February 9, 2009

Pennsylvania Senate Republican News Brief

"In these difficult economic times, that level of spending seems excessive and unnecessary. Just like families and businesses, we need to tighten our belts and live within our means. This is not the time to call for new programs and spending – we simply can’t afford to pay for them."

-- Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jake Corman (R-Centre) on Gov. Rendell’s $1.26 billion increase in spending included his 2009-10 proposed state budget.
 

Preview

TUES: HEARINGS ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY NOMINEE, DRUG AND ALCOHOL FUNDING

On Tuesday, the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, chaired by Sen. John Gordner (R-Columbia), will hold a public hearing to consider the nomination of Sandi Vito as Secretary of the Department of Labor and Industry.

The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, chaired by Sen. Ted Erickson (R-Delaware), will hold a public hearing to provide an overview of the drug and alcohol prevention, intervention and treatment funding and service delivery system in Pennsylvania.

The committee will hear from the departments of Public Welfare, Health, Corrections, and Education, as well as the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and others, as part of the effort to better understand the coordination needed to improve on the current drug and alcohol funding and service delivery system.  

WED: HEARINGS ON CIGARS, SMOKELESS TOBACCO TAX, SCHOOL SAFETY

The Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), will hold a public hearing Wednesday on the administration’s proposed new tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco products. (Please see Fast Facts, below, for more information on the administration’s proposed new taxes.)

The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin), will hold a public hearing on improving safety in Pennsylvania schools.  The hearing will be used to gather information on Senate Bill 55, strengthening and expanding criminal background checks for public school employees, and Senate Bill 56, expanding the duties of the Office for Safe Schools.

Review

LEGISLATURE MEETS IN JOINT SESSION FOR BUDGET ADDRESS

Senate Republicans will carefully study the $28.9 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2009-10 unveiled by Gov. Rendell on Wednesday. The proposal includes a $1.26 billion (4.6 percent) increase in spending.

With January's revenues collections at $261.7 million below projections for the month, year-to-date revenues stand at $13.3 billion with a cumulative collections shortfall of about $1.08 billion (7.5 percent). The administration is now projecting a $2.3 billion shortfall, and that is just over 8 percent of the total revenues that Pennsylvania had expected to take in during the current fiscal year.

The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre), will hold two weeks of public hearings on the proposals beginning February 23.

For more on the proposed budget, please see In the Spotlight and Fast Facts, below.

SENATE GOP URGES ACTION ON PLAN TO BOOST COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE, CUT COSTS

Senate Republicans renewed their call Feb. 2 to improve health care access and expand Pennsylvania’s health care safety net through the HealthNET PA legislative package.

HealthNET PA expands access to health care and medicine to uninsured and low-income working Pennsylvanians more quickly, and at a fraction of the cost of other state and national proposals. One feature of the 15-bill package is legislation establishing the Community-Based Healthcare Program for the expansion and site development of health care clinics across Pennsylvania. This would provide “medical homes” for 175,000 working-poor clients and ease pressure on hospital emergency rooms.

The HealthNET PA plan expands access to health care and medicine to 507,000 uninsured and low-income working Pennsylvanians. It utilizes information technology to control costs and reduce health care-associated infections, and provides expanded insurance options for employers and families, and will incorporate the concepts of disease prevention and wellness. 

The initiative would be funded by existing funds, using the estimated $100 million surplus in the Health Care Provider Retention Account.

Joining Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Ted Erickson (R-Delaware) to announce the HealthNET PA initiatives were: Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland), Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon), Sen. John Eichelberger (R-Blair), Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster), Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), Sen. Richard Alloway (R-Franklin) and Sen. Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster).

For more information, including statistics, charts and useful links, please visit the HealthNET PA homepage at www.pasenategop.com/healthnet.htm. Senators will be touring community health centers and discussing HealthNET PA at news conferences across Pennsylvania beginning Feb. 12.

