The kids got 24 buckets of Double Bubble and I got clean socks and underwear. God bless America.

During a brief break in session here in Harrisburg, I headed home to reload on clean socks and underwear and to get some local input on the budget issues we’re dealing with. I had the opportunity to meet with Senator Arlen Specter and local Democrats in Washington County. It was a nice, informal discussion, where we were able to talk about his take on both local and national issues.

Welcoming Senator Specter to Washington County

Talking about funding for local infrastructure projects and his appearances on the Howard Stern Showwith the Senator.

I also had the chance to take part in the Canonsburg 4th of July Parade, which is probably the largest such parade in all of Pennsylvania. And of course, any time I have my niece Ava with me, she finds a way to steal the show.

For the record, I did not do this, but I did think it was funny.

Bri and Alycia did a great job on helping out with the float.

I had a chance to meet up with Larry from my “Come Care With Me” visit a few months back

Ava didn’t care much for sitting in the back of the float…

…So she decided to walk with Uncle Jesse instead.

She was tough but fair in her candy distribution methods.

It didn’t take her long to become a pro at throwing candy. Somehow I don’t think this will be her last parade…

And the award for best dramatization of a political process…

"I'd like to thank the Academy for this award. I would also like to announce that we are cutting funding for everything for everyone. Thank you."

Just when you thought some common sense might prevail as we struggle through the dynamics of a $3.2 billion budget shortfall, reality slapped us in the face.

I’m sitting on the House Floor right now, watching members of the Republican caucus prevent legislation from coming to a vote in favor of making grandstanding speeches about the budget.

I can’t stand parliamentary olympics and cheap stunts done in the name of “doing the people’s business”, especially when they all know it’s a sham.

I’ll save you the trouble of switching to PCN:

"Look, Mom! I'm on PCN!!!"

If this is the kind of self-serving garbage we’ll be treated to until a budget is passed, it’s going to be a LONG summer. If you don’t think this is a sham, come on up to the Capitol and see for yourself.

Embarassing.

“Help me… help you. Help me, help you.”

Go ahead, give it a shot.

http://www.youbudgetpa.org/

“Follow Me. Follow Me to Freedom!!!”

That’s right. It’s budget time in Harrisburg, which means the Capitol Propaganda Machine has gone into overdrive. Or maybe even the stage past overdrive.

"Oh my God, they've gone to plaid!"

It seems like things are going to get considerably worse before they get any better, and if you think for a minute I’m not taking this seriously, think again. I know exactly what is at stake here and I take it extremely serious. But until the leaders of the varying factions make some fundamental progress, there really isn’t much for me to do but sit here and try and put a remotely entertaining spin on everything, while trying not to get sued for defamation (I can really only afford one lawsuit per year).

So to help get us all through these troubled times, I have turned to a man with extensive experience in crisis management. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you my Special Budget Advisor, Mr. Charlie Steiner.

I fully expect this to be the scene in the Capitol before too long.

Now that you’ve met Charlie, let’s get down to some serious budget talk.

Birthday Budget Blues

As I spend another birthday (my 31^st) here on the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, we are grappling with the most difficult budget in my brief tenure as a State Representative. Colleagues with decades of experience have told me this is one of the worst budget situations they have ever seen. So what does it all mean?

Despite what you may hear in the media, there is no Constitutional deadline to have a new budget in place, but under the Pennsylvania Constitution, the Commonwealth loses the ability to spend money every year after 11:59 PM on June 30. Until a new budget is passed, everything comes to a grinding halt, with a few exceptions for essential services like guards in our state prisons. Most state employees will not be paid until the budget is passed, and yes, that includes me and my staff as well.

Just how much money are we talking about, anyhow? Last year’s state budget came in around $28 billion dollars. About eighty percent of that money went to three areas: education, corrections and public welfare. Before everyone gets fired up about spending money on “welfare”, it is important to know the overwhelming majority of the money in the Department of Public Welfare budget is dedicated to Medical Assistance, the program that pays for medical care for senior citizens. We are mandated by law to pay for these programs, so there really isn’t a whole lot there we can cut.

This year, we are looking at two budget proposals. The first is from Governor Rendell, which is about $29 billion dollars, and Senate Bill 850, passed by the Republican majority in the State Senate, which is about $27 billion dollars. Aside from major differences in where money should be spent, there is a clear $2 billion dollar difference in the proposals.

Governor Rendell has proposed increasing the personal income tax from 3.07% to 3.57%, which would raise $1.5 billion dollars to help fund his proposal. His theory is unless you raise the personal income tax, school districts will be forced to raise property taxes. The major hole in this logic is the fact that many local school districts raised their property taxes anyhow.

