PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
HARRISBURG, PA
PERMIT NO. 432
Summer 2010
2010 Senior Fair I would like to remind senior citizens throughout the district that they
are invited to my 2010 Senior Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday,
Sept. 10, at the Chambersburg Mall, 3055 Black Gap Road, Cham-
Slated for bersburg. This fair is being sponsored by The Village
of Laurel Run.
Sept. 10
Free admission, health screenings, lunch and door
prizes will be offered and more than 60 representatives Mark
from state agencies, local governments, businesses Your
and organizations will be on hand to provide informa- Calendar
tion and answer questions important to seniors. s!
For more information or directions, call my district
office at (717) 532-1707.
2010-11 State Budget Missed the Mark
After the disastrous 2009-10 bud- years with billions of dollars in fed- contain any new or increased taxes,
get negotiations that led to a 101-day eral stimulus money which will ex- such as a personal income tax or busi-
impasse, this year the General Assem- pire after the 2010-11 budget cycle. ness tax increase. You may remember
bly was able to pass a new spending We also ended the last fiscal year the governor’s calls for an expansion
plan in time to meet the deadline on with a $1 billion deficit. I believe this of the state sales tax on many goods
June 30. Though I was glad to see the budget sets the stage for a $3 bil- and services currently not taxed – this
budget passed on time, I was among lion structural deficit next year. I am plan was not included in the budget.
84 House members who voted against also skeptical of the projected 3 per- What is included is an agreement by
House Bill 2279 due to the fact that it cent increase in revenue on which the Senate and House Democrats to
spends too much, ignores impending our spending numbers are based. consider a natural gas severance tax
fiscal challenges and sets us up for I believe this is an overly optimistic before Oct. 1.
future debt. In fact, these are the rea- estimation of revenue growth for the Welfare: The largest expenditure
sons I have voted against every bud- next year. in the state budget is welfare at $10.44
get since Gov. Ed Rendell has been Increased Borrowing: I am dis- billion. This level of spending for wel-
in office. appointed with the plans to increase fare is outrageous. We clearly need to
Following are several specific rea- the state’s debt to fund discretionary work harder to provide people with the
sons I could not support this year’s projects such as a library named for assistance needed to be able to get
budget: Sen. Arlen Specter and a policy cen- back into the workforce and off of the
Spending: One of my biggest ter for the late Cong. John Murtha. welfare rolls. We also need to take a
concerns with this budget is its un- Given the state’s existing financial closer look at making much-needed
sustainable spending – $28.04 billion concerns and the looming struc- reforms within our welfare system that
for 2010-11, which represents a $207 tural deficit we will be facing in the could potentially save taxpayers hun-
million increase. Though the gover- next year, it is fiscally irresponsible dreds of millions of dollars, according
nor requested $1 billion more and we to continue borrowing money to pay to Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack
were able to hold down spending, this for these sorts of discretionary proj- Wagner (see side bar).
see bar
spend number is still unsound. Keep ects. Education: Basic education, the
in mind Pennsylvania has been sup- Taxes: Probably the brightest second largest area of state spending
plementing spending over the past two spot of this budget is that it does not continued on page 2
State Budget Wrap Up continued from page 1
behind welfare programs, will
receive a $250 million increase Welfare Reforms
in this budget. Public school
districts in the 89th District are Clearly Needed
expected to receive increases
in basic education funding as Last year, Pennsylvania Auditor
General Jack Wagner released a re- Rep. Kauffman greeted the family and friends
follows:
port that showed the state Department of the late Lance Cpl. Michael Freeman Jr. of
the United States Marine Corps, who were
• Shippensburg Area of Public Welfare’s (DPW) special al-
recognized on the House floor during pas-
School District – lowance program was suffering from
sage of a House resolution honoring Free-
6.83 percent, or a multiple systemic flaws that opened
man for his dedication and service to our
$604,793 increase the program to fraud. country.
Special allowances are granted to
• Chambersburg Area welfare recipients to pay for education
Kauffman Honors
School District – and training-related expenses as they
7.8 percent, or a attempt to re-enter the workforce. the Late Lance Cpl.