Senator Erickson said: “The number of Pennsylvanians who do not have health insurance has increased since 2004.  This increases the urgency and places an additional burden to provide for the medical needs of people, especially when they find themselves in a position that they didn't create. Our HealthNET PA plan will provide health care directly to the people who are in the greatest need. It does this in an affordable way by using existing sources of funds.”
 News Conference (22 minutes)
 Sen. Baker
 Sen. Brubaker
 Sen. Eichelberger
 Sen. Erickson
 Sen. Folmer
 Sen. Vance

SEN. SCARNATI’S LEGISLATION WOULD RETURN FUNDS FROM LEGISLATIVE ACCOUNTS

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) announced legislation that would transfer a significant portion of surplus funds from legislative accounts to the General Fund.

Senate Bill 10 would leave sufficient funds in legislative accounts to continue operations for up to four months in the event of an emergency or budget impasse. The bill would require that all funds in excess of this reserve be returned to the General Fund after each fiscal year.

It is estimated that Scarnati's legislation will return over $100 million to the General Fund this year to help balance the budget. Since 2006, the yearly appropriation to the Senate has dropped six percent, and the number of employees in the Senate Republican Caucus has been reduced approximately nine percent.

Senator Scarnati said: "It is critical for state government to tighten its belt during this recession, and we must look for every possible avenue to help taxpayers. This funding would provide a much-needed boost to the General Fund without compromising the General Assembly's ability to operate in a crisis or an impasse."

SENATE ADOPTS RULE PROHIBITING ROBO-CALL FUNDING

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) applauded the Senate’s unanimous adoption of a rule Tuesday to prohibit Senate funds from being used for automated telephone -- or “robo” -- calls.

Senate Resolution 6, adopted unanimously, goes into effect immediately. Senator Pileggi and Senate Minority Leader Robert Mellow introduced a similar resolution last session. The measure was adopted on July 9, 2007.

Senator Pileggi said: “Our constituents expect us to use taxpayer money wisely, and there is no reason for those funds to be spent on robo-calls. This is a common-sense change to the Senate Rules.”

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR COMMENTS ON BUDGET PROJECTIONS

Senate Education Committee Chairman Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin), issued a statement regarding state budget projections and his focus for the scheduled budget hearings in the coming weeks. The following is an excerpt:

“As Chairman, I've scheduled two days of extensive oversight budget hearings on March 25 and 26 for the Education Committee to closely examine the Department of Education's budget and other educational appropriations, line-by-line, for savings in this very difficult budget year. Education funding makes up about 38 percent of all General Fund state spending.  Therefore, I expect these hearings to generate discussion on how the billions of dollars earmarked for basic and higher education can be spent more efficiently and effectively.

“Program efficacy must apply to every state agency across the board as we look at the justification for each line item -- from the number of employees responsible for administering these line items to the number of contracts issued. All entities that the state supervises, regulates, or collaborates with on behalf of the students in our Commonwealth will be examined as well for potential savings.

“I would also encourage our local agencies that deliver educational services to be cognizant of our difficult situation and examine each program and its relative contribution to academic achievement.”

In the Spotlight

The proposed budget includes the elimination of 101 line items and reductions in 346 other line items. Funding for the Scotland School for Veterans Children, the Scranton School for the Deaf, New Choices/New Options program, and the Civil Air Patrol has been eliminated.  

Several grant programs, municipal and community assistance services are proposed for elimination as part of $216.7 million in reductions in the Department of Community and Economic Development budget.  

The proposed budget includes a $300 million (5.4 percent) increase in Basic Education Subsidies for Pennsylvania's public schools for a proposed total of $5.86 billion. Special Education funding would remain at the current level of $1.02 billion.  

Funding for State System of Higher Education universities would also remain at its current level of $498.5 million. Community colleges would see a $5 million (2 percent) increase for a total of $241.2 million. State-related universities are facing a 6 percent reduction in funding and state-aided schools face a 10 percent decrease in funding.

Fast Facts

Questions or Comments?

Contact the Senate Republican Communications Office or call 717-787-6725.

Prior Issues
 

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