Bob Godshall
PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDHARRISBURG, PAPERMIT NO. 529
SPRING 2010
Representative
53
rd
District
Dear Friends:
BOBGODSHALL.COM
As we enter into another bud-get cycle, I am mindful of the longbudget impasse last year thatinterrupted program funding andservices for many throughout thestate. I am committed to do ev-erything I can to see that that doesnot happen again this year.Like last year, we are facedwith great challenges. WhileGov. Ed Rendell’s proposed bud-get reduces the state’s share ofspending, it increases overallspending with the help of federalstimulus funding. The problem isthat stimulus funding is temporary.When stimulus funding is no longeravailable, the state will be left topick up the tab for programs be-ing created or expanded today.There is a lot of pain in thegovernor’s budget, but further cutsare needed if we are to meet thechallenges that lie ahead. Fed-eral stimulus funding will dry upnext year, there is a looming statepension crisis and we are in a pe-riod of sharply declining revenues.We need to do something now tocushion the enormous burdens thatlie ahead.Please be assured that I willcarefully examine the expendi-tures in the proposed budget andwill work to ensure that your taxdollars are spent wisely. Like allof us, the Commonwealth must livewithin its means.
Proposed State BudgetPresents Challengesin Down Economy
Earlier this month, the governor announced his 2010-11 budget. The state’s shareof his $29 billion plan is smaller than last year, but the overall spend number is$1.2 billion or about 4 percent more than the current fiscal year budget. One ofthe reasons for the increase is the availability of federal stimulus money.This budget assumes an infusion of about $800 million from the federal govern-ment. However, stimulus funding is a short-term fix that will soon dry up. Whenthe state increases funding or otherwise expands entitlement programs, it raisesthe amount that the state becomes obligated to pay in future budgets. Stimulusfunding creates a false sense of security that will disappear as quickly as thefunding will, unless we plan accordingly.The budget also assumes that $92.5 million in revenue will be generated throughtable games and an additional $180 million will come through leasing more stateland for drilling in the Marcellus shale. The proposed budget also assumes $472million in additional revenue from the tolling of I-80. While all of this funding isspeculative, the tolling of I-80 is perhaps the least certain. The federal governmentalready struck down the state’s request to toll I-80 in 2008 and the Commonwealthis currently awaiting a response on a request for reconsideration.The state is already facing a $525 million shortfall in the current year. We needto search for ways to cut spending and to prepare for a future in which stimulusfunding will not be available.The governor’s plan calls for higher spending in each of the following areas:
Education – $355 million increase
Corrections -- $137 million increase
Public Welfare -- $388 million increaseSeveral line items previously included in the welfare budget were transferredto the newly formed Department of Aging and Long Term Living, formerly knownas the Department of Aging. This change masks the degree to which welfarespending is actually increasing.Our slumping economy and lagging revenue collections are making it even morenecessary for the state’s leaders to carefully consider the financial facts before usand make some tough choices. Now is the time to cut unnecessary spending andprepare for what may well be a rough road ahead.
Shop Around for Best Electric Rates
With rate caps coming off, competition is on the riseand consumers stand to benefit
Electricity rate caps have already started coming off in many parts of thestate, and this is beginning to generate some interest from electric service provid-ers intent on expanding their energy market. We are beginning to see growingcompetition for residential business, and greater competition is good news forconsumers.To ensure you are getting the best energy deal possible, it is important toshop around. Many companies are beginning to offer incentives to residentialcustomers such as flat rates or favorable rates that can be locked in for a speci-fied period of time.There is a lot of confusion about energy providers and how changing yourprovider will affect your electric service. Rate caps for PPL customers expired atthe end of last year, and a number of companies are vying for a piece of thePPL market. If you reside in the PPL coverage area and choose to buy powerfrom another company, there are a few things you should know.PPL Electric Utilities owns your electric meter and will continue to read yourmeter and report energy usage to your provider that will then bill you accordingto your rate plan. In fact, you will notice no difference in the delivery of electricpower. Electricity will continue to flow to you through PPL lines and a portion ofyour monthly electric bill will go to PPL to cover the cost of that service. Likewise,if there is a power outage in your neighborhood, you would still call PPL forassistance.Some areas of the state have seen electric rates decline following the lifting ofrate caps. Others are expected to rise. I believe consumers will benefit over timewith the emergence of new companies and increased electric competition. Greaterchoice usually means better prices, and in today’s economy that’s power.For more information on how to shop for electricity, go to:
or call 1-800-692-7380.
Consumers:
InsuranceFraudLegislation
Insurance fraud is any action takenby an individual with the intent tofraudulently obtain payment from aninsurer. Insurance fraud costs the insur-ance industry more than $95 billion ayear and it costs consumers as muchas 25 percent more on their insurancepremiums.As Republican chairman of theHouse Consumer Affairs Committee, Iintroduced seven bills that target per-petrators of insurance fraud.
My legislation would:
Increase fees for driver’s licensereinstatement when a staged accidentis committed.
Impose mandatory revocation ofdriver’s license when personal injuryfraud is committed.
Make it a crime for entities suchas auto repair shops and health careproviders to waive insurance deduct-ibles and co-pays by charging higheractual costs to cover the deductiblesand co-pays.
Make patient “brokering” andassociated kickbacks a third-degreefelony.
Make transacting insurance withouta license a third-degree felony.
Make the creation of “paper” ac-cidents and phantom accidents a third-degree felony.
Provide additional power and du-ties under the Crime Victims Act to thevictim advocate.
Make it a crime to violate InsuranceDepartment rules and orders.
Require all licensed insurers to in-stitute an insurance anti-fraud plan.
Increase fines for insurers who failto follow or implement an anti-fraudplan.
Allow for the forfeiture or seizure ofproperty by the state if an individual,entity or organization engages in insur-ance fraud.
Make it a third-degree felony topresent fraudulent proof of insurance.This package of bills takes a hardline against fraud and will help to re-store public confidence.
Rep. Godshall appeared on Comcast Local News where he discussed the end of electric rate caps and alternative energy sources.
Pennsylvania Ranks Highin Energy Efficiency
The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ranks Pennsyl-vania 15
th
in the nation in energy efficiency. In its annual
State Energy Efficiency Scorecard
, the ACEEE ranks states on the adoption and implementation of energyefficiency policies, and it seeks to identify best practices.The states are judged according to their combined scores on their utility andpublic benefit programs, transportation policies, building energy codes, stategovernment initiatives, combined heat and power (CHP) and appliance efficiencystandards. The Commonwealth scored high in building energy codes and CHP.It received a zero for appliance efficiency standards.
Quaker RailProjectMoving Forward
Engineers are studying the feasibil-ity of restoring commuter rail servicein the Route 309 corridor betweenShelly/Quakertown and Lansdale. Withthe population growth in the area anda corresponding increase in highwaycongestion, I have been working withU.S. Senator Arlen Specter over thepast couple of years to get the fundingnecessary to do this project. The linefrom Lansdale to the Lehigh Valley hasthe potential to take hundreds of cars aday off Route 309.A study of services and ridershipshould be completed by the summer of2010. The Lehigh Valley to Lansdale resi-dential line was abandoned in 1981 dueto lack of ridership. I believe demand isheavier now due to the rise in populationand higher fuel costs.
Changes Coming to Route 309
Major construction on the long-awaited Route 309 connector is scheduled to begin in late February. Work crews have beendoing some grading and retention basins and preparing the area for the work ahead. This project will go a long way towardimproving traffic flow and quality of life in our area. It is a project that I have been working on for several years, and while Iam disappointed it has taken this long to occur, I am happy that work has begun.I received a commitment from PennDOT 12 years ago to do this project. Since that time, population growth in the area hasadded significantly to the traffic congestion along Route 309 and area roadways. The need to relieve congestion and commutertime has made this project a priority. The first of two contracts has been awarded for construction of the Sumneytown Pike/Route309 connector in Lower Salford, Towamencin, Franconia and Hatfield townships.The $22.9 million contract, which was awarded to Allan A. Myers, LP, of Worcester, will include construction of a new, three-laneSumneytown Pike between Old Forty Foot Road and Freed Roads, and it will rebuild Wambold Road from Sumneytown Pike toAllentown Road. The five-mile stretch of highway, which will include construction of two bridges on Sumneyville Pike, will connectthe Sumneytown Pike, just north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange, to Route 309.Construction of the western half of the connector is expected to take three years to complete. Commuters should expect trafficcongestion and delays, but once completed, it will relieve local traffic congestion and provide a much-needed link to two majorroadways. Federal highway funds will cover approximately 80 percent of the project cost with the state picking up the remaining20 percent. Design work is currently underway for construction of the eastern half of the connector.
Work crews prepare for construction at Wambold and Fretz roads. Crews clear and grade the land that will connect Allentown and Wambold roads.
New Numbers Show More than 300,000Pennsylvanians Have Been Helped by
the Partnership for Prescription Assistance
At a time when millions of patients are uninsured and having difficulty obtaining themedicines they need, America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companiesare stepping up their efforts to help patients all over the country through the Partnershipfor Prescription Assistance (PPA).The PPA, so far, has helped more than six million Americans, including nearly 310,000Pennsylvania patients, find assistance programs that might be able to help them. A singlepoint of access to more than 475 programs, the PPA includes nearly 200 programssponsored by biopharmaceutical companies. These are operations that provide free ornearly free medicines to uninsured patients and those who are struggling financially. ThePPA is an easy system to use and it generally requires only 15 minutes before patientsfind out if they may qualify for help.They can call a toll-free number (1-888-477-2669) or access a Web site (pparx.org). Operators who speak about 150 languages work with patients who call the tele-phone number.PPA assistance programs offer more than 2,500 brand-name and generic medicinesfor free or nearly free and more than 40 of the programs focus on the medication andhealth care needs of children. The PPA also provides information on nearly 10,000free health care clinics around the country and has connected hundreds of thousands ofpatients with clinics or local health care providers.Patients who contact the PPA are not charged for being matched with any of the 475assistance programs. The service is free with all of the costs being paid by the Pharma-ceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and its member companies.
Search History:
Result 00 of 00
00 results for result for
p.
Godshall Spring 2010
465
Reads
0
Readcasts
6
Embed Views
Get Scribd Mobile
To get Scribd mobile enter your number and we'll send you a link to the Scribd app for iPhone & Android.We've sent a link to the Scribd app. If you didn't receive it, try again.
We'll never share your phone number.
More From This User
Notes
Load more
