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July 2010 Dear Friend, I am pleased to send you this edition of my electronic newsletter. These e-newsletters enable me to provide information about issues, events and activities in Harrisburg and around the 50th Senatorial District to you in a timely manner while saving postage costs. If you find this e-newsletter useful, I invite you to visit my website www.senatorrobbins.com for more information about your state government. If you do not wish to receive these e-newsletters, please click the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of the page. Sincerely, Bob Robbins Fiscal Year 2010-11 Budget Restrains Spending, Avoids Tax Increases On June 30, the Legislature approved a budget package for Fiscal Year 2010-11 that restrains state spending and maintains state services and programs without a broad-based tax increase. House Bill 2279, the General Appropriations Act of 2010, was the result of a compromise between all four caucuses of the Legislature and the Administration. In February, Governor Rendell requested a $1.155 billion – about 4.1 percent -- increase in state spending for Fiscal Year 2010-11. The final budget, which reduced spending by $1 billion from the Governor's request, appropriates $28.05 billion in spending for FY 2010-11, a $182 million (0.6 percent) increase from $27.87 billion in Fiscal Year 2009-10. That minimal increase is particularly significant in that Pennsylvania also faces more than $1 billion in mandated increases for various programs and services in FY 2010-11:
The Governor also proposed the elimination of 74 current sales tax exemptions, which would have dramatically impacted family budgets and many small businesses that are struggling to stay solvent during the current economic downturn. Rendell had also proposed additional taxes on cigars and smokeless tobacco. Senate Republicans successfully blocked the Governor's business tax proposals, including his plan to eliminate the 1 percent discount granted to vendors for collection of Pennsylvania sales tax, and his attempt to impose "combined reporting" requirements on large companies – a move that has been met by expensive lawsuits in other states which have tried it. The state simply cannot afford to impose regressive business tax policies at a time when Pennsylvania's unemployment rate is at 9.1 percent and many counties in our region are above 10 percent. Senate Committee Examines Stranded Dairy Premiums I The committee examined the over-order premium that is intended to be paid to Pennsylvania dairy farmers. This 27-cent premium is paid by consumers to be transmitted to dairy farmers for each gallon of milk produced, processed and sold in Pennsylvania. However, the premium is not paid to dairy farmers for milk that is processed at out-of-state plants or sold wholesale out-of-state and then sold to consumers in Pennsylvania, resulting in a stranded premium for dairy farmers. Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding testified that 40-45 percent of milk produced in the state is sold in Pennsylvania as fluid milk, but the current over-order premium is only paid on 15-20 percent of all Pennsylvania-produced fluid milk. Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board records show that the stranded premium was at least $12 million in 2008, and producers at the hearing suggested the stranded premium could be as high as $26 million. We also heard testimony from representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Dairy Policy Action Committee, Ahold USA Retail, Pennsylvania Association of Milk Dealers, and the Greater Northeast Milk Marketing Agency. Property Tax/Rent Rebate Deadline Extended A recent deadline extension gives eligible local residents until the end of the year to file for up to $650 from the state's Property Tax and Rent Rebate program. The rebate program is open to Pennsylvanians who are 65 and older; widows and widowers 50 and older; and people with disabilities 18 and older. Further, the maximum annual income limit (excluding half of Social Security income) for homeowners is $35,000 and $15,000 for renters. Applications and information can be obtained online at www.PaPropertyTaxRelief.com or by calling 1-888-222-9190. Claimants are reminded to provide all the necessary income, property tax or rental information for their claims to be processed accurately and quickly. Claimants who already applied for Property Tax/Rent Rebates may check the status of claims online at www.PaPropertyTaxRelief.com or by calling, toll-free, 1-888-PATAXES. As of May 28, the Revenue Department had received more than 533,000 rebate applications. Nearly 600,000 older Pennsylvanians and residents with disabilities are expected to benefit from the program this year. Local Government Commission 75th Anniversary Honored On June 21, the Senate unanimously adopted Senate Resolution 357, a measure I introduced commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Local Government Commission. I have been fortunate to serve on the Commission since 1994 and have served as Chairman for about seven years. During this time I have had the opportunity to see the extensive amount and wide variety of work it handles. The Local Government Commission, created in 1935, is one of the oldest agencies of its kind in the United States. The Commission is comprised of five Senators and five House Members, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House, respectively. It is a bipartisan legislative service agency affording research assistance to the General Assembly and to individual legislators as well. The Commission holds quarterly meetings to provide a forum at which statewide local government associations can present their concerns, possible amendments to municipal codes, and other legislative proposals which they deem important to local government. Guide to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Now Available Locating a convenient Farmer's Market just got easier with the release of the 2010 Pennsylvania Farm Market Guide, according to the PA Department of Agriculture. Find farm fresh wholesome fruits and vegetables recently plucked from Pennsylvania's plants and trees and ready to serve to your family. Fill your car with fresh flowers, honey, jams and jellies, and hand-crafted gifts for loved ones. Search the Guide online by county, selecting a market based on location, days and hours of operation, and product availability. The 2010 Guide can introduce you and your family to an agricultural adventure at farms and orchards promoting "pick-your-own" opportunities. For more in-depth exposure, dip into PA's agritourism, choosing from among a wide variety of farm-stay bed and breakfasts and related road trips. Download your complete Guide or select a specific market or region to locate the fresh food your family desires.
Income-eligible seniors and recipients of the
Women Infants & Children Nutrition Program (WIC) can easily locate those
markets that participate in the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. This
program benefits more than 175,000 PA seniors and 140,000 WIC participants by
providing them with nutritious, fresh food. Program partners include the
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania fruit and vegetable
growers, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (WIC Program), and the
Pennsylvania Department of Aging (Area Agencies on Aging). |
Main Capitol
Mercer County
Crawford County | |
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was pleased to join my fellow members of the Senate Agriculture and Rural
Affairs Committee at a recent public hearing to explore ways to ensure that
struggling state dairy farmers receive premiums intended to be paid to producers
for milk sold in Pennsylvania.