The hypocrisy under which the State House has been operating can be summarized by Representative Dan Moul ‘s (R. Adams) lie that “until and unless every source of reserve is exhausted, we are not asking more of our taxpayers.”
What is wrong with this statement? Let us count the ways. (1) Taxpayers would be hurt because the sources of reserves that the Republicans plan to exhaust are 911 centers, transportation, hazardous waste cleanups, and other environmental projects. (2) Who Moul is really protecting are entities that don’t pay taxes at all: Marcellus Shale drillers, who pay the same measly flat fee to the State that has ceased to even cover the damage done to the State’s environment and infrastructure by their operations. Since many of these drillers are headquartered in Texas and pay State business taxes there, shouldn’t we be posing the question: Why are Pennsylvania taxpayers subsidizing Texas schools when we should be funding our own? (3) Moul, as well as the other PAHouse members, have, for the past two months, been vacationing rather than fulfilling their constitutional obligation of balancing this year’s fiscal budget, which was implemented on July 1. Not only will taxpayers be hurt by the possibility of a negative bond rating in the near future, they are already hurt by the debt service on the loan that covered some of the deficit.
(4) Taxpayers are simply hurt by these legislators, who are the highest paid in the country, not doing their jobs. Why are we subsidizing a lot of lazy bums who think that they can collect their pay, benefits, as well as any kickbacks they can accrue along the way, while they continue to hurt the typical Pennsylvania resident in all the ways listed above. Certainly many Democrats fall under this category as well, but it is the Republicans who have voted in a leadership that is responsive to nobody but themselves. This has to change. If you have not done so yet, volunteer for one of our committees here,
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