Commenting on Tuesday's repudiation of the Obama presidency, Republican Pennsylvania Senate candidate Pat Toomey said the election results show voters oppose the extreme big-government policies of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
From Toomey's statement:
"Last night, election results around the country and in Pennsylvania demonstrate that the tide is turning against big-government, big-spending policies. In Pennsylvania, six out of seven Republican judicial candidates were victorious in their statewide bids.
Congratulations to all of our great Republican candidates who won yesterday in Pennsylvania That tells us there is real energy in our state party, which will only continue to grow into next year."
Toomey said he was pleased with the results from neighboring New Jersey, where Republican Chris Christie upset the Obama-backed candidate, liberal Gov. Jon Corzine, and also applauded the outcome in Virginia, where the GOP candidate won the governor's race by a large margin.
“For nearly a year, the one-party monopoly in Washington has been pushing extreme policies on the American people, including government-run health care, unprecedented spending increases, and record deficit and debt levels," Toomey said. "Yesterday, voters made their voices heard. It's time we stopped the parade of bailouts, government takeovers, and record-breaking spending, and replaced it with commonsense reforms that do not bankrupt our country.”
Gov. Ed Rendell signed two more death warrants this week, bringing the number signed during his tenure as governor to 99. And the number of death row inmates executed since Rendell became governor remains at 0.
In fairness, it's not Rendell's fault that nobody has been executed in Pennsylvania for decades. You can thank liberal judges who refuse to uphold the law and allow executions to take place.
Pennsylvania employers shed another 10,300 jobs in September, according to new employment figures released today by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
The Rendell Administration is attempting to put the best possible spin on the continuing bad news by pointing out that Pennsylvania's 8.8% unemployment rate "remained below the United States' unemployment rate, which rose one-tenth of a point to 9.8 percent."
Doesn't that make you feel better, especially if your unemployment benefits are about to run out?
The bottom line is that Ed Rendell, Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats have done a terrible job dealing with economic issues, resulting in record unemployment.
From the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry:
Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted civilian labor force -- the number of people working or looking for work -- rose by 9,000 in September to 6,368,000.
Employment was unchanged in September, while resident unemployment rose by 9,000.
The Pennsylvania labor force was down 55,000 from September 2008.
Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point to 8.8 percent in September.
The state rate remained below the United States' unemployment rate, which rose one-tenth of a point to 9.8 percent.
Pennsylvania's rate was up 3.2 percentage points from September 2008, while the U.S. rate was up 3.6 percentage points in the 12-month period.
Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs count dropped by 10,300 jobs in September.
The majority of the job losses were among service providing industries, however, the Professional and Business Services sector added 2,700 jobs.
Pennsylvania job count was down 198,100, or 3.4 percent, since September 2008. Nationally, jobs were down 4.2 percent over the same time period.
Gerlach: PA budget impasse a 'national embarrassment'
Jim Gerlach, a Republican candidate for governor, said on Thursday that Pennsylvania's broken budget process has become a national embarrassment.
On the 100th day of the state's budget impasse, Gerlach said this would never happen if he was sitting in the governor's mansion.
"We do not need to waste any more time playing political games and pointing fingers," Gerlach said in a written statement. "This dysfunctional process has resulted in a 100-day delay in enacting a budget. The Harrisburg culture of putting self-interest ahead of the public interest must end. The families of Pennsylvania understand the importance of paying your bills on time and not spending more than you can afford. For far too long Harrisburg has ignored these basic principles.
"That's why I was the first candidate for governor to propose moving to a a two-year budget cycle to cut costs, increase accountability and avoid the annual budget soap opera, which for the last seven years has resulted in increased government spending and higher taxes. And we must stop rewarding politicians in Harrisburg for failure. If the state cannot meet the Constitutional requirement of enacting a budget by July 1st of each year, then the Governor, his Cabinet and lawmakers should lose a day's pay for every day the fail to pass a budget."
In September, Gerlach released a 17-point "Pledge to Pennsylvania" that is a contract to protect taxpayers and send a very clear message that the days of rewarding failure, ignoring runaway spending and tolerating a lack of accountability in Harrisburg are over.
The entire "Pledge to Pennsylvania" is available at his campaign Web site, www.gerlachforpa.com
PA launches Web Site to commemorate 150th Anniversary of Civil War
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission today unveiled plans for the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, including the launch of www.PACivilWar150.com
The Commission also announced a full slate of special events and traveling exhibits "highlighting the state's paramount role in the war."
Pennsylvania Civil War 150 is a unified, statewide alliance that will attract visitors and enrich their experience county by county through remarkable programming for the sesquicentennial commemoration, according to a Commission press release.
"While many of the great battles of the Civil War were epic in nature, the story of this war in Pennsylvania is much more than just tactics and strategy," said Barbara Franco, executive director of PHMC. "The Civil War also is the story of individual soldiers and of women and children struggling to survive in small towns and family farms all across the state and of African Americans working to abolish slavery and join the United States Colored Troops."
More highlights from PA Civil War 150 launch event in Harrisburg:
· PACivilWar150.com, a dynamic Web site that unlocks the incredible personal stories of Pennsylvanians both on the battlefield and at the home front, the vast Civil War collections of the state's museums and historical societies, and the state’s numerous heritage tourism attractions and trip-planning resources.
· Pennsylvania Civil War Road Show, a traveling museum experience based in a 53-foot tractor trailer that will bring interactive exhibits and unique programming to all 67 counties in the state from 2011 to 2015. The Road Show will encourage residents and organizations in each locality to share their stories and artifacts in conjunction with the traveling exhibition.
· Additional initiatives include a digitization project under the direction of Penn State University that aims to unearth and organize Civil War collections in an online format to preserve primary source materials and make them accessible to the public and to scholars. The Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh also will coordinate the publication of two books: Pennsylvania Civil War in Photographs, a collection of rarely seen photos from the Civil War era, and Pennsylvania African Americans in the Civil War Era, an account of the African American experience during the same time period.
If a growing number of House members that signed a discharge petition for H. Res. 554 have their way, every single bill in Congress will be held for least 72 business hours Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) prior to passage for a mandatory review by each house.
The discharge petition initiated by Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR2) has obtained 182 signatures, including the bill's sponsor, Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA3). Walden did so on the same day the Senate Finance Committee explicitly voted against allowing 72 hours to review ObamaCare once it was finally written.
Only 7 of Pennsylvania's 19 House members have signed the petition: Reps. Charlie Dent, Bill Shuster, Glenn Thompson, Todd Platts, Joe Pitts, Jim Gerlach and Tim Murphy. All 7 are Republicans.
What about your member of Congress? What are they hiding? Why do they want to rush through votes before anyone has a chance to read the bill?
For a complete list of the members of Congress who signed the petition, click here.
Time is running out to register for the Nov. 3 General Election in Pennsylvania.
While there's no national races, you can pick the next Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice and decide who runs various local, school board and county offices, including Common Pleas Court judges.
Today is the last day to register. Follow the link below for more information.
Rendell job approval sinks as budget deal unravels
It's deja vu all over again as the latest Quinnipiac University poll reveals that Pennsylvania residents still have a low regard for both Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature.
I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that the three-month-old budget stalemate has something do with it.
Rendell's job approval rating remains negative, 42% approve - 51% disapprove, a slight improvement from his record low of 39% - 53% recorded July 21, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.
Only 26 percent of voters approve of his handling of the state budget, while 53 percent say he has been too inflexible and 30 percent call him courageous, the poll says. (The Sept. 18 budget deal reached by Rendell and leaders of three of the four legislative caucuses appears to be dead as rank-and-file lawmakers balk at the new taxes and spending cuts contained in the agreement.)
More from the Quinnipiac Poll:
Only 31 percent of voters approve of the budget agreement, while 37 percent disapprove and 31 percent aren't sure, the poll finds. Rendell is most responsible for the impasse, 27 percent say, as 21 percent blame legislative Republicans; 9 percent legislative Democrats and 30 percent say they are equally to blame.
"Gov. Ed Rendell remains at the low ebb of his governorship when it comes to public opinion, perhaps not surprising given the lengthy budget stalemate. He does better with women, who disapprove 49 - 44 percent, than with men, who disapprove 54 - 41 percent. The legislature's rating, where 27 percent approve and 64 percent disapprove, is even worse," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
For more poll analysis and to review the numbers (including who has the edge to replace Rendell next year), go to the Quinnipiac University Web site.
The Commonwealth Foundation has launched a new Web site and public service campaign called BankruptingPA to educate taxpayers about "wild and unaccountable government spending."
The Foundation is looking for feedback to help it choose the most effective message and imagery to make this effort as successful as possible, says Commonwealth Foundation CEO Matthew J. Brouillette.
Visit the new Web site at www.BankruptingPA.com, click on the "VOTE" buttons n the right side of the page and leave comments or criticisms.
"Time is of the essence. Please help us ensure BankruptingPA is successful," Brouillette adds.
Pennsylvania lost another 8,800 jobs in August, according to new numbers released today by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
State officials tried to put the best possible spin on the bad news by pointing out that Pennsylvania's 8.6% unemployment rate "remained below the United States' unemployment rate, which rose three-tenths of a point to 9.7 percent in August."
Doesn't that make you feel better?
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was up 3.1 percentage points from August 2008, compared to an increase of 3.5 percentage points since August 2008 for the nation.
Since August 2008, Pennsylvania has shed 191,500 jobs!
Just a reminder that the governor of Pennsylvania is Ed Rendell, a Democrat, who has increased spending by $8 billion since 2003. Much of that spending went for various economic revitalization projects that Rendell claimed would bring more jobs to the state.
And in case you forgot, the Democrats also control both houses of Congress and the White House. If you're one of the 15 million Americans out of work, be sure to thank a Democrat in Harrisburg or Washington, D.C.
For a detailed breakdown of the employment numbers, follow the link below:
"They made their numbers work on paper, but the numbers won't work in the real world," Gov. Ed Rendell said today of the budget agreement reached Friday by Senate Republicans and House Democrats.
Rendell said he will not sign the budget compromise if it reaches his desk. House Republicans are also opposed to the proposed budget, which is now 74 days late.
Read Rendell's full statement and his list of flaws contained in the budget deal at the link below:
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason issued the following statement about President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress:
"President Obama made another desperate attempt to pitch his plan for government-run, taxpayer-funded health care plan, the same plan that Americans have soundly rejected," Gleason said. "The President's speech was nothing short of a 'Hail Mary' pass made in an attempt to salvage a costly big government health care plan that most Americans do not want.
"The President's speech was short on details, and his assertion that the government can provide cheaper health care to more people than the current system without increasing the national deficit does not pass the smell test.
"Over the summer, Pennsylvanians made clear that they saw through the president's rhetoric and did not want to see a government takeover of their health care. I call on President Obama to listen to those concerns by ending his pursuit of big government programs and reach across the aisle to find solutions based on the same free market principles our country was founded upon."
F&M Poll: Thumbs down for Rendell, Obama, state Legislature
The respected Franklin & Marshall College Poll finds Pennsylvania residents in a foul mood over their elected representatives at the state and national level.
Some of the key findings from G. Terry Madonna, director of the Franklin & Marshall College Poll:
Low regard for Rendell and state Legislature
1) The state budget impasse has made residents far less positive about state government and state government officials. Currently only one in three (33%) state residents believes the state is headed in the right direction. The current ratings of state government are the lowest recorded in a Franklin and Marshall College Poll, and Governor Rendell's favorability and job performance ratings are the lowest they have been since taking office in 2003. At this point, fewer than three in ten (29%) registered adults in the state say the governor is doing an excellent or good job, and ratings for the state legislature are even lower — not a single respondent rated the legislature's performance as excellent.
