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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, August 27, 2009

State Budget Impasse: Should We Throw the Bums Out?

Only two states are operating without a budget - Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Here in the Keystone state, our school districts are owed $1.3 billion statewide. In addition, non-profits providing human services are waiting for $114 million. It has even chased the Devil to Canada. (M. Night Shyamalan's latest film, Devil, has moved from Pennsylvania to Canada.)

So do we throw the bums out? It's it time for another clean sweep of state legislators. That's a questions I asked LC Comm'r candidates Bob Smith, Percy Dougherty and Mike Welsh on Tuesday. You can see their answers here.

Three candidates had three different answers. If there's no budget by Election Day, Smith would support removing everyone in Harrisburg. Welsh would prefer to judge each legislator on his or her own merits. Dougherty believes caucus leaders in both parties should be dumped.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

All LV state rep's are useless. Throw them all out. Both Dem's and Repub's. Equally impotent.

Anonymous said...

The legislature should be halved and term limits applied. The current group should be completely purged.

The LV contingent (with the single exception of Dally) has been silent.

It reinforces my belief that they are mostly salary and pension compilers who hold their bosses (us) in utter contempt.

They've been paid perform a job and they have not performed it. That usually gets one fired.

Anonymous said...

Every one should be voted out of office! Every two years new faces.

ironpigpen said...

Good point.

Sometimes, when somebody screws up on the job, someboy gets fired.

Happens, at least in private sector.

Anonymous said...

None of this would happen if it weren't for gerrymandering. Most Pa. districts are fixed for both party therefore rarely does a legislator get bounced. If the districts were redrawn to make them more competitive then this would never be a problem. Thanks to redistricting the Republicans have perpetual control of the Senate. Since that has occurred there have always been budget fights. No need to burn the house down to get rid of the rats just set up a system like they have in Iowa where the legislators do not set up their own districts. Until this occurs we'll get what we are getting forever..

Anonymous said...

It's sickening to see our bloated state legislature in their ridiculously gaudy chambers. I have no problem voting them all out but I'd rather just reduce the size.

Anonymous said...

Who was the guy that attacked a poster here? That guy needs to go.

Anonymous said...

It was Grucela, a guy who's very charitable with taxpayers' money, but has never earned a private sector dollar in his life. He launched a personal attack in response to a political attack on Wayne Grube.

Anonymous said...

Watch it 6:10 Grucello is a ohare mancrush. He is a lifetime bureaucrat that has never run a thing in his life.

Marc Grammes said...

Bob Smith is not afraid to speak his mind and ask the tough questions. He is my friend, and he will make a great commissioner. Bob is passionate and works very hard for the people. Percy is right to blame the leadership, but it's the reps who are elected by the people to represent the people. They have an obligation to act in OUR interests, not the Party Leadership! Too many have been there for too long. It is now plainly obvious to me and many others. Rep J. Harhart took 16 per diems for the month of July at the max rate of 158 dollars a day tax free for a total of $2528 in tax fee income. Can't wait to see August. All this while the state has no authority to spend money. Call it Chutzpah... if you like. And we still have no budget. Rep. Craig Dally to his credit declined to even submit these per diems until we have a budget in place. He is to be commended. I'd vote for him if I could. Remember this when voting for Judge.

I am not quite sure where Welsh is coming from other than he seemed reluctant to go on record as critical of the house. He will have to do better than that if he is elected as a County Commissioner.

Why was that small room in LCRC HQ the place for this press release? Some back porches are bigger than that place! Should have picked a better location. Perhaps in front of Pat Browne's downtown office which is just a skip and a jump from the LC Government center.