Sequester '13: The Magic Penny Theory

Blogger Mike Shortall shares thoughts about the sequester issue.

Sequestration Cuts in Norristown-Area Police Departments

How could the Congressional decision impact local law enforcement officers?

A series of automated budget cuts known as sequestration are set to hit the federal government’s spending by midnight on Thursday. If Congress does not pass an alternative plan, the forced reductions in budgets will seep down through the states, in to the municipalities, and of course to the area’s residents. In the Norristown area, things are no different. The community will see an impact, should sequester head into action. What might local residents notice? According to Chief Dale Mabry, West Norriton Township Police, many worries surround the programs the township has begun to institute in area schools, like the School Resource Officer (SRO) program. “West Norriton and East Norriton just submitted concept papers to PCCD [Pennsylvania …

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Sequestration: Cuts to Montgomery County's Housing Authority

Part Three of a Four-Part Series: How budget cuts may impact the housing authority.

As Democrats point fingers to the Republicans and Republicans point fingers at the Democrats, the one thing not happening in Congress is the stoppage of sequester. As it stands, the impact of the changes will begin as early as midnight on Thursday. But how will this change impact those in Montgomery County? Another hard-hit department may be that of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Joel Johnson, executive director of the Montgomery County Housing Authority knows this fact all too well. Funded through the U.S. Department HUD, his department’s funding is in jeopardy with the fiscal year only half over. “We receive four monies from four pots,” said Johnson. “Depending on Congressional allocation, the amounts vary.” Two types of funding, …

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Sequestration in Montgomery County

Sequestration: A Cut for Montco's Seniors

Part Two of a Four-Part Series: How budget cuts may impact local senior citizens.

Another 24 hours is lost, and Congress has yet to agree on a plan that would stop sequestration. The automated budget cuts will deliver a hit to Montgomery County programs, including those designed to assist area senior citizens. In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, House Speaker John Boehner said the cuts would be a product of Obama's "failed leadership." "Most Americans are just hearing about this Washington creation for the first time: the sequester," Boehner writes in his column. "What they might not realize from Mr. Obama's statements is that it is a product of the president's own failed leadership. There is nothing wrong with cutting spending that much -- we should be cutting even more -- but the sequester is an ugly and dangerous …

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