Category: Pennsylvania Senate

Pension Crisis Ignored By Wolf

By Sen. Scott Wagner (R-28)

Governor Wolf unveiled his 2015 – 2016 budget on March 3. Scott Wagner Pension Crisis Ignored By Wolf

The governor is proposing to give the public school system an additional $1 Billion dollars in his budget.

I agree that our public school system needs to be a major focus.

Getting a good education is the foundation for success.

I am a firm believer that our public school system needs to “reinvent itself” to meet the needs to compete in a world economy and also to meet the needs of the ever- changing workforce required for manufacturing and the various skilled labor sectors.

Everyone knows that Pennsylvania has a pension crisis and it must be fixed immediately.

School teachers and administrators who will be retiring in the future are part of the pension system that has to be changed so that Pennsylvanians are not continuing to throw money at a problem that will continue to be a problem and will require more money in the future.

Governor Wolf is in the process of throwing money at the education problem.

Money will not solve the problem –  the problem needs to be fixed first.

In the business world, this concept is called throwing money down a black hole with no results.

There are also plenty of solutions on the spending side that should be implemented which would free up money to actually impact our children’s education.

In addition to pension reform, eliminating prevailing wage mandates on all school district capital and maintenance projects, updating the funding formula would all alleviate some of the financial burden our school districts face.

Pension Crisis Ignored By Wolf

Wagner Blasts Republicans Over Mary’s Law Failure

Sen. Scott Wagner (R-28) sent this email blast out March 3 concerning the failure to pass Mary’s Law i.e. SB 501 on March 2.  Wagner Blasts Republicans Over Mary's Law Failure
And it was a blast as he called out the five southeast Republican Senators voted no to the amendment — Sens. John Rafferty of Montgomery County, Stewart Greenleaf of Montgomery County, Tom McGarrigle of Delaware County, Robert “Tommy” Tomlinson of Bucks County, and Dominic Pileggi of Delaware County– being especially harsh concerning Pileggi and Rafferty.
Here is what Wagner wrote with the attached PennLive.com article by Jan Murphy that he references.

The purpose of this post is to give you an update on “Paycheck Protection” legislation.

At the end of my post is a story from Penn Live yesterday detailing the vote on this important reform in the PA State Senate.

An amendment was offered yesterday on the floor by Senator John Eichelberger to SB 501.

The amendment offered yesterday would have narrowed the restriction to only ban governments from deducting money that is used for political purposes while still allowing dues collection to support general union operations.

The PA State Senate had a tie vote of 24 to 24 which resulted in the amendment to SB 501 failing to pass.

It was disappointing but not a surprise that five southeast Republican Senators voted no to the amendment.

It was also not a surprise to me that Senator John Rafferty voted no on the amendment – in the ten months I have served in the PA State Senate I have found Senator Rafferty to be the most disingenuous member of the Republican Caucus.

To be honest and direct, I have watched Senator Rafferty repeatedly undermine our new leadership – Senator Rafferty is self-serving and badly wants to be Pennsylvania’s Attorney General.

Senator Dominic Pilleggi is another issue – since losing his leadership post he is a bitter person and will do anything to undermine the PA State Senate’s new leadership – the good news is that Senator Pilleggi is running as a judicial candidate for Common Pleas Court in Delaware County – the sooner that Senator Pileggi is gone from the PA State Senate the better for everyone.

I can assure you that our PA State Senate leadership and conservative members will continue to push to pass this important reform.

To achieve our many goals to move Pennsylvania forward it is critical that we elect additional conservative Republican members to the PA State Senate.

It is my personal goal to add a minimum of four additional conservative Republicans to the PA State Senate in 2016 so that we can advance the right agenda for Pennsylvania.

Bill restricting union dues collection fails but not dead yet in Pa. Senate

By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com The Patriot-News
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on March 02, 2015 at 7:05 PM, updated March 03, 2015 at 11:58 AM

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/03/bill_restricting_union_dues_co.html

An attempt to pass a controversial amendment to a bill that would restrict union dues collection from state and school employees’ paychecks narrowly failed in the state Senate on Monday.

But most likely, we haven’t seen the last of this amendment to this so-called paycheck protection bill.

