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Faxes Sent to Richard T. Grucela

Letters

From:	DG
To:	Representative Grucela
Date:	Thursday, 07/27/06
Subject:	Retired state employees' COLA

I was distressed to hear that our COLA bills have died in
committee. When I last talked to you, you were positive about
their chances. This "COLA every 5 or 6 years" for retired state
employees just isn't working. We lose 2% 0r 3% every year and
then get a 5% boost every 4 or 5 years (if we're lucky). So we
just keep losing and losing.

This is particularly important to people like my wife & I, who
are caring for our disabled daughter. She has progressive
Multiple Sclerosis. Three years ago, she was self-supporting.
Now she is permanently confined to her bed. She gets social
secutity disability and medicare coverage, but my wife & I must
make up the difference in her medical bills, which is
considerable.

State employees need to have a regular, annual COLA based upon
the annual cost of living increases in our area. Anything else
just isn't acceptable - especially the current system.

Before the upcoming elections, I want to know what you plan to
do about this situation.

David C. Gumpper

Dear Hon. Grucela,
We need your help. Please help us make our streets safe.
How can you help us? Please advise!
Doris Correll,
Concerned Citizen, Taxpayer, Parent,
and neighbor of this red-headed angel!

For the Love of Liz...

Serious accidents and fatalities have steadily increased on
Freemansburg Avenue in Bethlehem Township, PA since the
construction of Route 33 and Southmont Mall. On 9/23/05, the
tragic death of a fourteen-year-old girl coming home from high
school has magnified the escalating problem. Children are being
hurt and now, even killed in our community. We must demand that
our elected officials act to ensure our community's safety.

That sunny Friday afternoon, a senseless accident took the life
of a happy, vibrant, 14 year old girl, Elizabeth Shine. She was
a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a niece, a band member,
and a good friend to all who knew her. She was also one of the
many unfortunate pedestrians and motorists who have had an
accident on Freemansburg Avenue. Tragically, Lizzy’s accident was
fatal.

Many of us who live near this highway anticipated that with the
construction of Route 33, the corridor between 8th and 11th
Streets on Freemansburg Avenue would someday be the scene of
tragedy. Our worse fear has become an awful reality. This
horrible reality must serve as a catalyst for neighbors and all
concerned citizens to petition the state and local officials to
act and act now before another life is lost. Pedestrian
crosswalks with visible lines, reduced speed signage with
diligent police enforcement, and/or traffic lights are essential
to ensure our safety, but most importantly, our children's
safety. As a community, we must stand united to move our elected
officials into action. Commissioners may say there are no funds,
but I say what is money when our children's lives are at stake.

The Bethlehem Township has made considerable accommodations for
many new industries and businesses that have made the township
their home. Additionally, the township has approved the
construction of numerous housing developments and even more
businesses, yet has anyone done anything to modernize our archaic
roads to handle the increased traffic?

As a child, I moved to Freemansburg Avenue in 1968 with my
parents and currently live two blocks away with my family. Since
then Freemansburg Avenue, with the exception to Route 33, has not
changed significantly to support the increased traffic from
housing developments, which are spouting up like corn stalks on
what were once farmers’ fields. The same 20th century roads, as
I remember them as a child, still exist in the 21st century.

It is time to invest in making our township community as safe as
possible. Let us leave Lizzy’s legacy to be one of making her
neighborhood a safer one. Let’s not sweep the needs of our
community under the rug. Let’s not blame “lack of funds” for the
“lack of action” or “lack of commitment” to our kids. You choose
– do something or do nothing! Please sign this petition to help
make Freemansburg Avenue safer,
for the LOVE of LIZ!

http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/For_the_Love_of_Liz/

I agree that our elected state and local officials need to
keep our children safe. Freemansburg Avenue is becoming a more
dangerous highway as more and more housing developments and
businesses are constructed. Please develop a local traffic
advisory committee to effectively implement traffic calming
measures in our neighborhood. Both PennDot and the Pennsylvania
Neighborhood Traffic Calming Handbook provide guides for PA
municipalities to set up plans for creating safer streets. We
CAN make a difference.

http://www.students.bucknell.edu/projects/trafficcalming/Employ/TCPexamples.html#1

Dear Rich,

Re:HOUSE BILL
No. 764 Session of 2005

House Bill 764 has recently come to my attention and I am
fervently against the passage
of such a bill for The Great State of Pennsylvania. I am a 53
year old resident of Lower Mt.Bethel Township
and refuse to support any and all such laws. I am also a
registered Democrat and vote in every
election. I am for not turning honest citizens into criminals
with such new laws but capturing and prosecuting
actual criminals that violate our existing gun laws of today.
I don't believe more control is needed, just more
comitment to the enforcement of our current gun laws.

Yours truly,

Kerry Doyle
PO Box 336
Martins Creek, PA 18063
610-253-7479