To WAM or Not To WAM - My Dear Watson

To WAM or Not to WAM in Pa. Budget by KYW's Tony Romeo

Pennsylvania Lawmakers haggle over pet projects in stalled budget negotiations. So much for Monty Hall's Lets Make a Deal.

A spokesman for the Senate Republican leader insists there will be no WAMS in this tight budget year. But Tim Potts, co-founder of the good Pennsylvania government group “Democracy Rising,” says he believes there is probably more than $100 million tucked away for WAMS:

“The problem is that there’s never been an accurate accounting for WAMS. They’re never told us where they are, how much they are, what the process is used to get them.”

Keep in mind that the tax on arts, music, and theatre is meant to bring in $120 million. Guess they will be funding the WAMS if they are in the budget.

Here's what happens when government geniuses pick on an industry and depend on its tax revenue. Hotel Taxes Down In Lancaster

Fast Eddy Rendell's battlecry was that revenue projections were phony. In a tight state budget how does Rendell justify offering a job to the soon to be ex-mayor of Harrisburg? Tony Phyrillas previously reported that Rendell hired 110 employees, many high salaried where the pay is at least $100,000.00, on his own after he announced a hiring freeze. I guess the state budget crisis and revenue projections affect everyone except Rendell.

Let's finish up with John Baers' column in the Philadephia News that takes a semi-satirical look at the confusion over what is and what is not in the current proposed Pennsylvania State Budget.

WITH A $28 billion seemingly shaky budget deal now being explained to the rank-and-file lawmakers whose votes are needed to enact it, here's a peek at how that process might be moving along.

Picture closed meetings: many lawmakers, a few legislative leaders.

LEADER: OK, you've all seen or heard some details. Questions?

LAWMAKER #1: Yeah, explain why we should vote for $700 million in new taxes if there's a $450 million surplus in here and another $100 million in WAMs.

LEADER: We need, um, a cushion for next year. And it's probably best not to mention cushions or WAMs in your next taxpayer-financed constituent newsletter home.

LAWMAKER #2: Why are we canceling the scheduled cut in the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax for business given that the national, nonpartisan and venerable Tax Foundation just reported our ranking among states "best for business" has slipped from 22nd in 2006 to 27th now.

LEADER: Well 27th is like halfway to best, right? Next question.

LAWMAKER #3: What's the reasoning behind a new 25-cent tax on cigarettes and little cigars that look like cigarettes, but at the same time we remain the only state not taxing real cigars and chewing tobacco?

LEADER: Perhaps you are unaware of U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts released Sept. 1 saying our state, our people, our constituents will produce 19.2 million pounds of tobacco this year, up from 6.8 million in 2002, making us one of only three states, along with Kentucky and North Carolina, with a higher yield than last year. It's a grower's market, baby. Plus, remember our motto: "Gutless on Smokeless."

LAWMAKER #4: I don't see anything in here about taxing gays for access to restaurants, concerts, pro sports, public restrooms, churches and rural counties.

LEADER: No, Daryl, we took that out.

LAWMAKER #5: Speaking of concerts, why are we taxing concerts, performing arts, museums, zoos and such and not pro sports games?

LEADER: You really think the Big Guy, OK the formerly Big Guy, wants to anger owners of the Phillies and Pirates while angling to become Major League Baseball commissioner? Come on.

What I think of Ed Rendell: (I think state outrage over him is on par with the outrage against George Bush as the end of his term)

Paul Kanjorkski Stretching The Baseball Facts

Paul Kanjorski, in his usual arrogant attitude, fired back at the Associated Press over their story concerning Freddie Mac and the Washington National baseball tickets. He states that the Associated Press mislead the public in its story. Paul, what a crock. How many times in your career have you mislead the public? The Veteran's Hospital in Wilkes Barre is one example but we will save that for another day.

Kanjorski blames George Bush for everything. I don't know what he is going to do after January 20, 2009.

Here is the part of the AP story Paul wants everyone to forget.

"The records obtained by the AP reflect growing concern within Freddie Mac over a chorus of criticism from Republicans worried that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae had grown too big. The two companies owned or guaranteed over $5 trillion in mortgages.

The Bush administration and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan were sounding the alarm about the potential threat to the nation's financial health if the fortunes of the two mammoth companies turned sour. They did eventually, when they took on $1 trillion worth of subprime mortgages and when their traditional guarantee business deteriorated. Commercial banks regarded Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae as competitors and were anxious to pick up business that would result from scaling back the two companies.

Pushing back, Freddie Mac enlisted prominent conservatives, including Gingrich and former Justice Department official Viet Dinh, paying each $300,000 in 2006, according to internal records."

"The AP previously described, in October, how Freddie Mac thwarted efforts to bring a tough regulatory bill sponsored by Republican Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John McCain of Arizona to a full Senate vote.

At a meeting days after Hagel's bill went to the full Senate, Syron and McLoughlin berated the company's in-house lobbyists for failing to keep Hagel's bill corralled in committee, said the four people familiar with events at Freddie Mac at the time.

Freddie Mac shifted into high gear, secretly paying a Republican consulting firm, Washington-based DCI Group, $2 million to kill Hagel's legislation. The covert lobbying campaign targeted Republican senators in 2005-06.

According to the newly obtained records, DCI's deployment was part of a broader campaign that targeted mainly Republicans on Capitol Hill.

The internal Freddie Mac documents show that 17 of the lobbying firms and consultants paid in 2006 were specifically directed to focus on Republicans and four on Democrats, with varying targets for the rest."

Paul, the Democrats had control of Congress, not the Republicans. That is why Freddie Mac needed to concentrate on the Republicans. There was little disagreement in the Democratic party to leave Freddie Mac alone.

Paul, do you really want us to believe that Freddie Mac buys individual tickets for each game as oppossed to having box seats. Here is the pricing for the Washington Nationals. It is reported that Diamond Club seats are $90.00, not $45.00. Let's entertain Paul's story for a moment. The price of his ticket is $45.00. The price of parking is between $15.00 to $40.00 for valet per game. The average price of an entree at Kosher Sports is between $11.00 and $20.00. Burgers at the Hard Times Cafe located at the stadium are almost $9.00. The price of a domestic draft beer is $7.50. The price of a mixed drink is between $8.00 and $12.00.

Lets add it up. $45.00 for ticket, $20.00 for parking, $9.00 for a sandwich, $8.00 for a mixed drink, and these prices are the low end. $82.00 is what I get, not $45.00. When you go to the ball park do you only have one beer???

When you go to your seat what are the chances that the CEO and lobbyists of Freddie Mac are sitting next to you? But, according to Paul, it was the Associated Press that is misleading the public.