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RSRT STD.S. POSTAGE
AID
ARRISBURG, PAPERMIT NO. 529
Representing the 124th Legislative District
Spring 2007
Dear Neighbor:s come to te en o my rst nne monts asyour state representatve, wante to tae a momentto update you on developments in the Legislature andhere at home.n this newsletter you will find important informationon te state uget, egsaton we ave passe to maePennsylvania’s highways safer, and state programs tohelp you and your family.t has been my pleasure to serve you. If you havea question about any state-related matter, please feelfree to contact any of my district offices or visit my Website at
epKnowles.com.
l . .
State Representative124th Legislative District
Rep. Knowles was sworn as a member of the PennsylvaniaHouse of Representatives on June 8, 2009.
www.RepKnowles.com
District Offices
237 West Broad StreetTamaqua, PA 18252Phone: 570-668-1240Fax: 570-952-3374209 North Warren StreetPO Box 128Orwigsburg, PA 17961Phone: 570-366-2735Fax: 570-366-270661 North Third StreetHamburg, PA 19526-1501Phone: 610-562-3411Fax: 610-562-6895
Satellite office hours
second Thursday of each monthMaidencreek Township Building1 Quarry RoadBlandon, PA 191509:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Capitol Office
402A Irvis Office BuildingPO Box 202124Harrisburg, PA 17120-2124Phone: 717-787-9029
OFFICE INFORMATION
Jerry Knowles
State Representative
Rendell Budget A BadDeal for PennsylvaniaTaxpayers
ears uget ecause t spens too muc an now eis proposing spending $1.2 billion more than that.Despite revenues falling $3.25 billion short of predic-ions last year and state revenues already 374 millionbelow predictions for this year, the governor wants tospend even more and he wants more than $1 billion inax increases – including expanding the state sales taxo items which had previously been exempt – to pay for it. The governor even wants to tax you after you die byexpanding the sales tax to burial vaults and caskets.The problem is made worse by the fact that the cur-rent budget has drained all of Pennsylvania’s reservefunds. As a result, we have nothing in reserve to offsete current sorta. at means taxpayers w e orceo pick up the tab for the governor’s spending.The governor is also relying on $800 million in federalstmuus uns to aance s uget. nortunatey,hose funds are temporary and when they run out, wewill be left with a big spending obligation and no wayo pay or t.e smpy cannot contnue spenng more moneyhan we have and then asking taxpayers to make uphe difference. Pennsylvania taxpayers are alreadystruggling to make ends meet. For many of them, a taxincrease would be the final straw.As budget negotiations move forward, we mustake a serious look at every line of state spending todetermine where waste and abuse are occurring andeliminate them.
www.RepK
Looming Pension CrisisCould Mean Tax Hike forPennsylvania Families
The Public School Employees’ Retirement System(PSERS) and the State Employees’ Retirement System(SERS) are the pension plans for hundreds of thousandsof Pennsylvania teachers and public employees. Both aredefined benefit plans, which means each employee is entitledto a specific retirement benefit, established by a formulabased on years of employment. These plans are funded by acombination of contributions from the employee, the employer which in the case of PSERS and SERS means the taxpayersof Pennsylvania, and returns on investments made by theretirement system.In the 1990s, PSERS’ and SERS’ investment returns werehigh. As a result, contribution amounts for employers andemployees were reduced, and benefits were increased for retirees of both systems. Unfortunately, after the attacks onour nation on Sept. 11, 2001, the financial markets experienceda dramatic downturn and the returns on investments made byPSERS and SERS began to decrease. Act 40 of 2003 allowed both systems to spread the effectsof those investment losses over 30 years, while enjoying thebenefit of investment gains over a ten year period. That 10-year period is set to expire in 2012-13.The current economic recession is having a negativeimpact on the value of these plans and additional contributionswill be required. Because the employee contribution level isset by law, Pennsylvania taxpayers are on the hook to makeup the difference when the 10-year period expires in 2012-13.While the exact amount of the rate increases depend onmarket conditions, it is clear that both PSERS and SERSare facing substantial rate increases in 2012-13. This crisisrequires immediate attention by the General Assembly. HouseRepublicans are currently considering legislative solutions tohelp us avoid this crisis without imposing an enormous taxincrease on hardworking Pennsylvania families.
