LC Nursing Home Woes

Decision on proposed Cedarbrook rehab unit delayed until December
Author: Randy Kraft , WFMZ.com Reporter

"The county’s administration wants to spend $1.5 million to create a 41-bed, short-term rehabilitation unit in the D2 wing of the nursing home in South Whitehall Township."

My Comments About The Article Above

There's no way simpler way to put this in perspective other then say in today's political climate few legislators give a damn about human services. How else can you explain legislators in Harrisburg coming up with nearly a billion dollars in lost revenue over the next 30 years for a sports arena and a bunch of the well connected in downtown Allentown, this while at the same time can't choke up about 1/15th of a percent (.15%) of that same amount which could make Cedarbrook sustainable?

It is said Cedarbrook is running a deficit somewhere between 3-5 million dollars a year. Even without the proposed rehab unit (on the high end) this will total up to $150 million (15% of that of the NIZ) over he next 30 years.

I think it's very obvious where Pennsylvania' priorities are. Restaurants, hotels, offices, an arena and fun stuff comes before basic human services. Some may argue these will eventually bring in much needed additional revenue. Whether NIZ eventually will be successful is not the issue. Cedarbrook doesn't have 30 years to wait to see when or if tax revenues should start flowing. Before the next $1.5 million is handed to construct yet another NIZ building legislators should be ashamed of themselves if they can't find only a fraction of what it will cost for just one of these new structures.

Government's main function (if not it's sole priority) should be to provide human services. Not to be a taxpayer supported lending institution for highly speculative commercial ventures.

Anyone who disagrees better hope they never grow old and earn a ton of money so they can sustain themselves in order to not have future need of the ever dwindling social services.



The Frosting On The CakeGet a load of this. Many of these same commissioners who voted to delay the $1.5 million rehab proposal overrode the LC Executive's veto in order to pass a $1.25 million tax cut that only puts around $8 in taxpayer's pockets.
(About the same amount it will cost people to park to attend just three of their meetings downtown)