Rep. Todd Rock's take on Rendell budget fiasco

[Alchymist]

PDF file on Rendells line item veto of budget...which Rep. Rock says is tactic for PA income tax increase.

http://toddrock.net/images/user_imag...l%20Values.pdf

[soup]

excerpt from an email I received today from him

Rock Refuses to Accept Paycheck
It should be pointed out that while the Democrats quickly paid themselves after the Governor signed the stop-gap budget, I will not accept any paychecks until the most vulnerable and those most dependant on state appropriations are funded by a state budget.

I also have not and will not accept mileage, per-diem reimbursements or even a state car for travel to/from Harrisburg.

After signing this stop-gap state budget to pay state employees, Gov. Ed Rendell is back on the road again, making his case for higher taxes and higher spending...and predicting dire consequences if his demands are not met. Yet when the Governor signed the stop-gap budget, he openly admitted during a recent press conference that he line-item vetoed everything else to make sure there is still pressure to further his agenda for a so called temporary tax increase.
Again, the governor’s own actions are the primary cause for the dire consequences many Pennsylvanians are facing right now because he alone chose to blue line or eliminate funding in the stop-gap budget for dozens of vital programs and community services:

[jerkin]

The next election can't come fast enough.

[larrymeyer]

Whole Story

Rock Refuses to Accept Paycheck

It should be pointed out that while the Democrats quickly paid themselves after the Governor signed the stop-gap budget, I will not accept any paychecks until the most vulnerable and those most dependant on state appropriations are funded by a state budget.

I also have not and will not accept mileage, per-diem reimbursements or even a state car for travel to/from Harrisburg.

After signing this stop-gap state budget to pay state employees, Gov. Ed Rendell is back on the road again, making his case for higher taxes and higher spending...and predicting dire consequences if his demands are not met. Yet when the Governor signed the stop-gap budget, he openly admitted during a recent press conference that he line-item vetoed everything else to make sure there is still pressure to further his agenda for a so called temporary tax increase.
Again, the governor’s own actions are the primary cause for the dire consequences many Pennsylvanians are facing right now because he alone chose to blue line or eliminate funding in the stop-gap budget for dozens of vital programs and community services:
Many child care providers serving low- and moderate-income families across the state are at risk to shut down due to the lack of state support. Parents who can’t find alternatives may be forced to quit their jobs and collect unemployment or even welfare to care for their children.
Students heading off to Penn State Mont Alto, other state-affiliated colleges or state-owned universities, and community colleges have no idea how much grant funding they will get from the state, or even when or if they’ll get that money.
Senior citizens, veterans, children and others who rely on county-based programs such as Meals on Wheels may see services reduced or suspended due to lack of funds.
School districts are quickly running out of funds due to the Governor’s deplorable decision.
Agriculture, the life blood of our state, is also deeply affected by the lack of funding.
The fact of the matter is it didn’t have to be this way and it all could have been avoided. House Republicans have offered and voted for several balanced state budget proposals which would have increased education funding and kept essential state and county government services operating—with no broad-based tax increases.

To top it off, on Wednesday Aug. 12, Franklin County residents received a personal visit from the “Rendell Tax Me More Express” as the governor once again made himself the center of attention at a made-for-media, taxpayer-funded, cardboard check presentation to announce plans for a new Norfolk Southern railroad/truck depot in Antrim Township.

While I agree that the construction of this new intermodal facility will bring hundreds of new jobs and a significant economic impact to Franklin County and surrounding areas, the fact remains that Ed Rendell and government as a whole cannot create jobs or economic growth without redistributing the income of someone else.

Please never forget that the Rendell Tax Me More Express is responsible for derailing the 2009-10 state budget process. As your state representative, I will not support any budget proposal that does not put the best interests of Franklin county children, families and job creators first.

Rep. Todd Rock
90th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(717) 749-7384
(717) 783-5218
Contact: Ty McCauslin
(717) 772-9979
Member Site: RepRock.com

[Karl/PA]

That's our guy!