Hand-Held Cell Phone BanPasses House
Recently, I supported legislation to make Pennsylvania’sroads safer by banning the use of hand-held cell phones whiledriving.House Bill 2070 bans text messaging for all drivers and cellphone use for novice drivers. The measure, which includes aban on the use of hand-held cell phones for all drivers, includesexceptions for law enforcement officers, drivers of mass transitvehicles, operators of emergency vehicles when on duty, anddrivers using a hand-held cell phone to report a traffic accident,or make a 911 emergency call. According to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation sta-tistics, since 2003, there have been 6,877 accidents in which theuse of hand-held phones was listed as a contributing factor.California, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Utah,Oregon,Washington, and the District of Columbia have alreadyenacted bans on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.I am pleased to help Pennsylvania join them.
Measure Would ChargeMunicipalities forState Police Services
d by the House of Representatives
A measure being consatrol services provided
would charge a fee on municipalitiest
by the Pennsylvania State Police if those municpahave their own police forces, do participate in a full-time regionalpolice force, or do not have a contract with another municipalityfor full time police forces.This measure would force local officials to come up withthousands of dollars to turn over to the state government in order to comply. Pennsylvania’s small communities are all strugglingto make ends meet. Imposing this burdensome surcharge willalmost certainly result in huge tax increases in small communitiesacross Pennsylvania.House Bill 1500 is currently before the House AppropriationsCommittee. If it is brought to the floor for a vote, I intend to op-pose it.
Pennsylvania’s BudgetProcess in Need of Reform
. ,approved until early October, more than four months after thelegally mandated deadline.Many residents have contacted me to express their frustrationthat lawmakers and the governor cannot come to agreement onthe budget by the deadline. Many of them rely on services fundedby the state budget including state colleges and universities,ublic schools, and county social services. I believe somethingust be done to reform the budget process and ensure that thispe of impasse never happens again.
tTo enable critical services to continue to function in the eventbudget impasse, I have co-sponsored House Bill 2101 whichof s that if there is a budget impasse beyond July 31, thestatous year’s general appropriations act shall become law at aprevicent reduction until supplemented by a new budget.20 pember of other legislative proposals have been offered to A nur budget process. Among them:reformse Bill 2014
oll 1H
uwould require that if a new budget is notce by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, the previousin
plabudget will become the budget for the upcoming year.year
’sllllHll
2Huwould go one step further. If a budget is not in
he end of the fiscal year on June 30, this legislationplace byse the previous year’s budget with each line itemwould imp20 percent. Since costs for services tend toreduced
byyear, this bill provides a powerful incentive for increase
eachmplete the budget process on time.lawmakers to couse Bill 913
oue Bill 1ld prohibit the furlough of Commonwealthwoent of a budget impasse.employees in the eHouse Bill 1460
House ill 1460ld require the establishment of awoase detailing state revenue andsearchable online dataexpenditure information.House Bill 1915
Houe Bill 11ablish the Emergency Statewould
ese that state employees willEmployee Salary Fund to ensua budget impasse.continue to be paid in the event o
ow we can improveI would like to hear your thoughts ont me at my district
the budget process. Please feel free to contaoffice or visit my Web site at RepKnowles.com.
owles.com
News you can use
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program(LIHEAP) Extended
Penn’ ow-Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is now open until April 2.The LIHEAP program is administered by the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) and helps income-eligible households pay for heat duringhe winter months.The original closing date of the LIHEAP program was March 15, but circumstances have allowed the program to continue until April 2. Thecash grant amounts have also increased by $100.DPW anticipates helping approximately 600,000 families with cash grants during the 2009-10 program year. Applications will be available at the Schuylkill County Assistance Office at (570) 621-3072. Berks County residents should contact the BerksCounty Assistance Office at (610) 736-4228. Applications are also available from local utility companies and community service agencies,such as Area agencies on Aging or community action agencies. LIHEAP cash grant applications must be filed in person or over the phonewith a county assistance office.For complete eligibility requirements and additional information on LIHEAP, visit my Web site at RepKnowles.com and click on “LIHEAPnformation.”
