Pennsylvania Senate Republican News Brief

"There is no support in the Republican Senate for this type of broad-based tax increase, and it will certainly not sit well with Pennsylvania families who have to make tough financial choices right now and control their own spending."

-- Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) rejecting Gov. Rendell's proposal to hike the state Personal Income Tax by almost 17 percent.

SENATE IN SESSION FIVE DAYS AS BUDGET DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE

The Senate is expected to be in session five days this week as discussions continue over crafting a 2009-10 state budget. The Senate passed Senate Bill 850, a responsible budget that does not increase taxes, relying instead on cuts to state spending, on May 6.  

Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre) joins local officials and business owners at a news conference today to voice their opposition to a decision by the state Department of General Services to enter into project labor agreements (PLAs) for the construction of the new 2,000-bed prison in Rockview.  The decision will prevent non-union companies from bidding on work, effectively cutting out most of the businesses in the area.

SENATE REPUBLICANS REACT TO GOVERNOR’S CALL FOR INCOME TAX HIKE

Governor Ed Rendell's proposal to hike the state personal income tax by almost 17 percent is the worst thing to do for Pennsylvania at the worst time, according to Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) who said such a move would be job-crushing and fiscally irresponsible.

The governor has proposed hiking the Personal Income Tax to 3.57 percent from the current 3.07 percent for three years to raise approximately $1.5 billion per year in new revenue.  He also proposed stopping the phase-out of the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax, which would be another burden to job creators and workers looking to find family-sustaining jobs.

Senator Scarnati noted that the Senate passed its own proposed budget in early May. Senate Bill 850 includes no new taxes and is fiscally prudent.  

Senator Scarnati said: "Now, with the clock ticking, the governor is asking us to support a fiscally irresponsible tax increase that could cripple our economy and prevent us from recovering from this economic downturn. Increased taxes will only ensure a prolonged recession and will only ensure that working families and businesses will not be able to invest in their communities."

(For more Senate Republican reaction, please see In the Spotlight, below.)

 News Conference (Senator Scarnati, Sen. Dominic Pileggi, Sen. Jake Corman) 

Committee Acts to Ensure State Park Services are Not Reduced

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, chaired by Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), unanimously approved legislation Tuesday that would ensure funding for services at state parks is not reduced as a result of budget constraints.

The measures, sponsored by Senator White, would permit the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to utilize funding from the Environmental Stewardship/Growing Greener Fund (Senate Bill 962) and Key '93 realty transfer tax revenue (Senate Bill 963) for the operation and maintenance of Pennsylvania's 117 state parks.

Non-profit and local government organizations which typically receive funding from these programs continue to benefit from the $625 million Growing Greener Bond approved by voters and the General Assembly in 2005.

The committee also approved Senate Bill 880, sponsored by Sen. Rob Wonderling (R-Montgomery), which authorizes the Secretary of Environmental Protection to enter into redevelopment agreements with developers who remediate brownfield sites.  Developers may be eligible to receive a reimbursement of up to 75 percent of the remediation costs.

HEALTHNET PA: HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT APPROVED BY COMMITTEE

The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, chaired by Sen. Ted Erickson (R-Delaware), approved HealthNET PA legislation Wednesday that would establish a Health Information and Technology Program.

Under Senate Bill 700, sponsored by Sen. Rob Wonderling (R-Montgomery), the program would provide loans to health care providers and health information centers to implement health information technology systems. 

A health information technology system is an automated system that integrates health records, clinical activities and data sharing in such areas as pharmacy ordering and tracking, and laboratory testing, as well as data sharing among health care facilities, physicians, and health insurers, and other transaction-monitoring that promotes patient safety and efficiency in the delivery of health care. 

COMMITTEE APPROVES Review of Juvenile Justice System

The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R-Montgomery), approved legislation Tuesday that seeks to prevent further cases of corruption in county juvenile courts and restore public confidence by establishing an Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice.

Senate Bill 949 was drafted by Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) in response to an alarming case of corruption uncovered in Luzerne County, which resulted in hundreds of juveniles being improperly sentenced and inappropriately placed in detention centers.

The measure would create an 11-member commission, appointed by the Chief Justice, General Assembly and Governor, to conduct a thorough review of juvenile justice procedures, practices and rules and regulations and to pursue remedies and reform. 

