State Budget Woes

To the Editor:

Here it is almost the end of February and still not a state Budget for 2015.  Yes they have given some money to the schools but they need to plan a budget and how are they to do that when they don’t know what they are getting from the state.  There were some people working without pay during that time.

What about our hospitals that aren’t getting the money owed to them? They are still supposed to pay their bills and employees.  Are they to work with no pay?

Below find my first letter to Mike Hanna and his response.  I wrote him back (lost that letter in my computer) reminding him he has been in office a long time and that he and the governor needs to stop blaming others and take responsibility.  They need to stop acting like spoiled children and do what is right for the people they are representing.  I have not had a response from either one for that letter.

Tom Wolf makes $190,823 per year and our State Representatives, and that includes Mike Hanna makes $85,338.65 plus $159 a day per diem.  Bet most of us middle income would like to make that and they are still getting paid without doing their job.  I think that as long as there is no budget they should not receive a paycheck.

In that letter I also suggested they get rid of a lot of the aides, do pension reform but they don’t want to hear that.  Do you realize how much money could be saved by doing a pension reform? Of the state employees 57% are in education or higher education and we are paying for their pension.  Why don’t they have to have an IRA or invest for their retirements like the average Joe?  Also do you know one of the items Wolf wants to tax is funerals?  I know at least two people in the last year that had loved ones die and they didn’t have a service for them and they are still struggling to pay for the funeral.  Do you notice how many people are asking for help paying for a funeral and then he wants to add several more hundred dollars to that.

Our schools, hospitals and others are struggling but THEY DON’T CARE.  This year we are voting, let’s remember how well they are doing their jobs.  Vote them out of office.

You may contact the governor at governor.pa.gov, Mike Hanna at  HYPERLINK “mailto:mhanna@pahouse.net” mhanna@pahouse.net.  Let’s keep after them.  Besides that the best thing we can do for them is to pray for them.  Also to find out where the people running for president stand on the issues check out  HYPERLINK “http://www.ontheissues.org” www.ontheissues.org.

Donna Poleto

Tamarack Road

Renovo, PA

To: Mike Hanna

From:  Donna Poleto

Sent:  Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Subject:  Budget

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!  You are getting a paycheck, but there are people that are working and doing it without pay.  Get a state budget done without a raise in taxes.  A pension reform is necessary as we should not have to pay for so many pensions let them do a 401k or Roth like us taxpayers to do.

I have voted for you in years past, it will not happen again and I will tell everyone I talk to NOT to vote for you.

Response –

Dear Ms. Poleto:

My name is Adam Wagonseller; I work in Rep. Hanna’s Harrisburg office.  Mike had to run to a Rules Committee meeting, but he asked that I touch base with you regarding the budget process.  Mike is working nonstop to get a budget agreement completed.  With a Democratic Governor and Republican-led General Assembly, this is no easy task.

Today we were successful in getting the framework in place that was originally agreed to by all parties, but then abandoned by House Republicans.  This agreement is a compromise that has the support of the Governor, as well as the Senate Republicans who run the PA Senate.  With this in mind, it our hope that we can vote the budget tomorrow afternoon to end the impasse.

Regarding your comments on taxes, we understand your frustration.  However, the fact remains that the state is running at a structural deficit despite cutting programs for four years.  In the past four years, we have used one-time revenue sources as a way to balance the budget; we are out of these reserve funds.  We also reduced funding to schools, which causes our school property tax bills to increase across the state.  Even with the pass-the-buck mentality, Pennsylvania experienced numerous credit downgrades.  This tells us that financial institutions don’t believe we as a state can pay our bills.

Common sense will tell you we need to do something different to ensure Pennsylvania can pay its bills.  This is why we are restoring education funding and having a budget that can actually be balanced next year and hopefully into the future.  We are hoping to accomplish these tasks as soon as possible.  The agreement isn’t perfect, but it is a common-sense compromise.

I hope this information is helpful.  Please do not hesitate to contact any of Mike’s offices should you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks,

Adam Wagonseller

Rep. Mike Hanna

717-772-2283