Specter holds shaky lead in PA Senate race; Corbett leads GOP candidates for governor
2) Senator Arlen Specter maintained his edge over Rep. Joe Sestak for the 2010 Democratic Senate primary (37% to 11%), although a significant number (46%) of Pennsylvania Democrats still do not know who they'll vote for. Tom Corbett leads the Republican field of possibilities for governor; however, that race remains wide open, with 73 percent of Pennsylvania Republicans saying they don't know for whom they will cast their vote. In a possible general election matchup for U.S. Senate, Specter leads Toomey (37% to 29%). Toomey leads in a possible matchup with Sestak (26% to 22%), although nearly half (46%) of respondents aren't sure how they would vote in that race.
Obama job approval slipping
3) While the percentage of registered Pennsylvanians holding a favorable opinion of President Barack Obama has held steady at 55 percent (compared to 56% in June), his unfavorable rating has risen to 37 percent (compared to 27% in June). For the first time in our polling, a majority of respondents believe President Obama is doing only a fair or poor job (53%), while fewer believe he is doing an excellent or good job (47%). Confidence in the president's ability to handle the economic crisis, while still strong, appears to be slipping (58% compared to 66% in June). Finally, over half (57%) of registered Pennsylvanians are skeptical of the president's ability to reform healthcare.
51% of Pennsylvanians oppose Obamacare
4) Registered Pennsylvanians appear to be following the health care debate closely. Two in three (64%) say they've heard a great deal or a fair amount about possible congressional reforms, and four in five (80%) say they've seen or heard news reports about town hall meetings. A narrow majority (51%) say they're opposed to reform proposals that have been discussed so far in Congress, and nearly half (48%) say they do not believe reforming health care will help the economy in the long run. Those in favor of current reform proposals cite helping the working and middle class uninsured as the main reason, while those opposed point to the expansion of government control through a public insurance option as their biggest concern.
The Commonwealth Foundation has released a report showing that President Obama's proposed takeover of health care by the federal government would have dramatically negative effects on Pennsylvanians.
The report, written by a research team headed by noted economist and former presidential advisor Dr. Arthur Laffer, entitled, "The Prognosis for National Health Insurance: A Pennsylvania Perspective," finds that President Obama's health care proposal would have the following effects:
* It would add $4,453 in additional health care costs for every man, woman, and child in Pennsylvania.
* Despite the additional $1 trillion in expected health care subsidies, 30 million people nationally would remain uninsured. The cost to reduce the number of uninsured by 16 million is $62,500 per person insured.
* Pennsylvania's economic growth in 2019 compared to the baseline scenario would be reduced by 5.1 percent.
We all know about the $3.25 billion deficit Gov. Ed Rendell ran up in the General Fund budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year, but Pennsylvania is drowning in red ink when you take into account all other state and local debt.
The Commonwealth Foundation has a terrific post at its Web site about the state of "Debtsylvania."
Pennsylvanians owe $115 billion in state and local government debt, according to the Foundation, which reviewed spending from 2002 to 2008.
No surprise here, but the debt has skyrocketed during the tenure of Gov. Rendell.
"Under Governor Rendell, total state general obligation debt outstanding has increased from $6.8 billion to a projected $9.5 billion with his 2009-10 budget proposal, a 40% increase in seven years," The Foundation says.
To read the full report visit The Commonwealth Foundation Web site.
14 PA firms make Inc. magazine list of fastest-growing private companies
Inc. magazine has published its 28th annual Inc. 500, "an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies."
This might be a sign of the awful business climate in Pennsylvania under Gov. Ed Rendell, but the Keystone State has just 14 companies listed among the Top 500. And the highest-ranked Pennsylvania firm finished at No. 82.
California tops the Inc. 500 with 84 companies; Texas places second with 45, followed by Virginia and New York with 35 each.
Here are the Pennsylvania firms and their ranking:
82. DSG, Malvern 135. Clear Align, Eagleville 141. SingleSource Property Solutions, Canonsburg 169. The Neat Company, Philadelphia 174. PriceSpective, Blue Bell 211. ACI Estate, Doylestown 221. Cities2Night.com, Philadelphia 322. Geo-Solutions, New Kensington 328. Millenium Pharmacy Systems, Wexford 390. RAC Enterprise, West Hazleton 397. SoftNice, Allentown 416. AlphaCard Services, Huntington Valley 425. PeopleShare, Philadelphia 441. UniTek USA, Blue Bell
The 2009 Inc. 500 will be unveiled in the September issue of Inc. magazine available on newsstands Aug. 17, but is already posted at the magazine's Web site, http://www.inc.com
For more background on the list, follow the link below:
AN URGENT ACTION ALERT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION:
Americans For Prosperity’s Patients First Bus Tour is rolling into across Pennsylvania Monday, August 10th through Saturday, August 15th. Everyone will have an opportunity to sign a petition telling the government to keep their Hands Off Our Healthcare! Look at the list of cities below and see which bus tour stop you will attend! We need to educate ourselves and our neighbors about this issue. Click here to read and print Commonwealth Foundation's Health Care Policy Points. We must send members of Congress, who are coming back to their districts for a recess, a loud and relentless message that government control of our health care is wrong for America. Send an email to everyone you know about the Patients First bus tour. Bring a friend. Bring your signs. Sign the petition. For a listing of event dates, times and cities, click here.
Pennsylvania is 40 days into a new fiscal year, but state officials are no closer to agreeing on a new budget than they were on June 30, the last day of the 2008-09 fiscal year.
In a recent poll, 30 percent of the state's voters placed the blame for the budget impasse on Gov. Ed Rendell, but 17 percent blamed the Republicans in the Legislature while 11 percent blamed the Democrats and 28 percent blamed everyone equally.
Pennsylvania finished the 2008-09 budget year with a #3.25 billion deficit, but Rendell wants to spend even more money for 2009-10. And a newspaper is now reporting that Rendell has also spent more than $360 million in borrowed money.
The man has a serious problem, which is why he is being referred to more often as "Ed Spendell."
From a story by Debra Erdley in today's edition of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
Faced with the growing impact of a prolonged recession and revenue shortfalls, Gov. Ed Rendell last fall froze state hiring, ordered spending reductions and hunkered down for a coming budget battle.
On the surface, it appeared Pennsylvania was mired in a financial morass that would affect spending at all levels.
But records obtained by the Tribune-Review show one thing hasn't been hampered by the state's revenue woes: Rendell's ability to spend borrowed money.
While he was battling revenue shortfalls and lobbying for an income tax increase, Rendell was running his own economic stimulus program, quietly handing out $361 million in bond money across the state.
Read the full story, "Pennsylvania Governor Rendell doles out $361 million in borrowed money," at the newspaper's Web site.
You keep going down the same road and you end up in the same place.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has released tax collection numbers for July, the first month of the new fiscal year.
Without an approved budget and with last year's budget ending up $3.25 billion in the red, it's hard to figure out where the state stands financially.
Let me just take a wild stab and predict Pennsylvania is on a path to an ever bigger deficit than the one recorded last year.
The news is all bad. The state collected 5 percent less in July 2009 ($1.65 billion) than it did in July 2008 ($1.75 billion) when Gov. Ed Rendell's $28.3 billion red ink budget kicked in. The small monthly deficits at the beginning of the fiscal year turned into a runaway train as the year finished.
(And Rendell actually wants to spend more ($29 billion) for 2009-10 than he did the previous fiscal year. This is why the state does not have an approved budget five weeks into the new fiscal year. Rendell still hasn't come to his senses.)
The Associated Press says the July 2009 revenue total is the 11th straight month in which Pennsylvania's tax collections have fallen short of the same month in the previous year.
Collections from the two biggest sources of revenue, the sales tax and the personal income tax, were both down. Translation for Ed Spendell and the dimwitted Democrats in the House pushing for higher taxes: Pennsylvanians don't have jobs so they can't pay the income tax and they don't have money to spend so they're not paying the sales tax.
From a Revenue Department Press Release:
HARRISBURG -- Secretary of Revenue Stephen H. Stetler today reported that the state collected $1.7 billion in General Fund revenue in July, the first month of the 2009-10 fiscal year.
Sales tax receipts totaled $735.2 million; personal income tax revenue was $639.9 million; and corporation tax revenue was $87.7 million for July.
General Fund revenue figures for July included $63.4 million in inheritance tax and $29.6 million in realty transfer tax. Other General Fund revenue, including the cigarette, malt beverage and liquor taxes, totaled $82.5 million for the month. Non-tax revenue totaled $12.6 million for the month.
In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $319.8 million for the month.
The Gaming Fund received $59.9 million in unrestricted revenues for July. Gaming Fund receipts include taxes, fees and interest. Of the total for the month, $59.8 million was collected in state taxes for property tax relief. Other gaming-related revenues collected for July included $1.9 million for the Local Share Assessment; $8.8 million for the Economic Development and Tourism Fund; and $21.1 million for the Race Horse Development Fund.
Times are tough but Pennsylvania residents are still finding a few bucks to buy lottery tickets. OK, it's more than a few bucks.
Pennsylvania just recorded its second best year for ticket sales in the Pennsylvania Lottery's 37-year history, Secretary of Revenue Stephen H. Stetler announced Friday.
Fiscal year 2008-09 Lottery sales totaled $3.088 billion, which was $1.1 million, or 0.04 percent, less than the previous year, according to Stetler.
"Despite tough economic times, the Pennsylvania Lottery had an extraordinary year and only narrowly missed exceeding last year's sales record," Stetler said in a press release. "Throughout the year, ticket sales were in line with last year and, in some months, slightly ahead. Instant games appear to be the games of choice for many players, as sales in that category set a new record."
Stetler won't go this far, but I give the credit to Gus, the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania. Every time I see Gus on a TV commercial, I have to run out to buy lottery tickets.
Study: 4.1M Pennsylvanians Could Lose Private Insurance Under Obamacare
From a new analysis by The Heritage Foundation of the Obamacare bill making its way through Congress:
An estimated 4.1 million residents in Pennsylvania could lose their private, employer-based coverage if Congress passes a House health reform bill.
Of the estimated 7.6 million Pennsylvanians with private health insurance, 51 percent would transition out of private coverage. Plus, 59 percent of the state's population who get their private insurance from the workplace could have their existing coverage change or disappear under the House health bill.
Also, 32 percent of Pennsylvania's uninsured population would still lack coverage. Of the estimated 1.4 million people without health coverage, the legislation would only reduce the uninsured by 952,600, leaving 447,400 Pennsylvania residents without coverage.
Congressional Quarterly: 8 competitive districts in PA for 2010
Congressional Quarterly has released an analysis of the 2010 midterm Congressional elections, listing 100 competitive districts across the country, including eight toss-ups in Pennsylvania.
From the CQ analysis:
With 257 of the 435 U.S. House seats, Democrats are strongly favored to retain their majority in the 2010 elections -- though history points to party losses in the first midterm election of President Obama.
Most of the 435 congressional districts have such well-entrenched incumbents that the 2010 House races there will be landslides. But CQ Politics has preliminarily identified 100 districts, 59 of which are held by Democrats, where the contests should be highly or mildly competitive. Of these, CQ Politics rates three districts, all now held by Republicans, as leaning toward takeover by the challenging party: Louisiana 2nd Dist., Pennsylvania 6th Dist. and Illinois 10th Dist.
