Causer Spring 2011 Newsletter

8/7/2019 Causer Spring 2011 Newsletter

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PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAG

PAID

HARRISBURG

PERMIT NO. 4

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Martin Causer

67 th Legislative District

PO Box 202067Harrisburg, PA 17120-2067

Lawmakers Work to Adopt Fiscally Responsible Budget

Spring 201

I will make it a priority to ensure rural areas like oursnot enduring a disproportionate share of the pain that galong with budget cuts. Of particular concern to me isproposed change in the school funding formula, as wethe elimination of funding for rural “critical access” hospi

While I agree we must cut spending, we need to beand prudent when making those cuts.

An area of the budget where I believe we need to mcuts is the Department of Public Welfare (DPW), which its budget increase by nearly $1 billion in each year ofRendell administration. With ample evidence of waste, fand abuse, there is opportunity for signicant savings in

DPW budget.The Corbett administration is pursuing some prelimi

steps, and House Republicans have been working opackage of bills aimed at reforming the system to ensonly those people who truly need and deserve benereceive them. (For more information on the welfare refproposals, see page 2.)

For updates on the budget and other state issues, visiFacebook page at Facebook.com/RepCauser or sigto receive e-mail updates at my website, RepCauser.c

After eight years of overspending by the Rendell admin-stration, Gov. Tom Corbett has proposed a $27.3 billionbudget that CUTS state spending by 3.1 percent.

It’s the rst time in many years that any governor has putorth a plan to reduce state spending. The proposal, whicham pleased to say includes no new or increased taxes,

s a necessary response to the struggling economy. Justas families need to live within their means, so does stategovernment.

While I appreciate the governor’s commitment to cuttingpending, I also recognize the painful nature of some of his

proposed cuts, especially in the Department of Education.

The governor has proposed a more than 50 percent reduc-on in funding for higher education institutions, includinghe University of Pittsburgh, which would certainly impact

our local campus.Basic education funding for public schools would be cut

by 9.5 percent, or $550 million. That reduction, along with aproposed change in the funding formula, could create chal-enges for our local school districts because they nance themajority of their budgets with money from the state.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee,

Join me forCoffee and Conversation if you would lke to learn more about

the state budget and other ssues

facng the Commonwealth, jon

me for Coffee and Conversaton.

Call the ofce or visit RepCauser.com

for upcomng sessons.

ECRWSSPostal Customer

Rep. Martin Causer takes part in budget hearings in Harrisburg as a member of the Appropriations Committee. Pictured (left to right) are Appropriations Committee Ch

Bill Adolph, Executive Director Dr. Ed Nolan, Causer, and Rep. Glen Grell.



Bills Close Loopholes inPA’s Megan’s Law

Responding to recent court decisions identifyloopholes in the state’s Megan’s Law, the state House

adopted several reforms to the child safety law.The measures outline a process for homeless offen

(transients) to register every 30 days with the PennsylvState Police. They must be photographed and pro

information about where they may be located, such as papublic buildings, restaurants or libraries.The bills also correct a technical error in the orig

Megan’s Law by ensuring the criminal penalties for failu

register apply to all registered sex offenders, and speciaddress penalties for sex offenders required to registetheir home states who subsequently move to Pennsylv

and are required to register for a lifetime.Having loopholes in a law designed to help keep child

safe by notifying parents and community membersconvicted sex offender moves into their neighborhoo

absolutely unacceptable. House Bills 68 and 75 are

awaiting action in the Senate.

Committee AssignmentsReflect Priorities

I am pleased to have been appointed to the House

Appropriations Committee for the rst time this session.This is the committee charged with crafting the annual statebudget, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to givehe people of our region a stronger voice in the budgetary

process. My goal is to adopt an on-time, scally responsible

budget.I am also serving on the House Health Committee for the

rst time. This is a great opportunity to advocate for our ruralospitals and health care system. The people of our regioneed access to affordable, quality health care without having

o travel a couple hours to get it.