Like many of my colleagues, I have no desire to raise taxes, which means we are forced to look at major cuts, and of course everyone has different priorities about how those cuts should look. I wish I could tell you how things will shake out, but there are simply too many moving parts to this whole process to be able to make any sort of prediction at this point. Because of the economic downturn, our statewide tax collections are down and costs for human service programs like unemployment insurance and health care for senior citizens and children are on the rise.

Can we cut our way out of this mess? I honestly don’t know. I’m doing my very best to help keep government spending low without taking services away from people who truly need them. These are gut-wrenching decisions with no clear answers, so I guess the best birthday present I could wish for is a little wisdom and a whole lot of good luck.

If you see the Mango Man, shake his hand for me…

I’m at my desk in Harrisburg, which means I am missing one of my very favorite days of the year back home. That’s right, it’s Jimmy Buffett concert day at the Post-Gazette Pavillion. This is only the second show I’ve missed in the past twelve years, and there’s nothing fun about it.

But to quote my favorite Buffett song:

“It’s my job to worried half to death
And that’s the thing people respect in me.
It’s a job but without it I’d be less
Than what I expect from me.”

Here’s another one of my favorite songs for all of the Parrotheads. Have one for me out there.

Yeah, it’s budget season all right.

I’m sitting on the floor of the House of Representatives right now, and I think it’s safe to say we’ve reached to point of no return. From now until we pass a budget, it looks like every bill and resolution that comes to the floor will be a chance for both sides of the aisle to play politics with budget issues.

And it’s not just heating up in Harrisburg. Here is the transcript of a phone call a constituent made to my district office today:

“Don’t increase the PIT.  If the Governor wants to help, he can jump out of a window at the Capitol.”

Yikes. I hope it doesn't come to this.

Requiem for the Prom

I spent the better part of my high school years pursuing the unrequited love of a certain girl. We were friends, but despite my relentless efforts and an occasional glimmer of false hope, things never went much further. The night of my junior prom, I stood by and watch her melt into the arms of another guy. I felt a sensation in my gut so forceful and horrific I decided I never wanted to feel that way again.

This picture does not contain any of the actual people discussed in this post, but it is just too good not to put up.

I also had the same feeling last year, when the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup against the Penguins in Pittsburgh. Anyone who has spent any time with me knows I am a huge Penguin fan, and losing hockey’s most treasured trophy was just too much to bear. It was my junior prom all over again. The Red Wings danced with the Stanley Cup just like the girl of my dreams danced with the other guy at the junior prom.

Bad times.

So when the Penguins reached the Stanley Cup Finals again this year, against the same Detroit Red Wings, I felt a chance for redemption surge through my veins. But then I remembered my senior prom, when I was able to squeeze in exactly one hurried dance with the girl of my dreams (yes, the same one) before I nearly got into a scuffle with another guy (yes, the same one as well). Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, so I was understandably and deathly afraid my prom parallels would continue.

And it did indeed look as though I was in for more heartbreak, as the Penguins found themselves down two games to none in the series.  My girl was giving the other guy dreamy looks, and he was cleaning out the backseat of his parents’ Pontiac Bonneville in anticipation of what was to come. All hope was lost.

Ewwwww.

But then, out of nowhere, the pattern was ended as the Penguins stood tall and won Game 6, forcing a Game 7 in Detroit for all the marbles. And when the Penguins defied the odds and beat the Red Wings on their home ice to win the Stanley Cup, I saw much more than a hockey team skating around with a big silver trophy. The long and painful streak had finally come to an end.

In my mind, that cycle-breaking victory was beyond satisfying. Instead of getting dumped on prom night yet again, it was as though I finally got the nerve to tell the girl I was too good for her mind games, and then beat up her ever-present suitor in the parking lot. Instead of history repeating itself in its usually painful and humiliating fashion, the good guy finally won.

Pure joy.

Don’t misunderstand me here; my feelings for the girl faded long ago, and I’m pretty sure she ended up marrying that other guy. I’m happy for them, and I have my own wonderful woman who I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. But the Penguins’ victory triggered a totally unexpected emotional reaction, bringing closure to a wound I hadn’t realized was still open.

So how do I feel now that I’ve gone through this intense and somewhat bizarre catharsis?

Like a guy who got lucky on Prom Night. Go Pens.

Different rat, same rat race

My humble roots. You're all jealous. Admit it.

When I was in high school and college, I worked at Chuck E. Cheese’s for four years. I fixed the games, worked in the kitchen, ran kids’ birthday parties… and of course dressed up like the iconic rat himself. In my Chuck E. Cheese costume, I attended events, marched in parades and had my tail pulled by more children than I could possibly count.

When I tell people about the formative nature of my time in the ‘ratmosphere’, I invariably get hit with the same question. “Didn’t all of those kids drive you nuts?” Never once has my answer varied. “The kids were fine- it was the parents who were out of control.” Now that I have traded in my furry tail and floppy shoes for a career in politics (or as some would say, changing from one kind of rat to another), truer words have never been spoken.

