New web site shows how your tax dollars are being spent

ALBANY, NY — New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli has created a website, OpenBookNewYork.com, that gives the public access to details of local government finance and allows taxpayers to see how their dollars are being spent. The website went live in June. It provides a searchable database of spending by 113 state agencies and more than 60,000 state contracts. The contracts database can be searched by state agency, company, time frame, dollar amount and more.

Recently, the site was upgraded to include revenue and spending data from more than 3,100 local governments between 1996 through 2006. Other improvements are planned.

Grant expands health care for developmentally disabled

ALBANY, NY — State Senator John Bonacic (R/I/C-Mount Hope) has announced that the Center for Discovery in Harris will receive a Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers (HEAL-NY) grant worth $692,664 to expand the availability of primary care for adults and children with developmental disabilities.

HEAL-NY grants are designed to strengthen primary care, support consolidations, cut duplicative services and further enable the recommendations of the Commission on Health Care Financing in the 21st Century to move forward.

The Center for Discovery is a non-profit organization that provides adult and pediatric healthy services for developmentally disabled persons. Its primary focus is helping the individual to achieve greater control of their environment.

Carney spurns debate; Hackett takes the platform solo

HONESDALE, PA — Challenger for the House seat for the 10th Congressional district of Pennsylvania, Chris Hackett, took the stage alone at a debate arranged by Steve Fountain, publisher of The Wayne Independent, after Democratic incumbent Chris Carney declined to participate. Hackett appeared for close to an hour and a half at Honesdale High School to respond to questions asked by Fountain, some of which had been submitted by the public.

Hackett maintained that Carney’s refusal to attend the event was an example of Washington insiders losing touch with the people they represent. He had challenged Carney to eight debates. Among the positions Hackett articulated were a belief in letting the free market system work without interference, a reduction of government’s role in everyday life and reducing the influence of special interest groups and lobbyists in Washington.

Carney will be appearing with Hackett at a debate scheduled for October 30 at 8:00 p.m. on WVIA-TV.

Hinchey, Carney stand firm on bailout opposition

NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA — Both Congressman Maurice Hinchey of the 22nd district in New York and Congressman Chris Carney (R) of Pennsylvania’s 10th district maintained their opposition to the recent financial bailout bill, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, even after a version had been approved by the Senate. Both voted “nay” on October 3.

“The $700 billion plan brought to the House floor for a vote today is far too big, and ignores the pressing need to directly help working and middle class Americans make ends meet and survive these tumultuous times,” said Hinchey. “The measure also fails to reinstate any real regulatory authority over the financial markets to prevent Wall Street from abusing the system again and creating a similar crisis in the future.”

“While I am glad to see the increased FDIC limits included in the Senate version, I remain skeptical of anything that does not bring true reform and oversight to Wall Street,” Carney said. “There must be real protection and relief for our hard-working families, not just billions of dollars of sweeteners that only add to our growing debt.”

Fatal knifing in Liberty

LIBERTY, NY — A man was stabbed to death in Liberty during an argument early in the morning on Sunday, October 4.

Ismael Hernandez, 45, was found lying outside a house on Orchard Street by policemen who responded to a call at about 1:00 a.m. He was later pronounced dead at Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris.

Witnesses said Hernandez had been inside the house arguing with another man through the window, and later came out and engaged in a struggle during which the fatal stabbing occurred. On the basis of witness accounts, Dalvin Beltran, 29, who had been wandering in the neighborhood close by, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies, shortly after Hernandez’s body was found. More charges may be brought following further investigation.

Honesdale Water Company acquired

HONESDALE, PA — The Honesdale Consolidated Water Company (HCWC) has been acquired by Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE: WTR), a publicly traded water and wastewater utility holding company. Aqua America, Inc. is a national company having locations in 13 states. Its Pennsylvania subsidiary Aqua Pennsylvania, whose headquarters are in Bryn Mawr, has been merged with HCWC in a transaction valued at $6.7 million. The Honesdale offices of HCWC will now be used as the headquarters for Aqua Pennsylvania’s operations in Northeast Pennsylvania, which includes Pike, Wayne, Monroe and Lackawanna counties.

HCWC’s manager, Lynn Simons, is now with Aqua Pennsylvania. He could not be reached for comment in time for the newspaper’s deadline.