Eddie Day Pashinski "Are You Kidding Me?"

Some people just don't get it. Republicans swept the Pennsylvania House and the U.S. Congress this election cycle(cyclone). Democrats who took over Pennsylvania's House in 2006 quickly saw their advantage dissipate in a hurry.  One would think that any savy politician would be in tune with the wishes of the voters after the results of the November elections.

Per diems were a big issue in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's legislative use of per diems has an unanswered question looming over their correct application.

The I.R.S. hammered out an agreement in Massachusetts beginning in 2008, the state would include the per diem income on legislators' W2 forms. The state went further and in 2009 began withholding taxes each pay period on the per diems just as it does on legislators' regular income. The agreement did not include going back to any prior years in which a legislator might not have paid any state or federal taxes on the per diems.

The agreement was part of a broader pact prompted by the state's failure to withhold 2.9 percent in Medicare tax from lawmakers' paychecks since the mid-1980s. In that incident, the state agreed to go back just four years and use taxpayers' money from the general fund to pay the federal government $1.6 million for the deductions that were not taken from 2005 to 2008.

Both errors were discovered by state Treasurer Tim Cahill's office in 2006 when the state comptroller's office took over the handling of the legislative payroll from the treasurer's office.

Dave Kibbe, communications director for Cahill who became treasurer in 2003, said, "Once the state treasurer's office discovered this practice, which appeared to be long-standing, we took the lead in correcting it. The treasurer's office worked with the Legislature, the IRS and the state comptroller to resolve the issue favorably for the taxpayers of the commonwealth."

Here's what smiling Eddie "Day" Pashinski had to say about per diems in today's Times Leader article by Andrew Seder.

Pashinski said that though he’s aware there’s a push to end per diems and go to a straight receipt for reimbursement system, he’s not convinced that would save money as some contend.

He said that it’s likely new staffers would have to be hired to analyze receipts and make sure they’re valid.

I don't know why Pennsylvania legislators feel they are immune from the same action by the I.R.S. Just because they declared their per diems tax free doesn't mean they are on solid legal ground. If legislators are taking per diem for two minutes worth of work in Harrisburg I want to be there when they try to tell the I.R.S. it's a justified expense.

Just to keep the record straight. Pennsylvania's legislature size was doubled in 1873 from 100 representatives to 200.

Pennsylvania's legislative staff more than doubled from 1,430 in 1979 to 2,947 in 2003. There should be more than enough staff for Mr. Pashinski's needs, especially in light of the fact that Bonusgate proved many are hired for political work, not legislative needs.

Pennsylvania is only one of four full time legislatures in the country.

According to the Commonwealth Foundation "At 253 members, Pennsylvania's state legislature is the 2nd largest in the country, trailing only New Hampshire's 424-member body. However, as you know, New Hampshire has the epitome of a citizen legislature, where members receive only $100 per year for their part-time service."

Pennsylvania has gone back and forth with California for the crown of having the most expensive state legislature-the latest numbers put the Keystone State at number two on that dubious ranking. The 2009-10 budget includes $299 million for the legislature, up from $88 million in 1984-85.  Pennsylvania ranks third in legislative spending per capita, and first in legislative spending as a percentage of the General Fund, according to NCSL data.

The General Assembly's staff, which has grown from 1,430 in 1970 to 2,919 today, is the largest in the country. For perspective, Illinois and Ohio, the states closest in population to Pennsylvania, have 1,023 and 465 legislative staff, respectively-about one-third and one-eighth as many. Fewer legislators could result in a reduction of the number of staff (and translate into cost savings). However, increasing legislators' constituents would increase their responsibilities and workload, and could lead to more staff per legislator. Many staff are assigned to caucuses, committees, or other support areas-and may not be affected by a change in the number of lawmakers.

At $78,314, the annual salary for rank-and-file Pennsylvania lawmakers is the fourth-highest in the nation, trailing only the salaries of lawmakers in California, Michigan, and New York. However, the total cost of each legislator includes much more than salary. Benefits, including pensions, health care, and mileage, add up to tens of thousands in additional costs per lawmaker. The House and Senate collectively spent almost $4 million in per diems last year, according to Democracy Rising PA. And legislative leadership accounts that can be used for everything from public service announcements and newsletters to-at least until recently-bonuses total tens (if not hundreds) of millions of dollars.

In terms of compensation, Pennsylvania legislators are the 4th highest paid in nation at over $76,000 in base pay per year (trailing Michigan at $79,650, New York at $79,500, and California at $116,000 in 2008). In terms of support staff, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has the 2nd highest number of legislative staff (after New York, as of 2003) with over 11.6 staff members per legislator (an increase of 106% since 1978).

