11/16/2010
Earlier this month, Pennsylvanians sent a message to state government that they are tired of the tax, spend, and borrow policies of the last eight years. They are tired of a government that for nearly a decade has failed to produce any significant, positive results which would make a real difference in their lives. With Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate continuing to hover near 10 percent and with our Commonwealth and our nation continuing to live under the worst economic conditions in decades, Pennsylvanians have called for new leadership and a new vision for our future.
10/15/2010
Pennsylvania sits in the middle of one the largest natural gas fields in the world. The natural gas lies under the Marcellus Shale rock formation between 4,000 and 8,000 feet underground. The development of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale offers great potential for Pennsylvania’s economic future including the creation of tens of thousands of jobs in natural gas and related industries.
09/30/2010
Support is growing for the Marcellus Works plan to create thousands of new jobs and secure Pennsylvania’s energy future, House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Stan Saylor (R-York) said today.
09/21/2010
House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Stan Saylor (R-York) and members of the House Republican Caucus today unveiled a package of legislation called “Marcellus Works,” which is designed to secure Pennsylvania’s energy future and create thousands of new jobs by creating incentives for the use of the clean natural gas which is plentiful under Pennsylvania’s large Marcellus Shale formation.
09/15/2010
In my January column, I discussed the need for comprehensive reforms throughout Pennsylvania government. Unfortunately, as we near the end of the 2009-10 legislative session, many of the issues I raised in that column remain unaddressed despite promises from the House majority that we were entering a “new era of reform.”
08/16/2010
When legislative session resumes in September, two issues will be at the top of our agenda. Both are related to state spending and the amount of revenue available for the state budget.
07/15/2010
Last year, Pennsylvania did not pass a budget until October, more than one hundred days after the start of the fiscal year. As a direct result of the failure to meet the legally mandated budget deadline, thousands of Pennsylvanians who rely on programs funded through the state budget were unable to get the services they need.
06/21/2010
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2011, all newly constructed homes in Pennsylvania will be required to have automatic sprinkler systems. While we can all agree with the goal of protecting lives and reducing the number of injuries resulting from residential fires, I am not convinced that this mandate is the best way to achieve that goal.
05/20/2010
Last month, the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) rejected Pennsylvania’s application to toll Interstate 80. The decision creates a $470 million hole in Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure budget, and Gov. Ed Rendell has announced he will call a special session of the Legislature to address the situation.
04/20/2010
In March, the House passed a budget bill for the 2010-11 fiscal year. That bill, House Bill 2279, is now being considered by the Senate.
03/19/2010
As you are all aware, Pennsylvania and the nation are facing very difficult economic times. Like most Pennsylvania families, state government must live within its means if it is going to make it through this recession without raising taxes. As lawmakers, it is our responsibility to get the most value out of every taxpayer dollar we spend.
02/18/2010
The 2009-10 fiscal year began on July 1, 2009. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania did not have a budget for the fiscal year until October 2009. That delay meant thousands of Pennsylvanians who rely on programs which are funded through the state budget were unable to get the services they need.
01/26/2010
In recent years, there has been a great deal of talk from lawmakers in Harrisburg about this being a “new era of reform” in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, after the television cameras were turned off and the newspaper stories were written, those promises were, for the most part, never kept.
12/18/2009
When the last fiscal year ended on June 30, Pennsylvania found itself with a budget deficit of more than $3 billion. It is only December, and already the revenue projections for the current fiscal year are more than $217 million below estimates. Unfortunately, our current economic troubles pale in comparison to the problems we will face in 2012-13 if something is not done to address the looming crisis in our public employee pension systems.
11/01/2009
Nearly everyone agrees that our nation’s health care system is in need of reforms that will increase access for the uninsured and reduce costs for everyone. But, there is a great deal of disagreement about how to get there.