Additional appointments include the EnvironmentalResources and Energy Committee on which I serve ashairman of the Subcommittee on Parks and Forests,

and the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness

Committee. Finally, I will continue my service as chairmanof the Legislative Timber Caucus and vice chairman of the

Fireghter and Emergency Services Caucus.

Reforming PA’s Welfare System

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With a budget of more than $10 billion annually,pending in the Department of Public Welfare makes up

more than a third of the state’s budget.Despite evidence of fraud and abuse uncovered through

House Republican Policy Committee hearings and an auditonducted by Auditor General Jack Wagner, the Rendell

administration did nothing to clean up the welfare rolls andprotect taxpayer dollars.

I have signed on to sponsor a number of bills aimed ateforming the state’s welfare system. The bills would:Require photo identication to be included on all welfarebenet cards to help prevent fraud and abuse.

• Require random drug testing for welfare recipiewith previous felony drug convictions within ve yeareceiving assistance.

• Implement an Income Eligibility Verication Systemprovide a 19-point check on applicants’ eligibility to enonly those truly qualied receive benets.

• Strengthen penalties on welfare fraud.• Reform the special allowance program, which

identied as a signicant source of fraud and abuse wDPW in the auditor general’s report.

At the time of this writing, the bills are awaiconsideration in the House.



House Renews Effort to Enact Castle DoctrineLegislation reinforcing a person’s right to defend himself or herself in the fac

an intruder is back on the legislative agenda after being vetoed by Gov. Ed Renlate last year.

The so-called “Castle Doctrine” creates in law a presumption that an attackeintruder intends to do great bodily harm and therefore force, including deadly fomay be used to protect oneself, one’s family and others in the face of an attack wat home or in an occupied vehicle. The presumption also applies if a person is trto unlawfully remove an occupant, against the occupant’s will, from a home or veh

The presumption would not apply if the person entering a home was:• Another resident of the home.• A law enforcement ofcer.• A parent, grandparent or other guardian removing a child from the home or veh

In addition, the presumption would not apply if a person was using their homvehicle to further criminal activity. The bill also offers specic protection against liability for the lawful use of force in self-defense.

Under current law, a person under attack in his or her own home has to retreat betaking action in self defense. That just doesn’t make sense. I look forward to gethis bill to the governor for his signature in the very near future.

Reform Measures

Top House

Agenda As its rst order of business

this session, the state Houseoverwhelmingly approveda package of bills aimed

at improving accountabilityand transparency in stategovernment.

Most notable among thereform measures is onethat creates a searchablewebs i te o f governmentcontracts and expenditurescalled the PennsylvaniaW e b A c c o u n t a b i l i t y ,Transparency and Contract

Hub , o r P ennWA TCH.The s i te would inc ludeinformation on appropriationsa n d e x p e n d i t u r e s f o rCommonwealth agencies, aswell as the vendors receivingpayment and the fundingsource for that payment.

Under the bill, additionalinformation to be added over thenext two years would include

hyperlinks to state contracts,a description of the programunder which an expenditureis made and the expectedoutcomes of the expenditure.

In addition to PennWATCH,other reform measures adoptedby the House would increasepenalties against lobbyists whoviolate the state’s LobbyingDisc losure Act , extend

whistleblower protections toemployees of organizationsdoing government contractwork, ensure better publicreview of contracts and prohibitlawmakers from creatingnonprofit organizations thatreceive public funds.

All of the bills are awaitingaction in the Senate.

Hudds ppl tud th eghth Aual S exprultt f Hall last all. D vds w had t paa s ctzs wth a waat pgas ad savalabl t th gvagcs ad lcal bussssnth Aual Badd Swll b hld Aug. 5; stay tuaddtal at th

Cuty S exp.