The Pennsylvania districts that CQ Politics lists as competitive are the 6th (held by Republican Jim Gerlach, who is not seeking re-election); the 12th (held by Democrat John Murtha); the 7th (held by Democrat Joe Sestak, who probably will not seek re-election); the 3rd (held by freshman Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper); the 4th (held by Democrat Jason Altmire); the 10th (held by Democrat Chris Carney; the 11th (held by Democrat Paul Kanjorski); and the 15th (held by Republican Charlie Dent).
While CQ Politics lists Dahlkemper, Altmire, Carney, Kanjorski and Murtha in the "favored to win" re-election column, it still sees the races as competitive. Same for Dent, who is "favored to win" in the 15th.
Pennsylvania's other 11 Congressional districts are listed in the "safe Democratic" or "safe Republican" columns.
Here's my take on the CQ analysis. The 6th District will go to the Democrats, but the 7th District should return to Republican control. Republicans have a good chance of unseating Dahlkemper, Carney, Kanjorski and Murtha. I don't see Altmire or Dent losing their seats.
The key to a Republican comeback in 2010 is how badly Barack Obama continues to stumble. If the economy is still in shambles, if U.S. foreign policy is still in disarray, if Obama continues to march the country toward socialism, expect huge GOP gains in Congress.
The 2010 Congressional elections will be a referendum on Obama. If "change" doesn't come real fast, look for voters to toss out career politicians like Murtha and Kanjorski to send a message to Obama.
To review other House races, visit CQ Politics online for an interactive map.
Despite a $3.2 billion budget deficit, Gov. Ed Rendell says Pennsylvania needs to spend more on public education. But new U.S. Census Bureau statistics show Pennsylvania is already among the leaders in per-pupil spending among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Pennsylvania spent $23.8 billion on public education in the 2006-07 school year, the most recent figures available, according to the Census Bureau.
Public schools in Pennsylvania spent $11,098 per pupil in 2007, compared to the national average of $9,666, according to the Census Bureau.
Pennsylvania ranked 13th in the nation in per-pupil spending, behind 11 other states and the District of Columbia.
From the new report, Public Education Finances: 2007:
On average, each state spent $9,666 per pupil in 2007, a 5.8 percent increase over 2006. Of total public school financing, state governments contributed 47.6 percent, followed by local sources, which contributed 44.1 percent, and federal sources, which made up the remaining 8.3 percent.
"Public school systems have to balance income and expenses, just like other publicly run entities," said Lisa Blumerman, chief of the Governments Division at the Census Bureau. "This survey shows us the unique blend that each school system applies to utilize the financial resources it has available."
In total, public school systems received $556.9 billion in funding from federal, state and local sources in 2007, a 6.9 percent increase from 2006. Total expenditures were $559.9 billion, a 6.3 percent increase.
Tom Knox is a Democrat running for Pennsylvania governor in 2010. Although he was not successful in his bid to become mayor of Philadelphia last year, Knox may have latched on to an issue that could jump-start his gubernatorial campaign.
Knox wants to prevent the scheduled lifting of caps on electricity rates that could send utility bills skyrocketing for Pennsylvania homeowners and businesses.
From an e-mail the Knox for Governor campaign sent out:
Pennsylvania is about to raise your utility bill 65%. It's true. Even though we are in the middle of a recession, Pennsylvania is about to deregulate its electric utilities. And, every expert agrees this will increase consumers' electrical rates by 65%.
I don't know about you, but I'm not going to just sit by and watch struggling middle class families be squeezed even further by higher utility rates. So, if you are as upset as I am, you must act right now.
Please sign the petition and tell Pennsylvania's state legislature not to raise your utility rates: www.StopThePARipOff.com
Knox goes on to say that in every state where deregulation has been tried, it has failed.
From his e-mail: If you don't want your utility rates to go up 75%, then I need you to join with me and tell the Pennsylvania state legislature to stop this utility rate hike. What you do right now really matters. You have the power to stop this rate hike, put an end to deregulation and protect Pennsylvania's families, but it will only happen if we all join together and demand it.
Stopping this rate hike, which would be the equivalent to the "biggest tax increase in Pennsylvania history," is just common sense, good government, Knox says.
Pennsylvania already has some of the highest electricity costs in the nation, Knox says. "Deregulation would be disastrous."
I know this guy is a Democrat, but I can't argue with his desire to protect Pennsylvania's beleaguered taxpayers, who have suffered enormously under Ed Rendell.
There's a big debate in Pennsylvania over Gov. Ed Rendell's call for a "temporary" 16 percent increase in the state's personal income tax, which is paid by workers and businesses. Rendell says the increase would only last three years and would raise $4.5 billion, enough to cover the $3.25 billion deficit Rendell ran up this year with some spare change to spend on bigger state government.
The problem with Rendell's "temporary" tax hike is very few people are interested in paying it. Senate and House Republicans in the state Legislature have vowed to fight Rendell on the "temporary" tax hike.
I have an alternative. How about a "voluntary" tax hike?
Since Rendell claims that people want to pay more, here's the opportunity to prove it.
Under my plan, the state will raise taxes only for those who want to give more of their income to Harrisburg. We probably won't be able to collect $4.5 billion, but it's a start.
I'm taking names of Pennsylvania residents who would like to pay more taxes:
The Pennsylvania Cable Network will dedicate Wednesday evening's programming to the state budget impasse.
Beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, PCN will air a block of special "On the Issues" programs featuring key lawmakers involved in the budget process.
Following these one-on-one interviews, Lieutenant Governor Joe Scarnati and Governor Ed Rendell will take viewers' calls during two separate LIVE PCN Call-In Program specials set to air starting at 6 p.m.
Each hour-long Call-In program will give viewers an opportunity to talk directly to the featured guest by dialing toll-free at 1-877-PA6-5001.
The schedule, including replay times, for this special PA budget programming block is as follows:
Wednesday, July 8:
5:00 p.m. – On the Issues: Rep. Mario Civera (R) – House Minority Appropriations Chair Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
5:15 p.m. – On the Issues: Rep. Dwight Evans (D) House Majority Appropriations Chair Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 8:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
5:30 p.m. – On the Issues: Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R) – Senate Majority Floor Leader Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
5:15 p.m. – On the Issues: Sen. Jay Costa (D) Senate Minority Appropriations Chair Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 8:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
6:00 p.m. (LIVE) – PCN Call-In program: Sen. Joe Scarnati, Lieutenant Governor/PA Senate Pro Tempore Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 9:00 p.m; Thursday, July 9 at 12:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.
7:00 p.m. (LIVE) – PCN Call-In program: Governor Ed Rendell Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 10:00 p.m; Thursday, July 9 at 1:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
For updated information about special budget programming and other programming information, visit the daily schedule at pcntv.com
We now know where $1.8 billion in disposable income went during the past fiscal year in Pennsylvania.
Sales at Pennsylvania's state-operated Wine & Spirits stores reached a record $1.84 billion in fiscal year 2008-09, generating more than $494.5 million in sales tax, liquor tax and profits for the commonwealth's General Fund, Patrick "P.J." Stapleton III, chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, said today.
From a press release:
"We are fortunate that sales at our Wine & Spirits stores continue to rise, even as the economy slows," said Stapleton. "Our success is all the more important to Pennsylvania taxpayers when you consider the $494.5 million in taxes and profits the Liquor Control Board transferred to the General Fund to help pay for essential services, such as public safety, education, transportation and health care."
Wait a minute. Is Stapleton encouraging Pennsylvanians to drink more alcohol in order to get the state out of its current fiscal crisis? Sure sounds like it.
More from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board:
For the fiscal year ended June 30, the agency collected $265.9 million in liquor taxes and $103.6 million in sales taxes and transferred $125 million of store profits to the state Treasury. The total of $494.5 million transferred to the General Fund is the largest amount in agency history.
"In 2009-10, Pennsylvanians will continue to see significant changes in the way our stores operate, and the Liquor Control Board will remain fully committed to fulfilling this mission," Stapleton said. "We will keep changing for the better to benefit all Pennsylvanians."
Balancing the state budget is not rocket science. You simply spend less money than you take in. Pennsylvania families and businesses have to live within their means every day. Why can't Ed Rendell?
"Contrary to the Governor's rhetoric, there are a plethora of reforms and spending cuts that can balance the budget without firing our police, evicting our elderly, or dumbing down our kids," says POLICY BLOG, which offers 10 Ways to Balance the Budget Without Tax Hikes.
Some of the suggestions:
1) Eliminate corporate welfare. The Governor's latest General Fund budget contains over $410 million in corporate welfare.
2) Eliminate, privatize, or implement user fees for "private goods" - such as museums, parks, and the arts. The Governor's budget spends almost $500 million to maintain non-core functions of state government.
3) Control self-service government programs expenses like legislative leadership accounts used to fund illegal bonuses. A number of state programs and expenditures work to benefit of government official and the detriment of citizens. Rendell's revised General Fund budget about $200 million on self-benefiting expenses.
Pennsylvania finished with a $3.25 billion budget deficit for the 2008-09 fiscal year ending June 30, according to the Department of Revenue, which released estimated final tax revenue numbers today.
The state collected $2.3 billion in General Fund revenue in June, $415.3 million, or 15.5 percent, less than anticipated, according to Secretary of Revenue Stephen H. Stetler
Fiscal year 2008-09 General Fund collections totaled $25.5 billion, which is $3.25 billion, or 11.3 percent, below estimate, Stetler said.
Tax revenues, which were in the red for all 12 months of the past fiscal year, were down significantly in almost every category in June.
From a Pennsylvania Department of Revenue release:
Sales tax receipts totaled $675.6 million for June, which was $67.6 million below estimate. Sales tax collections for the fiscal year totaled $8.1 billion, which is $595.3 million, or 6.8 percent, less than anticipated.
Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in June was $818.4 million, which was $207.1 million below estimate. This brought fiscal year PIT collections to $10.2 billion, which is $1.3 billion, or 11.2 percent, below estimate.
June corporation tax revenue of $411.6 million was $82.2 million below estimate. Fiscal year corporation tax collections totaled $4.8 billion, which is $613.9 million, or 11.3 percent, below estimate.
Other General Fund revenue figures for the month included $67.7 million in inheritance tax, $10.6 million below estimate, bringing the fiscal year total to $772.2 million, which is $105 million below estimate.
Realty transfer tax was $27.1 million for June, bringing the total to $294.5 million for the fiscal year, which is $117 million less than anticipated.
Other General Fund revenue including cigarette, malt beverage and liquor taxes totaled $101.3 million for the month, $5 million below estimate, bringing the fiscal year total to $1.1 billion, which is $26.2 million below estimate.
Non-tax revenue totaled $155.9 million for the month, $30.9 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $235.2 million, which is $506.4 million below estimate.
In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $161.7 million for the month, $38.6 million below estimate. Fiscal year collections for the fund totaled $2.6 billion, which is $175.8 million, or 6.4 percent, below estimate.
PA GOP: DEMOCRATS TO 'TAX THE LIGHTS OUT' OF PENNSYLVANIANS
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding the Congressional Democrats' "cap and trade" energy tax:
"I am deeply concerned by President Obama and the Democrat's support for the national energy tax known as 'cap and trade'," Gleason said. "'Cap and trade' is an impractical approach to energy independence and will kill jobs and tax millions of hardworking families. In these difficult economic times, it is wrong to force the average American family to pay an extra $1200 in energy costs when many are struggling just to make ends' meet.
"'Cap and trade' will have a devastating effect on Pennsylvanians who work in the energy industry, particularly in the coal and natural gas sectors. Our Commonwealth deserves a comprehensive energy plan. Instead of a massive tax increase that will force millions of jobs overseas, we need to pursue 'all of the above' energy strategies that will decrease our dependence on foreign sources of energy while keeping jobs here at home.
