PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAID

HARRISBURG, PAPERMIT NO. 529

Rendell Budget Increases Taxes and Relies on Uncertain Revenue

Recently, Gov. Ed Rendell proposed a budget that includes an increase in taxes in a depressed economic climate and relies onuncertain revenue in order to be balanced. Tis is outrageous, and Pennsylvanians should be highly upset that the compulsivespending continues under Ed Rendell. When he took office, the budget was $20 billion. Now, it is approaching $29 billion. Wehave seen an almost 42 percent increase in spending during his tenure. Tis governor just doesn’t get it!In addition to the governor’s overspending, he continuously attempts to increase taxes. I find it extremely disconcerting that thegovernor has stated that his proposed 2010-11 budget does not contain any new taxes, simply because the revenue generated fromthese new taxes wouldn’t go to the general fund but would instead be earmarked for a reserve fund. I still think expanding the salestax to include 74 categories of current exemptions is a new tax. It is time for a taxpayer’s budget, not a tax and spend budget!I do not support the governor’s proposed budget. His ideas of how to balance a budget by assuming that part of our revenuewill include federal funds that we may or may not actually receive, and requires the passage of federal legislation, could leave us inquite a predicament. His administration has not provided an alternative solution to fill this hole, should the federal funding not beapproved.Now that the governor has given his budget address and we have officially entered budget season, I have re-introduced mylegislation to ensure that this year’s budget is completed on time, without furloughs. Tis, and passing a responsible budget, shouldbe our priority and our focus.

Legislative Update

Since Governor Rendell took oﬃcewe have been unable to pass a budgetby the deadline of June 30 at midnight.With that in mind, I have re-introducedlegislation that will ensure we meet thatdeadline every year,

with no excep

tions

.Pennsylvanians want to see a budgetpassed in a timely fashion, and stateemployees simply cannot afford tobe furloughed during this economiccrisis. I am hopeful that my bills willbe fast-tracked through committee togive lawmakers the ability to enact thismuch-needed legislation.

HB 936 & 937 –

This two-partpiece of legislation would amend thePennsylvania Constitution as well asthe Administrative Code to require theHouse of Representatives to pass aninitial budget bill no later than June 1, andthe Senate would be required to pass thesame by June 15. If necessary, no later thanJune 20, a special conference committeeconsisting of six representatives and sixsenators would be created in accordancewith the rules of the House and theSenate to deliberate on the budget bill. Aﬁnal budget bill would then be presentedto the governor no later than June 30. If any of the deadlines are not met, the dailypay for each member of the oﬀendingchamber or chambers would be dockeduntil appropriate action is taken.

HB 913 –

This legislation wouldprohibit the Commonwealth fromfurloughing state employees in theevent of a budget impasse that extendsbeyond June 30. To ensure timelypayment of employee salaries during abudget impasse, my legislation will alsospecify that employees must continue toreceive their biweekly compensation inaccordance with current state law.

HB 1629 –

is legislation wouldamend the Public Oﬃcial CompensationLaw to require the forfeiture of thesalaries of executive-level officials,including the governor and the secretaryof the budget, as well as members of the General Assembly, when there isa budget impasse beyond July 1 of anyﬁscal year. Salaries will be forfeited, andnot returned, from July 1 until the datethe budget is enacted.

HB 2014 –

is legislation wouldamend Pennsylvania’s Constitution toautomatically impose the immediatepast year’s General Appropriations Actat 12:01 a.m. on July 1 if a new budget isnot enacted by midnight on June 30. eprevious year’s budget would remain inplace until a new budget is passed by bothchambers and signed by the governor.To check on the status of any of theabove-mentioned pieces of legislation,please go to:

legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/ legis/home/session.cfm

Spring 2010

T a k e a S w i n g A g a i n s t B r e a s t C a n c e r

C D H S w r e s t l i n g t e a m

L o w e r D a u p h i n g i r l s f i e l d h o c k e y t e a m

C D H S b o y s s o c c e r t e a m

V i e t n a m V e t e r a n s c e r e m o n y

C a n d l e w o o d S u i t e s r i b b o n c u t t i n g

Ban on Hand-Held Phones while Driving

I recently voted in favor of legislation that would make Pennsylvania’s roads safer. As a member of the House TransportationCommittee, I whole-heartedly supported banning the use of hand-held cell phones for all drivers. It is clear that drivers who usehand-held phones while driving their vehicles are more likely to be involved in an accident. I believe that with the use of hands-free phones, drivers will be less distracted and will, therefore, be more alert and could more easily avoid a potential accident.Exceptions would be provided for law enforcement oﬃcers, drivers of mass transit vehicles, operators of emergency vehicleswhen on duty, and leeway would be provided for drivers to use a hand-held cell phone to report a traﬃc accident, or make a 911emergency call.is measure may inconvenience some people, but it will undoubtedly save lives. at was the intent of this legislation and Ifully support the intent.

