Tooned In

Uncle Sam slammed

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Complaining is easy, but standing up and changing government is hard, something The Mercury finds its readers feel when they call Sound Off instead of their elected officials whenever they have an issue. Exhibited in this Halloween-themed cartoon is that attitude in terms of what children choose to where and say at a resident's door while trick-or-treating.

One positive of the state budget

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:42:00 +0000

While the state budget impasse caused a great many problems for state workers and state programs, as well as those who depended upon them, one good thing came out of the negotiations: more funding for disadvantaged school districts, including Pottstown and Daniel Boone.

The Mercury gets a new look

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:41:00 +0000

I created this cartoon to celebrate the Mercury's new look, which premiered Sept. 30, 2009.

Rollar coaster ride

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:12:00 +0000

The state of Pottstown's borough finances may be more a fright than a thrill for the borough's newest finance director who has found unused accounts full of money and past due bills in dire need of it.

For more on this story, check out Sorting out Pottstown's lost and found and Bungled billing could cost Pottstown Authority $2M.

This was an alternative cartoon I developed on this subject.

The Final Product

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:18:00 +0000

Tracktime

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:14:00 +0000

Jumping on onboard with regional rail

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Area politicians are using the regional rail proposal that has stalled for some time in their campaign platforms.

For more, see "Area politicians hopping on board regional rail."

Let's scram!

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:15:00 +0000

The infighting at Pottstown borough hall makes even the Three Stooges look civil these days.

Nothing Ever Changes - final

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:24:00 +0000

This is the finished version of the published cartoon jabbing at Rendell's poor focus on important aspects of state government.

Nothing ever changes

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:19:00 +0000

As the budget impasse heads into another month, many are asking why nothing ever changes in Harrisburg.

State legislators appear to be misguided on what really deserves their time, often not seeing the full forest.

So goes Pottstown

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:56:00 +0000

While some hail the new Upland Square shopping center as a boom for West Pottsgrove, Pottstown is seeing a migration of need businesses.

Roberts' Believe It or Not

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:23:00 +0000

A cartoon in response to the stonewalling Owen J. Roberts residents received when they went before the School Board to question the firing of Superintendent Myra Forrest in June.
For more on the OJR controversy, click here.

Honor to the flag

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Celebrating 232 years of honoring the U.S. Flag on Flag Day.

Spend and run

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:54:00 +0000

The Pennsylvania Legislature is showing little restraint in its current budget development. It will once again leave the taxpayers holding the reins as it tries to push through a budget with an inordinately large deficit.

All the bells and whistles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:46:00 +0000

Taxpayers will have to cut further as the state keeps up its level of spending in its latest budget proposal.
Pennsylvania is looking at a budget deficit of about $3.2 billion. The state Senate, where Republicans still hold the majority, has proposed a budget of $27.3 billion. Democrats in the state House and Rendell are looking to spend $28.9 billion, according to a recent Mercury editorial.

Choice presentation

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:02:00 +0000

Residents of New Hanover have been fighting for several years against a quarry in their town. Among the concerns are increased asthma among school children due to quarry dust, and sound issues from the blasting. Recently the township came up with a settlement with Gibraltar Rock that would've gotten the township a one-time payment of $3.5 million over 20 years and 1,000 tons of crushed stone, but residents weren't biting, saying the terms were just what had to be met under current law.
For more on this story, click here.

Promised Band-Aid

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:45:00 +0000

The gambling law has seen little in the way of the tax relief promised when Ed Rendell first called for it to be passed. The purpose of this cartoon was to show that the relief it does provide is too little for the damage done to homeowners' financial state. Read more on that view in The Mercury's editorial, Tax relief from slots is like giving a Band-Aid to a dying homeowner.

'Cat fight

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:37:00 +0000

The Owen J. Roberts board has been building a reputation for argumentative sessions, the latest being over the hiring of lacrosse coaches. The above political cartoon was published in the March 22 issue of the Mercury along with the editorial Wildcats' fur flies.

The cartoons below were initial ideas for this topic.

Below is the precursor to the finished cartoon.

Here to stay

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:49:00 +0000

Waffling

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:46:00 +0000

This cartoon shows the numerous concerns the school board is listening to that are pulling it in different directions and causing it to 'waffle.'

Can't please everyone

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:37:00 +0000

The Pottstown school board is finding itself without a plan that pleases everyone.
For more on this topic, see "Schools debate gets personal"

Stick to it!

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:25:00 +0000

While this cartoon could refer to many problems in Pottstown borough, it didn't quite make the cut for the editorial page opinion on Pottstown's indecisive school board, which recently voted to vacate a previous decision on switching to a four schools plan and changing Edgewood Elementary to an early learning center.
For more on this topic, see "Five schools vote follows public outcry"
and "School board behaves like children"

As the wind blows

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:37:00 +0000

Taxpayers are finding themselves frustrated at the constant indecision of Pottstown School Board members on how to improve the district's schools. Most recently the board voted down a previous decision it made to convert Edgewood Elementary to an early learning center.

For more: Pottstown back to backing five grade schools

Out in the cold

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:46:00 +0000

That's where taxpayers are finding themselves these days as the Legislature contains to insulate itself from a bad economy using taxpayer money, as portrayed in this cartoon.

No Chesley Sullenberger in sight

noreply@blogger.com (Alan MacBain) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:43:00 +0000

Taxpayers are finding their "ship" is sinking, in this case portrayed by a crashing airplane, while the state Legislature is floating along in their bubble with no real spending cuts in sight. At least they weren't when I created this.