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Fraud calls for new real-estate law
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Just Some Guy 33 says on “Penn State: Mixed opinions” on Feb. 7, 2012 at 11:21 a.m. Daniel, I must side with your father on this. Maybe it’s an age issue; maybe it’s a generational context issue. Maybe as we get older we see the various layers of reality that make the greater whole (this was a lesson my father had continually tried to get across to me). Maybe as a generation growing up in the 60s/70s, we place a higher value on the meanings of our rights as citizens. (This point seems to be a real factor when dealing with those under 40.) I would like to see you revisit this piece every ten years of your life just so you can see how your perspective may evolve. It should be an interesting exercise for you. Best in everything (and to your father)!
Matthew Schilssel says on “Love songs convey what words can’t” on Feb. 7, 2012 at 3:18 a.m. Excellent article. well written and right on point. I also love eclectic and well rounded song choices. Clay Aiken? really? oh well, i’ll give it a listen…. Dave says on “In memory” on Feb. 7, 2012 at 5:07 p.m. I would like to validate what Jen said in response to the Sonstroem suicide. A few years ago, I felt the need to talk to a a professional about an issue. I came into Tuttleman, my answers to a survey were processed through a triage office, and I was given an appointment for a month later. I was anxious and had no idea how to handle the difficult situation without a psychologist’s input, but I had no choice but to brood over the problem, alone, until my appointment the following month. In contrast, I have never had to wait four weeks to speak with an academic advisor. I think Tuttleman should borrow The College of Liberal Art’s appointment approach–students are permitted to call in to arrange an appointment beginning when the building opens, and the call-in service continues until all appointments are filled for the day. That way, students in need of immediate assistance can receive it during the same day the problem arises. The current walk-in system is completely ineffective. I tried it once, and the walkin appointment was basically “let’s schedule an appointment for another time.” Not to mention, the walk-in window was very limited. If you happen to have class during the time, you are not be permitted to speak with a counselor earlier or later during the day. Temple needs to allocate greater resources to mental health–the students who are suffering unassisted have the potential to be tomorrow’s engineers, artists, teachers and activists, but if they can’t receive the health they need, their talent, drive, and heart may go to waste.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is faced with a difficult reality that is echoed across the nation. A combination of rising costs including those from medical care for the elderly and unions, and revenues not meeting expectations fuel this reality. The difference between the state having a shortfall of funds and the federal government having a shortfall is that the state constitution requires the state legislature to pass a balanced budget. This is a great preventative measure that will hopefully prevent the commonwealth from ever reaching the debt crisis that we see in Washington. Faced with the reality of the situation the leadership in Harrisburg simply has to make cuts somewhere. Unfortunately Gov. Tom Corbett has suggested a cut of 30 percent to the Temple appropriation amounting to almost $42 million. I personally feel it would be irresponsible to not expect a cut at all. I feel that in this time everyone needs to share the sacrifice of our economic situation. Having said that, the current budget proposal has several sacred cows that are not being touched and programs that could be re-tooled to better serve people without being taken advantage of and wasting tax money. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania needs to look at reforming their welfare programs (fifth highest pubic assistants spending in the country) to make
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012
Judy F. Berman explains why a new real-estate law against fraud is necessary and how owners can protect themselves. DOMINIQUE JOHNSON The Temple News The Graduate Economic Student Association recently launched DirectCongress. org, a website created to allow people to make and vote on laws. Judy F. Berman, is a managing attorney for the Regional Housing Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm with expertise in affordable and sustainable housing. Berman said she would like to see a real estate law created in light of fraudulent real estate sales. “I’m a part of a working group called the Fraudulent Conveyance Working Group,” Berkman said. “In Philadelphia people oftentimes buy houses for cash and the people they buy the houses from are not the owners, [which] we call fraudulent conveyance.” Berman said that if someone were to buy a house and learns later that the seller wasn’t actually the owner, the seller has committed fraud. “We’ve created a new term, a ‘fraudulator,’” Berman said. “Sometimes the fradulator steals the house from the owner, who might be in the hospital, or deceased. Some-
times they will forge the name, [or] sometimes they trick the owner into signing it over and then they sell it to the people who are living in the house.” Consequently, the people currently living in the house may spend a lot of time fixing and rebuilding their new home, only to find the original owners returning and wanting their home back because of a signed deed they possess. Berman describes the issue as “unfair” because the current residents have already spent a large sum of money rebuilding their home. “So what I would like to propose as a solution to this [issue] is twofold. More Judy F. Berman education [is needed],” Berkman said. “My proposal would be to have a law that says on every deed that title insurance can be purchased.” Berman added that if a person purchases title insurance, some companies will research the title of the home and verify the owners as well as ensure that a sale is conducted properly.
