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June 1, 2010 Dear Friend, An e-newsletter is a fast, convenient, extremely low-cost way to keep you informed about state issues and community progress. I hope you will share with me your reaction to these issues or other matters of concern. If you know someone else who might find this useful, please feel free to forward. Thank you for your interest. McIlhinney Military Uniforms Bill Signed Into Law The General Assembly recently approved legislation I sponsored that would prohibit school officials from denying members of the Armed Forces access to a school based on their uniforms. The legislation stemmed from several incidents in local schools involving members of the military who stopped by their former school to visit friends and teachers, but were denied access because they were in uniform. I was deeply disappointed to learn that some of our area's bravest individuals were victims of discrimination by school officials. I strongly believe that if these uniforms are good enough to be worn while these individuals are defending freedom and protecting our nation across the globe, then they are good enough to be worn in our schools. These men and women set a tremendous example for their peers and are a significant source of pride for their community, and we are all thankful for their service. My legislation not only prevents school officials from denying access to members of the military based on their uniforms, but also prevents school officials from imposing restrictions on wearing military uniforms on school property. Visitors would still be expected to follow the school's visitor's policy, but they can no longer be refused entry due to their uniform. The quantity and quality of the Pennsylvanians serving in our Armed Forces is a credit to our Commonwealth. I would like to offer my personal thanks to all of the men and women serving our nation in the military, and I am thankful that my colleagues in the General Assembly have joined me in preventing school officials from discriminating against these courageous individuals. Senator McIlhinney Hosted Levittown Senior Expo On April 15, I hosted a senior expo at Levittown Fire Company #1's Colonial Fire Hall to provide information on vital state services and programs available to older Pennsylvanians. The event featured door prizes, free health screenings and a number of other entertaining and informative exhibitors. The expo gave me a valuable opportunity to meet with local senior citizens to discuss the issues that are most important in our communities, and I deeply appreciate the feedback I received from so many local seniors. I would like to thank all of the sponsors, exhibitors and attendees for making our most recent senior expo a resounding success, and I look forward to many similar events in the future. Governor Proposes New Taxes, Elimination of Sales Tax Exemptions Senate Republicans will carefully study Governor Rendell's $29 billion General Fund budget request for Fiscal Year 2010-11 and remain committed to enacting a fiscally responsible spending plan in a timely manner while protecting the interests of Pennsylvania's taxpayers. I am holding to the same basic principles I maintained during last year's deliberations -- the budget must be balanced without a broad-based tax increase and should be delivered on time. The governor's budget proposal includes a $1.15 billion (4.1 percent) increase in spending and projected 3.2 percent increase in revenues in the upcoming fiscal year. The governor's plan calls for expanding the number of goods and services subject to the state sales tax – eliminating 74 exemptions – while setting the new rate at 4 percent. He also proposes eliminating the 1 percent discount employers receive for collecting the sales tax. His budget would also impose new taxes on Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction and on cigars and smokeless tobacco. One major concern is that the governor's budget assumes that recent hikes in federal spending will be extended for state programs. There is no guarantee that this $848 million in funding will be approved by Congress, putting the Commonwealth and taxpayers in a precarious position. As of the end of February, state tax revenues were $477 million below estimates. March figures also were not good with revenues down at the end of the month by approximately $230 million. If this continues, the deficit could reach $1 billion by end of June, which is the end of fiscal 2009-10. McIlhinney Bill Would Protect Local Farm Stands, Agritainment Activities Many local farmers market and sell their products at farm stands or open their land for educational and recreational agriculture activities, such as hayrides and corn mazes. These marketing opportunities are vital for many farmers who were struggling to make ends meet even before the recession. I introduced legislation recently that would prevent local zoning ordinances from hindering farmers' ability to market their products. The Family Farm Initiative and Enterprise Land Development Act would create a Farm Enterprise Standards Board to set guidelines for land use, development and construction standards. Any farm operation that adheres to these standards would be permitted to operate without interference from local officials. I am confident that the Board will set standards that will protect both farmers and their host communities. Marketing and selling products is a part of the farm business, and while the vast majority of municipal officials support this practice, it is important to ensure that our local farm families are not subjected to overregulation. I am hopeful that my colleagues in the General Assembly will join me in protecting this valuable source of income for our small family farms. Senate Panel Approves Bill to Allow Military Burials at Washington Crossing National Cemetery The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee recently approved legislation I sponsored to allow for formal military burials of veterans at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Bucks County. Current law does not provide for honor guard burial details at Washington Crossing National Cemetery as it does at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Lebanon County and National Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Washington County. Senate Bill 1186 will expand the authority of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to provide this honor and burial allowance to veterans buried at Washington Crossing. The Washington Crossing National Cemetery will provide Bucks County families with a way to provide a lasting tribute to some of our bravest citizens and allow families greater opportunities to pay their respects to loved ones. I am thankful that we are another step closer to allowing military burials in an area that will not create a serious hardship for family and friends who wish to pay their respects. Committee Examines Proposed Senate Rules of Ethical Conduct A bipartisan group of Senate leaders recently introduced new Senate Rules of Ethical Conduct that would help prevent abuses of taxpayer-funded resources. These new rules have my strong support, and I look forward to supporting this measure when it comes to the Senate floor for consideration. Senate Resolution 228 includes a strict prohibition on campaign activity on Senate work time and a requirement that Senate employees responsible for taking or recommending official actions file Financial Interest Statements. It also makes clear that Senate mailing lists and email lists may only be used for legislative purposes, and cannot be sold or given to any other entity, including campaigns. The Senate Rules Committee
recently held a hearing to examine these proposals. The committee heard from the
Executive Director of the State Ethics Commission, the Staff Director for the
U.S. Senate Ethics Committee, a member of the Center for Ethics in Government at
the National Conference of State Legislatures, and a public service professor
from Carnegie Mellon University. |
Offices Email: cmcilhinney@pasen.gov
Doylestown Office Morrisville Office
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