"I urge all members of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to stand up for common sense and stand against this destructive tax increase."
According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, implementing 'cap and trade' would cost this country $144.8 billion, or $1,218 per household. (Andrew Chamberlain, "Who Pays for Climate Policy? New Estimates of the Household Burden and Economic Impact Of A U.S. Cap-And-Trade System," Tax Foundation Working Paper #6, 3/16/09)
In order to demonstrate high costs of 'cap and trade' legislation on hardworking families, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania will be hand-delivering candles to our Democrat colleagues today. If a national energy tax is implemented in this country, candles will be the only way many Americans will be able to afford to light their homes.
Five incumbent members of the Owen J. Roberts School Board were ousted by district voters in the May primary election.
So what does the school board do at its June meeting? The board voted 5-4 to fire Superintendent Myra Forrest, who has a five-year contract that runs through June 2010. District taxpayers will pay Forrest's $165,000-a-year salary even if she sits at home for the next year.
Over in neighboring Pottstown, two incumbent school board members were ousted in the May primary and another two will probably lose their seats in the November election.
The current lame duck board is considering a recommendation from its personnel committee to extend the contracts of the superintendent and other top administrators for another three years.
The current contracts run through 2010 and the logical thing to do is allow the new school board to make a decision on the administrators. A vote on extending the contracts was tabled at the last school board meeting, but could be brought back at a future meeting.
What's the solution? Shouldn't there be a law in Pennsylvania that prevents lame duck school boards from making rash decisions that could impact taxpayers for years to come?
Or maybe a new law isn't needed. A judge in Schuylkill County has removed eight elected members from the North Schuylkill School Board in a case involving a superintendent controversy. See story in the Pottsville Republican.
Read more about the OJR superintendent firing in today's edition of The Mercury.
Another 18,000 Pennsylvania residents lost their jobs in May, bringing the state's unemployment rate to 8.2 percent, up from 7.8 percent the previous month, according to the latest numbers released by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
Pennsylvania has lost 185,000 jobs since May 2008. The 8.2% unemployment rate is the highest the state has seen since 1985.
Despite the continuing recession, Gov. Ed Rendell wants to raise taxes on working Pennsylvanians and small business owners.
A coalition of business and industry groups predicts the loss of an additional 24,000 jobs if Gov. Rendell is successful in persuading the Pennsylvania Legislature to increase the state's income tax by 16 percent to help make up for the $3.2 billion budget deficit Rendell has run up in the past year.
For more labor statistics, click on the link below:
195,000 PA School Employee Names and Salaries Posted Online
StopTeacherStrikes Inc., the Pennsylvania-based advocacy group working to prevent teacher strikes, has posted a link at its Web site to a database that lists 195,000 Pennsylvania school employee names and salaries. The searchable statewide database, which includes teachers and administrators, is accessible via the StopTeacherStrikes home page www.stopteacherstrikes.org and at the Asbury Park Press Web site http://php.app.com/PAteachers/search.php
From Simon Campbell, president of StopTeacherStrikes Inc.:
"With the most recent salary data (2007-2008) now released by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Asbury Park Press has once again done an outstanding job at bringing searchable public information to millions of Pennsylvania residents. Any Pennsylvania public school student can now research the salary of his or her teacher to gain an understanding of Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know-Law, and appreciate the difference between public sector and private sector employees. Taxpayers can also review how much money all school employees make, to see how public money is being allocated. The publishing of this data may also help taxpayers understand why some public servants feel the need to eject children from their classrooms by going on strike for higher compensation.
Also profiled on the new "Pension Scheme" Web page of www.stopteacherstrikes.org is the manner in which Pennsylvania State Education Association President (PSEA) union president James Testerman is able to collect a teacher's salary for not being a teacher; thereby enabling him to obtain a taxpayer-guaranteed public employee pension plan for the nine years and counting he has spent working for a private organization. This scheme is also being used by other teacher union officials.
With the Pennsylvania school employee retirement fund in crisis and facing a massive shortfall in 2012-2013, the message is clear. If you don't actually work as a public employee, yet you want a defined-benefit public employee pension plan that taxpayers will bail out, just find a way to become a union boss."
If the majority of Pennsylvania residents (55 percent according to the latest Susquehanna Polling and Research Inc. poll) oppose Card Check, why are Arlen Specter and Bob Casey planning to vote in favor of the job-killing bill?
Do they know better than their constituents? Hasn't Pennsylvania lost enough jobs? Who do they represent anyway? Big Labor?
If Specter and Casey won't stand up for Pennsylvania workers and vote against the Employee Free Choice Act, it's time for Pennsylvania voters to elect new U.S. Senators.
While the Pennsylvania Legislature debates what to designated as the state reptile and is busy issuing proclamations, somebody is thinking about how to deal with the state's fiscal crisis.
In this case, it would be the staff of The Harrisburg Patriot-News, which published a series of articles Sunday under the banner, "Big Ideas for Pennsylvania."
"We're in a real mess here with the June 30 budget deadline looming," the newspaper says. "The state is looking at a $3 billion deficit and there are no signs that the economy is going to improve any time soon."
The suggestions are intended to spark debate on ways the state can save money or find new sources of revenue.
The "big ideas" include:
1) Sell the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
2) Charge tolls on Pennsylvania's interstates
3) Expand gambling in Pennsylvania
4) Enact a mileage tax
5) Give state employees a 4-day work week
6) Overhaul the state pension program
I don't agree with all of the ideas, but I applaud the newspaper for offering the pros and cons of each. It's a shame the most expensive state Legislature in the country can't find the time to discuss these proposals in between voting on proclamations such as "June Is Dairy Month."
P.S. -- The Patriot-News is also taking suggestions from readers for other ways the state can save money.
With Gov. Ed Rendell and House Democrats pushing for higher taxes to dig themselves out of the fiscal hole they created, it's time for Pennsylvania taxpayers to be heard.
Join the State Capitol Taxpayers' Protest on Tuesday, June 9
Here is some basic information courtesy of The Commonwealth Foundation:
WHAT: Concerned citizens who will descend on Harrisburg for the all-day Pennsylvania State Capitol Taxpayers' Protest, will be welcomed by a united coalition led by State Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) and more than 30 fiscally conservative state lawmakers, state and national watchdog groups and radio talk shows hosts.
WHO: Some of the outstanding confirmed speakers and organizations participating will include: Jim Broussard, Citizens Against Higher Taxes; Josh Culling, National Taxpayers' Union; Bob Durgin and R.J. Harris, WHP 580; Patrick Gleason, Americans For Tax Reform; Kevin Shivers, NFIB; David Taylor, Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association; Susan Staub, Right to Work; Matt Brouillette, Commonwealth Foundation; Jeffrey Trimbath, The Heritage Foundation; Colin Hanna, Let Freedom Ring and many others. State Senator John Eichelberger and Representatives Kerry Benninghoff, Karen Boback, Paul Clymer, Jim Cox, Tom Creighton, Scott Hutchinson, Rob Kauffman, Tim Krieger, Bob Mensch, Donna Oberlander, Tom Quigley, Kathy Rapp, Mike Reese, Brad Roae, Todd Rock, Sam Rohrer, Curt Schroder, Jerry Stern, Rosemarie Swanger, Will Tallman, Katie True, Mike Turzai, Matt Gabler, Stan Saylor, Sheryl Delozier, Carl Metzgar, Seth Grove, John Payne, Gordon Denlinger and Keith Gillespie are also scheduled to participate.
With Gov. Ed Rendell and House Democrats pushing for higher taxes to dig themselves out of the fiscal hole they created, it's time for Pennsylvania taxpayers to be heard.
Join the State Capitol Taxpayers' Protest on Tuesday, June 9
Here is some basic information courtesy of The Commonwealth Foundation:
WHAT: Concerned citizens who will descend on Harrisburg for the all-day Pennsylvania State Capitol Taxpayers' Protest, will be welcomed by a united coalition led by State Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) and more than 30 fiscally conservative state lawmakers, state and national watchdog groups and radio talk shows hosts.
WHO: Some of the outstanding confirmed speakers and organizations participating will include: Jim Broussard, Citizens Against Higher Taxes; Josh Culling, National Taxpayers' Union; Bob Durgin and R.J. Harris, WHP 580; Patrick Gleason, Americans For Tax Reform; Kevin Shivers, NFIB; David Taylor, Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association; Susan Staub, Right to Work; Matt Brouillette, Commonwealth Foundation; Jeffrey Trimbath, The Heritage Foundation; Colin Hanna, Let Freedom Ring and many others. State Senator John Eichelberger and Representatives Kerry Benninghoff, Karen Boback, Paul Clymer, Jim Cox, Tom Creighton, Scott Hutchinson, Rob Kauffman, Tim Krieger, Bob Mensch, Donna Oberlander, Tom Quigley, Kathy Rapp, Mike Reese, Brad Roae, Todd Rock, Sam Rohrer, Curt Schroder, Jerry Stern, Rosemarie Swanger, Will Tallman, Katie True, Mike Turzai, Matt Gabler, Stan Saylor, Sheryl Delozier, Carl Metzgar, Seth Grove, John Payne, Gordon Denlinger and Keith Gillespie are also scheduled to participate.
In light of recent highly-publicized cases of teachers taking advantage of students, PA School Watch offers an important commentary what parents can do to protect their children while they're in the care of teachers.
From the post:
Seems like its open season on children. This is not meant to be a flip statement, but have you watched the news? Everyday children are being victimized by members of the school community. The usual reaction is, how can a teacher do that?
PA School Watch is a non-profit, non-partisan political action group with a goal of creating the safest educational environment for the children of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania taxpayers are encouraged to visit Harrisburg on Tuesday, June 9, to send a message to their legislators that they can't afford to pay any higher taxes.
Imagine if Pennsylvania voters had the power of initiative and referendum, like their counterparts in California do. Gov. Ed Rendell's disastrous fiscal policies could have been stopped six years ago before Rendell ruined the state's economy with tax increases and record deficit spending.
Gov. Ed Rendell imposed a hiring freeze last fall to help deal with the state's massive budget deficit. The ban has been violated at least 100 times, including by Rendell himself.
Rendell also imposed a ban on out-of-state travel. That's been violated too.
The latest example of government workers taking expensive trips was uncovered by a Pittsburgh television station.
From the station's Web site:
A Team 4 investigation finds pension fund employees staying at five-star resorts in London, Paris and even Monte Carlo -- and the way they're paying for these trips is raising concern with top state officials.
Earlier this year, Team 4's Paul Van Osdol found state employees spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on trips after Gov. Ed Rendell ordered a travel ban.
Officials of the two big state pension funds say they've been able to get around the travel ban because taxpayers are not paying for most of their trips. Instead, the investment managers hired by the state are covering the cost.
Here's the catch: The state employees traveling to these exotic places are the same people whose job it is to keep an eye on the money managers paying for the trips.
Read the full story, "Team 4 Investigates: Pa. Pension Workers Taking Lavish Trips," or watch the actuall report at the station's Web site.
Which carries more weight among Republican voters: The state GOP committee's endorsement or the backing of two of the state's biggest newspapers?
Three Republicans are running for the party's nomination to seek a vacant seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. All three are currently serving on the Pennsylvania Superior Court.
The state party is backing Judge Joan Orie Melvin. The other candidates are Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen and Judge Paul Panepinto.
All three candidates earned a "highly recommended" designation from the Pennsylvania Bar Association, but Allen has picked up key media endorsements
Will the endorsements help or hurt Allen? We'll find out on May 19.
