GOP Stalls Property Tax Reform Bill

The State House Finance Committee, yesterday, June 11, voted 13-11 to table House Bill 1776 i.e.  Property Tax Independence Act (House Bill 1776), sponsored by Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
The bill would prohibit property taxes from being used to fund public schools, replacing them dollar for dollar with increases in the sales and income taxes.
School funding makes for about 80 percent of the property tax burden in the state and about 10,000 Pennsylvanian lose their homes annually due to an inability to pay property tax.
Basically, under the current system we are renting our homes from the state.
The motion to table was made by Rep. Eli Evankovich (R-54) and nine of the 13 supporting it were Republicans. Six of the 10 Democrats on the 25-member committee voted to send the bill on to the House for a full vote.
“This proves that property tax independence is not a partisan issue,” Cox said.  “A majority of Democrats on the committee voted with us to move the bill forward.  Unfortunately, we had some Republicans who voted to stall our efforts.  Perhaps those lawmakers need to hear from their property taxpayers.”
The motion does not kill the bill, Cox says.
Cox said that  opponents argued the bill should be amended before being approved.  However, none of these members offered an amendment at today’s House Finance Committee meeting.
“I wonder about the sincerity of members who said they’d vote for the bill if it was changed, but chose not to offer any amendments,” Cox said.  “In my experience in Harrisburg, that is often a tactic used to avoid an important issue.”
Other members argued that the vote should be delayed until the bill was in pristine condition for the committee’s consideration.  However, Cox rightly pointed out that the committee did not hold other major pieces of legislation to the same standard.  House Bill 1950, which placed a fee on Marcellus Shale, was significantly amended after being approved by the House Finance Committee but before being signed into law.  Likewise, House Bill 2150, which would close a tax loophole and provide millions of dollars in tax breaks for corporations, was also amended after the House Finance Committee considered it.
“The committee seems to hold a bill that would benefit homeowners to a higher standard than it did bills that would benefit environmentalists or corporations,” Cox said.  “I think constituents are left to draw the conclusion that there appears to be two different yardsticks used to measure bills before the House Finance Committee.
“Pennsylvania homeowners now have a list of lawmakers who need to be persuaded to support the Property Tax Independence Act,” Cox said about those who voted to table the bill.  “I would hope the constituents of these representatives would reach out to the members and encourage them to support the bill in the future.”
House Finance Committee members who joined Cox in voting against the motion to table the bill include:  Rep. Ryan Aument (R-41), Rep. John Bear (R-97), Rep. Scott Boyd (R-43), Rep. Matt Bradford (D-70),  Rep. Flo Fabrizio (D-2), Rep. Adam Harris (R-82), Rep. Sid Kavulich (D-144), Rep. Rick Mirabito (D-83), Rep. Matt Smith (D-42) and Democratic Chairwoman Phyllis Mundy (D-120)
 GOP Stalls Property Tax Reform Bill
GOP Stalls Property Tax Reform Bill

Springfield Teachers Pact Vote Looms

Regina Scheerer of the Delaware County Patriots reports that the Springfield (Pa.) School Board is posed to vote on five-year teacher  contract, June 21.

And a rather sane pact it appears to be.
According to the District’s website, salaries will be frozen the first year; raised 1.62 percent the second year albeit with a $500 off-scale payment; raised 1.8 percent the third year; and 2 percent in years four and five.

The unions medical insurance contribution will be kept at 10 percent the first year, raised to 12 percent for years two through four; and raised to 13 percent in year five.

The meeting starts 7 p.m. at the McLaughlin Center at the high school on Leamy Avenue, and may be watched on Comcast Channel 11 or FIOS Channel 29.
Kudos to the Springfield School Board and the Springfield Education Association for sanity.
Springfield Teachers Pact Vote Looms

The Ghost Of Tom Joad And Neshaminy Teachers

Tom Joad, the heroic working class everyman from the Grapes of Wrath played by Henry Fonda, is oft cited by the labor movement in its cries for social justice.

In the spirit of Tom Joad, whose California trip was started by the repossession of his family home, The Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania  is advertising the salaries and benefits of the teachers in the Neshaminy School District, who are forcing the district’s children to go without an education in an attempt to get even more than the $107,002 average package they now receive.
Some rob with a six-gun. Some rob with a fountain pen. The latter are worse.
It should be noted that the burden the Neshaminy teachers are placing on their residents is happening in every school district throughout the state.
By the way, not all of those on the list are classroom teachers. They include gym teachers, guidance counselors and librarians all of whom get the same rate.
Here is a link to a downloadable pdf list of the names, salaries and benefits.

Slackers For Obama

You don’t want to work? You want the government to pay for your gas and mortgage and health care and you think it foolish to worry your silly little head as to where these things come from?
Well say it loud and say it proud, and tell the world who you want this November with a Slackers for Obama shirt.
Really. They exist.  They are being sold at this site starting at $15.90. Get your mom to buy you one or hit some passersby up for some spare change. 
Remember, if Obama wins you will no longer have to put out the effort to do such things.
 
The government will forcibly coerce the few still working to give you — the deserving slacker — what they have wrongfully acquired by providing oppressive services like plumbing, farming and retail food distribution.
And health care, but let’s not confuse ourselves.
It can safely be said that Romney has lost the slacker vote.

Joke Of The Day

 Courtesy of Judy McGrane
The Pope and Obama were on the same stage in Yankee Stadium in front of a huge crowd.
The Pope leans towards Mr. Obama and said, “Do you know that with one
little wave of my hand I can make every person in this crowd go wild with joy? This joy will not be a momentary display, but will go deep into their hearts and they’ll forever speak of this day and rejoice!”
Obama replied, “I seriously doubt that! With one little wave of your hand? Show me!”
So the Pope backhanded him and knocked him off the stage!
 AND THE CROWD ROARED & CHEERED WILDLY and there was happiness throughout the land!
 Kind of brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it !

First Studies Show Fracking Not Impacting Water Supply

Water samples collected in Bradford County last October and November have been analyzed by WESTON Solutions Inc. and found to have been unaffected by the hydraulic fracking and other Marcellus Shale natural gas development occurring there, according to PennEnergy.
PennEnergy reports that the findings have been submitted to the EPA, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and landowners involved in this study. 

Michelle Obama Supports Photo ID

Michelle Obama supports the use of photo ID.

At least she does for her book signings as has been revealed by Newsbusters.org.
Of course, getting a book signed by the first lady is a pretty serious thing. It’s not like they are trying to vote or anything.

Obama’s Re-election Is Up To Me Says Jim Messina

I just got a desperate email from Jim Messina, who is campaign manager for “Obama for America”:
Bill,

 for the first time in this campaign, we got beat in fundraising.

The Romney campaign and the Republican Party raised more than $76 million last month, compared to our $60 million. 
Then he says what happens next is up to me.
I think we can say that Barack’s re-election is problematic.
And here I was thinking exit polls in Wisconsin showed a second term was a done deal.