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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Freeman Wants to Tweak Recreation Fees

State Rep. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton, has issued a news release concerning a bill that will give municipalities greater flexibility in targeting recreation fees to benefit all residents of their communities. The way things are now, recreation fees that municipalities receive from new development may only be used inside that new development. The result, according to Freeman, is a pocket park that no one uses. Freeman's bill would allow municipalities to use the money for recreational facilities anywhere inside their borders.

Freeman's bill passed the Pennsylvania Senate today approved the bill 49-0, and sent it back to the House for concurrence on some technical changes. The House vote is expected to occur in the coming days.

"Parks, playgrounds and other recreational facilities are important to our quality of life," Freeman said. "They promote green space in the community, safeguard the environment and give people of all ages a place for exercise and recreation. My bill would ease the restrictions on the use of the recreation fees municipalities receive from developers, so that funding can be more wisely used to benefit the lives of all area residents."
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9 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2014 at 1:38 AM

    Glad to see the late Bob Freeman is still around. Good for him.

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2014 at 5:51 AM

    Did Bob "Weekend At Bernie's" Freeman vote for the original law? He's made a career of voting for bad laws and then taking credit for voting to fix the mess he made. He represents well the country's worst legislature.

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  3. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2014 at 6:42 AM

    passionate stance on a controversial issue

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  4. Bernie O'HareSeptember 17, 2014 at 8:49 AM

    If he is so bad, why is he running unopposed? Why is it that the only one willing to challenge him, Ron Shegda, is a cook who was even tossed out of the tea party?

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  5. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2014 at 9:28 AM

    why is he running unopposed?

    The district is gerrymandered so a Republican can't win. Dems are waiting for him to retire or expire. The power of incumbency first elected in 1982 and a poster boy for term limits.

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  6. Bernie O'HareSeptember 17, 2014 at 9:56 AM

    That explains some of it, but not all of it.

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  7. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2014 at 1:17 PM

    Good article, Bernie. I was unaware that recreation fees could only be used inside the development in question. That's ridiculous.

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  8. Bernie O'HareSeptember 17, 2014 at 3:55 PM

    Neither was I.

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  9. UnknownSeptember 17, 2014 at 8:11 PM

    Anon @ 9>28 AM - "Dems are waiting for him to retire or expire."??? What kind of a miserable, twisted soul thinks in such terms. No wonder you post anonymously, you should be ashamed of that kind of comment.

    It not the power of incumbency (in case you haven't heard this is a very anti-incumbent year), its the power of the public to know when someone represents them well. It's the power of job well done, both in Harrisburg and here at home. With the help of a caring and dedicated staff, Bob provides effective one on one personal assistance to members of the public on a myriad of concerns.

    Statewide, Bob has always put policy ahead of politics. He is a student of history, and has learned many of its lessons, instead of repeating them. That his bill was passed by both republican houses of the legislature is proof of his ability to build bridges across the aisle. That's because he provides logical, policy based arguments, rather than the crass political sound bites I suspect you are used to.

    And, that is also why many people who disagree with on some issues still support him. His viewpoints are rooted in policy, he is forthright about where he stands, and voters overwhelmingly find that refreshing. Only those who "anonymously" place cheap political slogans over reasoned policy can't understand that.

    That's my opinion and I'm proud to attach my name to my viewpoint.

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