Pickpockets and Pawns vs. Putting Taxpayers First

[WhiteFeather]

Rep Metcalfe is the one that is the primary organizer of the (4) Second Amendment is Second to None Rallies in Harrisburg.

This from the July 27, 09 Metcalfe Memo

Pickpockets and Pawns vs.
Putting Taxpayers First

Recently when referring to state workers, Rendell said,
“…they should put a statue of me up on their mantel place.”

Rendell continues his attempt to pick your pocket by increasing the state tax burden. It is important to note that Rendell has not completed a budget on time in 7 years. As we finish the 4th week past the budget deadline of June 30, the current budget impasse has drawn on longer than any budget since 1991, which was completed in early August of that year.

The Democrat majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives did not allow a budget bill to the floor for us to debate until July 16, 2009. The Senate had sent a budget bill to the House for consideration in May. The obstructionist strategy is a trademark of Rendell and his liberal Democrat accomplices to gain access to more of your hard earned money.

The Rendell strategy is to create a crisis situation and then use the pressure as leverage for his spending increases. When the budget is late, state legislators and executive branch state employees do not receive pay checks until after the budget is completed. The absent pay checks create an outcry from state employees to pass the budget.

The callous actions of Rendell and his Democrat accomplices are summed up in a 2007 quote from the current House Democrat Policy Chairman. Representative Mike Sturla was quoted in the Allentown Morning Call saying, “I don’t care if we stand people on their heads and shake pennies from their pockets.”

Since July 16, 2009 we have considered 3 budget proposals in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

The first proposal was a Republican amendment to House Bill 1416. The amendment provided a balanced budget that required no tax increases. The amendment was defeated by the Democrat majority with a vote of 95 Yeas and 103 Nays. One Philadelphia Republican voted with the Democrats, not one Democrat voted for the “no tax increase” budget proposal.

The second budget proposal considered was the Democrat budget proposal HB 1416. The legislation removed over $1 billion of higher education spending from the general fund, proposing to create a new fund for higher education. The Democrat Appropriations Chairman presented a menu of tax increase options to raise revenue for the new higher education fund. The Democrat proposal would have required tax increases. On July 17, 2009, HB 1416 was passed from the House to the Senate by a vote of 104 Yeas to 95 Nays. Three Southeast Pennsylvania Republicans joined the Democrat majority to pass the legislation.

The third proposal was considered by the House on July 21, 2009. The Senate Republican amendment to HB 1416 would have provided a balanced budget with no tax increases. The legislation was rejected by a vote of 150 Nays to 49 Yeas, with only 49 Republicans voting for the no tax increase budget.

I voted for both budget proposals that would have delivered a balanced budget with no tax increases. I voted against the Democrat budget that would have required tax increases.

Why do Democrat leaders continue to demand more from the taxpayers, especially during a time when tens of thousands are losing their jobs?

While defending the Rendell tax increase proposal, one of the House Democrat Committee Chairs, Representative Phyllis Mundy, stated, “I am getting extremely frustrated that, based on the letters and emails that I am receiving, nobody in the general public seems to recognize the extreme nature of the disaster that we are facing with this state budget.”

The ones who “don’t get it” are the politicians who keep trying to pick the pockets of taxpayers.

I will continue the fight to protect taxpayers.

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What is and has not been talked about is the OFF budget items and how they are adding up fast since Rendell has come into power, they are just spending tax money that they don't have and the rest of us can't afford to pay.

[zachomega]

Representative Mike Sturla was quoted in the Allentown Morning Call saying, “I don’t care if we stand people on their heads and shake pennies from their pockets.”

Unbelievable.

-Zach

[1927A1]

Sounds like England many years ago.

[Warpt762x39]

I have a solution. Let's vote all those selfish, greedy bastards out on their asses.

We need to vote in people who are afraid of the voters. Who know that one screw up will cost them their job.

[wa3ra]

Let's take the 1.6 BILLION DOLLARS that have been earmarked in this single year's budget for SEPTA and Pittsburgh transportation, and make the systems live within their means.

My county has piss-poor transport coverage, barely spine lines; we put $62 million into the state transport system, and get back 4 buses and a 'study'.

I'm sick of having no viable public transportation, shitty roads, and the smallest PennDOT staffing in the commonwealth at the expense of Philadelphia.

I'm also sick of subsidizing Philadelphia schools, who now suck back as much money as Harrisburg can squeeze out for them, yet they have abysmal scholastic results and terrifying dropout rates.

I agree that there should be fewer school districts, but it should be done on a county-by-county basis so that the management of the districts stays close to home; 67 districts, instead of close to three hundred. That said, they need to be RUN directly, by themselves, and not at the behest of Harrisburg.

[tdyoung58]

Originally Posted by zachomega

Unbelievable.

-Zach

Hey, a penny saved is a penny they could have taxed

[andrewjs18]

Just think...all that tax money for Philly and it's still a SHIT HOLE. I can tell you FIRST HAND that the Philly school district is a joke. I used to do IT work there and no one appreciates what they have...we're talking about new apple laptops and some slightly used that they completely destroy.

