STATE REPRESENTATIVE
U.S. POSTAGE
Marguerite C. Quinn
143rd Legislative District
RepQuinn.net
Spring 2009
Dear Neighbor:
As many of you can personally attest, the
economic crisis in the headlines each day is far
reaching. It affects each of our personal budgets
as much as it does our state and national budgets.
While much of the news these days centers on federal
bailouts and federal stimulus packages, please know
that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania also has
programs available for those needing some additional
support during these tough times.
If you or someone you know needs assistance
determining eligibility for or in filing for state services,
my office is here to help. My Plumstead Township
district office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday. I can be reached by phone at (215) 489-2126
or by e-mail at mquinn@pahousegop.com. We may
not always have access to the programs you need
most, as they may not be state related, but if we
can’t help you, we can direct you to those agencies
that can.
A good source of information regarding
some of Pennsylvania’s assistance programs is
www.heretohelp.pa.gov. If you need help navigating
this site, filling out forms or if you don’t have access
to the Internet, please contact my office. We are
here to help.
As always, if you have comments on any of the
topics in this newsletter or any other issue, please
don’t hesitate to share them with me. You can also
visit my Web site, RepQuinn.net, to sign up for e-mail
updates.
Sincerely,
Marguerite Quinn
State Representative, 143rd District
On Jan. 6, I took the oath of office to start my
second term representing the 143rd District.
Though I expect this to be a challenging term, I
am looking forward to working with you to move
Pennsylvania forward.
www.RepQuinn.net
PRSRT STD
PAID
HARRISBURG, PA
PERMIT NO 529
Quinn to Host
Home Improvement
Consumer
Protection Act
Seminar
Thursday, May 7
*5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Bucks County Public Library – Doylestown Branch
Pearl Buck Room
150 South Pine Street
A speaker from the Attorney General’s office will give an overview to local
contractors of the new Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, which was
passed by the General Assembly and signed into law in October. The act requires
all contractors doing more than $5,000 of home improvement work annually to
register with the state as of July 1. Details of the contractors’ registration will be
required to be placed on contracts, promotional materials and business cards so
that consumers may use the information to reference a statewide database of
complaints.
Your questions will be answered and copies of the law, along with applications
for registration, will be distributed. No RSVPs are necessary, but if you have any
questions regarding the event or the Home Improvement Consumer Protection
Act, contact my office.
*Presentation to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate
Applications Available
Applications for the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program for 2008 are now
available.
Eligible participants who are 65 years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or
older, and those 18 years or older with permanent disabilities can receive a rebate of
up to $650 based on the rent or property taxes paid in 2008.
Income limits for homeowners are set at the following levels, excluding 50 percent
of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Tier 1
benefits:
• $0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate (Homeowners and renters)
• $8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate (Homeowners and renters)
• $15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate (Homeowners only)
• $18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate (Homeowners only)
Remember to apply before June 30, and to provide all the necessary income,
property tax or rental information required to process claims quickly and accurately.
Finally, with revenue from slot machines now providing supplemental property tax
rebates, you may receive extra relief in your rebate check if you pay more than 15 percent
of your household income in property taxes and have an eligibility income of less than
$30,000 per year. The Department of Revenue will calculate eligibility for you.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms are available by contacting my office or by
visiting my Web site at RepQuinn.net. This program is funded by the Pennsylvania
Lottery.
 The Governor’s Budget-related Proposals
Since Gov. Ed Rendell gave his annual budget address to the General Assembly in February, my office has received many inquiries
regarding two of his proposals – legalization of video poker machines and public school district consolidation.
Legalization of video poker machines for establishments with liquor licenses: The legalization and taxation of video poker has been
proposed in order to pay for one of Rendell’s new spending initiatives, tuition assistance to Pennsylvania families sending their children to
one of our state’s 14 community colleges or 14 State System of Higher Education institutions. As a parent who will be sending a child off to
college in the fall, this is an exciting proposal. But as a legislator who knows that this will cost a tremendous amount of money ($124 million
in the first year alone), I remain skeptical.
There are several important facts you should know about the plan. For instance, it has not yet been approved by the Legislature; it does
not include tuition assistance to those students attending our state-related universities (Pitt, Penn State, Temple or Lincoln); it only includes
students beginning their freshman year this fall; and not a single video poker machine has been ordered, let alone put into use, and the governor
expects $124 million in revenue to be available by September to help parents with their tuition bills. This program, while promising in theory,
has not been thoroughly developed, and its funding source remains far from secure. I am also worried about the unintended consequences
this plan could have on independent colleges and universities, like Delaware Valley College.
Finally, notwithstanding the many legal challenges this could face from gaming licensees who paid hefty sums for the exclusive right
to operate their slot parlors, the plan is downright unseemly. Essentially the governor is saying that it is already being done illegally, so we
might as well sanction it and tax it. Is the governor also going to suggest that we will allow and tax drug use, prostitution and speeding since
these things are already being done?
Consolidating Pennsylvania’s public school districts from 501 to 100: This plan is of particular concern in Bucks County where we
are blessed with some of the best schools in the Commonwealth, but we pay very high property taxes to maintain our students’ academic
achievement. The governor has said that this consolidation proposal could lower property taxes, but he offers no concrete data to back up
his claim, and I am concerned for homeowners in the Palisades, Central Bucks and Pennridge school districts.
The plan calls for the creation of a commission that would have one year to create two strategies for consolidation. If the Legislature does
not approve either plan, final authority for implementation would rest with the State Board of Education, a body not elected by the public.
Regardless of the outcome of the commission’s report, this is a change that will not become effective in the short term.
The General Assembly actually did study school mergers only a few years ago. The results of the study, performed by the Legislative
Budget and Finance Committee in 2006, are available on my Web site, RepQuinn.net.
According to the study, combined enrollments of less than 3,000 students appear to offer the best and most cost-effective scenario for
mergers. As such, consolidating the larger districts we have in Bucks County would not ultimately save the taxpayers money.
I will continue to keep you informed regarding these proposals. In the meantime, if you have any questions, contact me at (215) 489-2126
or e-mail me at mquinn@pahousegop.com.

