Apr - League of Women Voters Lewisburg Area

LEAGUE LINE
APRIL 2015
LWV of the Lewisburg Area
League Line is published monthly
by the League of Women Voters of the
Lewisburg Area. Deadline for
submission of articles is the 15th
of each month.
William H. Becker, editor
570-524-7527 / [email protected]
Mary Candland, designer
570-524-2355 / [email protected]
P.O. Box 206
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837-0206
Key Contacts
Janice Bigelow, president
570-522-0944 / [email protected]
Marilyn Brill, membership
570-522-9254 / [email protected]
LWVLA
570-524-4439 / lewisburg.palwv.org
LEAGUE LINE
A Bulletin of The League of Women Voters of the Lewisburg Area
Vol. 60, No.2, April 2015
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Our League year is winding down and yet
there are many things to be done before it is
over. We have one more lunch forum in April
to learn about Ebola from the perspective
of an Associate Professor of Biology and
an Assistant Professor of Anthropology. We
will publish our Voters Guide, finish up our
finance drive from members and friends,
conduct a Candidates Night and, last but not
least, hold our annual dinner meeting. Please
plan to attend these events.
Janice Bigelow, President
APRIL FORUM
Our April Forum will be held on Tuesday,
April 21st, 2015 at 11:30 at LaPrimavera.
Our speakers will be Maria Pizzorno,
Bucknell University Associate Professor of
Biology and Allen Tran, Bucknell University
Assistant Professor of Anthropology.
The title of their talk is “Confronting
the Ebola Crisis: A Cultural and Scientific
Approach”. Dr. Marion Brown will be helping to facilitate the conversation.
Lunch will be served at a cost of $13.
Those with gluten allergies may order a
special meal by contacting me at 570-5242546 by April 17th.
Please join us on the 21st for what promises to be a very interesting program.
Diane Meixell, forum committee
MARCH FORUM REPORT
Kendra Auker, Chief Operating Officer at
Evangelical Community Hospital, addressed
“Pennsylvania’s Changing Health Care
Environment and its Impact on You” at the
LWVLA Forum on March 17th. She noted
that Pennsylvania hospitals are typically
one of the top five employers in their counties and have a major economic impact.
Evangelical in 2012 employed some 271
individuals with a payroll of $14.6 billion
and an economic impact of $45 billion.
But health care institutions are not immune to a struggling economy. Health care
spending growth is low and hospital employment is down in Pennsylvania since February
2013. With increasing emphasis on keeping
residents out of the hospital, there has been
a decline in both inpatient admissions and
in the number of hospital beds, 2003-2013.
Further, the number of businesses offering
employment based health care coverage has
declined in the state. Correspondently, the
uncompensated care that hospitals are legally
required to provide continues to grow with
an increase of 54% from 2007-2013. The
ACA plans most often sold are those with
the highest deductibles; thus, patients may
be responsible for substantial bills which the
hospital must collect from individuals rather
What’s Happening
Please place the following events on your
personal calendar.
1st Monday of every month, 7:15pm
LWVLA BOARD MEETING
Riverwoods Conference Center
Tuesday, April 21
LUNCH FORUM
Marie Pizzorno-Simpson, Alan Tran,
and Marion Brown, on Ebola:
What is it?
La Primavera Restaurant (Lunch $13)
Thursday, May 14
ANNUAL DINNER MEETING
Lewisburg Hotel
than insurance companies. Nevertheless,
Ms. Auker indicated that operating margins
at Evangelical were healthy at 6.4% in
2013, a figure higher than state and national
averages. She noted that nation-wide health
care spending increases are holding steady
currently at 3.6%.
Health care institutions, she opined,
must continue to strategize about treating
particularly the sickest among us in order
to contain costs and maximize care. Thus,
Evangelical, like others, has moved to
integrate care across the continuum of
health care institutions. For example, Evan
is coordinating with nursing homes so that
there is seamless communication between
the hospital and nursing home to which the
patient is discharged. Such innovations not
only increase the quality of care, but they
decrease the probability that patients will be
readmitted within the 30 day period that does
not provide for hospital reimbursement. On
the ACA, Kendra noted that in Pennsylvania
180,000 had entered the federal exchange,
53% of which were coming to the market
for the first time. Seventy-nine percent were
eligible for tax credits. Increased coverage,
of course, means fewer uninsured patients are
entering health care institutions.
Patricia Longley, forum committee
HOW TO RUN FOR PUBLIC
OFFICE
Saturday morning, February 21st, 2015,
the LWVLA held its fifth How to Run for
Public Office workshop at the Union County
Government Center. Due to low registration
numbers and Pam’s accident we decided that
Janice would lead a scaled down version of
our previous successful workshops and we
made appropriate arrangements for this to
happen. We reluctantly canceled some presenters and profusely thanked them for their
willingness to commit to this project.
Janice chaired the revised workshop format which included every topic on the original agenda. Susan Greene moderated a panel
of Preston Boop (county commissioner)
Larry Seibert (township supervisor), Barbara
Woodson (former candidate), John Peeler
(Union Co. Democratic Party), and Carolyn
Conner ( Union Co. Republican Party ).This
group discussed: rewards and pitfalls of running
a campaign, financing and volunteer support of
campaigns, along with the logistics of getting
started on a campaign. It was a spirited session
followed by a break that allowed presenters and
participants to talk with each other.
During the second half of the workshop,
Greg Katherman and Kim Zerbe (Union
County Elections office) provided clear
instruction on petitions, campaign finance,
ballot position, street lists, and tips for
completing the paper work involved with
a campaign. The participants could follow
with the sample forms in the note book provided by the League, and ask questions for
clarification. Both participants and presenters
enjoyed the lively interaction.
