David Jaindl apparently isn't the only one who hasn't learned from the mistaken development patterns of the 2000's. Charles Chrin wants to build a sprawling new interchange development on 670 acres of farmland in Palmer Township. Jenna Portnoy of the Morning Call explains the plan: Palmer Supervisor Chairman David Colver said the interchange will allow for development of land currently zoned for agricultural uses. Landowner Charles Chrin, who has plans to develop the land, intended to privately finance the interchange, but as costs began to escalate, Colver said it became clear the job was …

My colleague Margie Peterson recently wrote about the benefits of "smart growth" land use policies for cities like Easton and Bethlehem, whose dense downtowns are benefitting from renewed interest in city living. But if human-scale, walkable development is "smart," it's worth reflecting on what's not smart: the low-density sprawl, McMansions and Big Box shopping centers the region was building furiously in the outlying townships before the housing bubble burst. The reason this kind of development isn't smart is that it's simply not sustainable, economically, fiscally or environmentally. Over …

Liquor store privatization appears to be back on the agenda in Harrisburg this fall, so this is a good time to start thinking about what consumers should want to see in the final bill. While there's a lot of support for the general concept of alcohol reform, consumers need to pay close attention to the specific proposals because there's a conflict between what's best for revenues and special interests and what's best for the alcohol-buying public. To kick off the conversation, here's my wishlist: Supermarket Sales While other states sell alcohol in supermarkets, bars, restaurants, and …

I've been wondering how Congressman Charlie Dent was planning to defend his vote to end Medicare in his reelection campaign next year, so it was interesting to see this quote Mr. Dent gave to Bloomberg News: Republicans are already preparing their strategy on Medicare, said Rooney, who was among 20 lawmakers who met with Ryan and other Republican leaders the day of Hochul’s election victory to hone their arguments.  The party can prevail “by playing offense and stating the choice: doing something or doing nothing, which means bankruptcy and cuts in current benefits for current beneficiaries…

Tight credit standards and a 20 percent down-payment requirement are delaying homeownership for younger Americans. Many of the people who are entering the housing market are Millenials like myself, who might normally be trying to buy a first home if the economy was performing better, but instead are deleveraging, paying down our student loan debt and credit cards just like many other Americans. So it's not that surprising to see that demand for quality rentals is starting to tick up.  At the GLVCC's Commercial Real Estate event last week, Frank Smith of NAI Summit said that vacancies are …

Has Tom Corbett lost control of the budget debate? The bleak headlines on school budgets all over the region just won't quit, and some Republicans in the legislature are starting to distance themselves from the Governor's harshest cuts in the wake of a poll showing 78% of Pennsylvanians oppose the education cuts. Mr. Corbett claims he doesn't care about the polls, but I doubt many of his Republican colleagues in the legislature who are up for reelection in 2 years share this sentiment.  If the Republicans want to keep their majority, they will need to win the fight over spending cuts in the …

What shall we make of the Republican agenda for education?   At the federal level, the goal appears to be to abolish the Department of Education. We are told that education is best left to the states, and the federal government should have no role.  At the state level, Republican governors are cutting state aid to school districts. In Tom Corbett's spending freeze on the 2010-2011 budget, 93% of the $343 million in spending cuts will come out of aid to school districts. The savings are illusory - he is just passing the buck to local governments. At the school district level, we see Tea Party …