Allen has also been endorsed by LifePAC and Firearms Owners Against Crime.
Melvin has her own impressive list of endorsements including: PA Chamber of Business and Industry; PA State Troopers Association; PA State Corrections Officers Association and the NRA.
Panepinto is endorsed by LIFEPAC 2009 and the NRA.
The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Jack Panella, also a Superior Court judge, who is running unopposed.
Report: Rendell forgot to disclose $2,000 in slots winnings
Gov. Ed Rendell, who signed the 2004 bill legalizing gambling in Pennsylvania, hit the jackpot last year to the tune of $2,000 while gambling at one of the state's slot parlors.
The news is being reported more than a year later because Rendell neglected to report the winnings on his 2008 Statement of Financial Interest, a form elected officials are required to fill out every year.
The governor's spokesman called it a "clerical oversight." You don't say. I'd like to believe him but this is Ed Rendell we're talking about.
From a story in The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Rendell reported his winnings on his 1040 tax form, which he filed jointly with his wife, a federal appellate judge, to the IRS last month. (The couple reported $446,682 in adjusted gross income in 2008, primarily from their government salaries.)
Tax returns are not public documents, though Rendell has provided them when reporters have asked.
If he had not released his return this year, the public might never have known about his winnings. That's because Rendell did not disclose them on his 2008 Statement of Financial Interest, a public document filed with the state Ethics Commission last week.
The commission considers gambling winnings income, and public officials must report them on their financial interest forms if they exceed $1,300 annually.
Chuck Ardo, Rendell's press secretary, said aides who help the governor fill out such disclosures simply had failed to note the winnings on his seven-page ethics report. Ardo called it a "clerical oversight."
Pennsylvania took in nearly $1 billion less than anticipated in tax revenues for the month of April, sending the state's already massive budget deficit to historic levels.
The state collected $3 billion in General Fund revenue in April, but that was $941.5 million, or 24.2 percent below what state officials projected, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
The state has been operating in the red every month since the fiscal year began last July 1, but the April numbers were much higher than previous monthly deficits, which were running about 7 percent below estimates.
Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $21.7 billion, which is $2.6 billion, or 10.5 percent, below estimate, Secretary of Revenue Stephen H. Stetler said.
Gov. Ed Rendell had been predicting a $2.3 billion deficit by the end of the current fiscal year on June 30, but the April numbers will probably send the deficit past the $3 billion mark.
"Tax revenues in April are sobering evidence of the harsh effect the national recession has had on Pennsylvania's workers and businesses," Rendell said in a written statement issued late Friday afternoon. "Though Pennsylvania's Personal Income Tax rate is one of the lowest in the nation, it still accounts for nearly 40 percent of our General Fund revenues, and that category alone was 30 percent below estimate."
To close the potential $3 billion gap, Rendell said he wants the Legislature to tap into the state's Rainy Day Fund, which contains about $750 million, and the Healthcare Provider Retention Account.
"There are signs the overall economy is heading toward recovery, but this is a very volatile time and the pain of this recession is widespread," Rendell said.
Previous measures Rendell took to control state spending include a hiring freeze, which has been violated at least 100 times by his administration, and a ban on out-of-state travel, which has also been ignored by some state officials.
April tax collection revenues were down in every category.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered Allegheny County to reassess the value of all property in the county.
That decision will cost the county approximately $40 million, according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and that's just the beginning.
Not only will taxpayers have to cough up an extra $40 million (a 20-percent property tax increase right off the bat), but once the reassessment is done, many homeowners face the prospect of paying more in property taxes.
This is the legacy of 30 years of failure by the Pennsylvania Legislature to address the state's onerous property tax system. This is the failure of Gov. Ed Rendell to deal with property taxes over the past 6 years year.
The Supreme Court made it clear in the Allegheny County case that it intends to order every county in Pennsylvania to do the same. So if you think your property taxes are high now, wait until your county conducts a reassessment.
Some in the Legislature are attempting to address the issue, but the majority of lawmakers have their heads stuck in the sand over the issue.
The appointment of Greg Fajt, Gov. Ed Rendell's chief of staff, to replace Mary DiGiacomo Colins as chairman of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has not instilled confidence in the editorial board of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
From a recent editorial:
Pennsylvanians haven't exactly hit the jackpot with the state's continually spinning, always controversial Gaming Control Board. They've received lots of lemons along the way.
Loose licensing. Board employees at odds with the law. "Transparency"? What's that? And talk of a possible FBI and/or state grand jury investigation doesn't exactly instill confidence in this enterprise.
What's needed, now, is an advocate for the public interest, not an arrogant bureaucracy that has gambled away its credibility.
If you believe government is out of control, you're invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the Pennsylvania Coalition for Responsible Government, featuring Keynote Speaker Matthew J. Brouillette of The Commonwealth Foundation.
The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, at The Radisson Hotel in Greentree.
The Pennsylvania Coalition for Responsible Government (www.parespgov.org) seeks to unite people who believe American exceptionalism, America's founding documents, and individual liberty are under assault and need to be defended.
Featured speaker Matthew Brouillette, president & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, will deliver an address entitled, "Capitalism Still Works."
Those wishing to attend can register for the event at www.parespgov.org
The Pennsylvania Department of State released new voter registration numbers this week.
While registered Democrats hold a commanding lead over registered Republicans in Pennsylvania (4.4 million vs. 3.2 million), tbe number that jumps out at you is the fact that the Democratic Party has lost 100,000 voters since November.
Is this the Obama factor at play? Are people realizing the huge mistake they made by electing Obama?
Read more about the state's voter registration numbers in The Mercury.
Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the May 19 Pennsylvania Primary Election.
This is considered an "off-year" election, but the people on the ballot (school board members, local officials, county row officers) have the most direct impact on the taxes you pay.
Since more than 80 percent of your property tax bill goes to your local school district, the Primary Election may be the only chance you get to vote out the people who keep raising your taxes every year.
It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or Republican. You have to hold the incumbents accountable for the current state of government at all levels.
Newspaper calls for criminal investigation of Rendell deal
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is calling for a criminal investigation of Gov. Ed Rendell's latest "play-to-play" scheme, this one involving the awarding of a no-bid state contract to a law firm that contributed generously to Rendell's 2006 re-election campaign.
From the editorial:
A troubling trail has been exposed that has all the appearances of a pay-to-play scheme and a quid pro quo involving Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.
The Wall Street Journal documents campaign contributions to Mr. Rendell between February and October 2006 of more than $90,000 from attorney F. Kenneth Bailey. In August 2006, Mr. Bailey's law firm -- Bailey Perrin Bailey LLP of Houston, Texas -- was awarded a lucrative no-bid contingency fee contract to represent Pennsylvania in a lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
In a case that state Attorney General Tom Corbett thought lacked merit, the Rendell administration alleges Janssen improperly marketed a drug for off-label use.
Rendell has awarded more than $1 billion in no-bid contracts to politically-connected firms during his six years as governor. Too much taxpayer money is changing hands without any accountability.
From the Tribune-Review:
Gov. Ed Rendell denies any impropriety. But the smoke on this one is dense. It behooves the U.S. Department of Justice to see if there's any fire.
Pennsylvania colleges and universities produce far too many teachers for available jobs each year, forcing thousands of young people to leave the state in search of work, according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Which begs the question, if there's such a glut of teachers, why are teachers in Pennsylvania paid so much money? The law of supply-and-demand is obviously not at play when it comes to personnel costs for school districts.
And why should anyone support Gov. Ed Rendell's plan to legalize video poker machines help college students pay for tuition when many of those graduates will end up leaving the state after they earn their degrees?
From the article by Craig Smith:
Thousands of graduates from Pennsylvania's 95 teaching colleges and universities every year must leave the state to find their first job. In fact, fewer than half of the state's 15,000 new teachers will find in-state jobs.
"Kids who want to go teach in their home district aren't being realistic. You have to spread your wings a little bit," said Jay Hertzog, dean of the College of Education at Slippery Rock University.
Salary and benefits are a big attraction for Pennsylvania teachers. They are reasons teachers tend to stay here, often working for 30 years or more before retiring.
The average teacher salary in Pennsylvania is about $54,000; Virginia's average teacher salary, for instance, is about $43,000, according to teacherportal.com, a Web site that tracks teacher salaries.
"It is a tough market in Pennsylvania. The market is just saturated," said Donna Skundrich, human resources manager for the Shaler Area School District.
Almost 124,000 teachers were employed in the state's 3,287 schools in the 2006-2007 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, a division of the U.S. Department of Education.
Have you opened your 401(k) statement lately? Don't bother. You've lost most of your money in the collapse of the U.S. economy over the past six months -- unless you're a government worker in Pennsylvania.
You can't lose because the taxpayers are obligated to pay your entire pension regardless of how much of that money is lost in investments.
What's so special about state workers, you say? Why should you bail them out?
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is wondering the same thing. The newspaper concludes in an editorial that state workers should have the same type of retirement plan as those in private industry. When the market goes up, everyone benefits. When the market goes down, everybody shares the pain equally.
The state must renegotiate existing public-sector pensions to make them defined-contribution plans and establish a unified statewide retirement system for public employees, the newspaper argues.
Otherwise, Pennsylvania residents will see huge jumps in property taxes to cover the costs of guaranteed lifetime pensions for state workers.
Read the full editorial, "The pensions crisis: Only one solution," at the newspaper's Web site.
Study: Small firms create all net new jobs in Pennsylvania
Small firms created all of the net new jobs in Pennsylvania from 2004 to 2005, the most recent data available, according to new Department of Commerce figures. By comparison, firms with more than 500 employees in the state reported 40,994 jobs lost during that same period, according to the report.
So how come Gov. Ed Rendell travels around the state presenting corporate welfare checks to big companies when they don't create jobs?
Ask the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania residents on the unemployment line if they agree with Rendell's policy of rewarding corporate fat-cats and campaign contributors with taxpayer dollars.
The threat of furloughs for state workers is no longer in Gov. Ed Rendell's bargaining arsenal.
Rendell announced today he reached a tentative agreement with some of the state's largest employees' unions to eliminates the immediate need for rolling furloughs of employees in those unions to help close the state's growing budget gap.
Pennsylvania has run up a $1.6 billion budget deficit as of the end of March and Rendell projects a $2.3 billion deficit by the end of the current fiscal year at the end of June.
The agreement to temporarily reduce the commonwealth's health care benefit contribution rate by 20 percent will generate up to $200 million in savings over the next 15 months, Rendell said in a press release.
"This agreement is truly a win-win for employees and the state," Rendell said. "The temporary reduction in our health care contribution rate will provide us with enough savings to eliminate the immediate need to consider rolling furloughs for participating unions. This ensures that state government will keep running at the same pace for the people of Pennsylvania."
Rendell used furloughs last year to bully the Legislature into passing his deficit budget. Without the threat this year, expect the Harrisburg bunch to spend all summer haggling over the budget.
The March tax revenue numbers are in and Pennsylvania continues to hemorrhage red ink under Gov. Ed Rendell.
With three full months left in the current fiscal year, the state has already spent $1.6 billion more than it took in. (Rendell projects the deficit will reach $2.3 billion by the end of June.)
Pennsylvania collected $3.9 billion in General Fund revenue during March, $334.6 million, or 7.9 percent, less than anticipated, according to Revenue Secretary Stephen H. Stetler.
Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $18.7 billion, which is $1.6 billion, or 7.9 percent, below estimate, Stetler says.