Ann Grundstrom (registration), Diane
Meixell, Carol Madle, Nada Gray (hosting
and refreshments), and Owen Anderson (photography), assisted Janice and Susan. Our
deep appreciation goes to PPL for financial
support, along with Commissioner Preston
Boop and Union County Elections staff for
their continued support of this project.
Last minute changes in format provided
an opportunity to explore a new format for
future consideration. Five participants from
Union County and one each from Snyder and
Northumberland Counties responded very
positively to the workshop experience. Our
conclusion is that this workshop is a worthwhile project for our League to do.
Submitted by Pamela Mauger, chair, and
Janice Bigelow, acting chair
LWVLA ANNUAL MEETING
May 14th, 2015, Lewisburg Hotel
Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 14th
for the LWVLA Annual Meeting! This is a very
important meeting for our League. We elect
board members and officers, adopt an annual
budget and program and most importantly
have an opportunity to socialize together with
League members, some of the most interesting
people around!
This year’s Annual Meeting will be held at
the Lewisburg Hotel. The meeting will begin
at 5:30 p.m. with a cash bar in the upstairs
ballroom. The business meeting will begin at
6:00 with dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m.
You will receive the first mailing of
materials in early April which will include the
invitation and response form. Cost for the dinner is $25; you will have a choice of three meal
selections. We need to have your RSVP with
your meal choice by April 24 (a requirement of
the Hotel). Please be sure to make your dinner
reservations right away.
Come join us in celebrating another successful League year!
Marilyn Brill, membership chair
VOTER SERVICE
It is an exciting and busy spring for LWVLA’s
Voters Service Committee!
How to Run for Office Workshop:
First of all, despite an accident befalling our
fearless leader Pam Mauger, her extraordinary
planning skills made it possible for her extremely faithful and competent committee members
to pull off a totally successful “How to Run for
Office” workshop on Saturday February 21.
Please see her report above.
Facts for Voters: Our 2015 edition has
been printed and distributed throughout the
county. Thank you editor Priscilla Stowe,
designer Dawn Maneval, consultant Mary
Candland, distribution coordinator Phyllis
Dyer, and distributors Janice Bigelow,
Marilyn Brill, Marion Brown, Phyllis
Dyer, Pat Fisher, Ann Grundstrom, Keay
Hathaway, Carole Madle, Paul Mauger,
Diane Meixell, Margaret Moyer, Marilyn
Murphy, Cindy Nickelsen, Kit Sisson,
Kathy Swank, Mary Zimmerman and Susan
Warner-Mills. Thanks also go to our Facts
underwriters Coldwell Banker Penn One
Real Estate and Meixell-Diehl Insurance.
CONGRATULATIONS ALL!
Voters Guide: This spring’s Primary
Election on May 19 will decide which
candidates in Union County will run
for their parties’ seats in the November
General Election. These include Union
County Commissioner, municipal offices
(township supervisors and borough council
members), Lewisburg and Mifflinburg
School Board, and District Justice among
others. Editor Liz Clement is once again
taking charge of the production of our
Spring 2015 Guide with the able assistance
of Marge Duck, Keay Hathaway, Carole
Madle, Dawn Maneval, Sue Travis and
Susan Warner-Mills. Phyllis Dyer and her
distribution committee will deliver the
Guides to myriad sites in Union County.
Many thanks, all of you!
Candidates Night: Based on petitions filed
with the Union County Elections Office, the
most contested race in this spring’s Primary
Election will for seats on the Lewisburg
School Board. Current plans are to hold a
Candidates Night for this race (and possibly
for District Justice) in late April or early May.
Please contact me at [email protected]
(570-716-0870) if you would be interested in
participating in the planning of this important
League event.
All of our Voters Service activities are
immensely facilitated by the enthusiastic support and cooperation of the staff of the Union
County Elections Office, to whom we also
extend our most sincere gratitude.
Record Number of Seats Open on PA
Supreme Court
Just a reminder: Your vote for Supreme
Court justices WILL matter! Since judicial
candidates are limited in the ways they are
permitted to promote their candidacies, it
may be difficult for voters to access the information they need to make educated decisions at
the voting booth. The League of Women Voters
of the Lewisburg Area offers an extensive nonpartisan list of resources to aid you, the voter,
in making an informed choice at our website
http://lewisburg.palwv.org.
Susan Warner-Mills, voters service, chair
MEMBERSHIP
New Members
We welcome another new member this
spring: Karen Nicholson
170 Wedgewood Gardens
Lewisburg, PA 17837
570-490-6276
[email protected]
Spring Dues Rate
Once again we will be offering a special rate
this spring for new members to LWVLA. If
you are interested in joining the League, you
may join from February 1 to May 31st, 2015
for prorated dues of $25.00! You will then be
asked to pay full dues of $50 in September
with the rest of our members.
Members, if you know someone who
might want to consider trying out the League
this spring, please pass this information on
to them.
Thanks to all of you for what you do to
keep our local League strong and active in
our community.
Marilyn Brill,membership,chair
LWVLA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION & RENEWAL FORM
February 1, 2015 — May 31, 2015
Mid-term Membership dues: $25. Dues include membership to the local, state, and national League
and information and notifications from all three levels (League Line, PA Voter and National Voter
online).
I/We wish to join the League of Women Voters of the Lewisburg Area.
Name/s _________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Phone (cell, work or home) ________________ Email ____________________________________
Signature ________________________________________________________________________
I am interested in participating in the following League activities:
_____ Voters Service _____ Study Groups ______ Community Forums ____ Special Events
Enclosed is my check for $__________ Please make your check payable to LWVLA and mail your
check and form to: LWVLA Membership, P.O. Box 206, Lewisburg, PA 17837. For more
information, phone 570-522-9254 or email [email protected]. Thank you!
Marilyn Brill, Membership chair