West Chester Swim Coach Makes $420,172

West Chester Swim Coach Makes $420,172 by Sen. Scott Wagner

West Chester Swim Coach Makes $420,172
State Sen. Scott Wagner

Good news was delivered last week – John Hanger, Governor Wolf’s Policy Chief resigned on Friday.

Click here for the story.

John Hanger resigning is good for Pennsylvania. John Hanger was not a nice guy and it was either his way or the highway. It was very clear that John Hanger’s personal beliefs had become a large part of Governor Wolf’s agenda.

Even better news – John Hanger is moving to Massachusetts to join his wife.

Second Subject – PA Senate Appropriations Committee hearings began yesterday (Feb. 22) and go on for the next six weeks.

Governor Wolf has an unfinished budget from last year and delivered his 2016 – 2017 budget address two weeks ago.

Governor Wolf is again asking Pennsylvanians to pay more taxes while continuing to use the “more money for students” line.

I reported in an email blast several weeks ago that the PA Auditor General completed an audit on the Pittsburgh School District and found $129 million that was not being reported.

The first budget hearing that took place yesterday was with staste Budget Secretary Randy Albright.

I asked Secretary Albright if he was aware of the Auditor General’s report on the Pittsburgh School District and was if he was aware of the missing $129 million. He replied that he was not aware of the missing $129 million.

I responded that his answer was unacceptable.

My question is this: How could the PA Budget Secretary who represents the Governor’s Office appear in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee to ask for more money and not be aware of the $129 million  that our own PA Auditor General found in a public school district audit?

Within the next month the Auditor General will be issuing the results of an audit that was recently performed on the Philadelphia School District. I predict the findings will reveal massive financial mismanagement in the Philadelphia School District.

Patriot News reporter Jan Murphy published a story, Feb. 16, titled – “$100,000 Club – Search the database of PA state government top 2015 earners.”

The story noted that in 2013 there were 4,822 people who earned $100,000 per year or more in state government. In 2014 the number grew to 6,356 people earning over $100,000 per year or more. It grew again to 7,692 people in 2015 earning $100,000 or more.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee I will be participating in budget hearings with agencies that are all looking for increased funding. At the same time, Governor Wolf is again looking for Pennsylvanians to pay more in taxes. With that in mind and after reading Jan Murphy’s story I have to ask myself this question….when is enough money enough?

Ms. Murphy asks a great question in her story: “Take a guess at which person in all of state government made more money last year: The Governor, A Supreme Court Justice, A Legislator, A Professor, or a swimming coach.”

“There’s little chance the swimming coach would be the one you’d pick.”

The swimming coach at West Chester University had earnings of $420,172 last year.

I believe that Pennsylvania is in the beginning stages of a recession.

Many elderly homeowners living on fixed incomes cannot afford their school – property taxes and are faced with selling their homes.

Many businesses linked to the energy industry are laying off employees in droves because of historic low gas and oil prices.

Still Governor Wolf wants more money from the people I just mentioned?

The answer is simple for me – Absolutely Not – it is time for Pennsylvania Government to immediately go on a diet – and that means now.

To be Crystal Clear – I will NOT be voting for any tax increases for the 2016-17 budget and I fully intend to educate and lobby my Republican colleagues to also vote for zero tax increases.

Since I joined the PA State Senate in April of 2014 I have seen firsthand, examples of waste, fraud, abuse and financial mismanagement. It is time to clean house and restructure the mess in Harrisburg and get our financial act together.

Stay tuned – I will be asking many questions during the Senate Appropriations Hearings – one of my questions for each agency head will be – “You need to figure out how to live on less funding from Harrisburg – are you capable of doing that?

Sen. Wagner represents the 28th District in the Pennsylvania Senate.

West Chester Swim Coach Makes $420,172

Fred Cherry R.I.P.

Fred CherryFred Cherry, an Air Force fighter pilot, who spent more than seven years as a POW in North Vietnam after being shot down in 1965 died Feb. 16.

He was 87.

An excellent obituary which details his courage and dignity can be found at Stars and Stripes here.

Fred Cherry R.I.P.

Val DiGiorgio Replacing Gleason?

Val DiGiorgio Replacing Gleason?
The next head of the Pennsylvania Republican Party?

Val DiGiorgio Replacing Gleason? — A little birdie told us that Chester County Republican Chairman Val DiGiorgio has the inside track to replace  Rob Gleason as chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party.

Former Congresswoman Melissa Hart, who has quite a bit of influence in state-wide GOP circles, was reportedly boosting him big at the Feb. 15  Spirit of Lincoln Dinner hosted by the Allegheny County Republican Party out there in Pittsburgh.