The Senate voted 24-24 to defeat the amendment. A short time later, it voted 29-19 to reconsider the amendment at a later time, keeping it alive.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Blair County, would have made it illegal for government to deduct union dues from state and school employees’ paychecks. The amendment offered on Monday narrowed that restriction to only ban governments from deducting money for unions that is used for political purposes while still allowing dues collection to support for general union operations.
“I think that legislation is not the answer.” Lt. Gov. Mike Stack

The amendment was crucial to winning the support of Republican Sen. Chuck McIlhinney of Bucks County, who indicated last week he would be a no vote without that change.

Every Republican vote the amendment could muster was needed to pass since Democrats voted as a block to oppose the bill along with five Republican senators from the southeastern corner of the state – Sens. John Rafferty of Montgomery County, Stewart Greenleaf of Montgomery County, Tom McGarrigle of Delaware County, Robert “Tommy” Tomlinson of Bucks County, and Dominic Pileggi of Delaware County.

When the vote on the amendment ended in a 24-24 tie, Lt. Gov. Mike Stack cast a vote against the proposal although Senate staff said later that the tie vote had already ensured its defeat.

Afterward, Stack seemed pleased he had the chance to cast a vote against this particular amendment, even though it turns out it wasn’t necessary.

“I just think it’s anti-labor and it’s designed to take away the ability of unions to organize and I’m one of those people who believe we have a middle class here in Pennsylvania because of the worker unions,” he said. “They are not perfect and no organization is perfect but I think that legislation is not the answer.”

*This story was updated to reflect the fact that the tie vote on the amendment resulted in its defeat and Lt. Gov. Mike Stack’s vote didn’t break the tie.

Wagner Blasts Republicans Over Mary’s Law Failure

Union Intimidation Try Fails

By Sen. Scott Wagner

‘Tis the season for union officials and lobbyists representing public sector union employees to be swarming the Capitol now that there’s a new governor in town, and especially a new governor who received substantial campaign contributions from public sector unions.

Union Intimidation Try
The flyer the United Steelworkers delivered to Sen. Scott Walker and other Republican legislators.

On Feb. 10,  a flyer was delivered to my office (and many offices of Republican House and Senate members) informing me that I am being watched by the Steelworkers.

While I appreciate their watchful eye and feel safer, they should take note that I am being just as observant.

My office location is right outside of the rotunda and if I go outside of my office and look down the hallway towards the governor’s office, which is at the opposite end of the building, the union officials and lobbyists representing public sector union employees are very noticeable.

Why would union officials and lobbyists representing public sector union employees be swarming the Capitol you may ask?

Well here’s a good reason…Governor Wolf took sizable campaign contributions from public sector unions so those unions are now looking for a return on their investment.

The return on investment comes in the form of pay increases for public sector union workers.

As the Commonwealth Foundation pointed out, Governor Wolf received more than $3.4 million dollars from twelve public sector unions.

AFSCME, UFCW, SEIU, and PSEA gave more than $2.36 million in direct PAC campaign contributions to Gov. Wolf’s gubernatorial campaign and gave millions more in indirect SuperPAC expenditures.

Most, if not all, of this money was deducted from paychecks of public sector union employees using taxpayers’ resources.

In the next three to four months, major public sector union contracts are up for renewal and public sector union officials are looking for pay increases for their members.

Governor Wolf will be the one negotiating the salaries, health insurance and other workplace benefits with the same people who donated so heavily to his campaign.

It is important to note that House and Senate members have no role or input when Governor Wolf negotiates with the public sector unions.

The increased wages that Governor Wolf will hand over to public sector unions will cost the taxpayers more money and the House and Senate will have to figure out how to pay the bill.

So here’s an interesting question – Pennsylvania has over a $2 Billion dollar plus shortfall and state workers are already making 15-25% more than private sector workers…why would pay increases be justified?

Your guess is as good as mine.

While the Steelworkers are committed to watching me, I am committed to watching your tax dollars and ensuring they are being spent wisely.

Stay tuned…

Pennsylvania State Sen. Scott Walker represents the 28th District.

Union Intimidation Try Fails

GOP Senate President Scarnati Union Owned

GOP Senate President Scarnati Union Owned

Joseph B. “Joe” Scarnati, the president pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate, appears to be pretty much in the pocket of those who make the lives of the state’s citizens more difficult.

