LibertyIndex2011VETO Veto Enact.

Date Bill Subject 1 Jul 8 HB 1696 Property Tax Reassessment Moratorium Act WASHINGTON COUNTY ONLY Tier 1 -AGAINST LIBERTY: A yea will subtract 1 point to the grade and a nay vote will add 1 point from the grade Because this applies only to one county, it is very, special interest legislation. There is neither a Constitutional reason nor a practical reason for this targeted exemption. HOUSE FISCAL NOTE: SUMMARY: Provides for a temporary moratorium FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY ONLY of court-ordered countywide reassessments. This legislation would take effect immediately. ^^^^^*****^^^^^

Appropriations Acts of 2011

1A to 14A

Act No.

Enactment Date Bill No. Subject

Appropriations Act 1A enactment

Jun 30

HB 1485 General Appropriation Act of 2011 -

For Liberty Tier 3: A yea vote will add 50 points to Legislators or Governors grade and a nay vote will subtract 50 points from the grade. This is the first budget in 40 years to reduce spending from previous year. House Fiscal Note Budget 2011 and Senate Fiscal Note Budget 2011 provide specific information. Commonwealth Foundations General Fund Spending in Budget Deal JUNE 30, 2011: The FY 2011-12 budget deal includes $27.1 billion in General Fund spending, as part of the state's approximately $64 billion total operating budget. The deal represents a reduction of $3 billion from FY 2010-11the first reduction in the operating budget in at least 40 years. This budget restores overall spending to pre-stimulus levels and includes no new taxes READ MORE.

Appropriation Acts 2A and 3A of 2011 : SERS and PSERS- The Pension Plans for State Employees and for Teachers Pennsylvania State Pension
Liabilities June 16, 2011 Commonwealth Foundation The Act 120 of 2010 ( HB 2497) kicked the can down the road and these two votes enable a bad financial situation to continue rather to confront the fiscal folly now by instituting a defined contribution rather than defined benefit which the public sector unions want. Appropriations Act 2A of 2011 Jun 30 State Employees' Retirement Board Tier 1 FOR LIBERTY- ALL MEMBERS UNANIMOUS VOTE BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE will get one point added to their grade. This vote allocates money to operation of state employees pension fund and the amount allocated is less than last year and below rate of inflation as well. Senate Fiscal Note: For fiscal year 2011-12, there will be $27,320,000 appropriated to the State Employees Retirement Board from the State Employees Retirement Fund. SB 1055

Appropriations Act 3A of 2011 Jun 30 SB 1056 Public School Employees' Retirement Board Tier 1 FOR LIBERTY- ALL MEMBERS UNANIMOUS VOTE BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE will get one point added to their grade. This vote allocates money to operation of state employees pension fund and the amount allocated is less than last year and below rate of inflation as well. Senate Fiscal Note: For fiscal year 2011-12, there will be $44,107,000 appropriated to the Public School Employees Retirement Board from the Public School Employees Retirement Fund.

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Appropriations Act 4A Jun 30 SB 1057 Funding for the operation Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs Tier 2 FOR LIBERTY Moderate Impact on Liberty: A yea vote will add 25 points to grade and a nay vote will subtract 25 points from the grade Because this bill appropriated less than last years (FY 2010-2011 Gov. Rendells last budget) appropriation of $38, 800, 000, this is going in the right direction for taxpayers. There is evidence that the bureaucracy needs more money. Zero based budgeting might be appropriate. It is not clear how much benefit this bureaucracy provides to the public.

Senate Fiscal Note: Senate Bill 1057 appropriates $35,552,000 from the Professional Licensure Augmentation Account to the Department of State for the operation of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs and the State Board of Auctioneer Examiners for FY 2011-12. The bill also appropriates the following amounts from restricted receipt accounts and the state Athletic Commission Augmentation Account for the operation of various licensure boards and the State Athletic Commission for their operations during FY 2011-12. $6,665,000 State Board of Medicine $ 960,000 State Board of Osteopathic Medicine $ 189,000 State Board of Podiatry $ 509,000 State Athletic Commission This legislation makes appropriations for FY 2011/ 12 as recommended by the Governor. The appropriation from the Professional Licensure Augmentation Account is $35,552,000, a decrease of $3,248,000 from 10/ 11. The appropriation from the restricted account of the State Board of Medicine is $6,665,000, an increase of $272,000 from 10/ 11.

The appropriation from the restricted account of the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine is $960,000, a decrease of $13,000 from 10/ 11. The appropriation from the restricted account of the State Board of Podiatry is $189,000, the same as 10/ 11. The appropriation from the State Athletic Commission Augmentation Account is $509,000, a decrease of $9,000 from 10/ 11.

