Voices of Reason: Reaction to SSVC's fate covers a lot of bases

As the end of the fiscal year came and went last week, things started to look more grim for Scotland School for Veterans' Children.

[Jack]

The editorial board cherry picked the Topix comments used in this editorial from dozens made over several months. Declaring Philadelphia is a code word for black is slanted, bias and an assertion by the editorial board they cannot support with facts. It is a fact that the majority of SSVC students were from the Philly area. The editorial board again shows it is dominated by leftist Liberals who want to publish propaganda and bias. At the end of the day, SSVC is closed and, Inshallah, will remain so.

[Here we go again]

Jack wrote:

The editorial board cherry picked the Topix comments used in this editorial from dozens made over several months. Declaring Philadelphia is a code word for black is slanted, bias and an assertion by the editorial board they cannot support with facts. It is a fact that the majority of SSVC students were from the Philly area. The editorial board again shows it is dominated by leftist Liberals who want to publish propaganda and bias. At the end of the day, SSVC is closed and,
Inshallah, will remain so.

Jack, SSVC currently has no funding. Currently we are still waiting for a budget to see if the closure will stand. After a budget pass with no continued funding, the General Assembly will have to pass law concerning the whether or not the Commonwealth can sell the campus. I highly doubt that the first priorty the lawmakers in Harrisburg after the budget is passed with no funding is passing new law concerning this sale. They haven't put much effort into the budget it so far. If you watch PCN, they still spend hours a day doing public relations work. They will take a long nap after they finish with the budget. I think at this point, it may be more better to say that SSVC is in a coma. We will see if it dies, lives, or remains in coma for years to come.

[Lou]

Here we go again wrote:

<quoted text>
Jack, SSVC currently has no funding. Currently we are still waiting for a budget to see if the closure will stand. After a budget pass with no continued funding, the General Assembly will have to pass law concerning the whether or not the Commonwealth can sell the campus. I highly doubt that the first priorty the lawmakers in Harrisburg after the budget is passed with no funding is passing new law concerning this sale. They haven't put much effort into the budget it so far. If you watch PCN, they still spend hours a day doing public relations work. They will take a long nap after they finish with the budget. I think at this point, it may be more better to say that SSVC is in a coma. We will see if it dies, lives, or remains in coma for years to come.

Thanks for your take on the situation. Nice spin. The governor's budget took away the millions of funds and declared SSVC would close June 30. Yet, you choose to believe it's in suspended animation. Fine. Any responsible pol has to think beyond the FY09-10 budget and the cost of out years to the state. The crux lies in Rendell's statement that the state should not be operating/funding a school like SSVC. If you disagree with him on that point, then make your case why the Commonwealth of PA should operate SSVC at the cost of $45K/student per year.

[LIL John]

Drivel Matt!!

If you had any facts to refute the claims about Philadelphia as being the prime user of the school --- YOU WOULD HAVE POSTED THEM ---
Other than using your position as a reporter to spew innuendo..

[Ol Barney]

Matthew's editorial is nothing more than an incendiary post and hopefully his words are not supported by the publisher and editor of the Public Opinion. This editorial, to put it bluntly, is a worthless piece of **** and will cause me to not renew my Public Opinion subscription if editorials such as this continue!

[James Jones]

If you realy want to see who has supported SSVC read the sponsers on the SSVC Foundation Memorial at the center of the campus. Most contributors were from service clubs from all parts of the state, very few, very few from Philadelphia. Again, with the exception of Ms. James very few of the personal contributions were from Philadelphia. You would even think a "large" contribution from John Thornton would have been in order. As far as Matt playing his race card (his words, not ours) he should keep in mind that the SSVC Memorial was drafted and designed, free of charge, by a retired teacher. And, oh by the way, he was a white guy. BTW Matt, did not see your name there either!

[The Brain Dead]

Lou wrote:

<quoted text>Thanks for your take on the situation. Nice spin. The governor's budget took away the millions of funds and declared SSVC would close June 30. Yet, you choose to believe it's in suspended animation. Fine. Any responsible pol has to think beyond the FY09-10 budget and the cost of out years to the state. The crux lies in Rendell's statement that the state should not be operating/funding a school like SSVC. If you disagree with him on that point, then make your case why the Commonwealth of PA should operate SSVC at the cost of $45K/student per year.

