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Public Opinion from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania • 6

Publication:
Public Opinioni
Location:
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Issue Date:
Page:
6
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Piui jc Opinion Wednesday. June 9, 1999 GA Ridge cancels plan to sell credit information announcement, noting that the pro- this contract, sylvania Public Interest Research Group. Ridge on Tuesday ordered an end to the contract with California-based VIE, which stands for "verification of income and employment." The company announced last week that it would act as a computer gateway to sell personal information collected by the state Department of Labor and Industry to mortgage and loan companies. The plan drew criticism from lawmakers who pledged to outlaw the sale of such data by state agencies. Ridge defended the idea in an By GEORGE STRAWLEY Associated Press writer HARRISBURG Gov.

Tom Ridge's decision to cancel a contract with a company that wanted to sell personal employment and income information to lenders was an "excellent idea," a representative of one consumer group said. "When the government signs a contract with a private business and gives it access to extremely confidential private records, I think there's grave risk," said Edmund Mierzwin-ski, a consumer advocate with the Washington, D.C. office of the Penn- Ridge honors 'Mister Rogers' with award HARRISBURG (AP) It was a beautiful day in the governor's house as Gov. Tom Ridge honored children's television personality Fred Rogers with the Pennsylvania Founder's Award. Ridge removed his suit jacket and donned a red cardigan sweater similar to the one Rogers, 71, wears on his show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, before presenting the award Tuesday.

The award was created in 1997 to recognize an outstanding citizen who has made significant contributions to the state. "Today we honor a neighbor who has not only taught us right from wrong, but left from right," Ridge said. "Even though we have different stories we Pennsylvanians have a philosophical background of a chain of friendship that we should never forget," Rogers said. Reaching nearly 8 million households every week, Rogers continues to produce new programs each season. Now completing its third decade of production, the show is the longest-running children's program on public television.

Information collected from employers included wages of individuals and the names and addresses of employers, said Labor and Industry spokesman Roger Baumgarten. Company and state officials said the data could be released only if a loan applicant signed a consent form, but privacy advocates said the provision meant little. VIE had expected to begin offering information to companies within 30 days The company's three-year con Hafer plan investment By SCOTT KRAUS Harrisburg Bureau HARRISBURG State Treasurer Barbara Hafer and the members of a special legislative task force proposed sweeping reforms Tuesday to the rules that govern public sector investments. The changes are aimed at preventing future losses like those incurred in 1997 by more than 50 school districts and a handful of municipalities, whose construction funds were invested by John Gardner Black and Devon Capital Management. "It is a direct, focused response to the specific weaknesses in our laws that allowed this to happen," said Hafer.

The federal Securities and Exchange Commission sued Black in September 1997, charging that more than 50 school districts and municipalities lost upwards of $70 million in local tax dollars due to his alleged fiscal mismanagment The reform proposal, formulated by the bicameral Bipartisan Task Force on Municipal and School Investments would: prrncziE I rrr -in tWiiiiiiiiii i --fr nrnnrr vision would have required the consent of individual credit applicants before information could be released to a lender. But Pennsylvanians are "diligent about their privacy, the governor said. "Valuable as this service may be, I do not believe that this type of reporting was contemplated when Pennsylvania long ago began to collect this private information the governor said. "Therefore, the Department of Labor and Industry will exercise its right to terminate Aaociited Presi Santorum paign Committee, said Rendell would be a strong Senate candidate for several reasons. "He is viewed by people around the state and country as having brought Philadelphia back from the brink of financial disaster.

He has built relationships with members of the business community, who generally vote Republican. And he has the ability to raise money," Fox said. Rendell said running against Santorum next year would mean starting to campaign almost immediately, which he fears would take time away from his duties as mayor. tract with Pennsylvania called for VIE to pay the Department of Labor! and Industry either $500 a monthft or 10 of fees charged to VIE clients for the first year, whichever was freater. The base fee increased a month for the second and third years of the contract Labor and Industry spokesman John Currie has said the departr, ment deemed the non-exclusive contract acceptable under terms of a.

May 1996 letter from the U.S. Department of Labor to all state, employment security agencies. to prevent; losses Restrict the types of investments permitted local governments by state law. Require investment poois to meet strict operating standards and hold a top rating from an independent agency. 4 Require financial professionals to disclose any conflicts of interest.

4 Require school districts, counties and municipalities to draw up state-reviewed investment policies. 4 Require local investment officials to participate in annual refresher courses. 4 Consolidate state laws dealing with public investments. 2555 Sat. 1 261 1243 ii ii ii 15.1 oz.

box i Fred Rogers, left, of Pittsburgh, public television's mister receives the second annual 1999 Pennsylvania Founder's Award from Gov. Tom Ridge during ceremonies in the Governor's Residence in Harrisburg Tuesday. Rogers was honored for his lifelong contributions to Pennsylvania. Governor Ridge wears Rogers' trademark cardigan sweater. Rendell urged to challenge EZZ3 BUILDING A NEW CZ3EZZ we can neip you witn your I uay encK concrete ravers Landscape Block Mulch Whitfield Fireplaces LJ mi 610 North Fifth 717 261 LJ Chambersburg.

