Public Schools Fewer Students More Staff

Public Schools Fewer Students More Staff — For those who wonder why life seems to be getting harder with regard to the tax burden consider this tidbit from Commonwealth Foundation — Since 2000, public school enrollment has dropped by 60,000 students while staffing is up 17,000.

If the  cost — salaries, benefits, insurance, tuition etc. —  to the taxpayer for  each extra staffer is about $75,000 then the taxpayer is unnecessarily burdened by $1.275 billion.

And remember, in a sane world you need actually need fewer staff for fewer students.

Public Schools Fewer Students More Staff

Christie Nixes Medicaid Expansion

Christie Nixes Medicaid Expansion — Hey Pennsylvania Republicans look at this: New Jersey’s Christie vetoes Medicaid expansion bill

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on June 28 vetoed a bill that
attempted to make the state’s expansion of Medicaid eligibility
permanent under  Obamacare saying it “would add
potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to state and local budgets.”

If the “RINO Obama-loving” Christie can do this in a much more liberal state how about you show some similar backbone? Are you listening Sen. Pileggi? Gov. Corbett? Are you afraid the Philadelphia Inquirer will call you names? Don’t be. Nobody reads that paper anymore.

Christie Nixes Medicaid Expansion

Col. May Welcome Home

Col. May Welcome HomeLt. Col. David T. May was welcomed  to Springfield, tonight, June 29, escorted by police and ambulance with sirens blaring, and a motorcycle escort from Warriors Watch that kept traffic clear from Philadelphia International Airport down I-95 to the Blue Route to his home on Lewis Road.

May, who serves in the Special Forces with the Army Reserves, was returning from his third tour in Afghanistan.

May’s street was decorated with American flags placed curbside starting at Thompson Avenue by neighbors who had been informed of his homecoming as part of a celebration organized by  Alan Shooster and Rick Megaro. On his front yard were dozens of them, some of whom had prepared a barbecue of hot dogs and soda and beer along with other treats. It should be noted that May missed his first flight and his arrival came at nearly 9 p.m. The delay didn’t seem to affect the crowd.

Members of Heroes’ Welcome held signs and carried flags and applauded.

The greeting was a complete surprise to the Colonel. May spent nine months in Afghanistan this time according to his wife Denise, who along with daughter Katy greeted him at the airport.

She said she will shoot him in the foot if he is ordered back.

Among the greeters was Ruby, the puppy he and Denise adopted while he was on leave. Ruby was a replacement for Trooper, the blind yellow Labrador retriever the Mays adopted 10 years ago, said Robin Shooster. Trooper died while May was overseas.

Thank you for your service Colonel. Welcome home.

Col. May Welcome Home

Omnibit Of The Day

No, Christopher Anthony, don’t bother to ask your green grocer for a fruit from the jackfruit tree. The sweet fruit weights over 100 pounds — making it the world’s largest tree fruit. They are popular in India and Sir Lanka.

–William W. Lawrence Sr.

Daryl Metcalfe Concerning Proposed Gas Tax Hike

Daryl Metcalfe Concerning Proposed Gas Tax Hike — State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-12) put this on Facebook about 50 minutes ago: I
strongly voiced my objections in a Republican Caucus meeting yesterday
regarding the proposed gas tax increase. In a heated exchange with a
caucus leader he accused me of being a bully because I let them know
that if they went against a majority of Republicans to pass the gas tax
with democrat votes then they should not be re-elected as leaders.

He has 2,867 likes.

Daryl Metcalfe Concerning Proposed Gas Tax Hike

Liquor Privatization Clears Hurdle 2013

Liquor Privatization Clears Hurdle 2013 — The Pennsylvania Senate at 1:20 this morning, June 29, voted 27-23 on party lines with Republicans as ayes to approve a revised plan to privatize the sale of liquor.

The deadlock was broken after Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-9) offered this amendment.