Electric Choice Town Meeting

I recently held a town meeting on the issue of expiration of rate caps. I received many phone calls and emails about this issueand felt it was important to have a forum to discuss this matter in greater detail.At the event, a group of panelists spoke and took questions from the attendees. is panel consisted of the chairman of thePublic Utility Commission (PUC), a representative from the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA), the vice president of the RetailEnergy Suppliers Association and a representative from Pennsylvania Power & Light (PP&L).Many people have questioned why the General Assembly doesn’t extend the rate caps. Unfortunately, the United StatesSupreme Court ruled that states cannot set retail electricity prices below the actual costs that the electric companies incur toprovide electricity. What this means is that once the rate caps expire, you will be paying current market prices for your electricityinstead of the rate you are now paying, which was set in 1997.Given this situation, the General Assembly has been working to find ways to help you. Last year we enacted a new law thatrequires electric companies to buy the cheapest power available and to help you conserve the electricity that you use. If they failto do this, there is a substantial $20 million penalty they must pay. Also, legislation has been introduced this year that would allowcustomers to pay any increases over a three-year period instead of all at once.House Bill 20 would establish rate phase-in options for consumers in relation to the expiration of electric generation rate caps.Another piece of legislation, of which I am a co-sponsor, is House Resolution 366. is resolution would produce an analysis of electricity deregulation within the service territories of electric utilities where rate caps have previously expired in the state.e General Assembly is also working hard to make sure that competition is available so that you can shop around and getthe very best price. To help you shop for an electric generation supplier, the PUC has a competition hotline that you can call at1-888-782-3228. Additionally, if you have any other questions, you can contact the OCA at 1-800-684-6560.I am very concerned about the expiration of the rate caps and how they have been affecting the people of my legislative district.I will continue to closely monitor this situation to ensure that electric customers are not taken advantage of during this period of transition.

Marsico Offers Update of Local Transportation Projects

Good roads, highways and bridges are vital to public safetyand quality of life in central Pennsylvania. e following arethe latest updates:

Linglestown Square

e long-awaited groundbreaking for the LinglestownSquare project took place on November 30, 2009. e mainfeature of the project will be the installation of roundaboutsat the Linglestown Square as well as the western end of the village near Pennsylvania Avenue. e project will also includerelocating a portion of Blue Mountain Parkway, improvingexisting pavement, and installing a new drainage system.United Water will install a public water line and three ﬁrehydrants will be installed.In the spring, eastbound traﬃc on Linglestown Road willbe diverted to the Blue Mountain Parkway bypass while workis completed on eastbound Linglestown Road. Motoristswill also see ongoing construction on northbound lanes of Mountain Road and Pennsylvania Avenue. After eastboundlanes are complete, construction will begin on westboundlanes and on Blue Mountain Parkway. PennDOT expects the$5.8 million project to be completed by the fall of 2011

I-81/Exit 77 Improvements

PennDOT has begun construction on the proposedupgrades for Exit 77 on I-81 in West Hanover Township.Traffic signals will be installed at exit/entrance ramps to I-83.Route 39 will be widened to five lanes from Old JonestownRoad to Fairville Avenue and three lanes from Fairville Avenuetoward Linglestown. e plan should also result in improvedsight distance for motorists near the Fairville Avenue/Route39 intersection. PennDOT anticipates a December 2011completion date for the $12.9 million project.I am thrilled that Exit 77 is finally receiving the attentionI have been seeking since early 1997 when I made my firstsite visit there with PennDOT District 8-0 officials. WestHanover officials and business owners have also worked veryhard to help bring these improvements to this roadway. I lookforward to the completion of this project and the increasedsafety and mobility it will bring to the area.

Nyes Road Corridor

Improvements to Nyes Road are scheduled to beginsometime in the spring. is project, which will includereconstruction of the entire roadbed, begins at WilloughbyRoad and extends to North Highlands Drive. A small portionof the cliff along the roadway will be shaved away and aretaining wall will be installed.Perhaps the most anticipated improvement is the trafficsignal that will be installed at the Locust Lane and Nyes Roadintersection. Turning lanes will be installed on Nyes Road,but not Locust Lane because installation of a turning lane onLocust Lane would require very costly bridge reconstruction.Nyes Road will be shut down throughout the construction,and detour routes have been proposed. Construction willbegin on the Highlands Drive end of the project so that trafficsignal can be installed.

Colonial Park/I-83 Interchange

Anyone who has ever tried to enter or exit I-83 Southat the Colonial Park interchange knows how dangerousand frustrating this can become. is spring PennDOT willremedy some of this congestion by eliminating the loop rampfrom I-83 South onto Rt. 22 East. All traﬃc exiting I-83 Southwill exit onto Route 22 via a single exit ramp and will stop at atraﬃc signal that will be installed on Rt. 22. Motorists wishingto go east toward the shopping centers will make left turnsonto Rt. 22 East. is will eliminate the dangerous weavingand jockeying for position that currently exists as motoriststry to exit onto Rt.22 East. Also, the acceleration lane fromthe ramp entering I-83 South will be extended approximately200 feet in order to better accommodate motorists headingsouth on I-83.