In their latest attempt to persuade us that all is well at Northampton County nursing home Gracedale, a new culprit is being blamed for the fiscal woes - accounting. If they only stopped using a cash basis and went into an accrual form of accounting, in which predicted revenue could be claimed, all would be well. While County officials slapped each other on the back for finally solving the problem, Montgomery County voted to sell their home.
Montgomery County, incidentally, is a Commissioner Board with a 2-1 Democratic majority. Josh Shapiro, the chair, is a former State Rep touted as a potential statewide candidate among liberal Democrats. The vote was unanimous.
While Northampton County discusses keeping two sets of books despite the advice of those nasty independent auditors, Lebanon County has begun exploring privatization of its nursing home.
At the beginning of 2013, 28 counties still operated 33 nursing homes (some counties have more than one home). So far this year, five counties have now sold their homes, while another two weigh their options.
Perhaps someone should tell them it's just an accounting problem.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Tuesday, October 22, 2013
14 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Keep whipping that mule O'Hare. You are talking to yourself but keep on a digging. Fortunately you, Stoffa and Angle will soon be history.
ReplyDeleteGracedale will continue to exist as long as good people are around to protect from you thugs.
Too bad Stoffa let the computer room disintegrate like the rest of the county buildings. The guy is a trainwreak.
Take your drug cocktail, tricia.
ReplyDeleteIt will be the last one sold and the county will only pay some one 35 million to take it off our hands.
ReplyDeleteo'hairless is actually right on this one. the joint should have been sold years ago but Norco voters like their pain and they like to prolong it as they continually make the same mistakes over and over again...........
ReplyDeletelaughing at you
Sorry to be off topic here, however, PA is considering a transportation funding bill that raises the gas tax to fund transportation infrastructure. It is my understanding that Lehigh Gas moved its Corporate headquarters to the NIZ. Will the gas tax revenue collected by Lehigh Gas become NIZ money.
ReplyDeleteIf this is true, maybe we need an amendment to the transportation funding bill the removes any and ALL gas tax from the NIZ take.
So Callahan is wrong about Gracedale. He's a dishonest idiot on the subject and you are running his campaign. I'll drink to that.
ReplyDeleteCallahan is pandering for union support and senior citizen votes. My guess is his advisers poll tested the issue. It may win him some votes in two weeks, but eventually he will need to raise taxes to pay for his promises just like what happened in Bethlehem. Creative accounting only works for so long. By taking privatization off the table he has weakened himself (and the taxpayers) when negotiating collective bargaining contracts with the unions at Gracedale.
ReplyDeleteNursing homes are no longer core functions of county government. Privatization of county nursing homes is mainstream policy and not some a radical tea-party conspiracy. Two thirds of PA counties no longer have homes and they will continue to be sold off on a bi-partisan basis. Bashing Stoffa, Republicans, and accountants will not change that fact.
6:35, I don 'tceverxdecidexa race based on one issue. If I only voted for candidates who agree with me on everything, I would not be able to vote for anyone.
ReplyDeleteGracedale is one such issue. I can support someone though I think it needs to be privatized. People of good will can have different opinions.
Elections have consequences.
ReplyDeleteI see items like Gracedale locally and the ACA nationally as voters getting what they wanted and now deserve.
You need to feel the pain of the consequences to make substantive change.
Sincerely,
Everybody who lived during Prohibition
The electorate voted overwhelmingly to keep Gracedale and they don't care what it cost. They want it run efficiently and economically but they want it run by the County. What is so difficult to understand. Here is the opportunity to do what the voters ask their elected officials to do and you chastise them for that. Sorry, I am on the side of the voter.
ReplyDeleteI am not chastising anyone. I am pointing out that , while the County tries to cover its losses at Gracedale with a second set of books, other counties are selling their homes. What is so difficult to understand about that? The voters will not want to keep Gracedale once it becomes too expensive to maintain.
ReplyDeleteI keep very shady books in Bethlehem. Charlie Dentbwas right and Bernie loiks silly. Two sets of books are fine. The more the merrier. Gracedale stays open at any cost.
ReplyDeleteCallahan will spend our kids' last dollar to keep Gracedale. John Brown has a little Indian problem. Vote Callahan for change.
ReplyDeleteGee Bernie, you sure have to have thick skin to put up with the guff that shows up here. You make thought provoking observations, and the can of tar has already been opened and feathers are flying. Keep up the good work - someone has to keep us informed of what is going on, even if it means the messenger must wear a flak jacket.
ReplyDelete