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Winter 2008
Contact Rep. DiGirolamo at
GeneDiGirolamo.com • (215) 750-1017 • 2444 Bristol Road, Neshaminy Valley Commons, Bensalem, PA 19020
Summer 2010
New State Department to Focus on Better Coordination of Drug, Alcohol Treatment Services
As many of you know, I have been a long-standing and vocaladvocate for increased and expanded drug and alcohol treatmentservices, and this summer, a proposal I have been working onfor a number of years has come to fruition. A new departmentin the Commonwealth will ensure greater access to preventionand addiction treatment services for Pennsylvania’s residents.The new law elevates the Bureau of Drug and AlcoholPrograms and all of its statutory functions to a cabinet-leveldepartment. The current Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programshas broad and visionary responsibility assigned to it by Act 63of 1972, responsibility and vision difficult to fulfill from the levelof a bureau. The new department is expected to bring vigorousand aggressive focus to bear on the state’s burgeoning drug andalcohol problem.On July 9, Gov. Ed Rendell signed House Bill 1186, making itthe first new state department since 1995.I believe that by having a highly visible, cabinet-level agency, Iam hopeful that the drug and alcohol problem will be given morefocus. This is not only about getting treatment for individualswith drug and alcohol problems, but this department also hasthe potential to reduce crime, bring healing to families strugglingto get help for addicted loved ones and ultimately save taxpayermoney.So many people are in need of treatment, and sometimesit can be extremely difficult to find out what programs andservices are available. This is a tremendous victory for thosewho need treatment and their families, and I truly believe thisnew department will be able to make a positive difference in thelives of so many Pennsylvanians.According to Deb Beck of the Drug and Alcohol ServiceProviders Organization, “With one in four families affected, thenew department will bring critically needed statewide leadershipto this problem so devastating to so many.”Over the past few years, I have been fortunate to work with the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Association of County Drug andAlcohol Administrators, the Pennsylvania Recovery OrganizationsAlliance and other advocates in spearheading this initiative. Icommend them all for their ongoing efforts.
The new department is expected to be in place by July 1, 2011.
Legislation I authored to create a new Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs was signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell on July 9. The department will receive cabinet-level attention and will take effect next year. The ultimate goal is to make drug and alcohol treatment services more accessible to those in need. Pictured with me reviewing the new law are staff members and representatives from various treatment providers, including clockwise from left: Thanaaa Bey from Pro-A; Michael Early from the Caron Foundation; Deb Beck from Drug and Alcohol Service Providers of Pennsylvania; and Pam Huss, my adminsitrative assistant.
New Dog Law Shows Improvementin Conditions at PA’s Commercial Kennels
Under legislation which became effective last October,Pennsylvania’s reputation as being the “puppy mill capital of theEast” is coming to an end.The law puts into place stringent health and safety standards,forcing many substandard commercial kennels to upgrade theirfacilities or to shut down altogether. In fact, the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Agriculture reports that the number of commercial kennels has been reduced by two-thirds.The legislation, which I was proud to co-sponsor, addressedmany deficiencies and horrendous conditions in many largecommercial breeding kennels. In many cases, dogs spent most of their days inside cramped wire cages, stacked one atop the other,and received little grooming, veterinary care or exercise.The law requires large-scale breeders to double cage sizes,eliminate wire flooring, and provide greater access to theoutdoors, as well as more frequent medical exams and bettercleanliness and ventilation. It also prohibits cage stacking.These standards are now considered to be among thetoughest in the country, and the department recently reportedto the General Assembly that the Commonwealth has becomea model state for its oversight of commercial breeders. It is noweasier to close problem kennels and additional state regulationsare in the works for smaller kennels that do not fall under thecommercial kennel designation.
For more information about the new law, or to search a commercialkennel inspection database, visit my website at
GeneDiGirolamo.com
.
www.GeneDi
BUDGET
New Budget Keeps Spending in Check
The state budget, for the first time in eight years, was passed by the state House and Senate on June 30.The $28.04 billion spending plan is reflective of our current economy and provides for the critical functions of government.Although this budget isn’t perfect and I am disappointed in several of the funding reductions for valuable and worthwhileprograms, I believe it strikes a good balance between state revenues, federal stimulus money and obligations to the people of Pennsylvania. With an on-time budget, we were able to avoid the kind of negative impact last year’s 101-day budget impassehad on many businesses and organizations.Not only is the 2010-11 budget on time, it also includes no new or expanded tax increases. As we did last year, we foughtto better prepare Pennsylvania for the future.Basic education and the state’s 500 public school districts will receive a $250 million increase, for an average increase of about 4.52 percent.In addition, two of the many cost-saving initiatives that we spearheaded made it into the final budget plan. For the new2010-11 fiscal year, there will be better use of the state’s purchasing power through increased use of purchase cards, knownas P-Cards, and more aggressive efforts to cut back on tax refund errors.There are many other ways we can raise revenue without tax increases, and we will be working on getting those into lawin the coming months.
Local Senior Citizens Benefit from Millionsin PA Lottery Proceeds
More than $40 million in proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery provided benefits to the senior citizens in Bucks County duringthe 2008-09 fiscal year, according to a report recently released by the Pennsylvania Departments of Revenue and Aging.Since 1971, the proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery have benefited programs specifically geared toward senior citizens. Of those are the 52 Area Agencies on Aging and more than 600 full- and part-time senior centers, the PACE and PACENET prescriptiondrug coverage program, shared and free rides, and the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program.Locally, seniors in Bucks County benefited from the following:
Area Agency on Aging and affiliated senior centers – $4.99 million
PACE and PACENET – $12.84 million
Shared and Free Ride Program – $4.57 million
Property Tax and Rent Rebates – $7.36 million
Long-term living services through the Department of Public Welfare – $10.66 millionIn addition, more than $63.6 million in lottery prizes were awarded to residents of Bucks County.The Pennsylvania Lottery is unique in that it remains the only lottery in the nation that exclusively targets all of its proceedsto programs for older residents. Anyone who thinks they may be eligible for PACE, PACENET or the Property Tax/Rent Rebateprogram should visit my website at
GeneDiGirolamo.com
or contact my district office.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate DeadlineExtended to Dec. 31
As in previous years, the deadline to submit applications for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program has been extended fromthe original date of June 30 to a new deadline of Dec. 31, 2010.Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on their rent or property taxes paid in 2009. The programbenefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18 years or olderwith disabilities.Eligibility income limits for homeowners are set at the following levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security, SupplementalSecurity 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)The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is one of many initiatives supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery, which dedicates itsproceeds to support programs for older Pennsylvanians.Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary income, property tax or rental information required to process claimsquickly and accurately. If you have already submitted your paperwork this calendar year, distribution of rebate checks began July 1.To check the status of your rebate, check my website at
GeneDiGirolamo.com.
If you have not yet applied or don’t know if you’re eligible, please contact my district office or visit my website.
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