Given these facts, it is no surprise that Pennsylvania’s General Assembly is the most expensive operating legislature in the nation (even spending more than California’s $260 million and New York’s $220 million). In the current 2008-09 fiscal year, $332 million was appropriated for the operations of the House, Senate, and legislative support services. This is up from $88 million in 1984-85—an increase of 84% after adjusting for inflation.

Yet Mr. Pashinski states it will take more staff.

Pashinski earned a bachelors degree in Music Education at Wilkes University and a Master's Equivalency at Penn State University. Not for nothing but what qualifications does Pashinski hold to pronouce an expert opinion on the need and the size of the staff supporting our Legislature. On this issue Pashinski isn't listening to the voters.  Of course Pashinski was a protege of Todd Eachus.  Pashinski retired as a teacher and due to his recent relection will qualify for two pensions from the State of Pennsylvania.  During last year's budget debacle Pashinski took home $2054.00 in per diems. Must be hard to give that up when you are getting a pension plus $78,314.00 per year.

Pashinski once stated the need for checks and balances. "Nothing will ever replace honesty and good ethics," Pashinski said. "Mankind - it's like water. You put up a dam and water rolling down a hill will always find another way to go. That's why you always need checks and balances."

How do you have checks and balances when a legislator like Eddie Pashinski gets to decide whether he and others are entitled to per diems, the reimbursement amount, and the level of pension benefit for both his teacher's pension and legislative pension? Talk about flying under the radar. Is that Eddie I see?

Eachus's Harrisburg Home For Rent

Before the November election the Times-Tribune penned a story about homes owned in Harrisburg by state legislators including former House Majority Leader Todd Eachus. His spokesman, Brett Marcy, made these statesments over the controversy.

- Mr. Eachus, D-116, Butler Twp., and his wife, Ellen, own a two-story brick townhouse listed as commercial property with apartments at 225 South St., near the Capitol building.

They bought it for $125,000 on Aug. 30, 2005, and have a $100,000, 30-year mortgage on it. The previous owner paid $82,000 for it at a 1996 sheriff's sale. The property is also listed as a source of income on his 2008 financial interest statement.

Efforts to reach Mr. Eachus were unsuccessful, but his spokesman, Brett Marcy, said House rules do not distinguish among types of lodging.

"He incurs food and lodging expenses, so he deserves to be reimbursed for those expenses," he said.

"What you are getting at is whether this is permissible," he added. "The next question is whether it's right. We meet the threshold of whether it is permissible. He's following the rules."

Marcy never did comment on whether it was right.

The Pennsylvania Independent reported on Representative-Elect Tarah Toohil's comments over the controversy.

Ms. Toohil attacked her opponent for his per diem usage, particularly for using $27,000 in per diems to purchase a house in Harrisburg during a time when Pennsylvanians are struggling with an 8.9 percent unemployment rate.

She resoundingly defeated Eachus on November 2nd in what amounted to a stunning victory still talked about in Harrisburg. It will be recorded as one of the most amazing feats, rocking Harrisburg's political scene by coming out of nowhere and kicking the House Majority Leader out of office.

The picture above shows that Eachus put his house up for rent. It must be hard for him to afford a 2nd home when the taxpayers aren't footing the mortgage payments. Any bets on him returning any profit he makes on the sale right back to the state budget? Hmmm...look at it this way. I guess it is better than a sign outside a legislative office that says "For Sale."

Todd Eachus's Attempt To Escape Voter Backlash

Back in 2005 a legislative "midnight" payraise bill passed the House of Representatives and was signed into law. To be accurate the bill passed at 2A.M. The Post-Gazette penned this article on the bonus scandal timeline that includes the pay raise debacle.

July 7, 2005
State lawmakers approve hefty raises for themselves, sparking voter outrage and turning the next election cycle into one of the most contentious in Pennsylvania history.
• "General Assembly votes itself a 16 percent minimum pay raise"

Nov. 5, 2005
Lawmakers buckle to public pressure and repeal the pay-raise bill. Democratic Whip Michael Veon, D-Beaver Falls, stands alone as the only lawmaker to vote against the repeal.
• "Repeal of pay raises passes quickly, 50-0, as leaders ask for forgiveness"

DemocracyRising reported on this article from RockTheCapital.org on July 10, 2010 titled "60 Current and Former Legislators Continue to Profit for Stealing Taxpayer Dollars and Refuse to Pay the Money Back"

Initially, 131 House members and 27 Senators signed up for “unvouchered expenses.” Payments were received between July 7 and November 16, 2005, ranging from $1,288 to $14,553.32 (before taxes). The repealed pay raises would have boosted lawmakers’ salaries from 16 to 54 percent, depending on seniority, rank, title and leadership.

House Democratic members who took “unvouchered expenses” and did not pay the money back or “donated” the “unconstitutional” income to charities have been rewarded with leadership positions, job promotions, or committee chairmanships and assignments to the Speaker’s Commission on Legislative Reform.

Democratic Payjackers in House Leadership (5):
• Keith McCall (D-Carbon), Speaker.
• Todd Eachus (Luzerne), Majority Leader.

According to the Majority Leader, Todd Eachus (D-Luzerne), "The payraise thing, I think, is finally behind us. I think we're on to other issues now."(Patriot News, February 17, 2008).

Eachus believes he is going to "escape" this issue. That ain't gonna happen.

Remember the budget impasse in Harrisburg last year. CnnMoney.com reported on how that failure of leadership hurt Pennsylvanians. Here' what Todd Eachus had to say about the impasse as reported in the News Item while racking up his per diems during that time.

Eachus said it was his responsibility as a leader to engage in the negotiations with Gov. Ed Rendell and Senate leaders and work out the compromises needed to pass the budget. While it took a long time to resolve, Eachus said the final budget came together in the way he hoped by maintaining health care for children, distributing additional money for education and providing enough recurring revenues so Pennsylvania doesn't have to reopen its budget like some states are doing this fall.

"We ought to be able to get through the next two years without a revenue increase," he said.

Eachus pointed out that lawmakers - unlike the governor - don't have a taxpayer-funded residence to stay in when they are in Harrisburg. That is the most disingenous statement to the citizens of the Commonwealth as they come. What do you call this Mr. Eachus?

He will try to escape the issue of owning this home in Harrisburg while still collecting per diems. That ain't gonna happen.

When Todd Eachus ran for office in 1996 he was proud that then "State Representative Michael Veon and Democratic Majority Leader William DeWeese were prime sponsors" of a fund raising event scheduled for him on April 4, 1996. In the same publication he stated that "While voters are attentive to the political process, we are determined to build positive name recognition. Today Michael Veon is in prison and DeWeese faces trial on charges stemming from the Bonusgate investigation.

On June 30, 2007 Gort reported on his blog that Todd Eachus was trying to secure funding for Robert Powell's company in its quest to open a cargo airport outside of Hazleton. Powell donated over $17,000 to Eachus's campaign over the years. In an apparent pay to play scheme Eachus returned the favor.

Supporters of a proposed cargo airport in the Hazleton area are eyeing slots revenues to help pay for the $500 million project. State Rep. Todd Eachus, D-Butler Township, inserted a $16.5 million authorization for the cargo airport in a new House bill listing projects under the Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund. Robert Powell plead guilty for his role in the FBI's Luzerne County corruption probe that has snared 30 officials to date.

He will try to escape the corruption that swirls around those he surrounds himself with. That ain't gonna happen.

Standard Speaker reporter Bob Salitza reported on Todd Eachus's announcement that he was running for state representative in the 116th Legislative District on December 7, 1995. Below is a snapshot of that article. Eachus is quoted in the article.

"Now is the time for fundamental change in Harrisburg,." he declared. "We must put an end to midnight votes on pay raises for legislators. We have been taxed and WAM'ed(WAM is "walking around money" that state lawmakers does out as they see fit) until we can't take it anymore."

Todd Eachus not only voted for a midnight pay raise, he failed to return it to the citizens of the Commonwealth.

Maybe it is time we can't take Todd Eachus anymore. He shouldn't escape losing this election. Obviously he is part of the culture that Dan Onorato says pervades Harrisburg.

Tara Toohil Thinks State Government Is "Broken"

Standard Speaker veteran reporter Mia Light informs her readers about election issues Tarah Toohil feels are the important points of her campaign for State Representative in the 116th district.

"I think the government is broken. I think it has gone so far afield from the way that government was intended to be," Toohil said during a meeting with the Standard-Speaker editorial board recently.

"(The issue of) property taxes is huge."

"People are still so upset about the gambling money. People remember that last year's state budget hinged on that gambling money and senior citizens remember that they were supposed to get a tax break with that money."

She is in favor of term limits. And she believes fiscal responsibility begins with trimming a lot of the government's own fat.

"Government was supposed to have representatives that are just like everyone else in the community. They weren't supposed to be career politicians."

"The legislature we have now, they're always serving themselves with perks and per diems that are out of control to the point of becoming like an additional salary. That's the biggest problem with the legislature. Rather than being an honor and a privilege to serve their community, they feel we should pay them with excessive perks and pensions."

She believes elected officials should liken themselves to the British House of Commons. "The House of Representatives was supposed to be like in the British Parliamentary System, the House of Commons."

Most people aren't familiar with the British system but here are some highlights. Click on this link to see the expense reporting requirements for Members of Parliament(MPs).

