This year’s budget will provide plenty of material for GOP next year

Yesterday, we received further proof that Gov. Ed Rendell and his administration are completely out-of-touch with the needs of Pennsylvanians. In an

July 30, 2009 at 10:01 am | Comments (1)

Back to (budget) business

After a short break, I am glad to be back to work commenting on the latest political news of the day. Last week was a busy news week, as our governor and state legislators continued to debate the budget. Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposed 16 percent tax increase is a nonstarter and I applaud our Republican leaders in the state Senate and House for rejecting his proposal and standing up for Pennsylvania taxpayers. Watch for the…

July 6, 2009 at 12:33 pm | Comments (1)

Counties to Senate Republicans: No passing the buck!

Ten leaders representing 40 Pennsylvania counties visited Gov. Ed Rendell and members of the legislature Thursday carrying one simple message to Senate Republicans and their draconian budget proposal: “Don’t pass us the buck.”

County Commissioners and executives—including some from Republican counties—said they cannot afford to absorb additional costs that would become their responsibility if the commonwealth does not adequately fund programs through which they deliver services to their citizens. Counties would have to balance their…

June 27, 2009 at 9:20 am | Comments (0)

Budget continues to dominate news—a good thing for the GOP

The budget battle in Harrisburg is in full swing and taxpayers across the commonwealth are clutching their wallets tightly, waiting to see if Gov. Ed Rendell and his Democratic allies can impose a major tax increase during one of the worst economic climates in our state’s history. Pennsylvania Republicans are committed to supporting a fiscally responsible budget plan and are outraged that the Democrats want to raise taxes by 16 percent on Pennsylvanians at a…

June 24, 2009 at 11:42 am | Comments (1)

How will the 2009 state budget battle shape 2010 elections?

By calling for a 16 percent increase in the personal income tax in order to keep state spending at pre-economic crisis levels, Gov. Ed Rendell has placed his Democrat colleagues in Harrisburg, particularly in the state House, in a box—and potentially at great political risk in 2010. Democrats will have to choose whether to support the agenda of a lame-duck governor, or stand up for their constituents and reject his plan to increase taxes on…

June 18, 2009 at 4:56 pm | Comments (0)

‘No Whining,’ Gov. Rendell

The message of aWeb ad our Party launched today is simple and we hope Gov. Ed Rendell and his Democratic colleagues in Harrisburg are listening—No more spending, no furloughs, no tax increases, no whining!

See the ad, “No Whining,” embedded below.

June 15, 2009 at 12:17 pm | Comments (0)

Gov. Rendell and House Democrats continue to drag feet on the budget

If you are involved at all with Pennsylvania politics, then you are certainly keeping tabs on the current budget negotiations going on in Harrisburg. This year’s budget negotiations come at a time when our state is facing a nearly $3-billion budget shortfall. Gov. Ed Rendell and state House Democrats are trying to delay budget negotiations as long as possible in order to force an “emergency” increase of the income tax to cover their unquenchable thirst…

June 4, 2009 at 12:00 pm | Comments (0)

Republican state Senate budget is just the medicine our party needs

Based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback we have received related to the passage of the Republican state Senate’s budget, many Pennsylvanians understand and appreciate the Republican efforts to promote a fiscally responsible spending plan during these troubling economic times. While many Democrats, including Gov. Ed Rendell, have indigestion over the fact that the Senate plan calls for no new or increased taxes and cuts spending by just over 1 percent from the current year’s budget,…

May 14, 2009 at 2:49 pm | Comments (0)

Pennsylvania’s big budget debate

State Democratic Party chairman T.J. Rooney blasted the Republican-controlled state Senate’s budget recently, which he characterized in a pRooney’s criticism stems from the fact…

May 11, 2009 at 1:04 pm | Comments (0)