News, Entertainment, Enlightenment
Gar Raines R.I.P.
A service was held this morning, April 16, for the gentle and decent Garland C. Raines at The Church of the Redeemer in Springfield, Pa.
Gar, a veteran of World War II, live a long and full life. He was a editor and writer and ended his professional career at the County Press in Newtown Square where he worked for 12 years.
Gar lived in Springfield and is survived by his wife, Ruth; son, Blake, and family.
Public School Budgeting Burdens Revealed — The Springfield School Board’s Finance and Audit Committee gave, tonight, April 7, a detailed update of the district’s preliminary budget to a dozen or so persons most of whom were part of a Tea Party contingent led by Regina Scheerer. 
The budget now calls for spending $62,479, 521 for 2011-2012 which is $544,000 less than the initial budget proposed in February but still $2,192,822 more than the budget approved last year.
The district’s actual expenditures for this year are projected to be $59,172,082 which is expected to leave the district with a $1.09 million surplus, which is a good thing since as of now revenue is $206,000 less than expenses.
Real estate taxes are expected to provide $46,456,313 of the new budget, which would be an increase of $2.033 million from the last one and translate to a tax hike of $128 for the average homeowner.
Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed state budget would cut $750,000 in assistance to Springfield noted Don Mooney, the district’s executive director of operations although the state is still expected to provide $8,635,330 to the district. Mooney pointed out, however, that pending legislation may result in another $847,000 being cut to the district.
The meeting before the small group lasted over two hours, and Mooney and Committee Chairman Doug Carney described the ways that the board is trying to save money and the ways in which their hands are tied.
Carney said that the biggest constraints facing the district, in descending order, were special education mandates, contributions to the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS), and employee contracts.
It was noted that there was one special education student for whom the district was paying $125,000 annual tuition to an outside facility as per a court order.
One way the Committee said the district was fighting to keep taxes down for homeowners was by using innovative ways of keeping non-residents from using its services
and that these have resulted in the removal of 10 students from classes
so far this year.
It also said the District was aggressive and generally successful in fighting real estate tax assessments — it was pointed out that the Springfield Mall is trying to lower its valuation from $84.7 million to $64.96 million despite the addition of the successful new Target store.
Claude de Botton, the township’s biggest landowner, was singled out for praise as being someone who never fought his assessments.
The Committee also noted that the District was considering increasing walking radius by a half-mile, which would still be within the mandated guidelines, and that this would greatly curtail the use of buses. It noted that it had eliminated early dismissals which meant that it was no longer required to provide buses for early dismissal at Cardinal O’Hara and other schools. The Committee said the District will be eliminating three crossing guards next year, and will begin charging for the summer wood shop program.
The Committee expressed specific concern over SB 911 now pending in the state legislature that would remove existing exemptions from the calculation as to when a proposed tax increase triggers the requirement for a referendum. Those exemptions, Mooney explained, were for Special Education obligations, PSERS contributions and contracted obligations. Since the obligations would remain it was expected that just about every budget would end up being decided by referendum and be invariably voted down leaving the district no choice but to end unprotected programs like music and shop, and jamming students into classrooms of 40.
Carney expressed opposition to the referendum plan noting that the nation was founded as a representative republic. He said people will always vote to cut taxes and increase services.
Major looming expenses unveiled at the meeting were the replacement of the District’s six-year-old bus fleet, and, hold onto your hats, the replacement of the high school.
And of course the District’s PSERS contribution is going to increase from $2.3 million this year to $6 million in 2014-2015. It was $1.075 million in 2005-2006.
Springfield School District has 23 administrators — whose combined salaries are $2.1 million; 260 certified staff which is expected to increase by two next year; 217 other staff, which is expected to decrease by four; and 3,684 pupils which is expected increase by 116.
The Springfield School Board is considering a $3 million spending hike paid for in part by a $2 million real estate tax increase, according to taxpayer watchdog Regina Scheerer.