Members of Parliament ARE REQUIRED to list ALL their expenses unlike PA legislators and they are published on a free website for public review. Travel costs, stationery and postage costs, details of catering functions and events hosted by Members, repayments made against all claim types, and net totals, reflecting the repayments made against the original claims are searchable on the net for the public's curiosity and right to know. THERE ARE NO PER DIEMS.

In June 2009 more than a million documents and receipts were published online. These related to MPs' claims dating back to 2004/05 and up to 2007/08.

In December 2009 these pages were updated to include information about MPs' claims for costs incurred when staying away from their main home in 2008/09 and the first quarter of 2009/10.

Parliament publishes
"The Green Book" which serves as a guide to MP allowances. Pennsylvania legislators have a $10,000 no receipt expense account, free health care, fully paid vision and dental coverage, free prescriptions, fully paid life insurance and long-term care insurance, and the 50% increase in pension benefits the legislators awarded themselves nine years ago.

In order to see what expenses are reimbursed to Pennsylvania legislators you must submit a right to know request. In Britain all you have to do is boot up your computer and have at it.

If Pennsylvania legislators were truly interested in reform quick adoption of this reporting system would be a start.

One other piece of information. In 2009 Members of Parliament were paid the equivalent of $103,918.00(The current annual salary for an MP is £65,738). Keep in mind that is to run a country. They must account for all of the public funds they spend.

Todd Eachus's salary is over $115,000 and Paul Kanjorski's salary is $175,000 plus. Why voters keep returning them to office is beyond me.

Pennsylvania Kills Alternative Energy Tax Credit On the Sly

Diane Mastrull writes this article in today's Philadelphia Inquirer regarding the alternative energy tax credits that were promised by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Governor Ed Rendell to individual homeowners and small business for going "green".

Pa. quietly pulls back solar tax credit
For a state that says it's trying to encourage more alternative-energy use, this is not an especially proud development. Which may explain why Pennsylvania put out no news releases and held no news conferences about it.

In fact, physician Mark Lounsbury said it was his own phone call to the state Department of Revenue a few weeks back that led him to a disheartening discovery: The state tax credit approved for a $75,000 photovoltaic system he added to his Chadds Ford home would not be coming.

Not for him or for the 109 other applicants OKd for more than $4 million in Alternative Energy Production Tax Credits since Gov. Rendell announced their availability last July. The credit was to cover 15 percent of a project's total costs, after all other grants and subsidies were subtracted, and was not to exceed $1 million per taxpayer. Lounsbury's share would have been $4,200.

Turns out that the money for those tax credits - about $50 million over eight years from the state's general fund - was eliminated as part of the 101-day budget duel last fall. The move came as the recession choked revenue streams and interest groups fought back a Rendell proposal for a new funding source - taxing natural gas extracted from Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale.

Federal tax credits and grants from the Pennsylvania Sunshine Program remain available to homeowners and small businesses for solar-system purchases, he stressed. Together, those can reduce the purchase price for a solar unit by nearly 60 percent.

"It was done in a way that is unfair to the people who were planning on it," said State Rep. Chris Ross (R., Chester).

Ross said he voted against the last state budget for a number of reasons, but he could not say with certainty whether he was aware at the time that it included the elimination of the alternative-energy tax credit.

And those Sunshine Program incentives? Adding insult to injury, Lounsbury said, he recently learned from his accountant that the state is going to tax as income the $22,000 in Sunshine funds he received to offset the price of his solar system.

Its not bad enough that the tax credits were taken away in the middle of the night and nobody was told about it. But to add insult to injury by taxing another incentive to go "green" is kinda ridiculous. Leave it up to the Democrats to pull another fast one.

To the legislature..now about those per diems you so desperately need???

Senator Jake Corman- $1 Billion Deficit By July

Pa. lawmaker says $1B deficit is possible by July By MARC LEVY (Associated Press) Published: March 31, 2010 in the Times-Tribune

Back in February Todd Eachus made the claim that there shouldn't be any budget problems this year. He projected an approximate $500,000.00 shortfall in the 2010-11 budget.

One problem. As previously reported he skipped over this year's budget problems.

The Pennsylvania House announced three days ago that it approved a roughly $29 billion budget 100 days ahead of time as written in this report on PennLive.com by Kari Andersen. That press release was really only a symbolic gesture since the Senate won't take it up until next month after it sees how this year's budget is fairing out.

As the first headline indicates Pennsylvania is headed toward a $1 billion dollar deficit this year. If that figure comes to fruition it will signal a necessity to cut heavily in next year's budget if the salons want to exercise fiduciary responsiblity in spending taxpayer dollars. A dismal outcome could point to a $27 billion budget, not $29 billion.

Eliminate per diems, eliminate cell phones, eliminate travel expense, have legislatures pay towards their health care costs, eliminate franking, reduce legislative staff, consolidate legislative districts...cut, cut, and cut. The chance of those actions happening, slim to none.