March is usually the biggest tax collection month of the year, but nothing could slow the runaway train of deficit spending under Rendell and the current Legislature.
Here's the monthly recap from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue:
Sales tax receipts totaled $589.2 million for March, $51 million below estimate. Sales tax collections, year-to-date, total $6.2 billion, which is $350.4 million, or 5.4 percent, less than anticipated.
Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in March was $763.6 million, $59.8 million below estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $7.2 billion, which is $376.5 million, or 5 percent, below estimate.
March corporation tax revenue of $2.3 billion was $192.5 million below estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $3.9 billion, which is $366.7 million, or 8.7 percent, below estimate.
Other General Fund revenue figures for the month included $66.7 million in inheritance tax, $10.5 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $569.6 million, which is $74.9 million below estimate.
Realty transfer tax was $17.4 million for March, $13.4 million below estimate, bringing the total to $230.3 million for the year, which is $79.7 million less than anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue including cigarette, malt beverage and liquor taxes totaled $102.1 million for the month, $16.2 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $785.8 million, which is $9.1 million below estimate.
Non-tax revenue totaled $14.1 million for the month, $23.6 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to -$76.4 million, which is $350.6 million below estimate.
In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $184.1 million for the month, $14 million below estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund total $1.9 billion, which is $109 million, or 5.5 percent, below estimate.
The Gaming Fund received $54.9 million in unrestricted revenues for March. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund total $434.2 million. Gaming Fund receipts include taxes, fees and interest. Of the total for the month, $56.8 million was collected in state taxes for property tax relief, bringing the year-to-date total to $434.3 million.
Other gaming-related revenues collected for March included $6.7 million for the Local Share Assessment, for a net total of $50.2 million for the year; $8.3 million for the Economic Development and Tourism Fund, for a year-to-date total of $63.9 million; and $20 million for the Race Horse Development Fund, bringing the total for the year to $153.3 million.
PA disciplinary action against licensed professionals
You may not be aware of this, but Pennsylvania licenses and regulates many types of professionals, including accountants, barbers, car dealers, chiropractors, dentists, doctors, funeral directors, optometrists, pharmacists and others.
When they violate the terms of their licenses or otherwise break the law or mistreat customers, the state can issue fines, suspend licenses or revoke licenses.
From a press release issued by the state:
The Pennsylvania Department of State took disciplinary actions against 94 licensed or commissioned professionals from February through March 2009.
A comprehensive list of sanctions imposed by the 27 boards and commissions under the department's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs is available at the Department of State's Web site, www.dos.state.pa.us
New and archived disciplinary actions can be accessed by clicking on "Professional Licensure" under the "Areas of Interest," then selecting "Disciplinary Actions" from the left-hand side of the Bureau of Professional and Occupation Affairs page.
Each entry includes the name of the respondent, the license number (if any), the respondent's last known business address registered with the bureau, the sanction imposed, a brief description of the basis for the disciplinary or corrective measure and the effective date.
Anyone who suspects unlicensed activity by an individual or facility, or who has been a victim of unethical treatment, can file a complaint online or by calling the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs at 1-800-822-2113.
From an article by Brian Bowling in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
Benjamin Franklin once quipped that nothing is certain "except death and taxes," but even he couldn't know a tax on death would be just as certain in his home state.
Census Bureau figures released Monday show that about 2.5 percent of Pennsylvania's 2008 revenue came from "death and gift" taxes, the highest percentage of any state. Death taxes can take one of two forms — a tax on the estate of the deceased or a tax on the amounts inherited by survivors. Until 2003, Pennsylvania had both.
While the state has followed the federal government and a majority of states in phasing out the estate tax, Pennsylvania clings to its 183-year-old inheritance tax.
Most states have eliminated or drastically reduced the "death tax" but not Pennsylvania. Another glaring example of why Pennsylvania should be renamed Taxsylvania.
Rendell official back at work after stint in alcohol rehab
Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor & Industry Sandi Vito is back on the job after spending two weeks seeking treatment for an alcohol problem that was exposed after Vito was cited by police for public intoxication.
Gov. Ed Rendell welcomed Vito back with a vote of confidence.
"Sandi's personal difficulties are no reflection on her work performance," Rendell said in a statement. "In the past 14 months she has led the Department of Labor & Industry brilliantly. Since 2003 she has been an invaluable leader in reforming Pennsylvania's workforce development system to align it with the needs of business and industry."
Newspaper: Rendell's latest hire worked for Mike Veon
Gov. Ed Rendell has made another exception to the hiring freeze he imposed last fall, offering a $102,000-a-year state job to ex-state Rep. Mike Veon's lobbying partner, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Her name is Colleen Kopp and she is Rendell's new senior deputy secretary for legislative affairs.
Veon, the former No. 2 ranking Democrat in the state House, is right smack in the middle of two of the biggest corruption scandals in Pennsylvania political history.
He is facing charges involving the Bonusgate scheme in which millions of dollars were awarded to state workers for allegedly conducting political work on taxpayers' time. Veon has also been charged in a scheme involving misuse of state money to fund a nonprofit organization that received $10 million from the state.
Kopp has not been charged with any wrongdoing. She does, however, have a long association with Veon, including stints as executive director and chief of staff of Veon's legislative staff.
Reporters Brad Bumsted and Debra Erdley said Kopp is the third prominent Democrat hired by Rendell since the hiring freeze was imposed.
From their article:
Rendell hired Colleen Kopp last week, the third high-profile exception he has made to the freeze he implemented in September. He hired defeated Democratic Rep. Dan Surra of Clearfield County for $95,000 a year to oversee a nature-tourism project, and last week agreed to pay Ken Snyder of Philadelphia $100,000 to tout the federal stimulus package. Snyder, a public relations man who consulted for Rendell in 2003, represented a nonprofit pillaged by convicted former Sen. Vincent Fumo.
Auditor General to review PA 'fire sale' of state office building
Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner is reviewing the Pennsylvania Department of General Service's agreement to sell the State Office Building in Pittsburgh for $4.6 million, claiming the purchase price amounts to a "fire sale."
The Department of General Services announced Tuesday it was selling the 16-story structure to River Vue Associates LP of Canonsburg.
"I continue to believe this is the worst possible deal for the taxpayers of Pennsylvania," Wagner said in a statement. "It makes no sense for the commonwealth to sell this prized asset -- the signature building of state government in Western Pennsylvania -- for the lowest possible price during the most depressed real-estate market in decades."
Department of General Services Secretary James P. Creedon countered that selling the Pittsburgh State Office Building is in the best interest of taxpayers.
Creedon said he welcomes the audit from Wagner's office.
"We have discussed this decision and engaged in the process to sell the Pittsburgh State Office Building publicly for more than two years," Creedon said in a statement. "While the auditor general seemed to only become interested in this topic during the last month, he is welcome to review any and all of our material and we will fully cooperate with him in that review."
Creedon says the decision to sell the 50-year-old building was based on many factors, including "significant annual operating costs and the substantial costs necessary to rehabilitate the structure."
Engineering estimates show that nearly $65 million in state funds would be needed to thoroughly rehabilitate the building, Creedon said.
The state will save $14 million by selling the building and moving state employees into leased space in downtown Pittsburgh, Creedon said.
Wagner isn't buying it.
"The land alone is worth more than the sale price," Wagner said in a press release, adding that the state has agreed to purchase the City of Pittsburgh's Municipal Courts Building, which is one-fifth the size of the State Office Building and is situated in a less desirable location, under the Liberty Bridge and next to the Allegheny County Jail, for $9 million.
The State Office Building sale is a bad deal, Wagner argues, because "there would not be enough profits from the sale to offset moving expenses and pay for the first year of leases at multiple locations in downtown Pittsburgh, saddling taxpayers with an additional spending burden."
One man's obscene gesture is another man's Constitutional right to free speech, according to a federal judge.
From The Associated Press:
A federal judge says a man who flipped his middle finger at a Pittsburgh police officer shouldn't have been cited for disorderly conduct.
David Hackbart, of Pittsburgh, made the gesture at another driver in April 2006, then made the gesture again when he heard someone yelling at him — realizing only later the second person was a police officer.
The American Civil Liberties Union sued on Hackbart's behalf saying the gesture is protected speech and U.S. District Judge David Cercone agreed in a 19-page decision filed Monday.
Still to be determined at an upcoming trial is whether city police were improperly trained. The ACLU claims city police have filed 188 citations for similar offenses in 2005, 2006 and 2007. A trial date is pending.
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Chairman Mitchell Rubin, the target of an FBI corruption investigation, gave himself an extended leave of absence on Saturday.
Gov. Ed Rendell handed Rubin a permanent leave on Monday, removing him from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission effective immediately.
Rubin has not been charged with any wrongdoing, but his name came up during the corruption trial of former sate Sen. Vince Fumo, who was found guilty last week of 137 charges.
Rubin, of Philadelphia, has served on the Commission since June 1998 and was elected chairman in 2003.
'Do you get the idea that our nation and state are in deep dodo?'
Camp Hill citizen-activist Bill McIntyre has been perusing the newspaper headlines lately and is having some doubts about the people running Pennsylvania and the United States, too.
Here is his latest mailing to "Friends of Responsible Government" and members of the Executive, Legislative & Judicial Branches of PA Government:
Dear Friends,
"Obama's plan: $9.3 trillion in red?" appeared as the lead headline at the top front page in today's Harrisburg Patriot-News. Another headline read "Rendell sees stimulus money as state's 'lifeline'" and appeared at the bottom of the page.
Headlines are defined as the most important items of news in a newspaper or broadcast news media. A well composed headline will draw the readers and/or listeners attention to the article that follows. Some headlines across the state that have caught my attention since my last letter were:
"Auditor General Wagner to audit liquor control board contract"
"Governor hires $100K publicist to tout stimulus money"
"GUILTY! BUT IS IT THE END OF AN ERA?"
"Fumo found guilty on all 137 counts"
"Fumo corruption case expands; others could be investigated"
"Pennsylvania lawmakers have history of criminal prosecution"
"Losses top $28 billion for 2 state pensions"
"Legislators want 'equitable' budget cuts"
"E-mail may tie DeWeese to scandal"
"DeWeese, Dems play tug-of-war with case file"
"Rendell says LCB deal should be investigated"
"President of PHEAA's fundraising arm fired"
"Former PHEAA head wants severance package"
It just goes on and on!
Do you get the idea that our nation and state are in deep dodo? We have mortgaged our future and future generations. Yet, government continues to grow and to spend beyond our means to pay for it all. One headline that caught my eye was "Speaker's pen gift adds $4,000 to Pa. red ink" by Eric Heyl of the Tribune-Review.
Eric wrote - "As is customary for new speakers, McCall rewarded all 203 well-compensated House members with a gift from their leader. He bought them each an $18.95 desktop pen set and purchased seven spare sets – spending nearly $4,000. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday."
I would have been impressed with Speaker McCall's generous gesture had he paid for the pens himself. Eric's article continues – "McCall's annual salary is $122,245, but he's having the public pick up the tab for the pens. McCall essentially is attempting to expense an outrageous and unnecessary expenditure, one that his bosses – state taxpayers – shouldn't tolerate."
With a projected $2.3 billion deficit in this year's budget, every penny counts. Speaker McCall evidently didn't listen to his grandmother who might have told him, like my grandmother told me; if you watch your pennies the dollars will take care of themselves. With our projected budget shortfall, $4,000 is pennies, precious pennies!