Quinn Congratulates Scouts! Public-Private

Partnerships in
As a supporter of scouting and its mission to build character and instill values
in our nation’s young men and women, I want to congratulate the latest individuals Action
to earn the rank of Eagle Scout and the Silver Award.
A big thanks to local businessmen Bill and Andy
Latest Eagle Scouts Happ of Happ Contractors and Steve Worth of Worth &
Co. for their work on the Central Bucks Senior Center.
Michael James Murphy David Kelley There are many examples of public-private partnerships
Ian Everett Michael Keenan at work in our own community, and this particular project
Andrew Thomas Sooy Jacob Alexander Smith benefited our senior citizens.
Liam Fennecken Dante Morgnanesi The new handicap accessible facilities at the Central
Daniel Lipson Matthew Kline Bucks Senior Center would not have been possible if not
Ethan Thomas Quist Tom Achilles for the kindness of Andy Happ of Happ Contractors and
Erik Phillip Payn Benjamin Davis Smith Steve Worth of Worth & Co., who donated their time and
Scott Hutter Bernard F. Gray III talent to upgrade the center’s restrooms. Materials for
the project were provided by grant awards Sen. Chuck
Latest Girl Scout SILVER McIlhinney (R-Bucks) and I helped to secure.
Award Recipients
Marisa Krause Colleen Wood
Breanna Murray Maggie Wright

On Jan. 17, I
attended the Eagle
Scout ceremony of
Dante Morgnanesi
of Doylestown.
Pictured from left
are Matt Gastgeb,
Morgnanesi,
Michael Fitzpatrick,
myself, and Tim On Feb. 19, the Central Bucks Senior Center cut the
Dischert. ribbon to officially open their new handicap accessible
facilities. Pictured are Ed Shean, manager of the
center; Andy Happ; myself; Steve Worth; and
Sen. Chuck McIlhinney.

