Let it all hang out
In batting around ideas for editorials, we occasionally come across topics that seem to merit support or condemnation, but are nevertheless not good editorial fodder because they seem just too obvious. Read more
Quit smoking course
First of 5 weekly sessions at Pocono Lake Region Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center, 3-4pm through 9/12. RSVP: 570/296-3400 or 253-5970, ext. 4110.
'Sullivan County in the Civil War'
Talk by Myron Gittel at E.B. Crawford Public Library, 7:30pm, free, public welcome. 845/794-4660.
