Main Street Needs More Money, Freeman Says

State Rep. Bob Freeman pushing bill that would extend Main Street programs.

State Rep. Bob Freeman wants to give programs like the Easton's Main Street Initiative more time to do their work. Freeman's proposed legislation would extend the life of Pennsylvania's Main Street programs, which are designed to help communities improve their downtowns. The bill would extend funding for the administrative side of those programs for another five years, provided that the state Department of Community and Economic Development gives its permission. "Unfortunately, we have seen in numerous cases that the current five-year time frame to turn around a traditional downtown is too short," Freeman said in a news release. "A community just begins to see the progress brought on by Main Street initiatives only to see the plug pulled …

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Bob Freeman Wins 8th Term

Easton-based state representative will return to office, faced no opposition.

Easton-based state Rep. Bob Freeman won an eighth term Tuesday, running without opposition. With nearly 80 percent of precints reporting, Freeman had gotten 15,005 votes. There were 102 write-ins. Freeman was first elected to the state House in 1983 and served until 1994. After losing re-election that year, he returned to government office in 1999 and has represented Easton and the rest of the 136th district ever since. The district also includes Wilson, West Easton, Glendon, Freemansburg and Hellertown, as well as parts of Bethlehem and Lower Saucon townships.

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Freeman Gets Humane PA Endorsement

How much does a candidate's record on animal rights affect your decision at the polls?

State Rep. Bob Freeman may be running without opposition, but that hasn't stopped Humane PA from endorsing the Easton-based legislator. The political action committee includes Freeman on its 2012 state endorsement list. Humane PA says it made its choices based on voting records, and how candidates respond to their questionnaire. The list has us wondering: how important is a candidate's record on animal rights to you when you cast your vote? Tell us in the comments, and take our poll.

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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Freeman Should Endorse Marriage Equality

Equality PA President says Easton's "otherwise liberal" state rep needs to join with Obama on this issue.

There has been much attention on marriage equality lately with key endorsements this week from President Obama, Vice President Biden, and the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. While some would like to paint this as a controversial issue, the reality is that it isn't. Marriage equality is about providing fairness to LGBT families; it is about providing equal treatment under the law; and it is about the government recognizing same-sex relationships as equal. While a number of Easton's elected officials, including Mayor Sal Panto and numerous members of City Council, have endorsed marriage equality, and while the City of Easton unanimously approved a law providing equal benefits for same-sex partners of city workers, Easton's otherwise-…

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Public Pleads for Old Easton Admin Building

Easton Area School Board will vote next week on whether to sell building at 811 Northampton Street

It doesn't look like much now, but Easton's old Cottingham School could one day "anchor" its neighborhood, state Rep. Bob Freeman told the Easton Area School Board Tuesday. Freeman was part of a group of people imploring the board to consider the future of the building -- which used to house the school district administration offices -- before voting next week on whether to sell it. "What happens to the Cottingham building will have a tremendous impact on the neighborhood," Freeman said. "What we want is to see this building reach the highest best possible use." Located at 811 Northampton St., the building was built in the early 1900s, but hasn't been in use since the district moved its offices to Forks Township several years ago. Now that…

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Ronnie DelBacco

12:51 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012

I support the school board voting to sell it. We have enough to worry about without another building issue. As for finding a "responsible" buyer...What will be the standard and who will decide it? I say put it out there and take the first reasonable deal. Move on and let the new owner develop it according to his/her desire. Free market strategies cannot work unless the reigns of government are …   more ›

Easton Meets Congressman Tim Holden

Easton area Democrats welcome U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, denounce the redistricting that brought him here.

Northampton County Democratic politicians welcomed the region's new congressman Wednesday, even as they denounced the redistricting that brought him here. U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, was in Easton Wednesday to introduce himself to his new constituents, whom he inherited after a new redistricting plan moved much of Northampton County into Holden's 17th district. Speaking at a news conference at the county courthouse, Holden said he shares people's frustration with the new district, and promised to get to know Northampton County and its issues. "I will be available. I will be visible," Holden said, adding that he'll establish an office in the county if he wins re-election this year. The new district lines become official in January 2013. Holden, …

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Local Lawmakers Won't Take 2012 Raises

Rep. Bob Freeman, others, say they'll give pay increase for 2012 to charity.

State lawmakers get a 3 percent cost-of-living raise -- about $2,400 before taxes -- starting Dec. 1. All of the Lehigh Valley lawmakers reached by Patch said they will either donate their raises to charity or refund them to the state treasury. The lawmakers’ annual pay -- before taxes -- will go from the current $79,623.23 to $82,026.11, according to the Pennsylvania Bulletin, which lists legal and rulemaking information. Lawmakers in leadership positions -- like state senators Lisa Boscola (D-18th) and Pat Browne (R-16th) -- already make extra money, and the 3 percent increase also applies to those amounts, according to the Bulletin. The extra amounts, including the 3 percent raise, will range from $11,506 to $46,021. Browne, as majority…

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Ronnie DelBacco

10:02 am on Monday, December 5, 2011

Change the law. Do away with automatic increases. I'll decide which charity gets the money the state stops taking from me...automatically.   more ›

Legislators Target Bridge Commission

State reps Freeman, Emrick want to give governor more power over DRJTBC in light of rate hike.

Two of Northampton County’s state representatives say they want Pennsylvania to have more authority over the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. Prompted by the commission’s recent rate hike, Rep. Joe Emrick, R-137 and Rep. Bob Freeman, D-136, are introducing bills that would, as Freeman said, bring “transparency and accountability” to the DRJTBC. One bill would require Pennsylvania’s Auditor General – and his New Jersey counterpart --to audit the commission’s finance and management every year. The other would give the governor the power to veto actions by the Pennsylvania members of the commission, something New Jersey legislators have already allowed their governor to do. "This agency has to have a kind of accountability brought…

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Sigal Marks First Birthday

Downtown Easton history museum has two days of events planned.

Town Crier David Rose led the procession of fife and drum, an Easton Fire Company squad and Civil War re-enactors into Centre Square in downtown Easton Saturday morning to deliver the news: The Sigal Museum was a year old. Rose made stops around the Easton Farmers Market to announce that Northampton County history was alive and well -- and on display -- a block up the street with numerous programs throughout the weekend. "We need to promote it more and get people through here," Mayor Sal Panto said during a ceremony in front of the museum following the procession. "If people know their history, they will have a much better appreciation about living here and taking care of things." The mayor congratulated the Northampton County Historical …

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