Its Time For Pennsylvania To Tighten Its Belt

In a recent post a commenter has been taking me to task on different issues. I decided to make an article out of my responses concerning the "State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania". The Democrats and Republicans are blaming each other for the budget impasse. However, neither is communicating the real problems with funding the budget and why their positions are so etched in stone.

The commenter admitted being a Democrat but so is my wife. I won't hold that against him. However he blames Republicans for not wanting to raise taxes. Here is my response with some interesting and truthful facts.

Don't blame the Republicans for a no go on natural gas tax revenue...Rendell was the one who conceded to that industry according to this article. http://www.citizensvoice.com/news/business/rendell_drops_proposed_natural_gas_tax_for_now "Gov. Ed Rendell is accommodating industry requests and backing away from a state severance tax on natural gas production, which would have added revenue to prop up a new state budget."


Typical democratic philosophy... tax, tax, tax,...I will consider that option as soon as the legislature "takes a hit" which is a famous (Todd)Eachus quote. Decrease the size of the legislature..decrease the size of the staff...according to the Bonusgate indictment the staff are only needed for political campaigns and legislative policy, not state work or state issues. The Pennsylvania legislature perpetuates itself and its bloated staff. Read the local opinion written yesterday on the subject.

Pennsylvanians pay enough tax...why do many corporations incorporate in Delaware and not Pennsylvania? Why is the gas tax in Delaware alot less? Why is our sales tax at 6%? Rendell already raised the income tax during his tenure and wants more. Why?? Tax natural gas companies, that will only be passed onto the consumer..who are mostly Democrats in this state...Tobacco companies..again a significant industry in PA but look at the tobacco tax where it is at now...

Look at Pennsylvania figures for Medicaid and the prison populations.

Prison population up 40% in 9 years... http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/state/s_639625.html

Here is a document that contains a graph on the rise of Medicaid recipients in this state(since 1998)...(to)almost 2 million out of 12 million residents

http://www.pamedicaid.pitt.edu/documents/MA%20Basics%20FS%2008.pdf

So tax tax tax to support those problems...

I think you are forgetting the age of the population in Pennsylvania...22% are 18 and under plus 15.3% are 65 and older...That's 37% of the population who can't afford to pay exhorbitant tax rates...

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42000.html

We are only one of 9 states with a full time legislature...Why???

http://www.phillynorml.org/forum/index.php?topic=675.0

The total size, 253 members, and cost, $312 million, of the Pennsylvania Legislature both ranked second among the states in recent studies.

In addition to salary, House lawmakers receive an average $11,349 toward health insurance, an average $5,351 for prescription drugs with a co-pay, dental and vision benefits and a number of per-diem payments. Pensions and life and disability insurance benefits also count as individual benefits.

Support costs for House lawmakers include a $20,000 office expense account, a $7,800 vehicle expense reimbursement and $4,000 postage account. House lawmakers can use a car from the state government's fleet of more than 16,000 or be reimbursed for driving their own cars.
Senators receive an average $13,791 toward health insurance and dental and vision benefits. Since 2007, senators pay 1 percent of their salary to participate in the health care plan. They receive per diems, pensions and life and long-term care insurance as well.

Support costs for senators, who have larger constituencies, include a $25,000 expense account and $26,500 postage account. They can use a state car or claim mileage, currently at 55 cents a mile.

House and Senate lawmakers can claim a $143 per diem to cover costs of lodging and meals. The per diem amount fluctuates annually based on federal guidelines. Estimates of total annual per-diem costs are in the $2 million range. House members can claim per diems for voting and nonvoting session days, attending committee meetings, the day after the last weekday of a session and for overnight stays.

Pennsylvania's per capita cost is far higher than that of legislatures in neighboring states, according to an analysis by the National Conference of State Legislatures. New York's legislative per capita cost is $11; New Jersey's $8.89; Maryland's $11.85 and Ohio's $2.75.

Pennsylvania ranked second in 2007 for taxpayer dollars spent on the legislative branch - $312 million. California narrowly made first place with a $321 million legislative budget, even though it has a population three times the size of Pennsylvania's. New York ranked third with a $213 million budget.

With 253 members, Pennsylvania's Legislature also is second-largest in the nation. Lawmakers are assisted by nearly 3,000 staffers. Pennsylvania ranks behind only New York in size of the legislative staff, according to a 2003 NCSL study, the most recent available.

Thirty-nine House employees were paid more than $100,000 last year, according to records. Thirty Senate employees were listed with salaries more than $100,000 as of Dec. 31.

Before you want tax increases look at this state like a business person would.. You can't raise prices and hope customers will be happy. You also must control your expenses. The legislature received a 50% pension increase in 2001, and that's both Republicans and Democrats...Who is footing the bill..of course the taxpayers...

In 2005 the PA legislature approved an illegal pay raise of 16 to 34%.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=8309

Todd Eachus and 52 others have yet to pay that money back after it was repealed.


I forgot to post that the casinos are taxed at a 55% rate. Property tax relief for Pennsylvanians was part of that legislation but property owners have yet to see any of that money. Tax collections by the Commonwealth on that amount last month, based on the 55% rate, were $98,534,824, an average of $3.18 million per day.