PA 17201 Fax 717 i ii Pittsburgh walkers rest on downtown rockers PITTSBURGH (AP) Busi-nesses in downtown Pittsburgh are taking a cue from the broad front porches of the countryside. Merchants along Market Square purchased 30 rocking chairs for people to use on afternoons. On most days, they are full. "1 definitely prefer a rocking chair over a non-rocking chair any day," said Dean Scalise, 24, who seeks out a chair a few times a week. It's like a choice between a Big Mac and prime rib." Bernie Lynch, executive director of the Market Square Association, said some merchants thought she was "off my rocker." The retailers are still teasing, but when they see that they're packed, and that people are fighting for them at lunch, maybe they realize I'm not as crazy as they thought," she said.

The chairs are tied to trees at night for safekeeping. GOP convention officials named PHILADELPHIA (AP) The chief planner of the 2000 Republican National Convention made five key staff appointments Tuesday. Convention Manager James "Chip" DiPaula named Maxene Fernstrom as deputy convention manager, Tim Fitzpatrick as press secretary, Mel Raines as planning manager, Laurel Saparnis as DiPaula's executive assistant, and Pirn Doerr as executive assistant to Fernstrom. The convention, at which the party will nominate its next presidential candidate, will take place in Philadelphia during the week of July 29 to Aug. 4, 2000.

Erie erects long fence to keep out drug dealers ERIE (AP) A fence for deterring drug dealers should be finished by midsummer, officials said. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is paying for the $562,553 fence near the Franklin Terrace housing complex in Erie. McGregor Construction Co. of Erie is installing 1.5 miles of fence with flat-top posts.

Now, drug dealers have easy access to and from the complex at many points along the perimeter, officials said. Some of the fences go between housing units, creating longer walks. Man accused in major gun ring pleads innocent OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) A man accused of running one of the nation's largest illegal gun rings has pleaded innocent to a string of charges. Sean Twomey, 32, of Hayward, was indicted May 27 by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy, illegal gun sales, use of false licenses to buy firearms, possession of more than 50 guns with the serial numbers eliminated and transferring guns to a known felon.

He entered the plea Monday. Twomey was arrested by agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in May. Investigators say Twomey and three companions bought and sold more than 633 guns from wholesalers in Pennsylvania and Ohio, using false Treasury Department licenses. Those investigators said the total number of weapons involved is far higher than the 633 mentioned in the indictment, and say the ring may be the largest in U.S. history.

Marker will commemorate life of deaf teacher SCRANTON (AP) The first deaf teacher in Scranton and the founder of the Scranton State School for the Deaf will be remembered with a roadside marker. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission on Thursday will erect the memorial in honor of the Rev. Jacob Mitzel Koehler, a deaf minister who founded the school in 1882. The dedication will take place during the school's commencement The school is the only state-owned, state-operated school for the deaf in Pennsylvania. Koehler was born in York in 1860; studied at Gallaudet University and began teaching in Scranton in 1880.

York County not likely to get methadone clinic YORK (AP) An action by the state Legislature prohibiting methadone clinics in certain areas makes it less likely that a clinic will open in York County. That is a problem for the county, which had hoped that opening a clinic within its borders would save the $10,000 a year it spends transporting heroin addicts to treatment centers in Harrisburg and back. The bill approved Monday by the state Senate, and already passed by the House, would block treatment facilities from operating within 500 feet of a residential neighborhood, school, playground, park, child-care facility or place of worship. for the other senators who talked to me, I said I would think about it," Rendell said. Some of Rendell's political advisers said they think the mayor would do better in a race for the Senate than for governor.

If he were to run for governor in 2002, he would likely face Auditor General Robert P. Casey Jr. in the Democratic primary. Casey is the son of former Gov. Robert P.

Casey so Casey would have an instant statewide name-recognition advantage over Rendell. Jamie Fox, the executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Cam -attorn roAo 'A IBDOD a HW FAMOUS BRAND wwa jom. JIUUf GSEWDBS ill Vtcaswt PHILADELPHIA (AP) Some national Democratic heavyweights have been urging Philadelphia Mayor Edward G. Rendell to run for the U.S. Senate next year.

Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, a longtime friend, urged Rendell a few weeks ago to jump into the race against conservative Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. Rendell said Tuesday that he told Kennedy, as well as Sens. Tom Daschle, and Robert Torricelli, that he would consider the idea.

But he has reservations. He said an executive office, like governor, is better suited to his personality than a legislative office, which tends to require consensus and compromise. He has long said that if he ever runs for office again, he is most likely to run for governor. In an attempt to regain control of the Senate, leaders of the Democratic Party are scouring the country for candidates who have a good chance of wresting seats away from the Republicans. Rendell is seen as one of those viable candidates.

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