$1,378,467 increase Wagner cited the potential for fraud Michael Freeman Jr.
in 45 percent of the special allowance
Economic Development: cases examined. The audit found that I was privileged to have been
Though cuts were made to DPW hands out more than $200 mil- able to author a House resolution
many other departments and lion in special allowances each year. honoring the life of the late Lance
programs, including the De- Several specific examples of suspect- Cpl. Michael Freeman Jr., former-
partment of Health, agricul- ed fraud and abuse under the special ly of Fayetteville, who lost his life
ture programs and even the allowance program were given: during Operation Enduring Free-
state police, the Department • An invoice for tools from a dom on Feb. 1, 2010.
of Community and Economic beauty school in Delaware County Michael joined the Corps im-
Development will actually see was altered by changing the amount mediately after graduating from
an increase in funding of $59.3 from $321 to $821. While the pay- Chambersburg High School. He
million. While I see the need ment was made directly to the beauty was assigned to the Second Bat-
to spur economic develop- school, the school credited the excess talion, Second Marine Regiment,
ment, I believe there is a better to the student’s account balance and Second Marine Division, Second
way to encourage job growth the balance was paid out to the stu- Marine Expeditionary Force sta-
than handing out checks to a dent. tioned at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
chosen few businesses. If we • A recipient in Philadelphia was Sadly, he lost his life due to a
truly want to encourage busi- receiving special allowance payments roadside bomb on Feb. 1, while
ness expansion, we should for child care for 10 children. One of supporting combat operations in
make Pennsylvania a more the “providers” whom was being paid the Helmand Province of Afghani-
business-friendly state to help to watch her children turned out to be stan.
companies across the board, the father of five of those children. He Michael has been awarded the
not just a handpicked few. changed his last name and Social Se- Purple Heart, the Combat Action
Cost-Saving Measures: If curity number on the child care forms, Ribbon and the Afghanistan Cam-
there is one bright spot in the improperly collecting at least $7,367. paign Medal for his service.
budget, it is that House Re- • One recipient received $782 He was an outstanding Ma-
publicans were successful in over three semesters for books, all rine, a great son, brother, nephew,
getting a couple of cost-sav- based on handwritten lists. The recip- husband and most of all, a great
ing measures included to cut ient received $108 for the same books American and son of the Com-
down on government waste. twice for the same class she was monwealth of Pennsylvania. He
The use of purchase cards (P- retaking. From July 2006 to March will be greatly missed by his fam-
Cards) will save the state $10 2009, she received $6,848 for books ily, friends and brothers in arms.
million and the recovery of tax and supplies all put on her Electronic
refund errors will garner $35 Benefits Transfer card, which is simi-
million. Pennsylvania needs lar to an ATM card.
to seek more of these creative The extent of such fraudulent
solutions to reducing govern- abuse within our welfare system is a
ment expenses. clear indictor of needed reforms, yet
If you have any questions the governor has yet to take action.
or comments regarding the By reforming this one state agency,
budget, feel free to contact we could save the state hundreds of
any of my district offices. millions of taxpayer dollars. Yet, in-
stead, the governor is borrowing more
money to increase state spending and
drive us even deeper in debt.
Rep. Kauffman speaks at the fourth annual
“Day on the Hill” rally in Harrisburg hosted by
the Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools
and Pennsylvania Families for Public Cyber
Schools. Kauffman has been a longtime pro-
www.RepKauffman.com ponent of cyber charter schools.
Illegal Immigration Legislation Could
Save State $1.4 Billion Annually
Illegal immigration is a problem that is costing this country billions of dollars
in health care, education, law enforcement and incarceration costs, not to men-
tion the safety issue and loss of jobs it creates for the law-abiding citizens of this Deadline to Apply for
country. Unfortunately, the federal government does not want to step up and take
responsibility for enforcing the law and stopping the deluge of people immigrating Property Tax/Rent
to this country illegally. Rebate Program
Therefore, each state is being forced to do the job of the federal government Extended
and create new laws to address this type of criminal activity – which is exactly
what illegal immigration is. Those who are here after going through the proper I would like to let residents
channels are more than welcome to work, live and raise a family in our Com- know that the deadline to apply
monwealth. for the state’s Property Tax/Rent
For those who may think that illegal immigration is more of a problem for Rebate program for 2009 has
states such as Arizona, Texas or California, consider that recent studies have been extended to Dec. 31, 2010.
