As released by the Department Of Justice. United States Attorney Peter J. Smith. Middle District of Pennsylvania.

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a Criminal Information was filed in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg charging the former president of the United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 304 with stealing almost $67,000 in union funds during an eleven month period that he held the office.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, on over a hundred occasions between December 15, 2009 and November 16, 2010, Howard Royal, age 50, of Steelton, Pennsylvania, abused his position as the union president to make fraudulent unauthorized electronic transfers and withdrawals of $66,989.02 of the labor organization’s money. UGSOA represents security officers in state government agencies throughout Pennsylvania. Local 304 is headquartered in Harrisburg.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Department of Labor and prosecution was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Peter Hobart.

The government filed a plea agreement together with the Criminal Information. The agreement is subject to the approval of the court.

Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for Wire Fraud is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the  defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

Photo/Natalie Cake

The Governor's Press Office released the following statement related to statements made By Sen. Jake Corman Tuesday.

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The refusal by Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman and Republican leaders to accept basic math and acknowledge Pennsylvania’s massive structural budget deficit is the sole obstacle preventing budget talks from moving forward.

Pennsylvania has a significant structural budget deficit that needs to be addressed. Drastic cuts made to state education funding – cuts made by Senator Corman and Republicans – need to be restored. Unfortunately, the Republican budget crafted by Senator Corman and his Republican colleagues failed to address these gaps. The Republican budget is not balanced and would lead to a $3 billion budget deficit, while doing nothing for public education – adding less than 3 cents per student per day in education funding.

Strangely, today’s Senator Corman doesn’t agree with the Senator Corman of the past. Senator Corman’s leadership title seems to have shifted his ideals on budgeting and financial planning.

Yesterday, Senator Corman insisted that the budget impasse would continue until Governor Wolf abandoned his plan to responsibly close the structural deficit:

“I think it needs to be made very clear that this is going to be awhile as long as the governor holds on to the need for broad-based tax increases,” Corman said as he left his early afternoon meeting. “We're certainly at an impasse over broad-based taxes... Those broad-based tax increases are not going to be a part of the discussions, and that's what he wants and until that issue can be resolved, we're going to be here awhile." [Harrisburg Patriot-News, 07/07/15]

However, last year’s Senator Corman expressed concern over the growing structural deficit under the budgets enacted by Senator Corman, Republicans, and former Governor Tom Corbett, as well as openness to raising taxes to close that deficit:

"Sooner or later, a broad-based tax increase will be necessary to pay for it," Corman said. "Whether that's next year or the year after that, I don't know. But they're increasing at a billion dollars a year and revenues aren't keeping up." [Associated Press, 06/28/14]

“Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jake Corman, R-Centre, said his chamber’s Republicans would have joined Democrats to support some sort of tax increase, but that House Republicans would not have supported one.” [Associated Press, 06/28/14]

Yesterday, Senator Corman also demonstrated an unwillingness to address the budget deficit in a long-term framework:

"He wants enough revenue so he doesn't have to worry about this for four years, and I respect that," the Centre County Republican said… "But we're not open to a discussion on an income tax increase. We're not open to a discussion on a sales tax increase. We're not open to a discussion on closing sales tax exemptions.” [Harrisburg Patriot-News, 07/07/15]

But, here is what Senator Corman said in 2009 about responsible budgeting and looking long-term:

“We just have to figure out a way to move forward. But the principle we are standing on is we cannot just worry about next year and how to balance the budget with short-term decisions. We need to make long-term decisions as well…” [Corman Floor Speech, 07/01/09]

Over the last four years, Senator Corman and the current Republican legislative team have passed back-to-back fiscally irresponsible budgets that have resulted in multi-billion dollar deficits, annual fiscal crises, and numerous credit downgrades.

It is time for Senator Corman and the Republican leaders to stop ignoring basic math and to stop pretending that their same gimmicks, irresponsible budgeting, and gaping deficits will help move Pennsylvania forward.

Governor Wolf will continue fighting on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania to close our deficit without gimmicks, fund our schools through a commonsense severance tax, and provide property tax relief to Pennsylvanian families.

Photo/Natalie Cake file.

Harrisburg City Council 7.7.15

Toby Fauver, PA Dept of Transportation presents the findings of the Southcentral Pennsylvania Transit Regionalization study.

City of Harrisburg Local Match Saving Opportunity.

Estimated savings over 10 years of $1,796,123.09.

Cumberland County Commissioner Jim Hertzler

A golden opportunity to save public costs for our tax payers, stabilize transit fares, and improve public transit service.

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A timeline of the Transit study.

Dauphin County 4.15.15

Toby Fauver.

With consolidation, an estimated 10 year saving of $2.4 million dollars.

Part 1.

Part 2.

Part 3.

Part 4.

Interview after the presentation.

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Dauphin County 11.19.14

Presentation by Capital Area Transit.

General manager Bill Jones. CAT has been under a great deal of criticism.

Jeff Haste.

Bad management.

Bob Philbin.

Director of planning, customer experience and public outreach.

A Union contract.

Sick and vacation days.

A sustainable business model.

As long as partners keep increasing funding.

MATP.

Customers not showing up for rides.

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Dauphin County 10.15 14

Discussion on the cost of operating Capital Area Transit (CAT).

Chief Clerk Chad Saylor.

The general cost of operations has gone nowhere but up, since 2012..:

George Hartwick.

A top heavy part to the administration.

Chief Clerk Chad Saylor.

Capital Area Transit is the most expensive transit system, it has the biggest staff, and has some of the highest fares.

Photo/Natalie Cake file 2012

The Commonwealth Financing Authority held a 22 minute meeting Wednesday morning in Harrisburg.

The CFA does not publish an agenda for the meeting and the only handout available was a list of Local Share Gaming Grant applications located in Luzerne county.

The board approved 54 projects totaling $12,772,180.

Video of the vote.

Luzerne County LSA Projects.

The board voted to award Allegheny County Gaming Economic Development Tourism Funds (GEDTF) of $3,217,570 for 14 projects.

The vote.

Will update when additional information is released by CFA