Appropriations Act 5A Jun 30 SB 1058 Appropriations from the Workmens Compensation Fund to Department of Community and Economic Development to administer the Workers Compensation Act, the Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act and Office of Small Business Advocate. Tier 2 AGAINST LIBERTY - A nay will subtract 25 points from the grade and a yea vote will add 25 points to the grade. This Act increases the appropriation by $7, 039,000 over last year for Workmens Compensation Administration Fund as well as increase from FY 2009-10 and $4,000 for the Office of Small Business Advocate.

HOUSE FISCAL NOTE: FISCAL IMPACT: For Fiscal Year 2011/ 12 there will be $81,990,000 appropriated to the Department of Labor and Industry from the Workmens Compensation Administration Fund an increase of $7,039,000 from 10/ 11. For Fiscal Year 2011/ 12, there will be $194,000 appropriated to the Office of Small Business Advocate in the Department of Community and Economic Development from the restricted revenue account within the Workmens Compensation Administration Fund, an increase of $4,000 from 10/ 11.

Appropriations Act 6A Commission

Jun 30 SB 1059 Pennsylvania Public Utility

Tier 2 AGAINST LIBERTY - A nay will subtract 25 points from the grade and a yea vote will add 25 points to the grade. This Act increases the appropriation by 5.2% over last year, a $2,895,000 increase for the bureaucracy paid for by the productive taxpayer or business who wonders how much the benefit is worth. Senate Bill 1059 appropriates $58,898,000 in state funds from a restricted revenue account within the General Fund and $3,900,000 in federal funds to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) for its operations for fiscal year 2011-12.

The FY 2011-12 federal appropriation of $3,900,000 consists of $1,501,000 for natural gas pipeline safety, $1,888,000 for motor carrier safety, and $511,000 for electric regulatory assistance under ARRA. Senate Bill 1059 reflects the Governors recommended FY 2011-12 budget of $58,898,000 for the PUC. This is a $2,895,000 increase (5.2%) over the FY 201011 appropriation of $56,003,000.

The PUC is funded by assessments of public utilities. Subject to budgetary approval, the Public Utility Commission may assess up to three-tenths of one percent of gross intrastate revenues to cover the cost of regulation.

Appropriations Act 7A

Jun 30 SB 1060 Office of Consumer Advocate

Tier 2 FOR LIBERTY Moderate Impact on Liberty: A yea vote will add 25 points to grade and a nay vote will subtract 25 points from the grade This Act appropriates $11,000 less than last year. The Governor and General Assembly have reduced the cost of bureaucracy to the benefit of The Forgotten Taxpayer.

House Fiscal Note $5,189,000 This bill makes an appropriation of $5,189,000 from the restricted revenue account within the General Fund to the Office of the Consumer Advocate in the Office of Attorney General for general government operations for the fiscal year July, 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012. This appropriation represents a decrease in funding of $11,000, or 0.2% from the current year. Funds in the restricted revenue account are derived from assessments on utilities regulated by the Public Utility Commission

Appropriations Act 8A Jun 30 SB 1061 Office of Small Business Advocate House Finance Note $1, 092,000

Tier 2 AGAINST LIBERTY - A nay will subtract 25 points from the grade and a yea vote will add 25 points to the grade.

This represents the second year in a row that Office of Small Business Advocate got an increase. HOUSE FISCAL NOTE: This bill makes an appropriation of $1,092,000 from the restricted revenue account within the General Fund to the Office of Small Business Advocate in the Department of Community and Economic Development for general government operations for the fiscal year July, 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012. This appropriation represents an increase in funding of $31,000, or 2.9% from the current year. (And an increase from $1,029,000 in FY 2009-10 ) Funds in the restricted revenue account are derived from assessments on utilities regulated by the Public Utility Commission. It is not clear why, in addition to elected representatives, and the large staff in General Assembly along with Governors Budget office, there is even a need for a business advocate. Isnt this what businesses and lobbyists do. Isnt this a conflict of interest, the government representing a private person or business? How does the productive taxpayer who works, saves and invests benefit? Or businesses themselves? Who would notice if this office disappeared?

Appropriations Act 9A Jun 30 SB 1062 Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Department of Revenue, Pennsylvania State Police and Attorney General operations related to gaming Tier 3 AGAINST LIBERTY - A yea vote will subtract 50 points from the grade and a nay vote will add 50 points to the grade.

