Fitzgerald: Recent Assessment Numbers 'Null and Void'

Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald said Thursday that 2012 assessments will remain at 2002 levels.

Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald said it over and over again during a press conference Thursday afternoon: When it comes to property tax reassessment, Allegheny County shouldn’t be singled out. That’s one reason Fitzgerald said he directed the certification of the 2011 assessed values for 2012 taxation purposes—values that are based on the 2002 tax year. For county property owners, that means the assessment numbers they received in the mail last week are “null and void.” New notices would be sent out Thursday, Fitzgerald said, and those are “the ones that matter.” And he was clear: Despite a court order mandated a property tax reassessment, he is following all state laws. “Earlier this week, I took an oath to uphold the laws of the …

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The 46th Curveball

State Rep. Jesse White likened Monday's redistricting plan as "a 101 mile-per-hour fastball" thrown at his head.

Although the work of governing is rarely a game, the comparisons between politics and sports are difficult to avoid. Elections and the political process lend themselves well to sports metaphors—sometimes the comparisons are forced, but often they are spot-on accurate. Earlier this week, I was subjected to my first taste of the legislative redistricting process, and the only way to accurately describe the experience is to compare it to stepping into the batter’s box and having a 101 mile-per-hour fastball thrown right at my head. Allow me to explain. Every 10 years, in the election following the census, Pennsylvania’s 203 legislative districts and 50 Senate districts are reapportioned throughout the state. The process, known as …

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A Harmonious Moment in Harrisburg

State Rep. Jesse White said some things—such as bin Laden's death—show there is more that unites us than divides us as Americans.

There are some places where it is acceptable to sing out loud, but as you get older, those places become fewer and farther between. At 32 years old, I was content singing along to the National Anthem at sporting events and the occasional (and often regrettable) karaoke encounter with friends. Otherwise, there simply aren’t many occasions when it seems appropriate to sing in public. Of all the places I expected to be singing this week, the chamber of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives was near the bottom of my list. Five months into the 2011 legislative session, the tenor of the debate has ranged anywhere from contentious to a dirty free for all. A new governor and a new Republican majority pushing a relentlessly aggressive agenda …

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Campaign In Poetry, But Govern In Prose

State Rep. Jesse White offers a list of the top five hot-button issues facing the Legislature this year.

This week, I was formally sworn in for my third term as state representative for the 46th Legislative District. As I enter my fifth year in office, it would be easy to assume that I have a pretty clear understanding of what to expect in Harrisburg, but then again, we all know what happens when you assume. With seeds planted during the Republican wave of 2010 taking root in Harrisburg, I find myself in the political minority for the first time in my career. My role as a member of the loyal opposition is markedly different now, as I divert my energies to ensure that the new Republican majority is truly committed to practicing what they so enthusiastically preached during campaign season.  Here are five issues you can fully expect to see at …

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