Latest news with #SeanMcCann
CBS News
15-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Mount Washington residents frustrated as large trucks, buses keep getting stuck on steep streets
Neighbors in Mount Washington say they're fed up again after large trucks and buses continue to get stuck on their steep streets. One couple says it's more than frustrating, and it's damaging their property. KDKA-TV was at the intersection of Ulysses and Sycamore Street, where residents say buses and trucks frequently get stuck. Drivers attempting to turn have caused repeated damage to property in the area. Photos from Monday show a Greyhound bus stuck on steep Sycamore Street, a road even cars struggle to navigate. But neighbors say this isn't a one-time occurrence. Genevieve Jerome says this has been going on for three years. "You don't know if they're going to run into your house some day or back into your house," Jerome said. Her yard, a stop sign and a fire hydrant have all been hit multiple times. She says it's not just frustrating, it's dangerous. "I ran to the side of my house and sure enough it was the Greyhound cutting right through the yard, slowly backing up and grinding in my yard right now, and I'm like yelling and waving my arms," Jerome said. Despite "No Truck" signs nearby, large vehicles continue to roll through, including another bus just yesterday. Sean and Emily McCann, visiting Pittsburgh from Boston, witnessed the latest incident. "There's a lot of different ways to get where you need to go, so I'm surprised they come through this neighborhood," said Sean McCann. "Yeah, unless there was a detour, but yeah, I don't know it was rough," said Emily McCann A Greyhound spokesperson responded to KDKA-TV in a statement, saying: "We are aware some of our coaches have experienced difficulties navigating steep roads in the Mount Washington neighborhood, and we apologize for any disruption this has caused residents. To help prevent future issues, we are actively working with our technical support team to remove these streets from our GPS routing system and we are reinforcing guidance to our drivers to prevent future occurrences." Jerome says she's worried for more than just her property. "There's people and kids, it's a neighborhood, it's a residential neighborhood, so yeah, there's some safety risks," she said. Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith told KDKA-TV that Pittsburgh police are aware of the issue and are working on a solution that includes enforcement and rerouting. At this time, Jerome says she has not been reimbursed for the damage to her yard, but she's hopeful a fix is coming soon.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Democrat Sean McCann, a state Senator, announces campaign for Michigan's 4th District
Michigan State Sen. Sean McCann, a Democrat from Kalamazoo, announced July 14 he would seek the party's nomination next year in the state's 4th Congressional District, a seat currently held by longtime Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland Township. McCann has been in the state Senate since 2018, and previously was elected as a state representative from 2011 to 2015. In a release announcing his campaign, he said special interest groups (without specifying which ones) and billionaires currently receive more attention in Washington, where Republicans control both chambers of Congress and the White House, than working class families. 'Families in southwest Michigan know what hard work looks like. But right now, that work isn't paying off like it should, thanks to politicians in Washington who have left us behind to give tax breaks to special interests and billionaires,' McCann said in a statement. 'Our families deserve a representative who works as hard as they do and who focuses on what matters to them, and that's why I'm running for Congress.' His campaign listed protecting Medicaid, reducing costs, not raising the national deficit, boosting small business growth and giving women autonomy over their health care decisions as McCann's other policy priorities. As a lawmaker, McCann chairs the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment in Lansing. He was also the committee's chair in 2023 when it advanced legislation setting one of the most ambitious clean energy standards in the U.S. for Michigan, establishing a goal of using 100% clean energy sources for power generation by 2040. Thanks to Michigan's term limit laws, McCann cannot seek another four-year term in the state Senate. Before being elected to the Legislature, McCann was a Kalamazoo County commissioner and graduated from Western Michigan University, according to his campaign. McCann is not the first Democrat to enter the race for the district — Jessica Schwartz, a Kalamazoo attorney who ran for the seat in 2024 and lost to Huizenga in the general election that year by 12 percentage points, is seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat again. Diop Harris, a Battle Creek Democrat who previously worked in the U.S. Senate, according to his LinkedIn, has also filed to run for the seat. The 4th District, which covers southwest Michigan, includes all of Allegan and Van Buren counties along with portions of Berrien, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Ottawa counties. The cities of Holland, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor and Kalamazoo all fall in the 4th District. It's a part of Michigan that has been represented by Republicans in Congress for decades. Huizenga has held the seat since 2022. Before district boundaries were redrawn, much of southwest Michigan was represented by longtime former U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, who was first elected to Congress in 1987. Huizenga has been in Congress since 2011, when he first took office representing Michigan's old 2nd Congressional District, which covered much of west Michigan north of Holland. Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan political analysis website, currently views the 4th District as "likely Republican," meaning the GOP is expected to carry the district again in next year's election. But with Huizenga eying a potential run for U.S. Senate next year, it's not clear Republicans will have the incumbency advantage in the 4th, if Huizenga ends up seeking Michigan's open Senate seat. Democrats are targeting the seat as a potential pickup opportunity, and if Huizenga were to run for Senate the 4th District could be a competitive race. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Democrat Sean McCann announces congressional run in Michigan
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Facing term limits, McCann to join Democratic race for Michigan's 4th Congressional District
State Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), March 14, 2023 | Laina G. Stebbins State Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) has joined the effort to flip Michigan's 4th Congressional District for Democrats, launching his campaign on Monday. McCann is serving his second term in the Michigan Senate. He faces term limits at the conclusion of this term, serving two previous terms in the Michigan House of Representatives. He also served on the Kalamazoo City Commission for 10 years. McCann joins Kalamazoo attorney Jessica Swartz, IT and Cybersecurity professional Richard Aaron and former Congressional staffer Diop Harris in seeking to claim Michigan 4 for Democrats. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'I've spent my life working for our community and putting politics aside to deliver tax relief for Michigan families, protect women's right to choose, and bring good-paying jobs back home,' McCann said in a statement. 'And I'll keep fighting to get your costs down, protect your Social Security and health care, and take on the special interests to actually get things done for working people – because it's time for Washington to work for the people of Southwest Michigan.' The 4th Congressional District encompasses all of Allegan and Van Buren counties as well as parts of Berrien, Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Ottawa counties. It is held by U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland), who is rumored to be gearing up to run for U.S. Senate, though Huizenga has stopped short of officially declaring his candidacy. Moving into 2026, Michigan's 4th Congressional District is a target for Democrats looking to reclaim control of the U.S. House. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated the district 'likely Republican.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
HMRC scraps letters to taxpayers in bid to save £50m
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is to stop sending letters to taxpayers in a cost-cutting drive that will save £50m by the end of this Parliament. The tax office will 'eliminate' all outbound post except letters that generate revenue such as tax demands, the Government confirmed in its spending review on Wednesday. Tax advisers raised concerns that taxpayers could miss out on important communications if the majority of letters were wiped out. Antonia Stokes, of the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, said: 'HMRC's plan to virtually eliminate all outgoing post will need to be handled carefully, with clear safeguards in place for those customers who are digitally excluded or lack digital confidence. 'If important correspondence is delivered to online accounts which taxpayers are not able to access, it could lead to tax obligations being missed, taxpayer confusion and ultimately an erosion of trust in HMRC. 'We would urge HMRC to proceed cautiously and ensure no taxpayers are left behind as they look to reduce the use of post.' The cost-cutting would reduce the number of letters HMRC sends by 75pc and save tens of millions of pounds each year, documents said, but letters for 'digitally excluded customers' would continue. A taxpayer can receive an HMRC letter for many different reasons – for example, because they are suspected of underpaying tax, because they need to register for self-assessment or because their tax code has changed. Sean McCann, of insurer NFU Mutual, said he was concerned that a reduction in letters could lead to fewer taxpayers claiming tax refunds. 'It appears HMRC won't write to you unless you owe them money. Those entitled to tax rebates will need to have access to email in order for HMRC to communicate with them, potentially making it more difficult for some older or less digitally literate taxpayers,' he said. The dramatic cut is part of the Government's plan to make HMRC a digital first organisation where 90pc of taxpayer interactions take place online and artificial intelligence helps with enquiries. The taxman has faced criticism for its poor customer service, taking up to nine months to respond to letters, and taxpayers complaining that its call hold times have jumped. The Government has said digital services are more convenient, productive and cost-effective. However, trade bodies have repeatedly stressed the importance of not giving up on 'traditional' communication methods too quickly in case some taxpayers get left behind. In a report published late last year, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Chartered Institute of Taxation said HMRC should improve its digital services while maintaining investment in legacy systems. The authors wrote: 'Traditional phone and post services need to be retained during the digital transition – and not be withdrawn or left to wither on the basis that at some point in the future things will be different.' HMRC was contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
HMRC scraps letters to taxpayers in bid to save £50m
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is to stop sending letters to taxpayers in a cost-cutting drive that will save £50m by the end of this Parliament. The tax office will 'eliminate' all outbound post except letters that generate revenue such as tax demands, the Government confirmed in its spending review on Wednesday. Tax advisers raised concerns that taxpayers could miss out on important communications if the majority of letters were wiped out. Antonia Stokes, of the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, said: 'HMRC's plan to virtually eliminate all outgoing post will need to be handled carefully, with clear safeguards in place for those customers who are digitally excluded or lack digital confidence. 'If important correspondence is delivered to online accounts which taxpayers are not able to access, it could lead to tax obligations being missed, taxpayer confusion and ultimately an erosion of trust in HMRC. 'We would urge HMRC to proceed cautiously and ensure no taxpayers are left behind as they look to reduce the use of post.' The cost-cutting would reduce the number of letters HMRC sends by 75pc and save tens of millions of pounds each year, documents said, but letters for 'digitally excluded customers' would continue. A taxpayer can receive an HMRC letter for many different reasons – for example, because they are suspected of underpaying tax, because they need to register for self-assessment or because their tax code has changed. Sean McCann, of insurer NFU Mutual, said he was concerned that a reduction in letters could lead to fewer taxpayers claiming tax refunds. 'It appears HMRC won't write to you unless you owe them money. Those entitled to tax rebates will need to have access to email in order for HMRC to communicate with them, potentially making it more difficult for some older or less digitally literate taxpayers,' he said. The dramatic cut is part of the Government's plan to make HMRC a digital first organisation where 90pc of taxpayer interactions take place online and artificial intelligence helps with enquiries. The taxman has faced criticism for its poor customer service, taking up to nine months to respond to letters, and taxpayers complaining that its call hold times have jumped. The Government has said digital services are more convenient, productive and cost-effective. However, trade bodies have repeatedly stressed the importance of not giving up on 'traditional' communication methods too quickly in case some taxpayers get left behind. In a report published late last year, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Chartered Institute of Taxation said HMRC should improve its digital services while maintaining investment in legacy systems. The authors wrote: 'Traditional phone and post services need to be retained during the digital transition – and not be withdrawn or left to wither on the basis that at some point in the future things will be different.'