Ms. Scheerer is seeking $1 million in spending cuts and a $1 million reduction in the proposed tax hike. She notes that $1.7 million of that increase is contractual for salaries and benefits.
The school board has a budget meeting 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 7, at the McLaughlin Education Center on Leamy Avenue next to the high school.
This meeting and a meeting scheduled for May 5 will determine the budget.
Ridley Police have identified the pair accused of robbing the Sovereign Bank at MacDade Boulevard and Kedron Avenue as Timothy Christopher Murray, 26, of Festerville and Nakia S. Stokes, 30 of Philadelphia.
Murray is the one who allegedly passed the teller the demand note while Ms. Stokes is the one said to have been driving the getaway Honda CR-V and who tried to run down Sgt. James Dougherty on Armstrong Avenue.
Both are charged with robbery, theft, receiving stolen property, possessing instruments of crime, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault, simple assault, terroristic threats, fleeing and drug possession, while Ms. Stokes is additionally charged with driving with a suspended license. Both are being held on $250,000 cash bail.
Police say Murray has been confessed to the March 29 robbery of the Sharon Savings Bank in Springfield, albeit he has yet to be charged for it.
A man arrested yesterday, March 31, after a hold-up in Ridley is being investigated in connection with March 29 robbery of the Sharon Savings Bank in Springfield.
The man, whose name is yet to be released, was given money by a teller at the Sovereign Bank, MacDade Boulevard and Kedron Avenue after presenting a threatening note at about 5:55 p.m. He dropped some of it while leaving and when a customer told him that the had, he brushed him off, which the customer found suspicious. The customer followed him while calling police on his cell phone.
The man entered a green SUV which was driven by a female which Officer James Dougherty tried to stop on Armstrong Avenue. The driver tried to run the policeman down which caused him to shoot out the front and rear driver-side tires of the vehicle.
The driver continued despite the flat tires with the vehicle finally coming to a stop at South and Franklin avenues. The suspect was injured when police slammed the car door on his leg as he was trying to flee, and was taken to Taylor Hospital.
Springfield Police say the man who held up the Sharon Savings Bank in Springfield, reported 2:39 p.m., March 29, was thin, short — about 5 feet, 6 inches tall — and black. He was wearing a black baseball cap, an over-sized hoodie, blue jeans and sunglasses.
The man approached the teller and passed her a note saying he had a gun. The teller gave him some cash which he tucked into his jacket and fled running down School Lane. Police think he possibly left in a green SUV.
The FBI and Springfield Detective James Devaney are investigating. Anyone with information should call 610-544-5503.
Thank you to the nice people who tacked the inspirational signs on Brookside Road, Springfield, Pa. The signs, hand-lettered and made of colored construction paper, contained phrases such as “God loves you” and “Smile.”
Sharon Savings Robbed — The Sharon Savings Bank, 5 E. Springfield Road, Springfield, Pa., was robbed within the hour 3:16 p.m., March 29. The branch is locked. The sign on the door reads “This Office Will Be Closed On Tues. 3/29/11 due to bank robbery”.
Ron Pritsch’s Legacy — The lead story in last week’s Springfield Press concerned the gift bequeathed by writer and anthropologist Ron Pritsch to the Springfield (Pa) Library.
The money was used to replace the 48-year-old circulation desk with one more suitable for the computer era.
Ron died Jan. 19, 2009 of a heart attack which was quite unexpected. He was either 55 or 56.
I knew Ron. He was a fine writer and a decent man and the community still mourns his passing.
The Springfield (Pa) Post Office is moving from the Brookside Road site where it has sat for decades to a shiny new, much smaller spot in Olde Sproul Village on Baltimore Pike that was once Baja Fresh burrito joint. The satellite office in the Springfield Mall is being closed.
Call it progress in this Obama progressive era — higher cost and less convenience. OK, if you live in Swarthmore it will be more convenient.
U.S. Postal Service officials say the move will occur in July or August.