EN eS Er TAT TSIEN TRE ae TR —— Eo ,, el ES ————— Sunday, November 13, 2011 THE DALLAS POST PAGE 3 KINGSTON TOWNSHIP Supers pass local services tax - and do it legally By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Once again, supervisors passed the local services tax in a 3-2 vote Wednesday, which will levy a $52 fee to those who work in the township. Supervisors passed the tax back in August, but the legal ad- vertisement was incorrect and the board began the controversial discussion again last month. The board passed the tax in a 3-2 vote with supervisors Jim Re- ino Jr., Jeffrey Box and Shirley Moyer voting in favor and super- visors John Solinsky and Frank Natitus voting against the mea- sure. Residents employed within the township who meet a certain in- come guideline will be required to pay the tax, $10 of which will be paid directly to the Dallas School District. Township Manager Kathleen Sebastian said the township would collect about $40,000 from the tax, which will be used to con- tinue funding local fire and ambu- lance services. - Reino said the tax became nec- essary because of 2012 budget shortfalls, despite supervisors’ at- tempts to make many cuts to the fiscal plan. Property and earned income taxes are set to increase in 2012, as well. "(Thomas Jefferson) liked the constitution because it preserved the fundamental principle that the people are not to be taxed except by the repre- sentatives chosen by themselves. In other words, no taxation without representation.” John Solinsky Kingston Township supervisor “We tried to spread the respon- sibility for the tax increase out to all parties, and we felt ... it was fair for people working in the town who may not be living here to also be putting into the bud- get,” said Reino. The township is proposing a .07 increase to the earned income tax, which would provide, at most, an estimated $130,000. Property taxes are proposed to in- crease by .0003388 mills, which would bring in an additional $400,000. Solinsky, who dropped out of the supervisors’ race this year due to ongoing discussions about the tax, said it is “tyranny” to tax those who do not live within the township. He quoted founding fa- ther Thomas Jefferson in a plea for the board to vote against the measure. “(Thomas Jefferson) liked the constitution because it preserved the fundamental principle that the people are not to be taxed ex- cept by the representatives cho- sen by themselves,” he said. “In other words, no taxation without representation.” Solinsky said he could not sup- port a tax on “people who have no vote.” “I can’t just stand by quiet and say, ‘Well, we need the money,” he said. “That’s not good enough. There’s a right way and a wrong way to do things, and just be- cause a legislator finds a creative way to steal people’s money, it’s not good enough.” Moyer voted against the tax last year, but had concerns about raising property and earned in- come tax rates higher than their current proposed rates to offset the income that would be provid- ed by the local services tax. The $3,007,275 budget for 2012 is available for public in- spection at the municipal build- ing. See TAX, Page 11 PSU students are frustrated Students at local campus express opinions regarding 8 sexual abuse. By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Penn State students at the Wilkes-Barre campus in Leh- man Township weren't pro- testing Thursday in the wake of the university board of trustees’ decision to fire leg- endary football coach Joe Pa- terno and university president Graham Spanier. Instead, some felt the media attention after details of a child molestation scandal were released was blown out of proportion. Late last week, former as- sistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with a mix of 40 counts in a child sex abuse case over a 15-year peri- od beginning in 1996. Administrators at the Wilkes-Barre campus were un- able to comment on the situa- tion. Senior Amy Parry, of Hard- ing, said she feels “frustrated” with the entire situation, from the way the media has handled the story to the firing of Pa- terno late Wednesday eve- @: WI'm sick over how the whole story was swayed, and I think that affected how the board of trustees made their decision,” said the 24-year-old information technology stu- dent. Parry, who attended school at the University Park campus «during her collegiate career, -said the student gathering i that took place late Wednes- day night at the main campus sin State College and the scan- | RE ah CER A 4 4 k y dal itself paints an unfair pic- ture of what the entire Penn State organization looks like. “At University Park, there are between 42,000 and “At University Park, there are between 42,000 and 44,000 stu- dents. There were 3,000 students in the street and only about 100 were doing any damage. At satellite and specialized campuses in the Com- monwealth, there are about 95,000 of us - a small handful doesn’t represent the school, nor does Jerry Sand- usky." Amy Parry PSU/WB senior 44,000 students,” she said. “There were 3,000 students in the street and only about 100 were doing any damage. At satellite and specialized cam- puses in the Commonwealth, there are about 95,000 of us — a small handful doesn’t repre- sent the school, nor does Jerry Sandusky.” Parry, an executive board member of the student gov- ernment, said an open forum would be held on the Lehman Township campus Thursday afternoon to give students an opportunity to talk about the scandal. Senior Amanda Semon, 21, of Freeland, said she received a text alert from ESPN News late Wednesday and decided to make the drive to State Col- lege in support of Paterno. “I respect Joe Paterno not only as a football coach, but as a person in general,” she said. “He probably makes more money than the governor, but he puts that back into the school and more. It’s a shame.” CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Amy Parry, of Harding, a senior at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, talks about the recent controversies regarding alleged sexual abuse at the main campus. Semon, who said she’s only missed one Penn State foot- ball game in her life, said peo- ple are “jumping to conclu- sions” about the 84-year-old coach’s involvement in the case, and she felt the decision to fire him was hasty, especial- ly after he had announced Wednesday morning that he would retire at the end of the current football season. Now Semon believes the university’s