w w w. R e p Q
 Pennsylvania’s Economic Outlook
In February, Gov. Ed Rendell presented
the General Assembly with his annual budget
proposal. Overall spending in his plan would
be $29 billion, a $705 million increase over the
2008-09 budget. As both a taxpayer and a
legislator, this concerns me a great deal.
While spending increases are common in
most budgets, the Commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania is facing more than $5 billion in budget
shortfalls for the current and next fiscal years.
And, unlike the federal government, the state
must approve a balanced budget. Since most
sources of traditional tax revenues are down,
this means the governor had to be very creative
in coming up with revenue to fill the gap not only
for existing programs, but also for the $705 mil-
lion in new spending he has proposed.
The dependency on one-time stimulus
revenues is a fundamental concern with this
budget proposal. Rendell is depending on
more than $3 billion of these short-term funding
sources during the current and coming fiscal
years to balance his spending plan, the bulk
of which is slated to come from the federal
Quinn in the Community
At Senior Night in early
February, I honored
Sarah Pullar, and her
senior teammates of the
champion Central Bucks
High School East girls’
basketball team.
Quinn.net
stimulus package.
While there is no question the additional
money from the federal government can provide
new opportunities to the state and some solace
from the current economic downturn, the funds
do not come without concerns.
Since the governor is proposing to use por-
tions of the stimulus funds to support new and
increased spending in his budget, we must be
mindful of the fact that a sizable funding hole
will be created once the money is exhausted.
Once the money is spent, any program that
would have seen major budget increases from
these stimulus funds – education, medical as-
sistance, corrections, etc. – will be left without a
significant portion of revenues used to support
its growth.
This could pave the way for a budget crisis
worse than the one we face today.
The additional federal stimulus funds were
directed to states to help them boost their re-
spective economies and bridge potential budget
gaps during these difficult economic times.
These funds were not intended to continue
I was pleased to have
the opportunity to speak
with so many residents
during my Senior Forum
in January. The event at
the American Grill offered
an opportunity for senior
citizens to learn more
about identity theft, wills
and estates, and ask me
questions in a town hall
setting.
I visited the Central
Bucks YMCA in
January to congratulate
them on a $15,000
grant they received
from the Department
of Community and
Economic Development
for renovations and
construction to the
building to bring it in
line with the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
inflating state spending.
If used properly, the federal funds could
replace state dollars and allow Pennsylvania
to control expenditures and create a greater
budgetary reserve to be used in the future once
the federal money is gone. This would certainly
represent a fiscally responsible approach and
would better prepare the Commonwealth for
whatever may lie ahead.
Given the current state of the economy, it
is imperative we work to develop a responsible
spending plan that not only works within the
state’s existing fiscal parameters, but considers
what Pennsylvania may face in the future.
Marcellus Shale: Another new source of
revenue that Rendell relies on to fill the budget
gap and to pay for his $705 million in new spend-
ing is the tax he has proposed on natural gas
drilling from the Marcellus Shale Deposit. The
governor’s proposal, a severance tax, would
place a 5 percent tax on the value of the natural
gas at the wellhead, plus 4.7 cents per 1,000
cubic feet of natural gas severed. He expects
to generate more than $107 million in revenue in
2009-10 from this tax, and his revenue expecta-
tions increase dramatically from there to $613.9
million in 2013-14.
As some of you may know, the Marcellus
Shale Deposit is a geologic formation under
parts of New York and West Virginia and under
much of Pennsylvania. Some estimate it may
extend into Upper Bucks County. These areas
are believed by experts to hold rich deposits of
natural gas that can help supply our local com-
munities and our nation with large quantities
of natural gas. The economic value of these
deposits is not certain, but Penn State estimates
it to hover near $1 trillion.
While the economic significance of drilling
for natural gas in Pennsylvania is not lost on
me, I believe we must address several impor-
tant concerns before relying on revenue from
this new tax. These include the environmental
impact of drilling, property owner rights, and
local government concerns, all of which could
end up costing us more in the end if we are
too hasty.
Like many of you, our state must cut back
and do with less during this tough economy.
The governor’s objective of increasing spend-
ing while revenues are down is not acceptable,
especially proposing $705 million in new spend-
ing, while cutting dollars that could have been
effective in existing programs.
We need to focus on making responsible
cuts and doing away with programs that are
not working. Everything must be on the table,
and adding new spending for new programs
in this tough economic environment must be
considered with extreme caution. And, while
this proposal contains no new broad-based
taxes, I fear that if passed in its proposed
form, this budget could lead to unavoidable tax
increases in future years to maintain important
programs.
Help for Struggling
Homeowners
If you are a homeowner who is facing foreclosure,
you may be eligible for help through one of the following
programs offered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance
Agency (PHFA):
 Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage
Assistance Program (HEMAP)
is a loan program designed to protect
Pennsylvanians who, through no fault of their
own, are financially unable to make their
mortgage payments and are in danger of losing
their homes to foreclosure. HEMAP funds
loaned to prevent foreclosure must be repaid.
 REfinance to an Affordable Loan
Your Children Are
Eligible for CHIP
If you have recently lost your job or your health insurance, your children
do not have to be uninsured for long. Pennsylvania has a program called
the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers all children
in the Commonwealth who are not eligible for Medical Assistance, regard-
less of income.
There is no waiting list to enroll in the program, but federal guidelines
require children with higher family incomes to be without health insurance for
six months before CHIP coverage can begin. Participation in CHIP is free for
many families, and others may be subject to low monthly premiums.
If your child is living without health insurance coverage, I urge you to visit
my Web site, RepQuinn.net, and find out how to apply for CHIP coverage.

