http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/11/pennsylvania_state_workers_bra.html

Caution: Unrestrained cynicism ahead.

If you don't feel like hyperlinking, and want the meat of the story, here it is:

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is slated to lose 85 of its 250 employees, or 34 percent. It took one of the biggest spending hits in the state budget, with an appropriation that was down 43 percent from last year.

Here's the reality folks: this isn't going to change. There's great value to politicians in funding large, clearly identified, cohesive and aggressive constituencies who can reward their efforts with votes (I tend to think public anything is a form of feudalism, and elicits the same servility) or bags of campaign cash. In a day when parents are told "high tech" is the key to making little Sally or Johnny employable, there's no need to study history. And of course, historical illiteracy makes the populace eager consumers of the latest teleprompter led vacant chants...

So it is when Mario Lemieux coyly suggested moving the Penguins to KC, the guv coughed up the money. Its not like the Pens leaving would reallly damage anything but civic pride, but it would be so obvious when they left. Oh wait, he actually admitted the move wasn't under consideration, but just a way for a Canadian millionaire to get at the soft underbelly of the PA treasury.

Ditto for a ton of other stadiums across the Commonwealth. And people think we're advanced beyond the Romans, millenia ago. Bread and Circuses..They are also getting ready to get shaken down by Harley Davidson, who is threatening to vacate York for Kentucky. (Wonder if that's just another dog and pony show)

Meanwhile $75 million was appropriated for the movie industry (yeah, they're impoverished) so we can contribute to a future classic (Zack and Miri Make a Porno) and we can see a fictional runaway...

I think we are entering a new era of preservation; the "post-governmental" era. Survival depends on developing an appealing product, because big brother has lost interest and capacity.

This isn't the hope and change that you voted for is it? Why so many people bought into such a vague promise is beyond me!

The Ohio Historical Society, which is a quasi governmental agency, lost most of its state funding. But they were smart about the situation and have signed over all but three of their 52 historic sites to local entities. I was involved with the successful effort to turn over operation of the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor to Youngstown State University. That changeover happens on January 4.

I think the PHMC should consider doing something similar. Perhaps start turning over operation of some of their sites to local partners. Could the Friends of the RRMPA handle the operation of the museum if asked? In our situation OHS pays for all capital improvements to the YHCIL building over $5,000, and gives YSU $70,000 per year plus pays the wages for the site manager. Could something like that work in Strasburg?

Sure it will change. Change is the only constant. Maybe not the way you want, or when you want, but it will happen.

How many times have we seen an economy go from fat and happy into panic only to get fat and happy again within 30 years or so? Aren't we historians?

Buckle down and start producing programming that will bring customers to your doors, and if you survive you will be one of the first in line for the next free ride era.

dave

You mean, like cover up the turntable pit and convert it into a giant rotating stage for musical and Broadway-style performances? Hmmm, where have I heard such a proposal before?

You do realize that a presidential election is very far removed from a state's budget, right?

Problem with partnering with other local agencies is that most of them are in dire shape financially as well.

The City of Scranton and Lackawanna County for example have been laying off people in droves in an attempt to balance their budgets, and would be unlikely to assume any financial commitment to the PHMC's Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum here in Scranton. That museum along with Eckley Miner's Village will close for the winter according to the Scranton Times. The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, a public/private partnership in the area has also had it's funding slashed.

As for the Railroad Museum of PA, I think (hope) it's safe, as it's one of the few locations that actually operates in the black. The employees there may not be as fortunate, depending on their seniority, as they may be "bumped" by others that have been displaced by PHMC cuts.

My two cents.

Dave Crosby

Supe,

Mario is a US citizen.

Rob

It will be interesting to watch what happens at the RRMPA. As mentioned above, it operates in the black - by quite a bit. Some of these funds go back to Harrisburg, presumably to cover some of the cost of those operations that do not break even. Several of the employees at RRMPA are paid for by the Friends group, perhaps they will be asked to cover more of the labor costs.

[quote="superheater"]I think the PHMC should consider doing something similar. Perhaps start turning over operation of some of their sites to local partners. Could the Friends of the RRMPA handle the operation of the museum if asked? In our situation OHS pays for all capital improvements to the YHCIL building over $5,000, and gives YSU $70,000 per year plus pays the wages for the site manager. Could something like that work in Strasburg?[/quote]

Just for the record, this is already happening. Here in my hometown, the Friends of the Joseph Priestley House have inked an interim agreement with the PHMC to take over operations and programming at the historic site. Now that the state budget has finally been settled, a more permanent arrangement is in the works.

The reality is that many of us "irregulars" know someone who was impacted by this. Wether via direct layoff or lack of seasonal work (some sites are shutting down for the winter), a good many of us may have friends to keep in our prayers tonight. Those saving key parts of PA rr history work in PMHC facilities beyond the great RRMPA.

A sign of a great culture is one that promotes arts and preservation. This is another example of where our current culture is failing.

It should be noted that among the great items of value in the PMHC collection, the steam locomotives along side Route 741 may not be the most prized. The archives in Strasburg, Harrisburg and Scranton are incredibly valuable. Lets hope the barebones crew left is given the tools to properly maintain them.

It is a hard problem to solve. I agree witb Supe (world still spinning?) that priorities in spending are out of whack. Here in NJ the first place NJ Devils play in an outstanding new arena financed by the team, not we the people. We need more of that. And its probably time for a hefty tax increase in a lot of states. It won't be popular, but unless budget priorities change at the state level and some true reformers find a way to get elected, raising taxes is probably the most likely route states will go as it has the quickest to-market impact.

That's a call to action, btw, one I want to figure out for myself. If we don't like the priorities of our leaders, we need to do more than vote, we need to run. NJ just changed governors by voting out a mediocre incumbent, but I can't tell if we went from Dumb to Dumber or from Dumber to Dumb. I do know that 90% of the votes were for status quo as they went to the two main party candidates - and that ain't change.

Rob

Politics aside, the fact is that many, if not most, states receive significant funding from the federal treasury. The actions, or inactions, of our federal legislators/bureaucrats do affect state budgets.

You do realize that a presidential election is very far removed from a state's budget, right?

Not exactly. The federal government routinely gets around the remaining shreds of the tenth amendment by insisting on certain expenditure levels or required administrative provisions through the use of "FFP" or federal financial participation.

An example of this is a few years back the feds threatened to withhold highway funds from states that didn't lower the definition of impaired driving to a blood alcohol level of .08. Its so much easier to lobby the one easy bought Congress than all those disparate state legislatures. They also require medical info in specific datasets (ICD-9, CPT-4) and forms (HCFA 1500) specific welfare payments.

Of course both parties have engaged in this, especially since Nixon resurrected prior initiatives and created "revenue sharing"

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909740,00.html

Nothing like a deal you can't refuse...

In a spectacular example of how the Feds pulled the wool over everyone's eyes, let me correct this now-overwhelmingly-misunderstood sleight of hand:

Do the research. What they actually threatened to withhold was eight percent of one matching grant program. Somehow, by the time this trickled down to the public through the bloviators of the Congress-critter's press liars, it somehow got interpreted to mean ALL Federal highway funds. It's balderdash (I honestly use much stronger language than that referring to bovine byproducts), and the public has been openly deceived.

My fears were confirmed. Some good folks and friends of the rail preservation community were adversely impacted by this situation in PA. So while we debate the finer points of who does/doesn't understand politics, let all of us in the 101st Fighting Keyboardists remember that we are discussing a situation impacting the lives of people many of us know.

Rob