PA Ballot Questions

Ballot Questions 1-2: "Do you favor the incurring of indebtedness by the Commonwealth of $400,000,000 for grants and loans to municipalities and public utilities for the cost of all labor, materials, necessary operational machinery and equipment, lands, property, right and easements, plans and specifications, surveys, estimates of costs and revenues, prefeasibility studies, engineering and legal services and all other expenses necessary or incident to the acquisition, construction, improvement, expansion, extension, repair or rehabilitation of all or part of drinking water system, storm water, nonpoint source projects, nutrient credits and wastewater treatment system projects?"

Summar of the Question

1. 
   Allow the government of Pennsylvania to borrow $400,000,000 ($400 million) to make grants and loans to municipalities and public utilities for the acquisition, construction, improvement, expansion, extension, repair or rehabilitation of drinking water system, storm water and nonpoint source projects, nutrient credits and wastewater treatment system projects.
2. 
   The measure explicitly defines the terms in includes (for example, it defines "drinking water system" as something that "consists of reservoirs, wells, water treatment facilities and equipment such as pipes, tanks, filters and pumps, which collect, treat, store and supply safe drinking water for public use").
3. 
   Only $200,000,000 ($200 million) may be used in outright grant to municipalities. The remainder would have to be disbursed as loans to those who qualify for the funds.
   The amount of a grant, loan, or combination of grant and loan awarded for a project may not exceed the monetary limits set by Act 64 of 2008, which vary based on the annual average daily flow of a sewage treatment system or the population served by a water system.
4. 
   The total cost of repayment will be an estimated $621 million, with an annual cost of $31 million after all the debt is issued ($11.2 million and $23.1 million in 2009-10 and 2010-11, respectively).

Pros and Cons

Supporters of the referendum argue:

• $400 million is only a small portion of the almost $20 billion needed to ensure clean water and consumer safety.
• This year the federal budget cut $42 million in state water and sewer funding as municipalities are facing expensive improvements due to new EPA regulations.
• Those in favor of the bond believe making more funds available to municipalities will create jobs and stimulate the economy.

Critics of the referendum argue:

• The question facing voters is less about whether Pennsylvania needs additional funding for water and sewer infrastructure, but whether the state needs additional revenue to pay for it.
• Pennsylvanians already owe $110 billion in state debt, not including the additional $3 billion passed in the 2008-09 state budget.
• Opponents are skeptical of taking on new debt in the current economic climate given the legislature's history of spending

(Above Information was copied by the PA State Election Website, http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=16&ElectionID=28&QuestionID=15

For me I do not think that the tax payers of this district of any district should have to pay for this project. In 1996 the state voted to approve the amount of 64 million for the clean water and sewer act which ended up costing jobs and not being effective at all. I would have to vote NO on these questions due to the fact thier seems to be no mention of longterm achievement. For example there is no mention about the job created what will happen once the job is completed. I will have to disagree with the Mayor and vote NO. If this proposal had an econimic recovery program part of it then I would vote for it hands down but since the price ceiling seems not to be attached to it at all. But look at the information above and make the decission your self and at least the bill proposal doesn't have an earmark attached to it.

Tom Manion for Congress

"Tom Manion comes to the race for Congress not as a career politician, but as a regular citizen called to public service in extraordinary times. Tom grew up in the Philadelphia area and is one of ten children. His father was a salesman and his mother raised the family. Together, they worked very hard to provide. And they, like any parents, wanted the best for Tom and his brothers and sisters."

"In Washington, Tom Manion will push to make sure Congress once again works for us… so Congress once again does what’s right. He will focus on the things that should be obvious, but have been forgotten by the politicians."

Tom Manion is the kind of guy that I want to represent me in Congress. Help Manion beat Bug Bunny I mean Murphy in November. Tom Manion lost his son in Iraq but still feels that the mission still needs to be done. Murphy once an Iraq vet has been considered one of the worst congressmen in our country. Let's throw out the trash in washington and election Tom Manion for Congress.