I believe the poster was merely poinint out that contrary to the thoughts of the individuals in this area, the institution will not be sold anytime soon. There is no Remax sign out on the campus. It will fall apart & be an eyesoar for years. The water tower that was planned to torn down this summer will remain. The buildings that are in disrepair will continue to crumble. So enough, they will have to protect the commonwealth by fencing in the property due to liablity issues caused be the condemnation of building. All anyone has to do is go around the state & look at the other instiutions that have closed. Take a drive out to South Mountain & take a look. The $10 Mil spent in Franklin County will just be spent in another area.$76 mil for a semi pro soocer staduim in Chester County is in the budget.$9 mil for sidewalks around the Capitol in Harrisburg Rendell already fixed once. He just doesn't like the way they look so they need done again.$200 mil for new testing for high school seniors to see how much they learned. Isn't it alittle late by that point??? There is not tax savings by closing SSVC. It is taking what little state money is spent in Franklin County already & spending it & more in Pittsburg & Philadephia. It is unfortunate that our community is too nieve to realize this is Ed Rendell's game.

[LIL John]

The Brain Dead wrote:

<quoted text>
I believe the poster was merely poinint out that contrary to the thoughts of the individuals in this area, the institution will not be sold anytime soon. There is no Remax sign out on the campus. It will fall apart & be an eyesoar for years. The water tower that was planned to torn down this summer will remain. The buildings that are in disrepair will continue to crumble. So enough, they will have to protect the commonwealth by fencing in the property due to liablity issues caused be the condemnation of building. All anyone has to do is go around the state & look at the other instiutions that have closed. Take a drive out to South Mountain & take a look. The $10 Mil spent in Franklin County will just be spent in another area.$76 mil for a semi pro soocer staduim in Chester County is in the budget.$9 mil for sidewalks around the Capitol in Harrisburg Rendell already fixed once. He just doesn't like the way they look so they need done again.$200 mil for new testing for high school seniors to see how much they learned. Isn't it alittle late by that point??? There is not tax savings by closing SSVC. It is taking what little state money is spent in Franklin County already & spending it & more in Pittsburg & Philadephia. It is unfortunate that our community is too nieve to realize this is Ed Rendell's game.

''There is no Remax sign out''

Stop to think ---when does the sale of a state institution depend on a realtor!

[Mary]

The Brain Dead wrote:

<quoted text>
I believe the poster was merely poinint out that contrary to the thoughts of the individuals in this area, the institution will not be sold anytime soon. There is no Remax sign out on the campus. It will fall apart & be an eyesoar for years. The water tower that was planned to torn down this summer will remain. The buildings that are in disrepair will continue to crumble. So enough, they will have to protect the commonwealth by fencing in the property due to liablity issues caused be the condemnation of building. All anyone has to do is go around the state & look at the other instiutions that have closed. Take a drive out to South Mountain & take a look. The $10 Mil spent in Franklin County will just be spent in another area.$76 mil for a semi pro soocer staduim in Chester County is in the budget.$9 mil for sidewalks around the Capitol in Harrisburg Rendell already fixed once. He just doesn't like the way they look so they need done again.$200 mil for new testing for high school seniors to see how much they learned. Isn't it alittle late by that point??? There is not tax savings by closing SSVC. It is taking what little state money is spent in Franklin County already & spending it & more in Pittsburg & Philadephia. It is unfortunate that our community is too nieve to realize this is Ed Rendell's game.

There is no linkage, or relationship, between the governor's decision to close SSVC and when, or to whom, it will be sold. Mutually exclusive events. The rest of your comment is supposition unsupported by hard evidence of any kind. It's stictly your speculation and you are entitled to speculate.

[Bill]

Ol Barney wrote:

Matthew's editorial is nothing more than an incendiary post and hopefully his words are not supported by the publisher and editor of the Public Opinion. This editorial, to put it bluntly, is a worthless piece of **** and will cause me to not renew my Public Opinion subscription if editorials such as this continue!

Someone in management at the P.O. gives approval for the sad attempts at journalism appearing in the "Our View" pieces. On the other hand, it may well be that adults are not reading the tripe and Bennett isn't aware of everything.

[Spartacus]

The first comment said nothing about race Mr. Editor. You serve as an example of liberals twisting reality to make a case they don't have.

A journalist should stick to facts...not self-interjected hogwash to fan the flames of racism. In fact, I consider your statement racist.

[Philadelphia School]

The "Philadelphia School" gave a Philadelphia freeloaders a free child raising service while applicants of TRUE VETERANS were denied entry only because they did not pass the Virginia James residence requirement. The free ride is over!