Applications Now Availablefor Property Tax/RentRebate Program
Applications for the state’s Property/Tax Rent Reate program for 2009 are now available in my district office.Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up
to $650 based ontheir rent or property taxes paid in 2009. The pr gram benefits eligiblePennsylvanians who are 65 years or older, wdows and widowers 50years or older, and those 18 years or older ith disabilities.Eligibility income limits for homeowners
are set at the followinglevels, excluding 50 percent of Social Scurity, Supplemental SecurityIncome, and Railroad Retirement Tir 1 benefits:$0 to $8,000, maximum $65 rebate (Homeowners andrenters)$8,001 to $15,000, ma
imum $500 rebate (Homeowners andrenters)$15,001 to $18,
0, maximum $300 rebate (Homeowners only)$18,001 to 5,000, maximum $250 rebate (Homeowners only)Resident are reminded to provide all the necessary income,property x or rental information required to process claims quicklyand
ccurately. Applications are due by June 30.
Residents Can Report PoorRoad Conditions toRoad-Damage Hotline
Motorists can contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation(PennDOT) to report potholes and other problems with state roads.Based on the caller’s phone number, calls are directed to localPennDOT maintenance facilities where problems can receive theappropriate attention. Callers are encouraged to:Report the county and municipality where the problem is located.Report the state route number, which can be found on the smallwhite-and-black signs posted along state roads, where theproblem is located.Describe familiar landmarks nearby in order to help PennDOTcrews locate the problem.The toll-free maintenance hotline can be reached at 1-800-FIX-ROAD (1-800-349-7623). In addition to reporting potholes, motoristsmay also report missing highway signs, shoulder drop-offs, roadwaywashouts and other potential hazards.Once notified, PennDOT will actively work to address pothole andother roadway concerns when the weather permits. Motorists canalso log on to
511pa.com
or call 511 from any phone to check trafficconditions on major roadways before traveling.
PACE and PACENET Provide Low-Cost Prescription Drug Assistance for Seniors
Senior citizens who rely on prescription drugs to stay healthy may qualify for financial assistance through the state’s PACE and PACENETprescription drug assistance programs.Eligibility restrictions for PACE require that applicants be residents of Pennsylvania for at least 90 consecutive days prior to application. Additionally, applicants must be age 65 or older and have a total income for the preceding calendar year of less than $14,500 for a singleperson, or less than $17,700 combined for a married couple.Once enrolled in the PACE program, a benefit card will be mailed, and enrollees will pay no more than a $6 co-payment for each genericprescription medication. Brand name prescriptions will have no more than a $9 co-payment. These co-payments are made to the pharmacyat the time of purchase.PACENET members who enroll in a Medicare Part D plan will pay the Part D premium directly to the plan or to the pharmacy. Depending othe Part D plan one is enrolled in, monthly premiums will vary. In addition, Part D cardholders will pay no more than the PACENET co-paymentsof $8 for each generic prescription medication and $15 for each brand name to the pharmacy at the time of purchase.PACENET members who do not enroll in a Part D plan will pay $32.09 each month at the pharmacy toward the cost of their medicatios.If this is not paid on a monthly basis, it will accumulate. In addition, the individual will pay no more than $8 for each generic prescripionmedication and $15 for each brand name.Individuals who believe they qualify for PACE or PACENET can contact my district office or visit my Web site at
epKnowles.com
e Kno les.com
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