A very concerned, Bill McIntyre About spending ourselves into bankruptcy
PA GOP blasts Rendell for hiring 'budget publicist'
Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Rob Gleason is wondering why Gov. Ed Rendell is violating his own hiring freeze for a $100,000-a-year consultant to publicize how Rendell plans to spend the $18 billion the governor expects to receive in stimulus dollars from the federal government.
"Gov. Rendell's decision to hire a consultant to spread the word about his spending initiatives is outrageous," Gleason said in a statement. "Gov. Rendell proves once again that the taxpayers never win. He is using Pennsylvanians' tax dollars to publicize the egregious spending he is doing. Even more troubling is the fact that he gave the contract to a former employee. At a time when ethics are being questioned in Harrisburg, the governor's actions will do little to assure weary Pennsylvanians. So much for a hiring freeze!"
More from Gleason's press release:
According to a report from the Associated Press, Gov. Rendell is paying a former employee, Ken Snyder, $100,000 to publicize the programs he funds with the billions of federal economic stimulus dollars the state expects to receive.
Gleason concluded, "Democrats at every level continue to fail our nation on the economy. In the midst of an economic crisis, our President has spent more time filling out his NCAA basketball bracket and appearing on late night television than he has dealing with the fact that his Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner continues to make costly mistake after mistake. Here in the Keystone State, Governor Rendell is using the stimulus dollars to launch a media campaign to better his image in the media. I am not sure this is the 'change' people were looking for when they cast their ballots last November and I guarantee Rendell's publicist will do nothing to help our economy get back on track."
For more on the Pennsylvania Republican Party, visit its Web site, http://www.pagop.org/
PA to track consumer complaints for shoddy home improvement projects
State Rep. Curt Schroder (R-Chester County) reminds residents that all contractors doing more than $5,000 of home improvement work annually must be registered with the state, effective July 1.
From a release issued by Schroder:
In an effort to provide residents with better information when choosing a contractor, details of the contactors' registration will be placed on contracts, promotional materials and business cards so that consumers may use the information to reference a statewide database of complaints.
Every year, thousands of Pennsylvanians file consumer complaints about home improvement contractors who take money and fail to perform satisfactory construction or repairs. These complaints typically increase during the spring, when homeowners are more likely to hire contractors to perform various projects.
There are several things consumers should look out for to protect themselves from disreputable or fraudulent home improvement contractors.
Unsolicited, traveling contractors who come to a home and point out specific problems should be met with caution. If they arrive in an unmarked truck or van and refuse to provide proof of insurance or references it is safe to say they are not reputable contractors.
Frequently, these scams begin with a claim to have just finished a job, and then offer a great deal on leftover material. They also employ high-pressure sales tactics like limited-time offers.
When hiring a contractor, homeowners should obtain a written contract that includes a start and finish date and a three-day right-to-cancel notice. Penalty clauses for late completion have also proven helpful in ensuring timely projects. Individuals should never sign a blank contract or hire a contractor that does not have a business card or local phone number and address. Also, final payments should be withheld until work is finished and homeowners are completely satisfied.
More information on the registration program and the complaints database is expected to be available in the near future as the attorney general's office continues with the program's implementation. For more information on consumer protection, or to file a complaint with the attorney general's office, visit Schroder's Web site at www.CurtSchroder.com
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today released a report to the General Assembly on the growing problem of underage and high-risk drinking in the state.
I never understood why Pennsylvania has a monopoly on alcohol sales in the state.
One the one hand, the state promotes alcohol consumption to increase revenues. On the other hand, the state spends money to help enforce anti-drinking laws and get help for people who have a drinking problem. Same goes for gambling (lottery, slot parlors).
Why does the government promote certain vices (gambling, drinking) but not others (drugs, prostitution)?
Very little of what Gov. Ed Rendell does or say gets past the editorial board of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The newspaper took exception to a comment Rendell made last week equating increased food stamp usage as an indirect economic stimulus.
From the editorial:
Where does one begin with such mental midgetry? Jake Haulk, president of the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, begins with a highly technical economics term -- "goofy."
Aside from urging taxpayer teat suckling among those perhaps not truly in need, aside from urging spendthriftiness and dependence over frugality and independence, it also requires the government "to spend money that it will first have to borrow," reminds Dr. Haulk, a Ph.D economist.
"If Rendell wants to help folks, he should be pressing for government spending reductions in Harrisburg and leading the charge for lower taxes at every level of government," Haulk says. "Letting people keep more of their own money allows them to create stimulus in ways they see fit."
That's what 137 guilty verdicts looks like. A jury has found former state Sen. Vince Fumo, a Philadelphia Democrat and longtime political ally of Gov. Ed Rendell, guilty of all 137 counts in his five-month-long corruption trial.
The verdicts may not mean much to the average Philadelphia resident, but should send shock waves down the spines of Harrisburg politicians.
Taxpayers are fed up with self-serving professional politicians. Pennsylvania residents have had it with corruption. Vince Fumo, at age 65 and with a bad heart, probably will spend the rest of his life behind bars. And he'll going to have plenty of company.
Don't be surprised if the 12 "Bonusgate" defendants start looking for a plea bargain in return for testifying against the bigger fish up the food chain.
In today's climate, you don't want to take your chances with jurors who are looking to punish the people who have lined their own pockets at taxpayers' expense.
This Monday at 12:00 noon, we will be holding our 10th Amendment – State of Independence - Rally. I want to remind you again of this event so that if you have not yet decided to join with us that you would consider doing so now. It's not too late. Sometimes, it's easy to think that such gatherings don't mean much. Let me assure you that this is not so. The greater the number of people who attend this event, the greater the message that will be sent.
PLEASE JOIN WITH US – AND BRING OTHERS WITH YOU
"The powers delegated by the Constitution to the Federal Government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State Governments are numerous and indefinite…" James Madison
Whereas I have no reliable estimate as to the number of citizens who will be with us, I have been very encouraged as we are hearing from people across the Commonwealth. Certainly, there is no better way to begin "drawing the line" than looking to our Constitution for direction and to the 10th Amendment in particular. So, please plan on coming and bringing others with you. We need to send a strong message to the Members of the General Assembly, the Governor, and to the media about this important nationwide concern.
WHAT: 10TH AMENDMENT – STATE OF INDEPENDENCE RALLY
Rendell cabinet official to seek alcohol treatment
Scant coverage in the political blogosphere of the news that a top Rendell Administration official has been charged with public drunkenness. With one exception, there was no mention of Sandi Vito's legal troubles among left-wing bloggers in Pennsylvania.
Imagine the outrage if Ms. Vito was a Republican.
Vito, awaiting Senate confirmation as Pennsylvania's next Labor Secretary, was charged with public drunkenness after an incident at a Harrisburg hotel bar on Wednesday.
Vito, 43, issued a statement Thursday apologizing for the incident, which involved a dispute about whether Vito should take a cab home after she had been drinking at the hotel, according to the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
"I am deeply embarrassed and profoundly humiliated by my actions last night," Vito said. "My behavior was inexcusable. I did not have a car and was intent on walking to my nearby home. In retrospect, I understand that the authorities were merely considering my safety when they insisted I take a cab rather than walk."
The Associated Press reports today that Vito is entering an alcohol treatment program.
Vito was appointed by Rendell as Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor & Industry on Feb. 4, 2008. She is awaiting confirmation from the Republican-controlled Senate to run the Labor Department until the end of Rendell's term.
Before going to work at Labor & Industry, Vito served as chief of staff to State Sen. Christine Tartaglione, a Philadelphia Democrat. She previously held the post of political director for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
The Constitutional Organization Of Liberty (COOL) is supporting a resolution currently being circulated in the Pennsylvania Legislature to reassert state sovereignty against an ever-expanding federal government.
The 10th Amendment Resolution has been introduced in the state House by state Rep. Sam Rohrer, R-Berks, and will be introduced in the Senate by state Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Berks/Lebanon.
"The time has come for Pennsylvania to stand up to a federal establishment that is usurping state authority on an almost daily basis, often using our own tax dollars to blackmail us into doing what the federal government thinks we should do," Laurel Lynn Petolicchio, COOL Chairman for 2009, said in a statement. "It is time that the Keystone State took a leading role in protecting and preserving the rights of both the state and the citizens of the state," she said.
Rohrer and Folmer are hosting a rally in the state Capitol Rotunda Monday at noon to drum up support for their resolution.
From the COOL release:
"When our country was founded, our Fathers envisioned a form of government in which the federal government served as an agent of the states – not the states serving as an agent of the federal government," Folmer said. "Today, federal legislation and funding compel states to serve the federal government, a total reversal of the structure originally intended."
Rohrer said: "For too long, Congress and the president have been encroaching on policy areas that ought to be decided by the states. This rally is the equivalent of posting a 'no trespassing' sign."
Herb Braden, who serves as a board member on COOL as well as chairman of Lebanon County based Citizen's Caucus, said it was time to stop the usurpation of power by the federal government.
"Starting in the 1930's, with the New Deal, the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution has been incorrectly used by Congress as a tool to diminish the powers assigned to the States in the 10th Amendment," Braden said. "We citizens must prepare to use the ballot box to curtail or stop this arrogant usurpation of State powers."
According to Petolicchio, Pennsylvania is now among at least 20 states across the nation that have either introduced or issued resolutions reasserting their rights under the Tenth Amendment, and that the movement seems to be growing.
The Constitutional Organization Of Liberty is a non-partisan, conservative political action committee organized to re-educate the citizens of Pennsylvania about the U.S. Constitution and America's founding documents. In the past year, COOL has hosted multiple educational courses, including the Institute On The Constitution and A More Perfect Union.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has released a new report, "Grading the States," assessing the nation's public mental health care system for adults.
The national average grade is a D.
Pennsylvania earned a "C" grade in the report, an improvement over the "D" the state earned in 2006.
Fourteen states improved their grades since NAMI's last report card three years ago. Twelve states fell backwards. Oklahoma showed the biggest improvement, rising from a D to a B. South Carolina fell the farthest, from a B to a D, according to NAMI.
The Alliance warns that state budget cuts are threatening mental health care overall.
"Mental health care in America is in crisis," said NAMI executive director Michael J. Fitzpatrick. "Even states that have worked hard to build life-saving, recovery-oriented systems of care stand to see their progress wiped out."
"Ironically, state budget cuts occur during a time of economic crisis when mental heath services are needed even more urgently than before. It is a vicious cycle that can lead to ruin. States need to move forward, not retreat."
Check out how your state did on the report card at this link.
Two leading conservative state lawmakers are inviting all Pennsylvania residents to attend a rally Monday in Harrisburg to defend the state's sovereignty from continued encroachment from Washington.
Politicians in Washington, D.C., have been exerting undue influence on the states and it's time for them to stop, say Rep. Samuel E. Rohrer (R-128) and Sen. Mike Folmer (R-48), both of whom represents portions of Berks County.
The rally, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for noon Monday in the Capitol Rotunda. For more information or driving directions to the state Capitol, Rohrer's Web site at SamRohrer.com
"If you think the size and scope of the federal government has far exceeded our Founding Fathers' intentions, then we hope you come out Monday to support our cause," Rohrer said in a statement. "For too long, Congress and the president have been encroaching on policy areas that ought to be decided by the states. This rally is the equivalent of posting a 'no trespassing' sign."
Rohrer has introducing a resolution in the state House of Representatives to defend Pennsylvania's sovereignty under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reads:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
Folmer will introduce a sister resolution with language identical to Rohrer's in the Senate.
"When our country was founded, our Fathers envisioned a form of government in which the federal government served as an agent of the states – not the states serving as an agent of the federal government," Folmer said in a release. "Today, federal legislation and funding compel states to serve the federal government, a total reversal of the structure originally intended. This rally seeks to remind federal officials of their constitutional limitations while affirming Pennsylvania’s 10th Amendment rights."