Why I am voting for McCain

I am voting for McCain not because I am a Republican but because I believe in the American Dream. There are a lot of fundamental differences between Obama and McCain and I don’t have the time, nor would you read all of what I have to say to list them all. For McCain, he locked up my vote when he picked Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential Nominee. Obama could have earned my vote if he picked someone else except for Biden. Don’t get me wrong the VP position didn’t make my decision nor was I looking for it to do so. Picking a VP is like a table setter, and gets the people going. Palin is a lot better for me, a person concern with our safety and future, instead of Biden. Obama also has certain arrogance about him that I can’t follow, and I feel has lost a lot of respect for. When Obama says that he is visiting an ill grandmother, how is it he then took a half hour off and had a dance off with Ellen on her hit show. I mean don’t get me wrong, he should take bad news with a stride but why? Why would you dance off on the show if you just said that “I am canceling everything to set my mind and prayers with my grandmother.” Hmmm! The plot thickens, but again not a reason why I am not voting for Obama. When asked why I am this is what I say. I believe in smaller government, privacy, and values in which democrats disagree 100% of the time with. Instead of expanding our government to work for the people, I only remind you if it’s small now and its not working for you, it getting bigger wont help you either. I am not a rich guy, and have financial problems in every area but this spreading of the wealth idea doesn’t seem that it will work. 95% of the American people are expecting money under an Obama plan, how is it that 5% of America can actually give us what we need. Another thing is that the 5% also includes the siblings, and partners in which don’t have the money at their disposal, but are expected to pay. If we do take away a lot what happens to them, or rather when we dry them out who will pay us then. It would end up being a trickled down event that will run dry when it hit bottom. Also I am scared if Obama does becomes the leader of our military. He would sit down with terrorist that want to kill us and some that already have. Obama needs to understand that terrorist hate all American including him, so this superstar theory will not hold up again Bin Laden. I could go on, but I feel you get me thoughts. McCain smaller government, maverick, and complete leadership, Obama larger government, motivational speaker, and not that bad of a guy. I am not against Obama I am just for McCain.

One Week Left

With the election just a week away McCain is trying to ride the underdog theory into the White House. John McCain was down by larger numbers when he pulled out with the victory in New Hampshire which gives many of McCain supporters a sign of hope. With all the different polls pointing into different directions it is hard to determine who is actually going to win this thing. I have studied many polls and looked at the sampling error and still can’t really put my finger on it. Early tonight I participated in a poll, and many people say that if the economy wasn’t the way it was then McCain would be their man. Hard to overcome the shadows of Bush and the economy, but McCain feels that he will. What will an Obama presidency look like, and will it actually be what we need? For many of us, we need action now. Time is running out and trust is flying out the widow in government. With one week to go the election seems to be tilting more towards Obama then McCain but we have seen these numbers wrong before. Hope all of you vote next week, and for those who voted already thank you. No matter what the polls say vote proudly for whoever you feel deserves the job, and remember that we are the ones who determine what history will say about this election.

Can McCain Win?

With the election two weeks away, many people are saying this election is still too close to call. Many Obama supporters are already clamming victory, and that McCain is already sounding the defeat call. However Obama has learned a lesson before about getting hopes up before all the votes are counted. Today many polls put the Electoral College back into play, saying that Obama surge in the economy has slowed down. In Ohio and Florida McCain has regained the lead in these must wins areas. Also Virginia and North Carolina signs of hope of McCain winning have return. With Nevada, Missouri, and a possible win in Colorado McCain could win this election. Recent polls have put FL, OH, NC, NV, and MO back into the column of McCain, temporarily, and have put CO and VA as a tossup. For Republican this is a sign of hope, for Obama this is a sign of repeating history. We saw in the 2000 Presidential Election that many states that were leaning a certain way ended up not going that way. Polls have been wrong before, and many believe that the popular vote in the end will be fairly close. Obama doesn’t have to sweet yet, since McCain seems to really want to carry PA. But if McCain wins OH, FL, and PA then victory is almost guarantee. This election is not yet over, and I am still hesitant in the winner. The one thing I can tell you is this, that is the economy didn’t decline, McCain would have won this election. McCain has done a great job overcoming the Bush odds, but even a maverick can’t overcome the GOP economic problems.