estimated approximately 140,000 illegal immigrants are residing in Pennsylvania. Eligible participants can re-
On top of that, it is estimated that taxpayers are paying approximately $1.4 billion ceive a rebate of up to $650
annually to clothe, feed, educate, medicate and incarcerate illegal immigrants in based on their rent or property
the Commonwealth. taxes paid in 2009. The program
To help stem the loss of safety, money and public resources in Pennsylvania, benefits eligible Pennsylvanians
I have recently supported the passage of legislation in the House requiring con- who are 65 years or older, wid-
tractors and subcontractors to confirm the legal working status of their employees ows and widowers 50 years or
through the free federal E-Verify program. older, and those 18 years or older
Specifically, under House Bills 1502 and 1503, any contractor or subcontrac- with disabilities.
tor who fails to verify the Social Security numbers of both current and new em- Eligibility income limits for ho-
ployees could be barred from state projects, or in the case of private construction, meowners are set at the follow-
face forfeiture of their state licenses and certifications. ing levels, excluding 50 percent
This is an industry that has a long history of employing illegal immigrants, and of Social Security, Supplemental
this simple requirement can help significantly reduce the amount of illegals work- Security Income, and Railroad
ing in Pennsylvania. Retirement Tier 1 benefits:
Other legislation that has been introduced in the House to address this issue
include: • $0 to $8,000, maximum
• House Bill 2033 requiring all Commonwealth employers and government $650 rebate
entities to enroll in the federal government’s free E-Verify Program to confirm (Homeowners and renters)
Social Security numbers of prospective employees.
• House Bills 2034 and 2035 establishing legal and economic sanctions • $8,001 to $15,000,
against any “sanctuary” city, municipality or other local government entity that maximum $500 rebate
willfully violates federal immigration law by adopting ordinances, policies or infor- (Homeowners and renters)
mal procedures to encourage illegal aliens to reside within its borders.
• House Bill 780 requiring proof of citizenship or immigration status of those • $15,001 to $18,000,
arrested to be included in the repository of criminal history records maintained by maximum $300 rebate
the Pennsylvania State Police. (Homeowners only)
• House Bill 782 authorizing the Pennsylvania State Police to negotiate a
memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Justice or U.S. De- • $18,001 to $35,000,
partment of Homeland Security concerning enforcement of federal immigration maximum $250 rebate
and customs laws. (Homeowners only)
• House Bill 1773 terminating the professional license of any Pennsylvania
employer that knowingly hires an illegal immigrant. Residents are reminded to
• House Bill 44 eliminating all non-medical emergency public benefits for provide all the necessary income,
illegal immigrants, including welfare, education and unemployment benefits. property tax or rental information
• House Bill 1359 requiring anyone requesting public benefits in the Com- required to process claims quickly
monwealth, including Medicaid, welfare and in-state college tuition, to provide and accurately.
identification proving they are legal residents. Property Tax/Rent Rebate
Each of these bills has been introduced in the House and are currently before claim forms are available by con-
the appropriate committees for consideration. tacting my district offices or by
I am hopeful that the Legislature can continue to garner the support to enact visiting my website at RepKauff-
meaningful legislation that will serve to uphold our laws, protect our citizens and man.com.
reduce the financial burden on our taxpayers.
Fire, Ambulance Services Eligible for Grant Funding
Volunteer fire and ambulance services throughout Cumberland and Franklin counties are once again eligible to ap-
ply for funding through the Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Services Grant Program.
First established in 2000, the program provides grants to support construction or renovation of a unit’s station, the
purchase or repair of equipment, training or debt reduction.
Maximum grants are $15,000 for volunteer fire companies and $10,000 for volunteer ambulance services.
