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HARRISBURG, PA
Your State Representative - 12th Legislative District Winter
PERMIT NO.2008
432

Fall 2010

New Legislation Will Address Public Pension Crisis

By Starting With Legislators’ Own Pensions

Yo u r C a l endars
Dear Friends: Mar k
n d H e a l t h c are
a
In response to the Commonwealth’s Living Wills e y S e m inar
t o r n
Power of At
looming pension crisis, I am
introducing legislation that will make
significant changes in how pensions
ept. 9
for Pennsylvania General Assembly Thursday, S
n
members are administered.
10 am - noo
r d e n a n d C ivic Center
Ga
Greensburg
The Keystone State’s two public
pension systems, the Pennsylvania School
O ld S a le m Road
Employees Retirement System (PSERS) 95 1
and the State Employees Retirement
a F R E E p re sentation on d in
s for sente
System (SERS), are estimated to need Please join u d powers of attorney, pre r Association
as much as $5.9 billion to cover unfunded living wills an ith the Westmoreland Bation or to
pension liabilities.
conjunction wealth. For more informa rg district
and Excela H se contact my Greensbu
These pension systems are in trouble a
because, like many investment funds, R.S.V.P., ple ) 834-6400.
the stock market downturn has greatly office at (724
reduced their overall values. This trouble
was exacerbated by inconsistent employer contribution Elected officials should lead by example. Few
levels and changes to the pension system benefit structure in Pennsylvania residents have the opportunity to participate in
2002. a defined benefit plan. As public servants, there is no reason
that state lawmakers should enjoy benefits that taxpayers
If enacted, my legislation would convert all legislative working in the private sector cannot afford.
pensions from the present defined benefit to a defined
contribution plan. Unlike similar proposals, this bill would
make that conversion mandatory for all state lawmakers, Serving the 57th District,
whether new or presently serving.

RepKrieger.com
 Get These and Other
Legislative Updates at
RepKrieger.com

Arizona-Modeled
Illegal Immigration Legislation
Could Save PA Taxpayers
$1.4 Billion Annually
As a member of the PA House State Government
Committee and a legislative co-sponsor, I am working
to advance the newest and toughest addition (House Representative Krieger presents an official House
Bill 2479) to the National Security Begins at Home
citation to Nick Dellavecchio, Jr., Master of Ceremonies,
illegal immigration reform legislative package to the
full House floor for immediate consideration. commemorating Bovard’s 100 th Anniversary.
Congratulations to Bovard on its 100th Anniversary!
Modeled after the recently enacted Arizona
law, House Bill 2479 would provide state and local
law enforcement with full authority to apprehend
Pennsylvania’s estimated 140,000 illegal immigrants
for deportation.

This legislation also incorporates several other

previously introduced National Security Begins at
Home provisions, including punishing employers who
knowingly hire illegal immigrants, and ending access
to welfare, education and all other public benefits for
illegal immigrants.

This legislation is not anti-immigrant. I have

nothing but respect for those who have left their
homes to provide for their families. However, they
must respect and adhere to our immigration laws
and enter America legally.

Giving state and local law enforcement full authority

to apprehend illegal immigrants for deportation has
everything to do with fully restoring the rule of law
in favor of taxpaying Pennsylvania citizens who are
currently footing the bill for $1.4 billion annually to
clothe, feed, educate, medicate and incarcerate illegal
immigrants.

In commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the American

Register your support by signing the
Illegal Immigration Reform petition
at RepKrieger.com today.
flag being raised at the Battle of Iwo Jima, Representative
Krieger continues to personally present local World War
II veterans or their surviving family members, such as Lib
Shasko on behalf of her late husband Philip Shasko, with
pins and certificates of recognition. s.
 Final Rendell State Budget Will Punish Pennsylania Taxpayers
For Years to Come
“We know this budget is not balanced, we know
that the revenue estimate is overstated, and we
know we cannot rely on $850 million that we will
not be getting.

“The most painful truth of all is we face a

$4 billion structural deficit. The only responsible
choice is to begin to address that deficit now.
It is simply irresponsible to ignore these very
significant financial problems.