image might be in trouble in years to come, all because of the actions of just a few people. “The people involved were sitting at home while Paterno and Spanier lost their jobs,” she said. Semon feels the situation leaves “a black eye” on the school, and she thinks stu- dents entering the football program will have this on their minds in the years to come. “Parents whose sons are recruited in the future will have this in the back of their minds,” she said. Sophomore Laura Mann, of Middletown, N.Y., said she \ Sin pa Amanda Semon, a senior at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, was among many students from the Back Mountain campus who traveled to the main campus in State College this week to offer support to the university which is embroiled in controversy regarding alleged sexual abuse. hopes the situation won’t tar- nish the reputation of Penn State University. “I hope this isn’t what peo- ple remember about Joe Pater- no,” she said. “And the reputa- tion of the school is more than what happens at University Park.” DALLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT Athletic fields are still unfinished Superintendent will prepare list of available fields for coaches, parents, athletes. By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com An update from the dis- trict’s architectural firm Mon- day revealed several athletic fields will not be complete un- til 2012. Bob Nesbit, of Crabtree Rohrbaugh & Associates, said many fields are close to 100 percent completion, while others have not been prepared yet because of other site work on campus. Those fields still needing work are the discus, javelin and shot put fields; a second field hockey field; a multipur- pose field; and what adminis- trators called a pit field, which will be raised using ex- cess dirt on the property. Nesbit said the project is 871 days into an 822-day pro- ject, and he added the site work contractor, Charles Cor- by & Sons, hopes to have the majority of work completed by Dec. 19. Superintendent Frank Gal- icki said he will prepare a list for coaches, parents and ath- letes stating what sports will be played on what fields for next season. He also said the fact that girls soccer, normally played during the spring season, has been changed by PIAA to a fall sport is causing a problem for field planning. In other business ... e The board heard a pre- sentation from language teacher Candice Fike and in- ternational businesswoman Angela Casey on expanding the elementary foreign lan- guage academy. Casey, fluent in Mandarin Bob Nesbit, of Crabtree Rohr- baugh & Associates, said many fields are close to 100 percent completion, while others have not been pre- pared yet because of other site work on campus. Those fields still needing work are the discus, javelin and shot put fields; a second field hockey field; a multipurpose field; and what administrators called a pit field, which will be raised using excess dirt on the property. Chinese, explained China has become a major influence on the world, from the economy to culture. She presented the acade- my’s plan to expand beyond elementary students to mid- dle school, high school and adult students as well. The foreign language acad- emy is a tuition-based after- school program students elect to attend. Students through fifth grade can take classes in French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese or sign language. eo Jack Wega, director of federal funding, announced Wyecallis Elementary School has been named a distin- guished school by the state Department of Education’s di- vision of federal programs for proficiency in its Title I pro- gram for two consecutive years. The school is one of 94 to earn this recognition out of more than 1,700 schools with Title I programs in the state. e Recently retired Wycallis Elementary Principal Kath- leen McCarthy attended the meeting and was applauded by the board and audience for her dedication to the school. Tux will visit library to read with families Mike O’Brien, Tux and star players from the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins will take part in a lively, family reading program at the Back Mountain Memorial Library at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Space is limited so families are asked to call the library at 675- 82 to reserve seats. The players will talk to the families about the importance of read- ‘ fing, about being a team player and about their careers as profes- - isional hockey players. Tux will then entertain the children with his g antics as the players read to the children. Participants should bring questions along with memorabilia to pot el : be signed. i Ben Wnuk, of Hunlock Creek, enjoys last year's family reading . program at the Back Mountain Memorial Library with Tux, mas- : _cot for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey team. ; 3 “The Tempest The Misericordia Players Theater is presenting “The Tempest,” a tragicomedy rep- resentative of the end of Shak- espeare’s solo-play writing ca- reer, at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Fri- day and Saturday, Nov. 17-19 in Lemmond Theater in Walsh Hall on campus. Tickets are available at the door for $3 for senior citizens and students and $5 for adults. The Misericordia Players Theater is putting a modern- day twist on the play in celebra- tion of the 400th anniversary of the first production of the play, which still maintains its rele- vance because it emphasizes how to live, make choices, and come to peace with the conse- quences of one’s choices. The following Misericordia University students have been casted in these roles: R.J. Bar- na, Dallas, Prospero; Marissa comes to MU Miller, Tunkhannock, Miranda; Dinamichelle Boyer, Allen- town, Ariel; Jeff Kelly, Dallas, Caliban; Nate Schloder, Lake Winola, Ferdinand; Mary Scar- pa, Tunkhannock, Antonia; Sam Corey, Union Dale, Sebas- tian; Danielle LaChall, Brook- haven, Gonzala; Matthew Ce- brosky, Lehighton, Alonso; Hil- ary Hoover, Trucksville, Adria- na/Iris; Leila Comerford, Moscow, Francesca/ Juno; Mel- vin Jay Busi, Saylorsburg, Ste- phano; Nick Kestler, Mattituck, N.Y., Trinculo; Elizabeth Jack- son, Hummelstown, Boat- swain; Maria Weidemoyer, Per- kiomenville, Mariner/Ceres; Taylor Robertson, Medford, N.J., Mariner; and Elizabeth Shovlin, Mountain Top, Mari- ner. For more information about cultural events at Misericordia University, call 674-6400.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers