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ARRISBURG, PAERMIT NO. 529

Join Me at My Fifth AnnualHealth and Safety Fair

Saturday, March 20



10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Upper Chichester Municipal Building8500 Furey Road, Upper Chichester

In December, Rep.Barrar welcomed residents of MarisGrove to the stateCapitol in Harrisburg.If you have a groupthat would like totour one of the most beautiful working capitals in the nation,contact Barrar’s ofﬁceat (717) 783-3038 In May, Rep. Barrar, an avid cyclist and ﬁtness enthusiast, joined participants of the2009 Pennsylvania Bike Summit on the steps of the Capitol in Harrisburg. Cycling isan excellent cardiovascular activity and an environmentally friendly way to travel.

Winter 2010

It is a pleasure to serve as your state representative in the160th District, and I am looking forward to continuing to bringyou up-to-date information about what is happening at the stateCapitol and in our community.Last year was the most challenging year I have witnessedduring my tenure as a public servant. The world-wide financialcrisis did not spare Pennsylvania. I voted against the final budgetbecause I felt the spending included in the legislation did notaccurately reflect revenue collections and was out of touch withthe sacrifices Pennsylvania residents have had to make in their personal budgets.It is hard to believe, but the Legislature is already beginning theprocess of negotiating the 2010-11 budget. Because we havenot seen a full economic recovery and our revenues continue tobe down, I believe it will be another difficult process to pass abalanced state budget. You can find out more details about thenew budget on page 3.Since the passage of the budget, the House has taken up twomajor pieces of legislation: table games, which I will summarizeon page 3, and a proposal to ban the use of hand-held cell phonesand the practice of text messaging while operating a vehicle.I voted in favor of the hand-held cell phone and text messagingban because I believe it will make the Commonwealth’s roadwayssafer. Because we share our public roads and highways withevery other driver, it is important to ensure that individuals areoperating their vehicles in a safe manner that allows them toconcentrate on the task at hand – driving. This bill is not yet law,as it still must be considered by the Senate and signed by thegovernor. I will keep you informed as this legislation advancesthrough the process. As you read the rest of this newsletter, if you have any questionsor concerns, feel free to contact me at

arep160@aol.com

or bycalling (610) 485-7606.SincerelyStephen E. Barrar State Representative60th District

ear Neighbor:

w w w . S t e v e

Barrar Fights Corruption, Seeks Government Reform

During my time in office I have always aimed to serve the people of the 160th District and the greater Commonwealth by supporting initiativesthat would return our government institutions to what they were intended to be – a means to guarantee the people of Pennsylvania life, liberty andthe freedom to pursue happiness. I am disappointed that some public officials seem to have forgotten what the people elected them to do. Thatis why I am fighting corruption in all branches of government.Recently, I introduced legislation calling for an investigation into the conduct of Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Willis W. Berry Jr. todetermine if he is liable to impeachment for misbehavior in office.Berry admitted to running a private business from his taxpayer-funded office, using his taxpayer-funded staff. He was using his public office andsecretary to manage dozens of properties. Over a 10-year period, he was issued more than 70 citations by the City of Philadelphia for safety andcode violations. He also used his secretary to maintain tenant files, contact tenants, prepare lease agreements, file eviction complaints, appear at eviction proceedings, prepare advertisements for properties, and make utility payments and bank deposits.he Court of Judicial Discipline found Berry to have violated the Pennsylvania Constitution “by engaging in conduct so extreme that it bringsthe judicial office into disrepute.” Despite the board’s findings, former Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham decided not to prosecute the judge for his conduct. Even the Philadelphia Bar Association is calling on Judge Berry to resign his post.am hopeful that if my resolution is adopted, it will not only bring Judge Berry to justice, but it will also send a message to other judges that thistype of behavior will not be tolerated. The people expect and deserve judges to be beyond reproach. Faith in our judicial system is a cornerstoneof civil society, and this judge, by his acknowledged actions, has shown his disregard for the public’s interests.f we are going to truly reform state government, we must certainly include the judicial branch in those reforms. When an officer of the court isinvolved in a breach of the public trust, there must be consequences.

Barrar Measure Would Assist Veterans AttendingPennsylvania Universities

Last spring, Rep. Barrar hosted a Veterans Beneﬁts and ResourcesForum to honor those who have served by empowering them withvaluable information. Assisting the veterans who have preserved our freedom and democracy has been and will remain a priority for Barrar.

Barrar Takes On ACORN

As a watchdog for your tax dollars, it is my goal to ensure that statefunds are not allocated to organizations involved in alleged criminalactivity. That is why I am fighting to divest Pennsylvania funding in allforms from the Association of Community Organizations for ReformNow (ACORN).n October, I fought to have language added to the budget that wouldprohibit organizations under indictment or that are subject to a “Ceaseand Desist” order from the Department of State, such as ACORN, fromreceiving state funding. My amendment was approved by a vote of 157to 42, but was later stripped from the final bill that became law.will continue to fight for this measure that would ban any nonprofitorganization from receiving state funding if it:Is under indictment for violating any federal or state campaign financeor election law, including voter fraud.Fails to comply with federal or state lobbying requirements.Files a fraudulent form with any state or federal agency.Is the subject of a “Cease and Desist” order, as ACORN currentlyis, or any order from the Department of State to prohibit the solicitationof contributions.n addition to my efforts to defund ACORN, I have also introducedHouse Resolution 426 to institute a formal request by the House of Representatives for the state attorney general to investigate ACORN. Although the resolution was amended in committee by Rep. MarkCohen (D-Philadelphia) to highlight the many good works of theorganization and downplay its problems, I am still advocating for this investigation. In fact, I have been in contact with the attorneygeneral’s office on several occasions to personally request the launchof an investigation into ACORN’s actions and fundraising efforts inPennsylvania.The legislation was added to the House calendar in January, and Iam hopeful it will come up for a vote soon. When it does, I will attemptto have the original language of the resolution reinstated.

At a hearing on House Resolution 426, Rep. Barrar discussed several of the pending cases against ACORN in other states and its alleged criminal activities in Pennsylvania.

a r r a r . c o m

Governor Calls for Increased Spending,Taxes in Wake of 2009-10 Budget Fiasco

Spending:Sales Tax Expansion:What would be included in the governor’s sale tax proposal?Budget CutsBudget Increases

Table Games Legalized in Pennsylvania,Despite Need for Further Reforms

As part of the 2009-10 budget negotiations, Pennsylvania haslegalized table gaming at slots parlors. The need for new revenuesources generated support for Senate Bill 711 (now Act 1 of 2010),but I believe the legislation does not go far enough to address severalconcerns with our current gaming laws.I have long been a proponent of gaming reform and have proposedlegislation that would prohibit politicians from accepting contributions fromgambling interests. I believe doing so creates a conflict of interests, andmy legislation would impose penalties on any politician who knowinglyand intentionally accepts a campaign contribution from a casino owner or executive. Unfortunately, this and many other necessary improvementso our current gaming law were omitted from this bill. Another reason for my opposition to the table games legislation is itsdisregard for Pennsylvania homeowners who are facing ever higher property taxes. I voted to allow slots parlors in 2004 because I believedin the need for property tax relief. Not only have homeowners not seenhe meaningful property tax relief they were promised, but this expansionof gambling provides them with no further immediate relief. As written, the Property Tax Relief Fund will only start seeingdeposits from table gaming revenues after the Rainy Day Fundreaches a certain threshold. Considering the fact that the Rainy DayFund was completely exhausted this year, those deposits will likelybe a long time coming.Finally, in a year the Legislature passed a budget that did notinclude WAMs, some legislators have found a way to hide money for heir pet projects in this bill, and I think it is a travesty. This legislationidentifies very specific earmarks, but this should not be the intendedpurpose of table games revenue. If we cannot provide all of themoney to homeowners for property tax relief, we should at leastsupplement the Property Tax Relief Fund with this revenue.If you have any questions about Act 1 of 2010, contact myoffice.