DCNR Secretary Pledges to Keep State Parks Open

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary John Quigley recently pledged to keep Pennsylvania’s 117 state parks open this summer.

I secured the commitment during a public hearing held by the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on Quigley’s nomination to serve as DCNR Secretary.

I am pleased to receive assurance that Pennsylvania’s state parks will be kept open this summer. These parks belong to the citizens of the Commonwealth and should not be used as bargaining chips in budget negotiations. Neither our parks nor the individuals and groups that enjoy them should ever be used as pawns to promote a political agenda.

Last year, Quigley unveiled a list of 50 state parks that could be closed as a result of a budget impasse. He stated that resources are available to keep all 117 parks open, even though the DCNR has seen its funding reduced in recent budgets.

The commitment by Secretary Quigley should also be reassuring to the many groups that hold leases to use state park facilities for their programs. A number of youth organizations such as the scouts and the State Police Camp Cadet program hold leases with the DCNR to use state park facilities for special programs. Those groups were extremely concerned that the Administration would follow through on its threats last year, which would have jeopardized those programs.

In response to the threatened closures of the parks last year, I introduced Senate Bill 974 -- legislation to ensure the Commonwealth honors leases allowing groups to use state park facilities during impasses over the state budget. The Senate unanimously approved the bill on Sept. 9, 2009 and it is now before the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Help Available to Understand Electric Deregulation

As caps are being lifted on electric rates, I urge consumers to learn more about electric choice to ensure they receive the lowest cost electricity for their household.

Although consumers will still receive their electricity from the same provider, ratepayers now have the option to choose the company from which their energy is generated. With energy costs expected to increase by up to 30 percent due to the expiration of rate caps, residents should use all of the resources available to make the best choice for their households.

The Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate offers a free Electric Shopping Guide online at www.oca.state.pa.us.  The guide includes price comparisons for all of the companies that generate electricity in the state. Consumers who do not have internet access can get more information by calling the Office of Consumer Advocate toll-free line at 1-800-684-6560.

Consumers can also get pricing information and learn more about basic consumer protections for electricity customers online at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s utility choice website at www.puc.state.pa.us/utilitychoice or by calling 1-800-692-7380.

Federal Healthcare Should Not Infringe on States’, Individual Rights

I recently announced my support for a proposed amendment to Pennsylvania’s Constitution that would prohibit government from mandating individual participation in a health care system.

The scope of the federal legislation goes beyond the role of the federal government as stated within the U.S. Constitution and the basic principles of freedom that our forefathers intended when they drafted our Declaration of Independence. It is now up to Pennsylvania and state governments across the nation to act to protect the rights of our citizens.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati announced last month that he will introduce the Constitutional Amendment to protect a person’s right to choose his or her own health care policy and prohibit the imposition of fines or penalties on an individual who declines to participate in any health care system. 

"Not only does the legislation passed by Congress threaten individual rights, it threatens the economic vitality of this country and state," Senator Scarnati said.  "I cannot in good conscience allow the worst public policy decision in decades to destroy the fabric of our entire health care system. With over a $1 trillion price tag and further costs down the road placed on the taxpayers, it is imperative that the states do everything in our power to protect the citizens."

We need health care reform, but the inflexible mandates, onerous fees and undue penalties against working individuals and families created by Washington are simply not the answer. I applaud and support Senator Scarnati in this effort to enact needed protections as part of our state Constitution.

State Tax Amnesty Program Now Open

For a limited time, the PA Department of Revenue is waiving 100 percent of penalties and half the interest for anyone who applies for Tax Amnesty online at www.PATaxPayUp.com and pays eligible delinquent taxes between now and June 18.

This is only the second time in Pennsylvania’s history a Tax Amnesty program has been offered to those who owe the state back taxes.

According to the Department of Revenue, there are a number of local residents who owe tax money to the state. The breakdown by county in my Senatorial District is as follows: Armstrong, 2,588; Butler, 8,185; Clearfield, 3,186; Indiana, 3,257; and Westmoreland, 16,732.

After PA Tax Amnesty ends on June 18, eligible individuals who do not take advantage of the PA Tax Amnesty program to settle back taxes will have a 5 percent non-participation penalty added to delinquencies and may face other enforcement actions.

The 54-day PA Tax Amnesty program, created by Act 48 of 2009, is intended to generate $190 million to help balance the current year’s fiscal budget. The program is generally available to all individuals, businesses and other entities with PA tax delinquencies as of June 30, 2009.

As required by law, all delinquent taxpayers known to the PA Department of Revenue received notices by mail in late April informing them of tax delinquencies and the PA Tax Amnesty program.

As an incentive to taxpayers previously unknown to the PA Department of Revenue to identify themselves, such tax delinquents will only be responsible for filing and paying five years worth of back taxes. In exchange, they must supply the state with the information it needs to add them to its tax records.

Taxpayers must apply for PA Tax Amnesty online at www.PATaxPayUp.com by June 18; no paper applications are available.

The PA Tax Amnesty website features commonly asked questions and answers, step-by-step application instructions in English and Spanish and links to forms and publications taxpayers may need to satisfy PA Tax Amnesty filing requirements. Fact sheets, promotional materials, news releases, prepared newsletter articles and advertising materials will be added to the website throughout the PA Tax Amnesty period so that interested parties may share them with others to promote the PA Tax Amnesty program.

A toll-free hotline and call center featuring extended customer service hours has been dedicated to the PA Tax Amnesty program. Taxpayers may call 1-877-34-PAYUP (1-877-347-2987) from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on some Saturdays.

Report Potholes for Repairs

Spring has sprung and so have the potholes. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is reminding motorists to call the toll-free number 1-800-FIX-ROAD (1-800-349-7623) to report the location of potholes. 

Motorists are also encouraged to report other problems and information, including:

Since its inception in July 1997, the year-round hotline has received between 500 and 1,000 calls per month statewide. Callers are asked to be as specific as possible when providing locations of maintenance problems. PennDOT requests the report include the county, municipality, street name, and the traffic route or the state route (SR) number to assist Engineering Districts & County Maintenance Offices in making prompt repairs. State Route numbers are located on small black-and-white signs posted along state highways. Callers should also provide a description of any familiar landmarks to further help PennDOT locate the problem area.


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