Sarah Palin continues to Shine

Last night on Saturday Night Live, Sarah Palin made a guest appearance with great enthusiasm. After seeing the Flyers lose again, I decided to watch some of the SNL skits that everyone seems to love. I forgot that Sarah Palin was going to be on the show, and I am sure happy she was. Sarah Palin seems to be the reason why McCain is still alive in this campaign. Many people who saw the show last night commented how funny and energetic she is. This helps out the campaign entirely when you have Biden basically pushing flowers and surly she helps McCain more then Biden helps Obama. She continues to remind me why I am a fan of hers, and am hoping for a miracle this election so we can call her Vice President. However for Sarah Palin it could be a win win election this November. If she loses and fails to become VP she could possible run again in 4 years for President to take on Obama. It would be interesting to see what happens, and with all the attacks on her now, she would be ready for the attacks in the future. Overall Sarah Palin just seems to be the pride of our party and definitely a future player in this country.

Tom Corbett for Attorney General of PA

"Tom Corbett is the current Attorney General of Pennsylvania and is running for re-election in 2008. He took the oath of office on January 18, 2005 as Pennsylvania's 25th modern Attorney General, dedicating the resources of the Office of Attorney General to make the Commonwealth a safer and better place for families to live, work and grow. Declaring that "public safety is the single most important service that government can provide," Attorney General Corbett quickly identified the most serious threats facing Pennsylvania's communities and developed a series of new programs to address them."

Four Major Accomplishments of Tom Corbett

• Attorney General's Child Predator Unit, the Child Predator Unit has arrested more than 120 suspected Internet predators.
• Created a Public Corruption Unit, to investigate and prosecute cases involving public officials and government employees to protect the citizens of Pennsylvania from abuse of power, government corruption and the criminal influence of gambling
• Protecting Pennsylvania's senior population from fraud and abuse
• Tom Corbett is dedicated to vigorously fighting illegal drugs, working closely with local, state and federal law enforcement to halt drug trafficking into Pennsylvania and reduce the drug-related crime that endangers communities across the Commonwealth.

* Information Provided by Tom Corbett website.

Tom Corbett is the kind of guy I want protecting my family and friends in this day and age. His tough on crime and tough on ciminals has made the streets of Philadelphia and PA safe. I am also very proud to be a volunteer and a follower of this great man. Tom Corbett stays up at nights keeping us safe so we don't have to. Go Tom!!!

http://www.tomcorbett2008.com/

Tom Ellis for State Treasurer

"What is the definition of a public servant . . . one who puts the needs of the citizens above his or her own. In a time when people feel that our elected officials have lost sight of what’s best for the citizens, it’s good to know that Tom Ellis has been a watchdog for all of us. Tom has brought innovative thinking to fiscal responsibility in Montgomery County’s government." (Tom Ellis Website)

During his time as an elected official Tom has:

Taken No Salary Or A Half Salary – With legislative pay raises dominating the headlines, Tom Ellis chose to work for no salary or half of his salary. For the first 2 ½ years, Tom took no salary and then opted to take only 50% when he became Chairman of the Board of Commissioners.

Worked To Purchase A Large County Office Building – When Tom found out that the yearly rent of a large county-leased office building would be rising from $2.46 million to $2.8 million in 2007, he knew something needed to be done. Thanks to Tom’s efforts, this building was bought by Montgomery County; a decision which saved taxpayers $45,800 in 2007, and will increase to $518,000 by 2011.