Scarnati, it should be noted, represents the 25th District which is  top of the state’s fabled “T” and arguably the most rural and conservative part of the Pennsylvania.

He likes to portray himself as a friend of conservatives.

Well here are his real friends:

CARPENTERS PAC OF PHILA & VICINITY gave $50,000 and CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM OF GREATER PENNSYLVANIA threw in another $25,000 for this election.

COMMITTEE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW, which is what the Philadelphia trial lawyers political action committee calls itself, gave $50,000. Why are the Philadelphia trial lawyers so interested in the goings on in Elk County? They are not of course but it is nice to have an in the rest of us can’t with the number two guy in the State Senate.

LOCAL 66 PAC CLUB (IUOE) of Pittsburgh contributed $25,000.

INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS PAC of Pittsburgh gave $25,000.

PSEA PACE which represents the teachers union and opposes all commonsense educational reform — really, why is it so hard to fire a bad teacher — gave Scarnati $20,000 for this election.

AFSCME Council 13 PAC, which represents government workers, gave $5,000

1776 PAC (UFCW)  which represents the state stores and the Pennsylvania SEIU, which also represents government workers, were pikers just giving $1,000 apiece. Of course, that is still more than you or I can likely afford to have the ear of a powerful political figure.

One can do one’s own campaign finance search here. It’s not the most intuitive site but it works.

GOP Senate President Scarnati Union Owned

Sobering Talk Concerning Pa

Sobering Talk Concerning Pa

With Matt Brouillette of Commonwealth Foundation (center) are Whitey Coyne, Lisa Esler, Charles Martini and William Lawrence Sr.

Matt Brouillette, president and CEO of the Harrisburg-based Commonwealth Foundation, one of the nation’s top think tanks, gave a sobering talk this evening, April 28, about what taxpayer activists and fighters of corruption face in Pennsylvania.

He said the reform Gov. Tom Corbett is pushing regarding the state-controlled distribution of liquor is “not about getting the government out of the booze business but giving the appearance of convenience.”

The privatization of the state owned “Wine & Spirits Shoppes” is popular with the populace across partisan lines. It’s not going to happen because it is not popular with special interests who send the bucks to legislators.

On a much more frightening note, Brouillette also said critically needed pension reform is not going to happen either.  He said state workers were “circling the wagons” to stop legislation to change their pension from a defined benefit one to the defined contribution one now the norm in the private sector.

He said the largest state-backed pension funds SERS and PSERS, that handle the retirement money for state workers and school teachers respectively, have unfunded liability of $57 billion and it’s “going up”. He noted that local school districts are on the hook for half of PSERS money so expect massive property tax hikes.

“There is a general lack of will to tackle the pension crisis,” he said. He said the solutions being proposed involve the state cutting its regular contributions and will only make things worse.

“If Republicans controlled the governor, house and senate, we might get some resolutions,” he said. After a pause, he said “You are supposed to laugh at that” the punchline being that the Republicans do have complete control in Pennsylvania.

“It’s not funny,” said a woman in the audience.

Brouillette agreed.

“The Big Government Party is the majority party in Pennsylvania,” he said. “And it has both Republicans and Democrats.”

Brouillette said that is the reason why his group is pushing paycheck protection as the priority.

Paycheck protection is found pending legislation HB 1507 and SB 1034 that ban the use of public resources to collect, bundle and transmit public sector union dues and PAC contributions.

“If an elected official tried to have money automatically deducted from an employees paycheck (to use for a campaign) they would go to jail.”

The PSEA and other government unions can do just that legally and without the employees permission as how to use it.

He said this is the main reason why the Big Government Party is in the majority in the state.

Brouillette says the Republicans are two votes shy in the senate of getting the reforms passed.

Brouillette also said that HB 1154, the bill that would end the allowance for union members to stalk, harass and threaten the use of weapons of mass destruction during labor disputes, was amended in the Senate in a way that supporters in the House fear that it was neutered.

In other matters, support was requested for Megan Rath who is taking on Democrat Congressman Bob Brady in Pennsylvania’s 1st District and for Bob Guzzardi who is running against incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett in the May 20 Republican Primary. Guzzardi, who is also a vocal opponent of Common Core, has made fighting for pension reform a linchpin of his campaign.