The Liberty Index sent a Key Vote Alert for SB 1062 Appropriation Gaming Control Board appropriation vote. Vote NO on SB 1062 APPROPRIATION of $ 62, 823,000 to Gaming Control Board and House Fiscal Note Vereb (Schroder) Amendment Stripped Out by Senate. SB 1062 appropriates $62, 823,000 taxpayer dollars to The Gaming Control Board. These are casino receipts designed, originally, to go to property tax relief but now going to self-serving, government bureaucrats.

Good Guys Reps. Mike Vereb and Curt Schroder The purpose of the amendment was to separate the investigate and enforcement branch of gaming from the executive and policy making branch to separate powers as a check and balance to the some of the conflicts of interest found by Pennsylvania Grand Jury. In my opinion, this is common sense legislation, checks and balances, separation of powers, are keystone of limited and good government. Senate Fiscal Note: Senate Bill 1062 appropriates the total sum of $66,189,000 for fiscal year 2011-12 from the State Gaming Fund for the operations of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (board) and the operations of the Department of Revenue (department), the Pennsylvania State Police and the Attorney General, with respect to their responsibility and authority under Part II of 4 Pa.C.S., known as the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (gaming act). The appropriation is categorized as follows: Attorney General - $976,000 Department of Revenue - $9,501,000 Pennsylvania State Police - $19,268,000 Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board - $36,444,000 ^^^^^*****^^^^^

Appropriations Act 10 to 14, Five Acts, Allocate Millions of Taxpayers Money Subsidize Tax Exempt, Nonprofit Billionaire Private Corporations In the Business of Education Appropriations Act 10A Jun 30 HB 1727 University of Pittsburgh education and general expenses and rural education outreach Against Liberty Tier 3: ALL MEMBERS 50 points will be subtracted from grades of legislators and the Governor. Some Democrats voted nay because the subsidy was not big enough so rather than reward them for a nay, I graded this as ALL MEMBERS were equally penalized.

Appropriations Act 11A general expenses

Jun 30 HB 1728

Temple University - education and

Against Liberty Tier 3: ALL MEMBERS UNANIMOUS VOTE 50 points will be subtracted from grades of legislators and the Governor. Some Democrats voted nay because the subsidy was not big enough so rather than reward proponents of more government spending for a nay vote for the wrong reason, I graded this as ALL MEMBERS were equally penalized.

Appropriations Act 12A Jun 30 HB 1729 University of Pennsylvania Center for Infectious Diseases, veterinary activities and education and general expenses Against Liberty Tier 3: ALL MEMBERS UNANIMOUS VOTE 50 points will be subtracted from grades of legislators and the Governor. Some Democrats voted nay because the subsidy was not big enough so rather than reward proponents of more government spending for a nay vote for the wrong reason, I graded this as ALL MEMBERS were equally penalized.

Appropriations Act 13A and general expenses

Jun 30 HB 1730

Lincoln University - education

Against Liberty Tier 3: ALL MEMBERS UNANIMOUS VOTE 50 points will be subtracted from grades of legislators and the Governor. Some Democrats voted nay because the subsidy was not big enough so rather than reward proponents of more government spending for a nay vote for the wrong reason, I graded this as ALL MEMBERS were equally penalized.

Appropriations Act 14A Jun 30 HB 1731 Pennsylvania State University education and general expenses and Pennsylvania College of Technology Against Liberty Tier 3: ALL MEMBERS UNANIMOUS VOTE 50 points will be subtracted from grades of legislators and the Governor. Some Democrats voted nay because the subsidy was not big enough so rather than reward proponents of more government spending for a nay vote for the wrong reason, I graded this as ALL MEMBERS were equally penalized.

Each year The Forgotten Taxpayer subsidizes the tax-exempt corporate, nonprofit Penn State, annual budget $4 billion, with its overpaid, underperforming professors and overstaffed and overpaid bureaucracy.

Appropriations Act 14 of 2011 2011 June 30 HB 1731 Pennsylvania State University - education and general expenses and Pennsylvania College of Technology $238,792,000 Penn State Taxpayer Subsidy 2011

Pennsylvania Student to Faculty/Staff Ratio 2:1 Student Enrollment Pennsylvania 86,206 For more on Student Enrollment click here Total Faculty/Staff 41,435 For more on Faculty and Staff click here Graduation Rate Six Year Five Year Four Year

$29,000,000 to UPENN

and

$146,823,000 to Temple U

$142,796,000 UPITT

$238,792,000 Penn State

Total 558,411,000 more than billion taxpayer dollars to private tax exempt corporate billionaires. What was the result? Higher Tuitions