And their streets...ugh..full of pot holes and trash EVERYWHERE! I used to work the NE region and SE region of Philly....the SE region is a disgrace, which is unfortunate because maybe 2-3 years ago it was A LOT better than it is now...now, all you see is illegals who can't speak English!

Originally Posted by wa3ra

Let's take the 1.6 BILLION DOLLARS that have been earmarked in this single year's budget for SEPTA and Pittsburgh transportation, and make the systems live within their means.

My county has piss-poor transport coverage, barely spine lines; we put $62 million into the state transport system, and get back 4 buses and a 'study'.

I'm sick of having no viable public transportation, shitty roads, and the smallest PennDOT staffing in the commonwealth at the expense of Philadelphia.

I'm also sick of subsidizing Philadelphia schools, who now suck back as much money as Harrisburg can squeeze out for them, yet they have abysmal scholastic results and terrifying dropout rates.

I agree that there should be fewer school districts, but it should be done on a county-by-county basis so that the management of the districts stays close to home; 67 districts, instead of close to three hundred. That said, they need to be RUN directly, by themselves, and not at the behest of Harrisburg.

[larrymeyer]

Originally Posted by wa3ra

Let's take the 1.6 BILLION DOLLARS that have been earmarked in this single year's budget for SEPTA and Pittsburgh transportation, and make the systems live within their means.

My county has piss-poor transport coverage, barely spine lines; we put $62 million into the state transport system, and get back 4 buses and a 'study'.

I'm sick of having no viable public transportation, shitty roads, and the smallest PennDOT staffing in the commonwealth at the expense of Philadelphia.

I'm also sick of subsidizing Philadelphia schools, who now suck back as much money as Harrisburg can squeeze out for them, yet they have abysmal scholastic results and terrifying dropout rates.

I agree that there should be fewer school districts, but it should be done on a county-by-county basis so that the management of the districts stays close to home; 67 districts, instead of close to three hundred. That said, they need to be RUN directly, by themselves, and not at the behest of Harrisburg.

Wow Just Wow your lucky we have NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION at all

[notmYJ]

Originally Posted by wa3ra

Let's take the 1.6 BILLION DOLLARS that have been earmarked in this single year's budget for SEPTA and Pittsburgh transportation, and make the systems live within their means.

My county has piss-poor transport coverage, barely spine lines; we put $62 million into the state transport system, and get back 4 buses and a 'study'.

I'm sick of having no viable public transportation, shitty roads, and the smallest PennDOT staffing in the commonwealth at the expense of Philadelphia.

I'm also sick of subsidizing Philadelphia schools, who now suck back as much money as Harrisburg can squeeze out for them, yet they have abysmal scholastic results and terrifying dropout rates.

I agree that there should be fewer school districts, but it should be done on a county-by-county basis so that the management of the districts stays close to home; 67 districts, instead of close to three hundred. That said, they need to be RUN directly, by themselves, and not at the behest of Harrisburg.

Not trying to stick up for the crazy over spending that is prevalent in mass transportation in Pittsburgh. But the problem isn't that they are asking for bail outs from the gov. The Port authority of Allegheny County operates the same way as any gov entity does. Infact, Port Authority is a publicly funded agency because there wasnt enough income for the private sector to support on their own.

That being said, I'm not saying they are well run. Not in the least. I know for a fact, first hand that PAT is bass ackwards. True, most people, including the media, like to blame the union as the reason it run so far out of budget, but a majority of the problem starts from the top brass and like shit, it flows down hill. The gross over spending from the tunnel to nowhere, to purchasing of supplies, to how labor is used is sickening.

You will never see the media challenge the organizations policies as the media is mostly slanted against the union as the politicians have a stake in looking like the good guy. Dan "the taxman" Onorato, the county exec, who is responsible for appointing the CEO of the Port Authority, was playing back door politic games during our last contract negotiations. He wanted an early endorsement from the AFL/CIO while telling the CEO of PAT to stonewall the union and force consessions. The AFL/CIO refused the endorsement until our union got a fair contract. At this point all negotiations were called off, and at an impasse, so they were gonna try to force a contract on us. When Onorato got the news from the AFL/CIO magically negotiaions wre resumed in WASINGTON DC. At the Intl HQ of the AFL/CIO. Of course, the news papers never mentioned this, they just praised Onorato as being the savior to all those people who rely on Public Transportation. And for beating the evil union, nevermind the corrupt management and backdoor payoffs.

Yeah, I'm an employee, and union member. And it drives me nuts every day to see this waste. I have gotten into arguments with people, but I have mostly given up as I realize that people hate unions, and believe everything they read, and actually trust politicians.

Sorry for the long rant, but there is so much crap that people dont know about public transportation. This isnt aimed at any one person, more or less an FYI. I dont expect anyone to agree with me, or even believe me, but i needed a few min to rant....

/rantoff