Lisa Esler noted that the group will be participating in an NRA Women on Target Instructional Shooting Clinic, June 28, at the Northern Chester County Sportsmen’s Club. The cost is $35 and covers the use of firearms, ammunition, shoot supplies, a t-shirt and goodied bag along with snacks. Call Theresa Reynolds at 610-304-5873 for information or email her at theresa6733@gmail.com

Maria Heider announced that there will a Twitter clinic co-hosted by Americans for Prosperity, 6:30 p.m., June 19, at the Marple Public Library. Call 610-572-3442 for information or to register.

 

 

Read more at BillLawrenceDittos.com for Sobering Talk Concerning Pa

 

State Senator Ted Erickson Won’t Seek Re-election

State Senator Ted Erickson Won’t Seek Re-election — State Sen. Edwin “Ted” Erickson won’t seek re-election in 2014, it has been announced. Erickson has  has represented the 26th District of Pennsylvania since winning a special election in 2001 after his predecessor Joe Loeper, pleaded guilty to tax-cheating and was forced to resign. State Senator Ted Erickson Won't Seek Re-election

Erickson, 74, is a Republican. He easily won re-election in 2010.

Erickson served on Delaware County Council from 1982 to 1989 before becoming the county’s executive director. Before that his election to county council he had been the chief administrative officer for Upper Darby Township.

Erickson has a Ph.D in biochemistry and micobiology from Bryn Mawr College. Before entering government service he was a tenured assistant professor of biology at Hamilton College where he taught microbiology, biochemistry and general biology. He also taught general biology, anatomy and physiology, cell physiology and zoology at Drexel University and East Stroudsburg State College  He is a former member of the Army Science Board.

State Senator Ted Erickson Won’t Seek Re-election

Pennsylvania Senate Changes Health Plan

Pennsylvania Senate Changes Health Plan — State Senate President Pro-Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) confirmed in a Feb. 9 letter to the Bucks County Courier Times that the Senate is replacing its luxury employee medical plan with one akin to the kind almost universal in the private sector. It is expected to save the state $1 million annually.

The elimination of indemnity health plans was approved in December by The Senate Committee on Management Operations, according to the Courier Times, and all senators, employees and retirees will be in a preferred provider organization plan by April 1.

The Courier Times and its sister paper, The Intelligencer ran a series of articles in May describing the scandalous benefits. They deserve a big pat on the back.

But one suspects the matter would have been quickly forgotten if it wasn’t for the growth of certain ornery constituent groups whose loyalty lies with issues rather than an established party.

Health benefits for about 900 Senate employees cost  $16.8 million last year.

Under indemnity plans,  the insured can see any doctor who accepts the insurance and all expenses are covered after a deductible is reached.

They are almost non-existent in the private sector now.

 

Pennsylvania Senate Changes Health Plan

Rogers Howard Has Unveiling Before Delco Pats

G. Rogers Howard, the man who hopes to replace Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi as the senator for Pennsylvania’s 9th District told an enthusiastic crowd of 60 at The Delaware County Patriots, tonight, Jan. 11, that it was his grandchildren who are motivating him to run.

Howard said the state plus its municipalities are $125 billion in debt and that this debt is a form of taxation without representation on the unborn and the young which include his grandchildren all of whom are under 7 years old.

He said that the state Republican establishment is quite happy with the status quo regardless of what suffering should occur, and that this especially applies to Pileggi. He noted that the GOP took over  the executive and legislative branches of state government  last year after sweeping the 2010 elections.

“You expect to see the reform legislation that occured in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana,” he said. He said what we got though were long discussions about “red light cameras in Chester.”

Howard, who will be using Roger as his first name throughout the campaign, pointed out that Pennsylvania gets about $27 billion in revenue annually but actually spends about $65 billion. The money to cover the gap comes from bond issues, and regarding bond issues he said the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is basically just a huge slush fund.

The program which was begun with $400 million in 1986 was given the ability to borrow up to $700 million in 1993 which was increased to $1.2 billion in 1999 and with continued periodic increases now stands at $4.05 billion.

The program is used to give Aker Philadelphia Shipyard its annual $42 million payoff to keep from closing. It’s also used to fund things like the Arlen Specter Library and the John Murtha Library which have each received grants of $10 million apiece and the Comcast Center which has gotten a grant for $35 million.  Howard explained that the actual cost of that $10 million grant is $33 million when funded with a 30-year bond.

