Happy Independence Day and welcome to another edition of Northeast Notes! Summer is officially in swing. For individuals and families who are seeking a great place to go to escape the heat, look no further than your local library. The Free Library of Philadelphia has more than 6 million items for library card holders, from books and magazines to art and music, as well as free Internet use. There is a library branch in every neighborhood for people of all ages. Take some time this summer to visit the library and enjoy everything your local branch has to offer.

If you’re looking for an excuse to cool off with a summer treat, July is National Ice Cream Month and National Blueberry Month. Enjoy!

As always, check out the latest news and information on my Web site, www.senatorstack.com

‘Historic’ Holmesburg Library Still Going Strong

The Philadelphia Historical Commission recently approved listing the Holmesburg library as registered historical site. That means the library is protected and cannot be altered or demolished without the historical commission’s approval.

The Friends of Holmesburg Library, the Holmesburg Civic Association and I wholeheartedly supported the addition of this wonderful library to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.

For over a century, this library has been the cornerstone of the community. It serves 40,000 families each year and provides 100,000 items for them to enjoy.

Despite its popularity in the community, in 2005 the city tried to turn Holmesburg into an “express” branch with limited hours. I joined the community to protest these cuts, and the city reinstated Holmesburg as a full-service library.

Then last year, the city, faced with a growing budget deficit, tried to close the branch altogether. Again, the community and I protested. Thankfully, a court ruling late last year blocked the closure of Holmesburg and 10 other library branches across the city.

I’m so proud of and grateful to the Holmesburg community for standing up to the threats of closure. Their hard work has paid off.

The Holmesburg library’s rich history in the community and its continued value to its residents proves that it deserves to remain open and receive special recognition as a historical site.

Pennsylvania Budget Negotiations Stalled

Pennsylvania is currently facing the biggest financial crisis in recent memory and the June 30 deadline to enact the 2009-10 budget has come and gone with little progress.

Right now, Pennsylvania has projected a $3.2 billion deficit, but that number may grow. The General Assembly is faced with extremely tough choices, like raising taxes and cutting services.

The governor has proposed imposing a temporary increase of one-half percent in the state’s personal income tax to 3.57 percent, with the stipulation that the tax would return to 3.07 percent after three years. He’s also asking cabinet members to cut an additional $500 million from the state budget.

No one wants a tax increase, but we also cannot simply slash state services that would impact our most vulnerable citizens.

Most states are feeling the same pain that Pennsylvania is, and although our problems are not as severe as other states’, we still need to come to an agreement that hurts the least amount of people and still moves Pennsylvania forward.

I want to thank my constituents for your letters regarding the budget process. I know that you are all concerned about how your tax dollars will be allocated and I can assure that I understand that so many families rely on state services.

Budget negotiations will not be easy, but it’s so important that the General Assembly keep our constituents’ needs in mind and work together in a bipartisan effort to pass a solid budget.

Individuals can watch the Senate session live on my Web site. Just scroll down to the “Click to Watch the Senate Session Live” icon on the left side of the page. Meanwhile, I will keep my constituents informed about any new developments on our budget.
 

Bills Would Keep Violent, Career Criminals Behind Bars

Our local police officers and community leaders are extremely concerned about repeat violent offenders who are given unwarranted opportunities to return to society under supervision.

In fact, the robbery suspect who allegedly gunned down Philadelphia Police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski in May 2008 was a parolee who spent time in a halfway house. This man had a history of violent offenses and should not have been allowed to be placed in a halfway house as part of his sentence. We cannot give these dangerous criminals any opportunity to continually terrorize our communities.

That’s why I recently introduced two parole reform bills to ensure that violent and career criminals serve more time in prison and less time on the street.

One measure, Senate Bill 902, would prohibit a repeat violent offender from being sent to a halfway house as part of parole. “Violent offender” would be defined as a criminal who has committed crimes like rape and murder.

Another measure, Senate Bill 903, would require a person convicted of three or more crimes to serve the maximum sentence for the crime they have been convicted of, regardless of whether the current conviction is for a violent crime.