Archive of posts for 2008:
Gary Weckselblatt reporting for The Intelligencer:
Democratic state Rep. Josh Shapiro plans to reintroduce his bill to outlaw handheld phones while driving.
For Josh Shapiro, the numbers tell the story.
Last year, according to the state police, there were 1,245 accidents on Pennsylvania’s roadways where a driver was talking on a handheld cell phone, compared to 56 accidents with a driver using a hands-free device.
The Associated Press‘ Mark Scalforo:
It was a dubious distinction that may have done more than any other factor to produce a new Right-to-Know Law: Pennsylvania’s long-standing reputation as one of the worst states when it comes to letting people know what their government is doing.
Those pushing for changes in recent years have often cited a 2002 study of certain aspects of public access by the Chicago-based Better Government Association that ranked Pennsylvania an abysmal 47th.
From an opinion piece by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian O’Neill:
Rep. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat from suburban Philadelphia, can see the change coming. He has just been elected to his third term in Harrisburg and chairs the Legislative Audit Advisory Committee. That’s designed to be a watchdog but, about 10 months ago, when Mr. Shapiro asked leaders to come up with a plan to draw down this surplus, he was rebuffed.
Now, he says, the leaders of both parties in both houses are committed to releasing the money. The only question is how much. Mr. Shapiro says when you take out what’s already committed in state contracts, the true legislative surplus, built up over many years, is around $200 million.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Brad Bumsted:
The commission chairman, Democratic Rep. Josh Shapiro of Montgomery County, and Sen. Pat Browne, a Republican member from Allentown, said the surplus is excessive and the Legislature needs to keep in reserve only a few months’ worth of funding for budget crises.
Browne said about $60 million covering two months’ operating costs would be sufficient.
“Now more than ever we need to use the money for the needs of Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said.
Name: Josh Shapiro
Age: 34
Title: Deputy speaker, of counsel
Company: Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Stradley Ronon
Type: Government and law
Education: University of Rochester, BA; Georgetown University, JD.
Birthplace: Kansas City, Mo.
Residence: Abington
Credits: Lucidity Theme by SDAC, Inc. | Adaptation and Additional Design by TP
