INN the District

Breakfast at the William Penn Inn discussing the preservation of open space and farmland with the Montgomery County Lands Trust (I chair the Board), then lunch at the Montgomery Bar Association's handsome brick building in Norristown, and dinner tonight at the Blue Bell Inn. No wonder I can't lose any weight!
In Harrisburg, I make it a point to walk up and down the marble steps all day long; back here, it's in the car sitting most of the time.
The discussion with the MBA Real Estate Committee is about a couple of new laws I helped to write in the Local Government Committee to address court decisions concerning zoning amendments and development applications. This is where experience as a township supervisor and a municipal solicitor comes in very handy.
From there, I jump back in the car to visit North Wales Borough to deliver a grant award for AED's for the police cars.
Tonight the Blue Bell Inn hosts the monthly meeting of the Montgomery County Council of Republican Women (MCCRW), a great group of ladies who love the campaign season and wearing red, white and blue. They are terrific campaign workers.
Kate Harper

Busy Day at the Peoples' House

We are in Session here in Harrisburg, and bills and amendments are fighting for space on the last, few crowded days of the Voting Calendar. because the Democrats have a one seat majority in the House, it's very difficult to get Republican bills considered, making it a frustrating time. Nonetheless, I managed to get my own HB 2753 voted out of the House Transportation Committee today (thanks, Chairman Markosek) and hopefully it will make its way to the Floor. The bill would allow Montgomery County to have almost a "right of first refusal" to buy "leftover" land from PENNDOT for open space, trails, and protecting historic sites. It could prove very helpful to us in preserving land and historic sites. That was a small victory! Also, the Environmental Committee passed a bill that would slow the deregulation of electric prices, in an effort to temper the expected price jump for heating and lighting homes and businesses when the rate caps come off and consumers are forced to pay the "true cost" of their power. Meanwhile, the Capitol was crowded with folks advocating for various bills like an extension of the MCARE fund (which subsidizes the doctors' malpractice insurance), the PA Credit Unions (just visiting), and animal rights activists pushing the puppy mill bill which should get a vote tomorrow (I heard the Guv brought his dog so that's probably what people will see on TV back home), but we were so busy in Committees, caucuses and on the Floor, I never saw the Governor or his dog who were outside across the street. Nice to chat ever so briefly with Matt Handel of Blue Bell advocating for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia which wants to see a bill become law to ban investments in countries that sponsor terrorism. The House has already passed the bill, and it is in the Senate now for approval. Off to a scheduled dinner hoping to be safely tucked in my hotel by 9:30 PM when I call home each night I am here and not there. Kate Harper