By opting not to attend a Sept. 6 public forum on the looming teachers strike in the Seneca Valley school district, the teachers union is making a mistake.

It is the public, after all, who pays the bulk of the money to operate the school district, including teachers' salaries. Taxpayers deserve to understand the details — and implications — of the latest offer from the board and the latest demands from the teachers.

The upcoming forum would be an opportunity for both sides to plead their case. Seneca Valley's school board could offer financial and other evidence to support its offer to the teachers. And the teachers could explain to the taxpayers why they believe that their demands are fair and reasonable.

The public deserves to hear the evidence surrounding the two competing proposals. The public also deserves to fully understand the implications — financial and educational — of both proposals, which are reported to be about $17 million apart.

If the teachers union has decided to not attend the public forum because it does not want to face tough questions, it is interesting to note that the Seneca Valley union and teachers union representatives across the state might be compelled to publicly talk about their proposals in the future. A bill gaining support in Harrisburg would ban teacher strikes (as most other states already have done) and force more of the fact-finding and contract negotiations into the public light.

Forcing both sides to make their case in public would encourage settlement — and give the taxpayers a deserved role in the process.

Jackson Township area businesses whose contributions helped the police department buy a used ambulance that is being converted into a special services unit merit praise for their generosity.That show of generosity has allowed the department to buy the vehicle without asking the township to make available limited taxpayer funds.The vehicle will enable the department to consolidate its resources. For example, it will carry arson investigation equipment, evidence processing equipment, tools, lighting, emergency manuals and radios that will allow communication with other emergency services.It also will accommodate laptop computers.The command vehicle is the product of a suggestion by Sgt. Tim Amrhein resulting from his attendance at a training session. The department was able to buy the 1996-model ambulance for $3,500, and efforts continue to fashion the interior to make it as useful and efficient as possible for the department's needs.Chief Len Keller said the vehicle will give the department more flexibility in addressing the various types of incidents to which officers are called.It will be a few weeks until the unit is ready for full operation. However, Jackson residents can feel upbeat regarding this latest effort by the department to improve itself and its response capabilities.And, township residents should take note of those businesses whose contributions made the unit possible. The businesses' commitment to the township's betterment should continue to be acknowledged.

Mortgage foreclosures and late payments are projected to worsen over the next 18 months as "teaser" rates that lured in borrowers reset to higher rates.Some 2 million adjustable-rate mortgages are involved.Expanding credit problems have been the basis for rocky times on Wall Street in recent weeks. Foreclosure and late payments have spiked, especially for "subprime" borrowers with blemished credit histories or low incomes.Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is on the right track amid these difficult circumstances. He is urging policymakers to look for ways to encourage a wider range of mortgages geared for low-income and other borrowers hard hit by the current housing slump and credit crunch.Bernanke said the current situation might be helped by "a broader range of mortgage products which are appropriate for low- and moderate-income borrowers, including those seeking to refinance.""Such products could be designed to avoid or mitigate the risk of prepayment shock and to be more transparent with respect to their terms," he said.Now, a growing number of overstretched homeowners can't afford to refinance or even sell their home.Bernanke is worried about potential damage to the overall economy, as well as the well-being of the millions of people who will be adversely affected if workable answers to the mortgage woes aren't found.Bernanke stepping forward at this time provides a note of confidence that some good answers might be forthcoming.