Did You Know?

( R E A L ) program offers a fixed
rate 30-year mortgage for those who qualify.
There are income and credit score constraints,
but the REAL program could help lower your
monthly mortgage payments, allowing you to
stay in your home.
 Homeowners’ Equity Recovery
Opportunity Loan (HERO) program
provides up to 100 percent financing
for borrowers not eligible for REAL or
other refinancing programs due to credit
issues or owing more than the home’s current
appraised value. Through HERO, PHFA
purchases your loan directly from your current
lender and assists you in setting up an
affordable repayment agreement.
Along with HEMAP, REAL and HERO, PHFA also offers
free mortgage counseling through a network of Foreclosure
Mitigation Counseling Incentive Agencies that can review
your situation and help you evaluate your options. The
closest such agencies to our area are the American Credit
Counseling Institute, located at 530 West Street Road,
Ste. 201 in Warminster (telephone: 215-444-9429) and
the Bucks County Housing Group, located at 2324 Second
Street Pike, Ste. 17 in Wrightstown (telephone: 215-598-
3566, extension 106).
To learn more about these programs, contact this toll-
free consumer information hotline (800) 822-1174 for more
details and the name of a participating lender in our area.
If you or a loved one is seeking information about health insurance for
Pennsylvanians older than age 60, you can turn to APPRISE for help.
APPRISE volunteers can help you with:
• Answering questions about Medicare.
• Deciding which HMO is right for you.
• Choosing a Medigap policy.
• Finding a prescription drug plan for you.
• Explaining long-term care program options.
• Appealing Medicare denials.
APPRISE services are provided for free by specially trained volun-
teers.
To contact an APPRISE counselor, call the Bucks County Area Agency
on Aging at (215) 348-0510.
Need legal advice? The PA Senior Law Helpline is a great resource.
The helpline provides free, confidential legal information and advice for
senior citizens in Pennsylvania. To get help, contact them toll-free at
1-877-727-7529.
Reduced rate vehicle registrations are available to eligible retired
individuals at the rate of $10. The income limit for this program is $19,200
annually, and my office can assist you in applying.
My office can also assist you in applying for a handicapped parking
placard.

Filing for Unemployment Compensation

Since unemployment is on the rise, my office has received many
calls from area residents who have questions regarding filing for
Unemployment Compensation (UC). If you have recently lost your
job and need to file for unemployment, you can sign up for benefits
electronically through my Web site, RepQuinn.net. You can also apply
for benefits by calling 1-888-313-7284 to file a new application or reopen
an existing claim. To file for bi-weekly benefits, call 1-888-255-4728.
Pennsylvania has hired additional staff for UC Service Centers and
has extended hours in many locations. If you attempt to call in your
claim and get a busy signal, try again later. Claims can be filed from
Sunday to Friday, and filing your claim on a Monday will not delay your
benefit payment.
The Commonwealth’s unemployment numbers for February 2009,
now stand at 7.5 percent, up from 4.8 percent from February 2008. The
hardest hit sectors include manufacturing and construction.
I have reintroduced legislation this session to provide job search
guidelines to those who find themselves unemployed. House Bill
803 would require anyone filing for unemployment to register with
Pennsylvania CareerLink, post a résumé on the CareerLink database,
and apply for positions through the database if the job posting offers
similar wages to the applicant’s previous employment and is within
a 60- mile commuting distance. The bill is currently awaiting the
consideration of the House Labor Relations Committee.
I introduced this legislation because I recognize that individuals who
have never been unemployed or who have worked at their previous job
for many years may not know where to turn to look for employment. I
am hopeful that this legislation will give unemployed individuals more
assistance and direction in finding their next job.

Harrisburg District
164 East Wing, PO Box 202143 1032 North Easton Road
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2143 Doylestown, PA 18902-1055
Phone 717-772-1413 Fax 717-783-3793 Phone 215-489-2126 Fax 215-489-2129

E-mail: mquinn@pahousegop.com
For regular e-mail updates, please sign up on my Web site, RepQuinn.net.