Pennsylvania Republicans Unveil 2005 Legislative Agenda

"Playbook for Progress" emphasizes lower taxes, improved public safety

Harrisburg – State Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) joined members of the Republican majorities in the Pennsylvania House and Senate yesterday to announce a joint "Playbook for Progress" – a game plan for moving Pennsylvania forward. The aggressive legislative agenda is designed to make Pennsylvania a better place in which to live and work.

Topping the agenda, said Robbins, is a plan to fight for taxpayers by rolling back the state's personal income tax coupled with strong new restrictions on the growth of state spending.

"For 10 of the last 18 years, state spending has outpaced the growth in Pennsylvanians' incomes," said Robbins. "Today, we are committed to changing that for taxpayers."

Robbins said the Playbook for Progress also calls for:

Election reforms designed to ensure that Pennsylvanians serving overseas in the military are allowed to vote, improve Election Day operations, and complete the implementation of a statewide voter registration system.
Reforms to the state's gambling law, including the elimination of the controversial ownership provisions that currently allow an elected official to have an ownership interest in gambling-related companies, along with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) provisions and giving the attorney general greater oversight powers.
A plan to make college more affordable for Pennsylvania families and working to build a program that would enable high school students to earn college credits while still in high school.
The Keystone Manufacturing Initiative and a renewed commitment to cutting taxes on job creators and technology -- all designed to create a better atmosphere for good jobs in Pennsylvania.
An emphasis on access to quality health care by encouraging use of Health Savings Accounts, developing a health care tax credit program for small businesses, and developing a collaborative approach in determining how to best utilize and direct any excess funds that may be held by the Blue Cross plans as they meet their social mission in Pennsylvania.
Improvements to public safety, including increasing the state police complement -- which the Governor agreed to as he signed the budget but has since refused to implement -- homeland security issues, and how Pennsylvania is spending money earmarked to fight bioterrorism.
Protecting the environment by enhancing Growing Greener, the successful Republican-led environmental initiative, ensuring that Pennsylvania remains a leader in farmland preservation, securing a stream of funding for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, and improving flood mitigation efforts.

Robbins stressed that Republicans are eager to work with Democrats and Gov. Rendell to implement this ambitious agenda, and that the plan should guide public policy discussions during the current legislative session.

"There are plenty of areas in this agenda where compromise is possible, and we're going to do that wherever it benefits taxpayers," said Robbins. "This is a plan that reflects our conservative values. The governor will lay out his priorities when he announces his budget proposal next Wednesday. We'll work with him wherever possible, without abandoning our core principles."

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CONTACT: Mike Hengst (717) 787-1322