The bill  allows Pennsylvania’s 1,100 retail beer distributors to buy permits to sell wine and liquor and grocery stores with beer licenses to be able to get a permit to sell wine, Bars will be able to sell three six-packs instead of two and distributors will be allowed to sell six packs now. Local brewers will be able to see their wares at farmer’s markets.

Democrat Shirley Kitchen of the 3rd District tweeted “this is a purely political move at a political time.”

Gov.Tom Corbett thanked the Senate and said he looks forward to signing the bill, which still need reconciliation with the one passed by the House.

Liquor Privatization Clears Hurdle 2013

28 Cent Gas Hike Being Debated Barrar Tweet

28 Cent Gas Hike Being Debated Barrar Tweet — State Rep. Stephen Barrar (R-160) just tweeted at 11 a.m., today, (June 29) we will start debate on SB1 the bill that will raise the state gas tax by 28 cents per gallon. It will raise about $1.9 billion for transportation projects and mass transit. I plan to vote against the bill and hope to see it defeated. If it passes it will be by one or two votes. call and email your state rep and tell them what you think of the bill.

Prevailing Wage Bills Up For Vote (2013)

The Pennsylvania House Republicans have tweeted that that two prevailing wage bills are up for vote today, June 29.

The House GOP has an excellent explanation as to what prevailing wage is and how it puts a tremendous the tax burden on the average resident here.

Good for the House GOP.

Telemarketing Medical Scam

Telemarketing Medical Scam — A new medical alert scam is targeting seniors nationwide, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129). The unsolicited calls are pre-recorded messages stating that the senior qualifies for a free medical alert system or that someone has already paid for it.

The message instructs seniors to press a number on their keypad to connect with a live person, or to press a different number to disconnect the call or be removed from their list.

If you receive a call like this, do not press any buttons. Just hang up the phone.

These calls are not from a legitimate company. They are attempts to scam seniors by enticing them with a free device and then asking for personal information.

 

Telemarketing Medical Scam
Telemarketing Medical Scam

Ron Johnson Illegal Immigration Vote

Ron Johnson Illegal Immigration Vote — Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has explained why he was one of the 32 nay votes for the 1,187 “comprehensive immigration reform” bill (S. 744) that passed his chamber, June 27.

 

“My bottom line in deciding whether or not I support this bill has always been that it must solve the problem. Unfortunately, I’ve come to the conclusion that it will not.  The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reaches this same conclusion in its evaluation of the underlying bill, finding that the bill will only reduce illegal immigration by 25 percent.  That means an estimated 7.5 million more illegal immigrants will come to this country by 2033, recreating the uncertainty and fear in the next generation of children whose parents decide to come here illegally or overstay their visas.

“It’s not surprising that CBO reached this conclusion when you look at the amount of money we are spending on safety net benefits and other costs associated with this bill.  CBO estimates that the bill will increase federal direct spending by $262 billion over the next 10 years.  Most of those outlays would be for increases in refundable tax credits and in spending on health care programs for non U.S. citizens.  That is why I introduced an amendment to prevent noncitizens from accessing the Earned Income Tax Credit.  This amendment did not even get a vote, despite that fact that a recent National Journal poll found that 77 percent of all Americans oppose making newly legalized immigrants ‘eligible for government benefits . . . before they become citizens.’

 

Johnson noted that he is not against reform and that there were things he liked in the bill such as the way it would have replaced ” the H-2A agriculture visa that has not worked with a much more workable system, ”

Give him credit or reading the stupid thing which is more than I would have done as the assumption is safe to make that 1,187 page pieces of legislation are intrinsically corrupt  and should be automatically rejected.

With regard to the Pennsylvania contingent, Bob Casey, the Democrat, voted aye as expected as he is a good little mindless pawn for puppeteers who run things in D.C. while Pat Toomey, the Republican, voted nay.

All the nays were cast by Republicans albeit 14 members of the GOP voted for the bill.

Here is the roll call.

The bill now goes to the House where all thinking people must pressure their congressman to kill it.

Hat tip Stephen Kruiser at  PJMedia.com

Ron Johnson Illegal Immigration Vote