One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is going into various schools and day care centers to see firsthand how our investments in early childhood education play in the real world. I have eaten green eggs and ham in local elementary schools. I read “The Lorax” so many times in one day that I didn’t need the book to guide me anymore. I even went so far as to purchase a big red and white striped hat to wear when I read to children on Dr. Seuss day. I love the pure innocence and wonder children have for the world, untainted by the skepticism and animosity of the outside world.

So you can imagine my shock when the teacher at a local day care center told me parents had actually kept their kids at home when I came to read because they didn’t want to expose them to “his politics”.

Really? Are you serious? Really??? You really felt the need to complain to the teacher and physically keep your child away from me? I know I’m not the most beautiful person around, but what am I, the Elephant Man?

It blows my mind to speculate about what someone thought I might say to poison their child while reading “A Splendid Friend Indeed” to a room of preschoolers and their teachers? Did someone think “Clifford the Big Red Dog” is secret Communist propaganda? 

Even though he knew he would never work in Hollywood again, Clifford refused to name names.

I suppose the most mind-blowing and somewhat disturbing part of such a bizarre situation is the thought that some parents think I would come into a school or day care center and talk politics. I don’t even like pushing politics on adults. Aside from the million other reasons I would never politically preach to young children, what’s the point? Most of those kids are fifteen years away from being old enough to vote!

I’m making jokes because it really upset me to know some people think so little of me as a person to be around their children without any justified reason. As I stood in front of that daycare with a stunned look plastered on my face, my mind raced back to the days when I wore a molded plastic rat head and enormous floppy shoes instead of a suit and tie. The truism came rushing back into my mind. “The kids were fine- it was the parents who were out of control.”

I guess no matter what kind of rat you are, some things never change.

“Come Care With Me”

Hey, who is that tall, cool drink of good-looking kid in the green tie? In all seriousness, this was a great event- very eye-opening.

Let’s Get Down to ‘Gas Tacks’ on Marcellus Shale Drilling

Last week I attended a meeting of concerned citizens from the Mount Pleasant Township area with a wide variety of views on the natural gas drilling activity from the Marcellus Shale play in our region. I spent two hours discussing the current laws and how they affect property owners who have drilling in their neighborhoods.

To be honest, I wish I had been able to provide more answers, or perhaps better ones. This industry is developing and expanding so rapidly that it is nearly impossible to keep up with all of the developments and activity, especially when I am trying to deal with all the other issues important to my district.

But ignorance is never a good excuse for lack of knowledge. I tried to break down the concerns of the residents into different categories, such as simple mistakes that can be fixed by the drilling companies, large-scale environmental concerns and the complaints of people who just don’t like drilling in their neighborhoods.

The issue becomes very complicated very quickly. I believe in the Constitutional right of citizens to use and enjoy their property so long as said use is in compliance with the law. If you want to sell your mineral rights to someone who will drill on your property, and you’re not breaking any laws, who is the government to tell you what you can or can’t do? Sure, if it was my neighbor, and he was making a ton of cash while I was stuck with the inconveniences, I’d be irked as well. But inconveniencing someone and endangering their safety are two different issues.

As a result, I have organized a meeting with representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to address specific issues relating to regulation and enforcement of Marcellus Shale drilling in the area. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held on Thursday, June 11 at 7:00 PM at the Fort Cherry High School Auditorium.

I constantly hear from constituents that they want ‘the government’ out of their lives; unless you have a problem with someone else; then nothing short of water boarding is considered acceptable.  It is not my job to necessarily be pro-drilling or anti-drilling. I view my position as allowing people to do what they want with their property, so long as they’re not breaking the law or hurting anyone as a result.

My job is to help focus on problems and address them in the proper way to benefit my constituents and my district. One of the biggest problems I have in regards to the Marcellus Shale is a lack of objective information. Everyone’s story is so far apart, there are many times when I honestly don’t know what to believe.  There’s just no way everyone can be right.

If the drilling companies are so certain they are doing the right thing in the right way, there shouldn’t be any objection to making sure residents know their rights under the law. Similarly, if residents are so certain the drilling companies are doing irreparable damage to their land, air and water, there shouldn’t be any objection to learning what is against the law and what isn’t. The more people know about this process and its impact on our communities, the better we will all be in the long run.

Some people will never be satisfied. Some people are using this as an excuse to try and line their own pockets at the expense of others (you know who you are and should be ashamed of yourselves, by the way). And some people have legitimate concerns that deserve a real conversation, not preachy hysteria and uninformed propaganda from all sides. This issue is going to be around for decades, so if it impacts you, there is no excuse to not be educated and informed.