“My proposal would be to have a law that says on every deed that title insurance can be purchased.”
Dominique Johnson can be reached at dominique.johnson@temple.edu.
sure that recipients of aid are actually those who are in need. It’s also time that we take a serious look at state medical programs as it takes up a 31 percent (second highest in the country) chunk of our budget. This is understandably a difficult thing to touch considering the political implications of possibly cutting funding to the elderly in one of the oldest states in the country, but we must do it for our future. We can all get involved in a number of ways through Temple Student Goverment, TALON and personal efforts but voting is the only foolproof method to have your voice heard. As the Vice President of the Temple College Republicans I look forward to working with the rest of our board to bring in great speakers this election year to help you make sound choices this coming election. While it is easy to look at the party next to the figure head of our state government and get angry at an entire party it is important to note that in the past education has been a bipartisan issue. This is a tough situation for republicans and cemocrats alike and we just need to be heard so they know making this funding decision is not a good one for them. Sincerely, Darin Bartholomew Vice President, Temple College Republicans DOMINIQUE JOHNSON TTN
Judy F. Berman discusses her role at the Regional Housing Legal Services.
COMMUNITY COVERAGE
Union workers claim unfair representation Protestors argue that women and Latino workers are underrepresented in construction projects. KIERRA BUSSEY Opinion Editor
Y
esterday, Feb. 13, at 8 a.m., members of the Coalition of Labor Union Women and Occupy Temple gathered at Broad and Oxford streets to protest against Temple’s alleged exclusion of minority workers from its construction projects. Union carpenter and CLUW member Margarita Padin said Temple set a goal of 35 percent minority workforce participation for current building projects, and while this goal has been reached, women and Latinos specifically, are still excluded from the construction projects. “I’ve been applying here every day for like three months and I’m in the carpenters union,” Padin said. “I’ve been in the carpenters union 23 years and we just want Temple University to abide by federal regulations, specifically executive order 11246, that bans discrimination in the labor force because of gender, race, or national origin.”
Padin is especially frustrated because she says there are qualified skilled workers that surround the community, who are being excluded. “Temple has $400 million worth of current construction projects in the middle of one of the poorest districts in the nation,” Padin said. “The people in the community aren’t represented on the construction sites and the jobs that are well paid that bring people out of poverty, if they aren’t allowed to participate.” “If you look out there and the only people for instance, that are African-American are security guards that aren’t even union workers, or laborers, which are the least paid workers [they’re not even considered skilled trades], then their 35 percent minority goal is a sham.” The problem with the goal of 35 percent minority workforce participation is that it doesn’t use federal set percentages, Padin said. “You could be complying with one demographic and not the other,” Padin said. “One trade might comply, one contractor might comply, but not the other. You might have 10 black carpenters for one company and zero black operating engineers for another. And we’re talking about being represented in every skilled trade out here for every demographic.” And not only were workers visible at the protest, but
KIERRA BUSSEY TTN
Occupy Temple shows student support alongside Margarita Padin at Broad and Oxford streets. also local construction company owners. Joanna Harris, owner of ARB Construction, a local Philadelphia company, expressed her frustration with the situation as well. “We are just not here for workers. We are here for company ownership,” Harris said. “They are blocking minority companies by causing us to have excessive bonds amounts… for small companies. We need
to have companies as well as workers [represented] because minority companies will hire minority workers.” Professor of keyboard studies and board member of CLUW Joyce Lindorff also support the protest affirming that women and Latinos have been underrepresented in Temple’s construction projects. “Temple prides itself on being the ‘diversity university,’”
Lindorff said. “But it’s important that we should mean that literally from the ground up. With all of the new construction going on, Temple has a real chance to honor its obligation to minorities. Diversity should reflect not only the students we see on campus, but also the people that are less visible, like the ones that actually make our buildings. Construction work opportunities should represent
minorities fairly, and that means including women and Latinos.” Senior vice president for construction, facilities and operations, James P. Creedon responded to the allegations brought against Temple, which he said he’s hearing for the first time. “We recognize that we need to be very aggressive in how we outreach to the Latino community and make sure they’re aware of what the opportunities are,” Creedon said. “We need to get to the point where they understand what we are trying to do and how they can help us. We have an entire team that is focused on two things with this project. One is having more minority and women businesses participate and making sure that the workforce is representative of the community and includes the community.” Creedone mentions that there is a lot more work to come. “In the next several months we will have the need electricians, drywallers, plumbers, painters, and mechanical specialists. That’s when you’ll see the real opportunities come about.” CLUW and Occupy Temple plan to protest every Monday from 8-10 a.m. until workers representative of their group are hired. Kierra Bussey can be reached at kierrajb@temple.edu.