Issued A Moratorium On Out-Of-State Travel – Expressing a concern about travel to “lavish resorts,” such as Las Vegas and San Francisco, Tom and the Board developed a written policy restricting travel which ultimately cut back on the number of conferee attendees. During its first year, this policy saved over $250,000 in taxpayer money

*Again all information is from Tom Ellis Campaign Website

Tom Ellis has been a perfect servant of this state for many years. With the economy where it is we need someone with experience to lead us into a postive future, rather then taking to many stpes back. For 22 years Tom Ellis has experinced up and down markets flows, the housing market, and is the only candidate with that many of years of public finance experience. This is an election that we need to have some experience people elected.

http://ellis4treasurer.com/

Chet Beiler for Auditor General of PA

"The Office of the Auditor General was created to serve as the state’s top fiscal watchdog.
Chet promises to be a watchdog, not a lapdog!
When government agencies are not run efficiently it impacts everyone in the form of higher taxes. With the rising costs of healthcare, gas, food and prescription drugs, we must not waste taxes.

The Office of the Auditor General:
• Ensures your tax dollars are used wisely
• Certifies state agencies receive the appropriate allocated funding
• Affirms state agencies use funds correctly and operate efficiently

As a truly independent fiscal watchdog, Chet will work to save taxpayer money so you don’t have to work harder only to pay more taxes. Chet will work to cut government waste and inefficiency so your tax burden can be decreased." (Chet Beiler Website)

I am personaly excited to endore this man for auditor gerneral for the commonwealth of PA. He was in our area just a few days ago and spoke clearly what he would due to those responsible for the economic problems are state is facing. He has always worked for the people of this state and will continue as our next auditor general.

http://www.chetbeiler.com/

Electoral College

Since the birth of democracy in America the Electoral College has represented the “equal” distribution of representation and weight of votes for a Presidential candidate. This process originally was supposed to make the election fair and balance, basically saying that a candidate has to campaign over a majority of states not just a few. Now we see the Electoral College doing the exact opposite from fair, balance to combinations and scenarios. For example to be President of the United States all you need are 270 electoral vote’s, points have you and there you go. Sadly this once flawless system is now going to be used as a launching pad for corruption and political gain. Can’t say that I am too upset over it since the 2004 strategy and actually the entire republican strategy was built on a victory in the Electoral College without the popular vote. A democracy by definition is a government chosen by the people and for the people by a simple majority. Not a majority of points but rather a majority of votes casted. Now a year ago when the protest hit DC to eliminate the Electoral College I was rite there saying that we need the Electoral College and how it is fair. On my radio show I debated two of my colleagues about how profitable the Electoral College was and its successes. But like many things in life as you grow and learn you see that truly unfair, unbalance, and corrupt this process is. Maybe it’s because of the upcoming defeat that I have finally noticed. Since 2000 I started doing electoral math in my head and it always seemed to favor the republicans but now with it favoring the democrats I finally settled in the shoes of the loser. So if anyone favors the electoral college or you feel that representation is fairly distributed through this system then look at every presidential election and see how the majority did not get the President they voted for, one time is enough for me. By the way Electoral College and representation includes census which do not included poor, immigration, or handicap people, fair I think not.

Game Over

It is with a sad heart but a very hopeful one that I must admit to defeat in 2008. Unfortunately Americans will most likely vote for Obama and this is a lost not just felt by McCain/Palin but for me also. I will continue to pump my support for McCain and for his cause but after tonight, plus personal reflection I believe, that America will choose “the road less traveled by” and elect Obama the next President of the United States. I would believe that some would consider my opinion professional, and experienced supporting facts of my education, travels, and experience that I apply to my opinion. And it is with that opinion that I can conclude the notion that McCain and Palin would lose in November. Timing is everything, and as a roller coaster goes, as goes the country. The economy tanked and Americans ran to Obama rather they ran to the Democratic Party. I don’t blame those people and wish them the most success. For about a week I have studied over many polls and public opinion websites and it seems that the odds are just staggering for McCain but it will soon be over and the consequences of this election will soon be felt. Prayers and constant dedication will remain high and full of hope in the last week of this campaign, and a victory for McCain in November. I will continue to leave posts to maintain the good people who read this blog but also for myself to express what I feel is important, and offer my opinion. It is funny that less then two weeks ago victory was in our grasps and celebration was at hand now not so much. “Once you consent to some concession, you can never cancel it and put things back the way they are.” Howard Hughes