Applications will become available no later than Sept. 7, and must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Oct. 22. The grant
program is administered by the Office of the State Fire Commissioner.
Castle Doctrine Provides Out & About...
Law-Abiding Citizens with Rep. Kauffman, chosen as the “Celebrity
Right to Defend Themselves Reader” of the week, read a book to children
at KinderCare day care in Chambersburg.
Every citizen deserves the right to defend them-
selves and their family in the face of an imminent at-
tack without fear of criminal charges or civil liability.
That is among the reasons why I support House Bill
40, known as “The Castle Doctrine.”
The bill would clearly allow for the right of self-
Rep. Kauffman enjoys talking with
defense to be used by our citizens in the face of an
a local constituent at the Ship-
imminent attack, and not give undue protection to pensburg Community Fair. During
criminals. Our residents have been forced to second- the fair, Kauffman had a booth
guess whether the law would recognize their right to with publications available on
self-defense, and then, face a civil lawsuit as a result state programs and services.
of defending themselves and their families. The right
of protection should be sacrosanct.
This legislation creates a presumption that an at-
tacker or intruder intends to do great bodily harm, and
therefore force -- including deadly force -- may be Rep. Kauffman (center)
used to protect oneself, family and others in the face posed for a picture with
of an attack while in the home or within an occupied Girl Scout Troop 939
vehicle. That presumption also applies if a person is after presenting cita-
trying to unlawfully remove an occupant, against the tions to each of the girls
occupant’s will, from a home or vehicle. for the Court of Awards
The presumption would not apply if the person en- ceremony.
tering a home was:
• Another resident of the home.
• A law enforcement officer.
• A parent, grandparent or other guardian re-
moving a child from the home or vehicle. Sign Up Now to Receive
In addition, the presumption would not apply if a
person was using their home or vehicle to further crim-
Electronic Newsletters
inal activity.
I have been investigating alternative ways to communi-
This bill eliminates the duty to retreat before us-
cate with you that are informative, environmentally conscious
ing lethal force outside of your home if the attacker
and cost effective.
displays or uses a lethal weapon. However, a citizen
You are currently receiving my printed newsletter through
would have to demonstrate a reasonable belief that
mail, and although constituents tell me they are worthwhile,
they were in imminent danger in order to use lethal
they can be costly to mail. Using improved technology, elec-
force.
tronic communication is an effective tool to keep you in-
The bill also offers specific protection against civil
formed. Via e-mail and the Web, I am able to communicate
liability for the lawful use of force in self-defense. Your
with you at a greatly reduced cost.
home is your “castle,” and the same should apply to
To accomplish this goal, I am offering you the option of
your occupied vehicle. I find it unacceptable that the
receiving future newsletters from my office in an online for-
criminal should have all of the advantages, and it is
mat. If you’d like to make the switch, please take a moment
long past time to put these solutions and rights into
and log onto my website at RepKauffman.com and click on
law.
the “e-newsletter” icon. A simple form will be there for you to
House Bill 40 has garnered approval from the
complete.
House Judiciary Committee and currently awaits a full
If you choose to do nothing, you will continue to receive
debate on the House floor.
my newsletters in the mail.
District Office Services
My district offices are here to help you. Services my staff and I provide include:
Driver’s license and vehicle registration applications and renewals Assistance with PennDOT paperwork Copies of birth and death certificates
PACE and PACENET applications for seniors Property Tax and Rent Rebate forms and applications Voter registration forms and absentee ballot
applications State tax forms Student aid applications Free state maps, state park information, and PA Vacation Guides Copies of legislation
Tours of the State Capitol Referrals to agencies to resolve state-related matters
If you need help with any of the above or with any other state-related matter, please do not hesitate to call my offices:
Chambersburg Office
Shippensburg Office Capitol Office
166 South Main Street
9974 Molly Pitcher Highway Room B13 Main Capitol
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Shippensburg, PA 17257 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2089
Phone: (717) 264-3943
Phone: (717) 532-1707 Phone: (717) 705-2004
Fax: (717) 264-2893
Fax: (717) 532-5043 Fax: (717) 787-9840
www.RepKauffman.com