Howard lives in Unionville, has a Ph.d in chemistry and served in the 82nd Airborne Division. He has pledged not to participate in the state pension system. He answered audience questions in which he spoke out in opposition to teachers strikes and in favor of the right to work. He said he is against gay marriage.

He says he will be getting a better website.

In other business, the Patriots passed out flyers regarding legislation passed by the State House that is being held up in the Senate run by Pileggi including HB 42, a bill that would make parts of ObamaCare impossible to enforce in the state.

Regina Scheerer announced that 12 members of the Pats including herself were running for committee seats — most against party wishes — and that help and funding were needed. She also issued a plea for help and funding for Howard.

 

PSEA Republicans

PSEA Republicans — Tea Party activist Bob Guzzardi has compiled a list of Republican legislators that have accepted contributions from the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA).

The PSEA is the union that represents most public school teachers in the state and, ironically, is very likely the most anti-child, anti-education and anti-senior citizen organization in the state.

Here is Bob’s list — with his comments — of those who accepted contributions in 2010, which was the last legislative election year:

Senator Dominic Pileggi Senate Majority Leader what does that tell you?

HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE  $5,0000    MAY 6, 2010

Sam Smith Republican Speaker of the House

Republican House Majority Leader Mike Turzai.

Bill Adolph Chair of House Appropriations Delco  elected in 1989

Matt Baker northeast Penna

Karen Boback – she is major recipient of PSEA money and a former school teacher.

Mike Vereb  Montgomery County – He is in House leadership.

Chris Ross – from southern Chester County, very, very liberal

Marguerite Quinn  Bucks County, part of BucksCo Establishment as you know

Nick Micozzie   Uber Hack Delaware County, entrenched and entwined with Establishment. Has been in office since 1979.

Rick Geist  Transportation Committee Chair  Blair County has been in office since 1979 also

Bernie O’Neill from Bucks, like Marguerite Quinn

Gene DiGirolamo of Bucks County  integral to unions and O’Neill/Quinn BucksCo RINO Republican

Glenn Grell   Cumberland County

Jim Marshall   defeated Mike Veon

John Taylor Philadelphia, need I say more

Denny O’Brien  another Philadelphia phony R

Ron Miller  this is a shock. He is supposed to introduce Right to Work Republican York County

Senator Jake Corman, chair of Senate Appropriations Committee and interested in running for US Senate against Bob Casey.

Senator John Rafferty Chester DelCo closely allied with Sen. Pileggi

Senator Pat Browne Lehigh County

Senator Stewart Greenleaf Montgomery County very nice man, very well intentioned man AND very, very liberal man

Senator Ted Erickson DelCo and very close ally of Senator Pileggi

Note the number in leadership positions.

And some wonder why even with Republicans in charge we can’t end fire bad teachers or end teacher strikes.

Thank you, Bob. Click here for a link to Bob’s file where he includes his sourcing.

Or you can do your own search at http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/pages/CFReportSearch.aspx

Remember to set search type to “Contribution” and to manually set the date range.

PSEA Republicans

PSEA Republicans

Senate Schedules Hearing On Privatizing State Stores

Tears may not be being shed yet but furrows of concern should be appearing on the brows of those at Total Wine and the other Naamans Road liquor stores in Delaware<

The  Law and Justice Committee of the Pennsylvania Senate has scheduled a Valentine’s Day hearing on privatizing the state’s liquor sales.

The committee is chaired by Sen. John Pippy (R-37).

The hearing will be 3-5 p.m., in 8E-B of the Capitol’s East Wing. It will explore general topics including the practice of other states. No specific bill be discussed.

Expected to testify are representatives of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, Reason Foundation, the Commonwealth Foundation, and Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation.

In other  legislative news, Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) has introduced SB 108 which will further restrict the employment of executive-level state workers by firms in which they had dealings.

Sen. Lloyd Smucker (R-13) introduced SB 110 which would let taxpayers easily see who is flying on state-owned planes.

The Senate Education Committee endorsed a lifetime ban on persons convicted of serious violent offenses, which would include sex crimes against children from employment in schools, and a 10-year ban on all convicted of felony offenses of working in schools.