B-W School District Bonds Rated 'A+' by Standard & Poor's

And other notes from Wednesday night's school board meeting.

'A+' Rating Turns out that an "A+" rating in school is good for book reports and bonds. Baldwin-Whitehall School Board member Martin Michael Schmotzer commended his colleagues and B-W School District administrators at their meeting on Wednesday night for helping the district to achieve an A+ rating on its general obligation bonds from Standard & Poor's Ratings Services. Standard & Poor's (S&P's) rating scale goes from "D" (lowest grade) to "AAA" (highest), with optional "+" and "-" modifications given from "CCC" to "AA." S&P's gave Baldwin-Whitehall an "A+" for its school issuer credit, long-term and underlying ratings. According to S&P's official analysis, the ratings reflect S&P's view of B-W's "participation in the Pittsburgh …

• Photos (1)

Baldwin-Whitehall Patch: 2012 Election Guide

Brush up on local candidates in time for Nov. 6.

UPDATE: Libertarian Party Will Appear on PA Ballots (as will a Green Party entry for President/Vice President) UPDATE: Read here for a list of polling places and times in Baldwin-Whitehall. UPDATE: Here are the results of races in the Pennsylvania Legislature that affect Baldwin-Whitehall residents. And here are results from federal/statewide races. As we look ahead again to November's elections, the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch remains devoted to bringing you the information that you need about every race in town. Here's a rundown of some of the candidates and issues that we'll be covering as November draws near. One of the biggest races in Baldwin-Whitehall in November will be between Democrat Erin Molchany and Republican Chris Cratsley, who …

•  19 Comments
• Photos (1)

NJarhead

1:07 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

That's a blog! Ignore.   more ›

William Kortz, Democratic Candidate, State Representative for District 38

Kortz is uncontested for reelection to the Pennsylvania House.

The candidate did not respond to requests for information. This information was gathered from pahouse.com/kortz. Name: William "Bill" C. Kortz II  Place of Residence: Dravosburg Borough College: Indiana University of Pennsylvania Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Criminology University: Duquesne University Degree: Enrolled in Duquesne's Master of Business Administration program Rep. Bill Kortz is a veteran of the steel industry who worked for U.S. Steel at the Irvin Plant for nearly three decades, most recently as an operations manager, before being elected to the House of Representatives. Party Affiliation: Democrat Running for Position: Representative for District 38 Incumbent: Yes First Elected: 2006   Website: pahouse.com/kortz  --- Follow …

• Photos (1)

First Responder Tax-Credit Bill Passes PA House

The bill is co-sponsored by Bill Kortz and Harry Readshaw, state representatives from Baldwin-Whitehall.

"As you may know, our need for volunteer emergency service personnel is at an all-time high," state Rep. William C. Kortz II said in a news release on Tuesday. "I'm pleased to share news with you that the state House (of Representatives) unanimously passed a bill (yesterday) that would offer tax credits to volunteer first responders." Kortz, a Democrat from Pennsylvania's 38th House District, which includes south Baldwin Borough; and Harry A. Readshaw, a Democrat whose 36th District includes parts of Baldwin and Whitehall boroughs, were two sponsors of the bill—No. 142—which would allow local municipalities to institute a tax credit for volunteer firefighters and rescue personnel. "Tax credits can serve as a recruitment tool for local …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Vernon Landslide Repairs, Labor Contract Savings and More Baldwin Boro News

Notes from Tuesday night’s council meeting.

Vernon Landslide Costs Borough $462K When it’s all said and done, Baldwin Borough will pay Plavchak Construction, of Jefferson Hills Borough, $462,000 to repair a landslide that occurred on Vernon Avenue in the spring of 2011, according to Baldwin's engineer Larry Souleret. Due to difficulty handling utility lines in the area, workers have had to push back their completion date on Vernon to the end of September 2012. "We're finally wrapping it up," Souleret said during Tuesday night's Baldwin Council meeting. New Labor Contract A switch in health care providers from Highmark to UPMC for Baldwin Borough's construction, general labor and material handlers workers should save Baldwin "six figures," according to borough Manager John Barrett. …

•  9 Comments
• Photos (2)

Michael Stelmasczyk

7:25 am on Friday, September 21, 2012

Common Sense - The bidding for this project was open to all companies including any that were in the local area. Local companies were able to submit bids just like any other company. State law requires open bidding for a project of this size and once the bids are open, they are final. There is no such thing as opening a bid and then sharing that with another company so that they can match it or …   more ›

Local Lawmakers Support Hand-Held Cellphone Ban in Cars

A PA House bill would mirror the state's new texting ban with regard to enforcement and penalties.

