December Solstice (Winter Solstice) is today, Friday, December 21, 2018 at 5:22 pm. In terms of daylight, this day is 5 hours, 50 minutes shorter than on June Solstice. In most locations north of Equator, the shortest day of the year is around this date.

But beginning tomorrow | the days get longer. Yippee.

Citizens speak out | “Taxpayers angry over tax hike in Columbia” – FOX43-TV

It’s happened before | Boston Tea Party, December 16, 1773

Minus McGinness Property | “Columbia Borough resubmits KOZ application to state“ – Lancaster Online

“Opportunity zones” for “gentrification” | “Kushners buying 4th New Jersey property in tax-break zone” – Associated Press

Transparency on the horizon? | A interesting item for discussion was on the Columbia Borough Community Development committee meeting agenda. The agenda is posted on the Columbia Spy website as well as at the Borough Website. Unable to get to the meeting due to a conflict, Columbia news, views & reviews is heartened by this discussion because we’ve been espousing it for years. Livestreaming and maintaining on-demand video recordings of ALL council (and school board) meetings would be a major step forward to insuring transparency for its citizens and shareholders who believe that too many “back door deals” are being done.

Maybe, just maybe, public budgets are too high | “Assessment appeals yield savings for property owners, but chip away at public budgets” – Lancaster Online

future’s not looking bright | “Gloomy Outlook for State and Local Budgets” – Route Fifty

In this week in 1944 | The month-long Battle of the Bulge had just begun. – US Army Website

Mattis’ resignation | “Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position.” – The Morning Call