The lawmakers' resolutions are part of a larger national trend of state lawmakers who are reasserting the sovereignty of their independent states under the 10th Amendment.
At the rally, Rohrer and Folmer will be joined by lawmakers from other states who have introduced similar measures in their own state legislatures.
The president of SEIU Local 668, the Pennsylvania Social Services Union, has a few choice words for Gov. Ed Rendell, who earlier this week gave state workers an ultimatum: Find ways to reduce costs or face furloughs and/or layoffs.
Kathy Jellison said in a statement that the governor is "negotiating though the press" and "not being honest with taxpayers."
Jellison said the union has "repeatedly given (Rendell) suggestions on ways to cut the budget, and he has ignored all of our ideas. Instead, he wants to focus on the most extreme option - laying off workers."
State workers are upset with Rendell because he has awarded more than $1 billion in outside contracts since he became governor in 2003. "Many of those contracts cover work that had been done by state employees," Jellison says.
"The first thing the governor can do to stop wasteful spending in the state budget," Jellison said, "is to cut out some of the private contracts he has given to outside companies to do work that our members can do better and at a lower cost."
While Rendell is threatening to implement a system of "rolling furloughs" to reduce personnel costs, the union wants the state to offer early retirement options to workers.
Rep. Joe Pitts says 'Card Check' will kill more jobs
Rep. Joe Pitts is an original cosponsor of The Secret Ballot Protection Act (H.R. 1176), which would protect the rights of workers to have secret ballot elections when determining whether to form a union. It prevents unionization based solely on "card check," a process that requires only a simple majority of worker signatures on cards without any privacy in order to unionize a workplace. The Secret Ballot Protection Act also bars recognition of a union that was formed without a secret ballot election.
This just in from the office of state Rep. Todd Rock, R-90:
House Republicans, Public School Lockout Victims to Reintroduce Strike-Free Education Act
What: With approximately 22 Pennsylvania public school districts at risk for an immediate teachers strike; and an additional 126 public school districts facing the possibility of a strike before the end of the year, State Representative Todd Rock (R-Franklin) will officially reintroduce his legislation to protect every Pennsylvania child's right to an uninterrupted Strike-Free public education.
Also offering support for the Strike-Free Education Act (House Bill 1369) will be State Representatives Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) and Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster); Simon Campbell, President of Stop Teacher Strikes, Inc.; Jill Basile, strike-impacted public school parent, Souderton Area School District; Rebecca Heller, School Board Director, Berwick Area School District; and Frank Scavo, School Board Director, Old Forge School District.
When: Wednesday, March 11 Time: 10:00 a.m. Where: Capitol Media Center
LIVE WEBCAST: Log on to RepRock.com or RepMetcalfe.com beginning at 9:55 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
Rendell threatens 'rolling furloughs' of state workers
With the state facing a projected $2.3 billion budget deficit in its General Fund budget, Gov. Ed Rendell is looking to save money by putting the squeeze on state workers.
The Harrisburg Patriot-News reports Rendell is giving the unions representing state workers until the end of March to come up with concessions or face furloughs or layoffs.
From a story by reporter Charles Thompson:
"We've agreed to give the unions a couple of more weeks to look at the options and get back to us," Rendell said during a Capitol press conference. "But by the end of March, if we don't have an agreement ... I'm going to have to act."
Rendell said again that he is leaning toward a system of "rolling furloughs," in which certain, nonessential aspects of state government would close for a day at a time, causing cuts in hours for thousands of state workers.
"If there's a way that I can do this and minimize the number of layoffs, I will take that way," Rendell said. "I think it's better for everyone to lose X percentage of their wages than for 2,000 people to be thrown onto unemployment."
Union leaders have vowed not to take wage concessions back to their rank-and-file, making the case that they have accepted wage freezes and sacrificed in other ways during past contract negotiations with Rendell.
Read the full story, "Rendell gives unions ultimatum," at the newspaper's Web site.
You can substituted "Pennsylvania" for "South Carolina" in this editorial cartoon by Robert Ariail, but it still doesn't make it any easier to comprehend the schizophrenic reaction of government to gambling. It's illegal ... unless the state gets its cut. The Pennsylvania Legislature is expected to consider a proposal by Gov. Ed Rendell to legalize video poker machines. Pa. officials estimate there are at least 17,000 illegal video poker machines in use right now.
News item: The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is spending more than $173,000 to improve employee manners — making sure clerks say "hello," "thank you" and "come again" to customers.
I don't know about you, but I'd put up with rude sales clerk if we could purchase liquor cheaper.
Since the liquor store system is a monopoly in Pennsylvania and proceeds go into state coffers, I think we can safely point to this as another example of how government wastes our money.
From the Tribune-Review article:
Eric Epstein, a Harrisburg activist and founder of RockTheCapital.org, a voter education project, called the idea "a demented interpretation of happy hour."
"It's a sad state of affairs when you have to train people to be kind and courteous," he said.
Columnist Gil Spencer, writing in the Delaware County Daily Times, imagines a scenario where Gov. Ed Rendell attends the most recent Harrisburg meeting of Problem-Gamblers Anonymous.
From Spencer's column:
ED: I hardly gamble at all. I mean, I’ll bet the governor of another state the occasional cheesesteak if the Phillies or Eagles are in the playoffs, but I don’t even actually shell out for that. It’s in my office budget.
HOST: So you gamble with other people’s money, you mean, not your own.
ED: That’s just a P.R. thing.
HOST: Whatever you say, Ed. It’s your mike.
ED: Look, I’m here to let every one of you know that the state of Pennsylvania and my administration cares about your issue, ‘er addiction, umm, problem. And that’s why we’re offering $5,000 grants to groups like this one all over the state to make sure that problem gamblers, like yourselves, get the funds and information they need to help battle their addictions.
ADDICT 1: What about your addiction — the state’s addiction — to gambling revenues?
ED: I wouldn’t call it an addiction.
ADDICT 2: What would you prefer? Dependence?
ED: I would prefer “policy choice.”
A1: That’s a good one. Maybe that’s what I should call my losing my house thanks to my gambling losses — my “policy choice.”
ED: You don’t understand, the state makes money from gambling. We don’t lose. We can’t lose.
A2: Then how come the state is $2.3 billion in debt? If I owed $2.3 billion, somebody, somewhere would be calling me a loser. A big one.
If you didn't catch Thursday's "Talking Politics with Tony Phyrillas and Mike Pincus," you missed a lively discussion about the future of Sen. Arlen Specter.
Mike and I agree that Specter is finished in the Republican Party. If he runs for re-election in 2010 as a Republican, Specter will lose in the GOP primary, most likely to former Congressman Pat Toomey, who came close to knocking off Specter in 2004.
Mike gave two good reasons why Specter can't win, even though he's the incumbent and has a ton of money. First, Specter has lost all support in the Republican Party even from the pragmatic party officials who held their nose and supported Specter despite his tendency to vote with Democrats. Second, most of the "moderate" Republicans who supported Specter in the past left the party in 2008. They are now registered Democrats or independents and are unlikely to switch their party affiliation back to Republican so they can vote in the 2010 GOP primary. Specter's base is gone.
Specter's only option for retaining his Senate seat is to switch his party affiliation to Democrat. The question is, would the Democrats take him back? Pennsylvania is trending blue and the Democrats could win the Senate seat without Specter, so why take a GOP retread when the Dems could run a younger, more liberal candidate. If Specter can wheel-and-deal his way to the Democratic Party nomination, it sets up a November 2010 showdown between Toomey and Specter. And that's a toss-up.
But there's another scenario, one that Mike and I believe is more probable. Specter will not seek re-election in 2010. This would go a long way in explaining why he betrayed the Republican Party and supported Obama's trillion-dollar bailout plan.
Specter can bow out of the 2010 race by citing health reasons (not to mention that he'll be 80 by the time the election rolls around).
This clears the way for Pennsylvania's worst nightmare. Gov. Ed Rendell will probably succeed Specter in the U.S. Senate seat.
Rendell did say after his 2006 re-election to a second term as governor that it was his last political campaign, but Rendell has lied before.
And despite the damage Rendell has done to the state during his failed tenure as governor, he's still popular enough with Democrats (and the Specter RINOs) to easily win the Senate seat. Bob Casey Jr. and Ed Rendell reunited in the Senate. Oh, the horror.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is encouraging anyone who thinks they may have a gambling problem to seek help during "Problem Gambling Awareness Week" from March 1-7.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ed Rendell continues to push for legalization of 17,000 video poker machines in Pennsylvania ... so we can create more problem gamblers.
With four months to go in the current fiscal year, Pennsylvania has already spent $1.3 billion more than it has taken in.
The fiscal hole Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature started digging last July keeps getting deeper.
Pennsylvania collected $1.5 billion in General Fund revenue in February, $196.8 million, or 11.6 percent, less than anticipated, according to the Department of Revenue.
Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $14.8 billion, which is $1.3 billion, or 7.9 percent, below estimate, says Acting Revenue Secretary Stephen H. Stetler.
The numbers are down across the board:
* Sales tax receipts totaled $561.2 million for February, $60.9 million below estimate. Year-to-date sales tax collections total $5.6 billion, which is $299.4 million, or 5.1 percent, less than anticipated.
* Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in February was $742.7 million, $40.8 million below estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $6.4 billion, which is $316.7 million, or 4.7 percent, below estimate.
* February corporation tax revenue of $62.9 million was $21 million below estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $1.5 billion, which is $173.9 million, or 10.2 percent, below estimate.
* Other General Fund revenue figures for the month included $53 million in inheritance tax, $17.5 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $502.9 million, which is $64.4 million below estimate.
* Realty transfer tax was $12 million for February, $11.5 million below estimate, bringing the total to $212.9 million for the year, which is $66.3 million less than anticipated.
* Other General Fund tax revenue including cigarette, malt beverage and liquor taxes totaled $76.4 million for the month, $4.3 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $683.8 million, which is $25.2 million below estimate.
* Non-tax revenue totaled -- $5.8 million for the month, $40.8 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to -- $90.6 million, which is $327.1 million below estimate.
The Department of Revenue report is full of gloomy statistics:
* In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $146.6 million for the month, $22.5 million below estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund total $1.7 billion, which is $95 million, or 5.3 percent, below estimate.
* The Gaming Fund received $49.1 million in unrestricted revenues for February. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund total $379.2 million. Gaming Fund receipts include taxes, fees and interest. Of the total for the month, $48.9 million was collected in state taxes for property tax relief, bringing the year-to-date total to $377.6 million.
* Other gaming-related revenues collected for February included $5.7 million for the Local Share Assessment, for a net total of $43.5 million for the year; $7.2 million for the Economic Development and Tourism Fund, for a year-to-date total of $55.5 million; and $17.2 million for the Race Horse Development Fund, bringing the total for the year to $133.3 million.
The current fiscal year ends June 30 and Rendell has predicted the deficit will grow to $2.3 billion by then.
Tony Phyrillas is the city editor and political columnist for The Mercury, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper in Pottstown, Pa. Phyrillas has won several national and state awards for his columns. Phyrillas has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR) and in The New York Times and is a frequent commentator on radio and television programs. He co-hosts "Talking Politics with Tony Phyrillas & Mike Pincus" Thursdays at 5 p.m. on WPAZ 1370 AM.
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Commenting on Tuesday's repudiation of the Obama presidency, Republican Pennsylvania Senate candidate Pat Toomey said the election results show voters oppose the extreme big-government policies of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
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