2010 Senior Citizens Expo

R.Com FAcebook.com/RePcAuseR

814 Area Code UpdateWith available phone numbers in the 814 area code dwindling, the Public U

Commission announced late last year it would split the region in half. Underproposal, Cameron County and most of Potter County (all except for Shinglehowould retain the 814 area code, while McKean County and points west would reca new area code.

Responding to public outcry, the PUC has agreed to review its decision. Also, I hintroduced a resolution urging the PUC to consider an all-services overlay insteIn an overlay, everyone would keep their existing phone numbers and area code

any new numbers assigned throughout the region would come with a new code. will require 10-digit dialing for all calls, including local ones, but would not charates in any way.

Watch my website or Facebook page for updates on this issue.

PA Annual Right to Keep & Bear Arms Rally Tday, may 10, at 10 a..

stat capit stp, Harrirg

Invited speakers include Kim Stolfer, chairman of Firearms Owners Against Crime; David Keene, presideelect of the National Rie Association; and Steven M. Toprani, district attorney for Washington County.



m A R k Y o u R c A l e n D A R

BradfordSenior Expo

Friday, Ag. 5 fr 9 a.. – 2 p..uivrity f Pittrgh at bradfrd

sprt ad Fit Gyai

Watch for more information on the Potter County Senior Expo in October!

Property Tax/Rent Rebate

Applications AvailableApplications for the state’s 2010 Property Tax/Re

Rebate program are now available at RepCauser.coor at my ofces in Bradford and Coudersport.

Rebates of up to $650 on rent or property taxes pain 2010 are available to eligible Pennsylvanians age

years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or oldand those 18 years or older with disabilities.Eligibility income limits for homeowners are set at t

following levels, excluding 50 percent of Social SecurSupplemental Security Income, and Railroad RetiremeTier 1 benets:

• $0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate(Homeowners and renters)

• $8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate(Homeowners and renters)

• $15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate(Homeowners only)

• $18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate(Homeowners only)

Applications are due by June 30. Call or stop by oof the ofces for additional information. Remember ofces can help you complete the forms; there is no neto pay for assistance.

To help maintain open lines of communication, I operatetwo full-time district ofces in Bradford and Coudersport,as well as hold monthly ofce hours in Emporium and

Port Allegany on the rst Thursday of the month.My staff and I are ready to help answer your questions

about state government issues, as well as to provide in-formation and applications for a variety of state programs.Ofce services include:

District Office Services:

RepCauseR .Com FAcebook.com/RePcAuseR

Bradford Ofce: 78 Main Street, 1st Floor

Telephone 814-362-4400

Coudersport Ofce: 107 South Main Street, Room 1

Telephone 814-274-9769

Toll-Free: 1-866-437-8181

E-mail: [email protected]: Facebook.com/RepCauser

www.RepCauser.com

Here’s how to contact me:

· Information and applications for senior citizen benetprograms, including Property Tax/Rent Rebate andPACE/PACENET

· Information and applications for the Children’s HealthInsurance Program (CHIP).

· Assistance with PennDOT issues, including obtaininglicense and vehicle registrations.

· Help with securing birth and death certicates (photoidentication required).

· Information about legislation.· Assistance with resolving matters relating to state agen-

cies, such as Veterans Affairs, Public Welfare, Laborand Industry, Insurance, Environmental Protection orConservation and Natural Resources.

Keep in Touch!Stay informed about what’s happening in stategovernment and weigh in with your opinions

at Facebook.com/RepCauser.sign up for regular e-mail update at RepCauser.co

Studts th AP Gvt class at Badd Aa Hgh Schl vstd rp. Causer’s ofce in Bradford to discuss state government. Pictured in the front row ght): Da Tgly, Sth ms, Jacb Cauvl, ad Calb Pgt. Sc(lt t ght): Katl Bat, Chlsa Kahl, Dall Hllbck, Lau Bausad elzabth Gad. Thd w (lt t ght): rp. Caus, Alc Ch, Sa misablla Glas, ad Chad Abs.

Documents

Causer Spring 2011 Newsletter