“The people of Pennsylvania deserve better. They

deserve leadership and we are collectively burying
our heads in the sand today.”
-- Floor remarks by Representative Krieger on June 30, 2010, Pennsylvania
House Legislative Journal
Representative Krieger was among four panelists invited to
participate in a live statewide televised debate on the Pennsylvania
Cable Network focusing on the topic: “It’s a Big Government: So
Who’s Gonna Pay For It?”

As I consistently made clear throughout this year’s debate, the governor’s final budget does nothing to address
years of government waste and overspending. Some of the reasons I voted against the governor’s $28.04 billion
state budget include:

• Failure to address the hundreds of millions of dollars in welfare fraud identified by

Auditor General Jack Wagner for the second straight year.

• Spending $3 billion more than next year’s projected revenues of $25 billion, and
depending on $850 million in then unapproved federal funding to balance the
remaining budgetary shorfall.

• Borrowing up to $600 million in R-CAP special discretionary funding, including

$10 million to build the Arlen Specter Library at Philadelphia University and $20 million
for a new minor league baseball stadium in Lackawanna County.
Much of the responsibility of leadership involves setting responsible priorities. During his time in office, the
governor has found a way to increase welfare spending by 68 percent - where it now stands at more than $10
billion. Under his watch, state spending as a whole has increased at double the rate of inflation.

Pennsylvania simply cannot continue to spend, year after year, more than we have, and we cannot continue
to burden our hardworking people with more and higher taxes. The time to stop the mortaging of our
children’s and grandchildren’s economic future is right now.

Policy Hearing Delivers Tangible Solutions

to Curtail Welfare Fraud and Abuse in Pennsylvania
Earlier this spring, I hosted a House Policy Committee hearing on Welfare Fraud and Abuse.

The purpose of convening this hearing was both to hear about local examples of welfare fraud and
to identify concrete solutions to eliminate it.

As a result, I am introducing welfare reform legislation to limit food stamps and other cash assistance purchases.
Under my proposed welfare reform legislation, cash assistance purchases for carbonated soft drinks; snack cakes;
candies; chewing gum; and other similar products would be strictly prohibited.

I am also adding my support to corresponding welfare reform legislation to prohibit food stamps and other cash
assistance recipients from receiving cash during any food or beverage retail transaction.

While these types of commonsense reforms cannot force able-bodied people to work, they will reduce
existing financial incentives that in some cases actually encourage current welfare recipients not to seek
family-sustaining employment.
 State Capitol Bus Trip Set for
Tuesday, November 9
A bus trip from Greensburg to
Harrisburg to tour the state Capitol is being
arranged.

For more information or to reserve a

seat, please call my Greensburg district
office at (724) 834-6400 by September 24.

Representative Krieger welcomes students and faculty

from Hempfield Senior High School to the state Capitol.

Castle Doctrine Moves One Step Closer to PA Law

On May 24, as a member of the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee, I voted to advance the Castle Doctrine
(House Bill 40) to the full House floor for consideration.

If enacted, House Bill 40 would make Pennsylvania the 24 th state to adopt the Castle Doctrine to fully restore
the legal ability of law-abiding gun owners to use lethal force if necessary to protect their homes against
criminal intruders.

In addition, I also voted to defeat several of the governor’s high-priority gun control measures
that would:

• Eliminate statewide preemption against local firearm ordinances (House Bill 1044).

• Ban specific types of legal firearms and ammunition (House Bill 1045).

2009 Property Tax/Rent Rebate Applications Now Available at RepKrieger.com

The deadline to file for the state’s 2009 Property Tax/Rent Rebate
program has been extended until December 31. Eligible
participants can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on their rent or property
taxes paid in 2009. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners and $15,000
for renters. Applicants can exclude one-half of their Social Security income,
so individuals who earn substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for
a rebate.

2009 Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms are available by contacting my

district offices or visiting my website at RepKrieger.com.

How My Office Can Help You

My staff and I are always ready to serve the needs of District 57 residents with a number of state-related matters, including
PennDOT paperwork, PACE and PACENET applications for senior citizens, Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms and many others.

DISTRICT OFFICE:
101 Ehalt Street, Suite 105, The Train Station, Greensburg, PA 15601
Phone: (724) 834-6400 / FAX: (724) 834-6799
HARRISBURG OFFICE:
404 Irvis Office Building, PO Box 202057, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2057
Phone: (717) 260-6146 / FAX: (717) 260-6501
Email: TKrieger@pahousegop.com

RepKrieger.com