If our birdie is accurate, we betcha Montco Dem boss Josh Shapiro is quietly cheering.

Val DiGiorgio Replacing Gleason?

Stan Casacio Gets 1500 Signatures

Stan Casacio Gets 1500 Signatures
Stan Casacio announcing his candidacy Jan. 21.

Stan Casacio Gets 1500 Signatures — The petitions for Montgomery County businessman Stan Casacio were accepted, Feb. 16, by the Pennsylvania Department of State and he will be on the ballot, April 26, for the Republican 7th congressional primary.

He is challenging incumbent Pat Meehan.

Over 1500 names were collected.

Casacio is running because of concerns about fiscal irresponsibility and uncontrolled immigration among other things. While he  still faces an uphill battle, Meehan better take him seriously considering what happened in South Carolina on Saturday.

Casacio’s website is here.

Meehan’s website is here.

Stan Casacio Gets 1500 Signatures.

William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 2-20-16

Count Feodor Ivanovich Tolstoy -- cousin to the great author Leo -- got himself a berth on the sloop Nadezhda on the First Russian Circumnavigation in 1803.Count Feodor Ivanovich Tolstoy — cousin to the great author Leo — got himself a berth on the sloop Nadezhda on the First Russian Circumnavigation in 1803.

The event’s purpose was to bring prestige to the nation and advance scientific knowledge.

Tolstoy was royalty so he didn’t have an assigned role. He spent his time drinking, picking fights and playing jokes. He got the ship’s priest drunk, for instance, then glued his beard to the deck.

The final straw, though, was likely the orangutan.

During an island stop, he acquired a pet orangutan. He snuck it into the captain’s cabin, took out the logbook, put a blank sheet of paper on top and showed the ape how to cover it with ink. He left while ape went on drawing. When the captain returned, the records were ruined along with much scientific data.

Enough became enough and Tolstoy and the orangutan was marooned by the crew on the Kamchatka peninsula. From there Tolstoy made it to Aleutian islands and from there to Siberia and home.

He became known as The American due to his stay in Alaska. Nobody knows what happened to the orangutan.

Count Feodor Ivanovich Tolstoy

Chesco Inquisition Closed? Not So Fast

Chesco Inquisition Closed? Not So Fast — Long-time Republican and Phoenixville election worker Paul Celentano missed the note that the Chester County Republican Party inquisition scheduled for Feb. 11 at party HQ on Church Street in West Chester so he went.

He was met by the county GOP Executive Director Laura Wagoner who explained that the event was cancelled but he couldn’t have attended anyway as it would have been a closed hearing. Chesco Inquisition Closed? Not So Fast

The hearing is suspected to have been an attempt to remove committeepeople  ane Ladley, Tom Ferro, Steve Mobley and Donna Ellingsen  who are accused of violating party bylaws for supporting candidates other than the nominated ones.

Mrs. Ladley is the Area 19 chairwoman.

Mrs. Ellingsen says that those accused have not consented to a closed hearing.

“We have specifically informed the Chesco GOP solicitor that we have nothing to hide behind closed doors,” she said.

Chesco Inquisition Closed? Not So Fast

Lotte Lenya William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 2-19-16

Lotte Lenya named in the American version of “Mack the Knife” was the wife of composer Kurt Weill who co-wrote The Threepenny Opera from which the song comes. Lotte is also known for playing the evil Rosa Klebb in the James Bond movie From Russia With Love. Suky Tawdry, Lucy Brown et al were characters in the play.

Lotte Lenya William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 2-19-16
Lotte Lenya William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 2-19-16
Lotte Lenya was Rosa Klebb?

Pat Toomey Stay Strong

Pat Toomey Stay StrongPat Toomey Stay Strong — Sen. Pat Toomey, who has been a very good senator for Pennsylvania and the nation, has gone on record saying the replacement for recently deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia must be appointed by the next president.

He is right.

There are troubling reports that the U.S. Senate’s Republican majority which is not known for its profile in courage will listen to the whispers of the Washington game players and allow Obama to name another Bill Ayers disciple.

Any choice by Obama, it should be noted, will be a Bill Ayers disciple.

If you want to continue to protect the lives of little girls, Sen. Toomey, make sure you fight these whisperers and make sure the Scalia seat stays vacant until next January.

Many people who voted for you in 2010 did so with for the sole reason that would you be in a position to stop Obama on a matter such as this. If you abandon them they will certainly abandon you this fall.

Pat Toomey Stay Strong