Day: July 2, 2013

IHTPA Praises Pa. House; Slams Senate, Corbett

Here is a statement from the Independence Hall Tea Party Association regarding the weekend’s legislative activity in Harrisburg:

What a difference a day makes.

Just when we thought that our lawmakers were moving ahead with groundbreaking legislation, and the press reported it as such, we learn that it was all smoke and mirrors.

And so it was with the Pennsylvania Senate’s passage of the Liquor Privatization Bill.

The voting process began several months ago when the Pennsylvania House approved and sent to the Senate a much better privatization bill.  The House version was then virtually tossed aside while Senator Chuck Millinery (R-Bucks) and his colleagues rewrote almost the entire bill.

Still, there was a glimmer of hope left for privatization when the Senate passed its version by a vote of 27-23.

But in Harrisburg, Senate approved legislation must then clear the Appropriations Committee.

And even though Republicans are in the majority on the Committee, word is they won’t move on privatization unless the House passes $2.1 billion Transportation Bill that would increase the price of gas by at least $.30 a gallon.

The House, to its credit, also won’t budge.

So, what does this mean?  The PA Republican Senate would rather substantially raise taxes than support an effort to expand free enterprise in the Keystone State.

Bad news for Governor Tom Corbett who supports both the privatization and the transportation bills. Looks like, for now, the Governor is plum out of luck.

Hats off to the rank and file House Republicans for standing their ground against the pseudo Republicans that dominate the Senate, and, on the Transportation bill, the aloof Governor of our state.

Does Governor Corbett actually think the path to re-election is a $.30 or more tax increase on a gallon of gas?

We’ll find out in 16 months.

Hope to see you on the 4th.

On behalf of the Association Board,
Teri Adams

House GOP Saves Pa. From 28 Cent Per Gal Tax Hike

House State Government Committee Majority Chairman Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) issued the following statement  regarding final passage of Pennsylvania’s 2013-14 state budget.

“I voted for this year’s $28.4 billion state budget because in the
end it is a victory for limited government and limited government
spending.  For the third consecutive year, total spending growth falls
below the TABOR allowable growth rate of 2.54 percent by $59 million.
Best of all, fiscally-conservative House Republicans were able to hold the line and, ultimately, defeat Governor Corbett’s nearly $2 billion annual gas tax-driven transportation funding plan and a backdoor attempt by the state Senate to expand Medicaid under ObamaCare.

“No matter how you look at it, Medicaid expansion is a blatant attack on working taxpayers and a blatant violation of our Constitutional rights.  Pennsylvania needs to stand together with the states that have already rejected ObamaCare in full to protect our citizens’ freedoms and pockets from this accelerated spending nightmare.

“Rather than increasing taxes and fees to generate transportation
revenue out of the pockets of hard-working taxpayers, we should look to other areas ripe for cuts.   If we cut the Department of Public Welfare budget by 10 percent, more than $1 billion in revenue could be generated for necessary infrastructure improvements and repairs.  Using the money from the sale of the state liquor stores could also generate $1 billion.  Tax and fee increases are the wrong answer for funding roads and bridges.  I will continue my fight to protect taxpayers.”

House GOP Saves Pa. From 28 Cent Per Gal Tax Hike

House GOP Saves Pa. From 28 Cent Per Gal Tax Hike

Budget Sets Record For Basic Ed Spending

The new state budget increases the basic education subsidy by $122 million reaching putting it an an all-time high of $5.5 billion reports Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association.