Sen. Baker added that while the commission is an important first step in improving the current system and preventing further corruption, further legislation is needed to address the interests of the victims and ensure that juveniles are protected as they move through the justice process.

EFFORT TO REFORM BUDGET PROCESS MOVES FORWARD

The Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), approved legislation Wednesday intended to fundamentally reform Pennsylvania's budgeting process while increasing transparency and accountability in state government.

Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senator Browne, would establish a Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO), a non-partisan bi-cameral agency with expertise in financial matters.  The LFO would have access to the same agency and department financial information as the Governor's Budget Office. 

While the Governor and Legislature must agree on spending during budget negotiations, the Administration currently has sole discretion over setting the revenue projection for the upcoming fiscal year. Under Senate Bill 1, the LFO would submit a preliminary revenue estimate during the second week of February, a week after the Governor traditionally presents his budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. The LFO would then submit a binding revenue estimate for the upcoming fiscal year by June 15.

Senate Bill 1 also requires state agencies and departments to submit their budget requests to the LFO at the same time they submit them to the Office of the Budget. Pennsylvania is currently one of only eight states where the Legislature does not receive the agency budget requests.

Safe Schools Legislation MOVES TOWARD SENATE VOTE  

The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre), passed a legislative package sponsored by Senate Education Committee Chairman Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin) that would tighten the state's school violence reporting system and create tougher school hiring policies. 

Senate Bill 55 would establish a lifetime ban on working in schools for those who have been convicted of serious violent offenses, including sexual violence and crimes against children.  The bill also prohibits anyone convicted of any other felony crime from working in a school setting for at least ten years.

The amendment to Senate Bill 56 would require the Department to create an Office for Safe Schools within the agency and no longer outsource that function.  The amendment also mandates a targeted grant allocation process that the Office for Safe Schools must follow as well.

Both bills now await consideration by the full Senate.

SENATE EXPANDS REDUCED FISHING, HUNTING FEES FOR NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS

The Senate voted Tuesday to expand eligibility guidelines for programs that allow National Guard members to qualify for free or reduced-price hunting and fishing licenses.

The bill would reduce from 180 to 60 the number of days members of the Pennsylvania National Guard must be deployed overseas to qualify.

Senate Bill 301 is sponsored by Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland) and covers fishing licenses. Senate Bill 302, sponsored by Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), covers hunting licenses.

Senate Acts to simplify financial reporting requirements for schools

The Senate on Monday approved legislation to simplify annual financial reporting requirements to prevent duplication with the annual audit filed by local education agencies.

Under current law, all financial accounting and reporting of school districts and intermediate units must be in accordance with generally accepted accounting and reporting standards.

Under Senate Bill 287, sponsored by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), the annual financial reports filed by school districts and intermediate units would be exempt from this requirement and the Department of Education would be required to establish a separate reporting standard for these reports. The standard would have to conform to fund level reporting criteria only.

Sen. Bob Robbins (R-Mercer):
"This 16.3% increase in the PIT would have a direct negative impact on a majority of Pennsylvania's families and small businesses. Many are already struggling to make ends meet and as we've seen in the past these types of tax increases almost inevitably result in job losses and negatively impact the local economy. The Governor and the Legislature must control state spending and keep it in line with revenues. We simply cannot afford to increase programs and discretionary spending during hard economic times."

Sen. Jane Orie (R-Allegheny):
"With two weeks until the budget deadline, the Governor is threatening to close parks and using tax dollars to fund PR efforts to gain support for this ill-conceived tax increase. Now he wants a massive tax increase and more spending at a time when most families are struggling to make ends meet.  We cannot and should not mortgage the future of this state through higher taxes and bloated government spending. I've heard from hundreds of folks in my district and there is no support for a tax increase."

Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland):
"The choice is simple – we can rein in government spending or we can increase taxes. The Senate has chosen not to raid the pockets of Pennsylvanians. Governor Rendell and the House Democratic leadership have done nothing to move forward in adopting a new fiscal year budget. Instead, they have chosen to complain about the Senate's budget, and float their tax increase ideas around the commonwealth through taxpayer-funded bus trips and media releases."