State Reps. William C. Kortz II and Martin Michael Schmotzer appeared at a news conference this past week at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC in support of legislation that would ban Pennsylvania drivers from talking on hand-held cellphones while driving. Their bill would mirror the state's new texting ban with regard to enforcement and penalties. The use of a hand-held cell phone while driving would become a primary offense with a $50 fine, or a $100 fine if driving in a school zone, work zone or highway safety corridor. Exceptions to the ban would include drivers using GPS devices, when their vehicles are stopped due to traffic obstructions and when initiating phone calls. The bill would also require the Pennsylvania Department …

•  10 Comments
• Photos (1)

NE12Ukid

10:14 pm on Sunday, September 16, 2012

Actually that line came from the cited source, and I posted it not ml.   more ›

PA House Approves New State Budget

Republicans call spending plan responsible; Democrats decry social service cuts.

The Pennsylvania Senate is expected to vote on Friday on a $27.66-billion spending plan that holds the line on taxes for the new fiscal year, which begins on Sunday. The state House of Representatives approved the measure by a vote of 120-81 on Thursday night, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. The new budget increases spending by less than 2 percent over this year's budget, the Harrisburg Patriot-News reported. The spending plan maintains current funding for public schools and colleges. However, it eliminates the state Department of Public Welfare's cash assistance program and cuts $84 million—half of what Gov. Tom Corbett had proposed cutting for county-provided human services. The budget also includes a tax break that could exceed $1…

•  5 Comments
• Videos (2)

Robert Edward Healy, III

12:53 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012

Reaction from Rep. Bill Kortz added.   more ›

Expanded Grant Program for First Responders to Become Law

State Rep. Bill Kortz praises the Pennsylvania legislative action.

Legislation that will extend and expand a program that annually provides grants to Pennsylvania's emergency responders has been unanimously supported by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate. Senate Bill 866 now goes to Gov. Tom Corbett for his signature. The bill will increase annual state funding for the grant program from $25 million to $30 million. The increased funding amount will allow the average amount of grants to fire departments to increase from $9,500 to $12,000 and the average grant to volunteer ambulance companies to increase from $4,500 to $5,600. The program was set to expire at the end of June 2012, but Bill 866 will extend it another four years (through June 2016). "The bill would go a long way toward …

•  8 Comments
• Photos (1)

Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Voter ID Compliance Gets Easier

State Rep. Bill Kortz writes to Patch.

The Baldwin-Whitehall Patch received the following email on June 22 from state Rep. William C. Kortz II (D-Pennsylvania's 38th House District). Kortz represents south Baldwin Borough, among other areas. Other than addressing some minor grammatical issues, the wording seen below was written as is. ... While Pennsylvania's new voter ID law still faces a legal challenge, state officials recently announced a new way to get a non-driver ID card without the cost of obtaining an official birth certificate. Under the law, voters can get a non-driver ID card without paying the usual $10 fee by going to the driver's license center and declaring they need the card for voting purposes only. Unfortunately, a certified copy of a birth certificate is …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Review, Profiles of Candidates in Tuesday's Local Elections

A synopsis of the local candidates running for office, and links to past articles.

Tuesday, April 24, is Election Day, and if you don't know whom to vote for yet, it's not too late to become informed. Read below for articles, including political profiles, that have been written by the Patch staff in regard to this year's local races for Baldwin-Whitehall. Also, click here to read about where to vote. (Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) State Representative — 22nd District Special Election (Vote for one, even if you are not a Democrat or a Republican.) State Representative — 22nd District Democratic Primary Election (Vote for one.) Other Articles About This Race: State Representative — 22nd District Republican Primary Election (Vote for one.) State Representative — 36th District Democratic Primary Election (Vote for …

• Photos (1)