Old and new gateways – a water pipeline and high-speed Internet
– brought state awards Wednesday to Somerset and Cambria county governments.
“The local government entities and officials being honored today provide leadership and know-how that ensure the partnerships between state and local government work to their fullest potential,’’ said George Cornelius, acting secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development.
He spoke during the 13th annual Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence ceremony at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.
Somerset County won an award for intergovernmental cooperation as it built the Quemahoning Pipeline.
The pipeline was a collaborative effort involving the Cambria Somerset Authority, those two counties, and Boswell and Somerset boroughs and Conemaugh, Lincoln and Somerset townships. Talks are going on to offer water from the 62-million-gallon-per-day pipeline to other municipalities.
Cambria won the award for information technology for its high-speed wireless broadband.
Broadband was introduced to areas that previously did not have that service. Cambria Connected simultaneously lowered costs of high-speed Internet and data services to business and residential customers, the state said.
The awards were presented to nine individual leaders and 11 government entities that have exemplified the work by Pennsylvania’s cities, towns and boroughs. Awards covered eight categories. Winners were picked by a panel of judges from the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services.
Other winners included:
n Altoona in the category of building community partnerships.
The city partnered with economic development agencies, 11 businesses and a crime prevention organization on the Gateway Enhancement Project.
The aim was to create an attractive entry to the city for new businesses and homebuyers.
Volunteers fixed up 35 houses at an average cost of $2,200 per house, or $77,000.
n Trafford Borough in Westmoreland County for fiscal accountability.
The state said the town – which lost much of its manufacturing base during the past 20 years – has become a model on how a distressed community can rebuild and thrive. Under the six-year recovery plan, Trafford cut overspending, accelerated debt payments, restored services and lowered taxes.
Local News
Somerset, Cambria governments win awards
- Local News
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$27.1B budget proposed
Gov. Tom Corbett on Tuesday proposed a budget of $27.1 billion, with no tax increases, deep cuts to higher education assistance and a range of cost-cutting in services for the poor, elderly and disabled.
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Highlights of Gov. Corbett's state spending plan
Read on to see a bulleted list of Gov. Tom Corbett’s $27.1 billion state spending plan for the year that starts July 1.
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Universities face steep cuts
State universities still trying to recover from deep cuts last year would have their public funding slashed even further under a budget plan unveiled Tuesday, leading some institutions to warn of a choice between maintaining buildings and offering academic programs students need to graduate.
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Plan hurts middle class, local Democrats contend
While members of his own party praised Gov. Tom Corbett’s fiscal restraint, some local Democratic lawmakers said the Republican’s proposed budget panders to corporate interests while inflicting pain on the middle class.
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Senate approves proposed fee on shale drilling
The state Senate voted today to impose a fee on natural-gas drilling in Pennsylvania and expand regulations for the booming industry, a milestone in a debate that has raged in the Capitol for several years.
Senators voted 31-19 to approve the 174-page bill that would fund road work and environmental clean-ups and give local governments the power to decide if the fee would be imposed on their local wells.
“Could we have done better? Supposedly, but it has taken three years to get this far,” said supporter Sen. John Wozniak, D-Johnstown, among a handful who crossed party lines. “It is time to turn the page.” -
Blogging with heart
I've got so much stuff for this Sunday's American Heart Month package, that some of the stories will spill over onto Monday. But I don't know what to leave out, or hold for the next week, so it looks like a double hit this week.
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Pa. gas drilling fee bill debate ends without vote
Pennsylvania, the only major gas-producing state that does not tax the taking of natural gas from its soil, moved closer Tuesday to imposing a fee on the drilling in the vast Marcellus Shale reserves that have transformed the state in recent years.
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Detour hurting some Portage businesses
Craig Mazzarese’s business depends heavily on drive-by customers, but since last week fewer drive-bys have been stopping
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Local airport funding intact
Airport leaders here are breathing sighs of relief after Congress approved funding to support local commercial air service through 2015.
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With state revenue tight, Westmont seeks school budget input
The Westmont Hilltop school board on Tuesday night held a public forum at the middle school to explain why the district, already one of the most efficient in the state, must raise taxes each year.
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