Spring 2010

Dear Friend,
For those of you who enjoy the snow, I hope you’ve
enjoyed this somewhat unusual winter season. If you
prefer green grass, take note that spring is just around the
corner.
At the state Capitol, it is budget season. Members
of the General Assembly are just beginning to undertake
the task of putting together a spending plan for Fiscal
Year 2010-11 amidst the continued difficult economic
conditions we are experiencing as a state and a country.
This will be a challenging task, just as you and your Searching for POW, MIA and
household face tough spending decisions. As members of
the Legislature, we must lead by example and continue to KIA Veterans
be good stewards of your hard-earned taxpayer dollars.
Governor Ed Rendell has laid out his thoughts on a My staff and I are planning a ceremony to
spending plan, and I want to take some time to briefly honor veterans who were prisoners of war, declared
share with you some of the highlights of his proposal. missing in action or killed in the line of duty. The
As a state representative, I am charged with serving date of our event is Saturday, April 10.
my constituents and being your voice in Harrisburg. It If you know of someone who falls into any of
is a responsibility I do not take lightly. Because of that, these categories, please contact my office at (717)
we need to have a conversation about the budget. This 277-2101. Be prepared to include the following
newsletter is designed to initiate that discussion. information on the veteran: name, home address
and phone number (if applicable), branch of service,
rank and time of service. Contact information is
needed in order to send out invitations.
You may also register your veteran’s name
through my Web site, RepSwanger.com.

Budget Breakdown
Last month, Governor Rendell issued his budget address and defined his proposals for a spending plan for Fiscal
Year 2010-11.

Spending
The governor’s budget proposal relies on no broad-based tax increases. The 2010-11 total General Fund budget
is $29 billion – an increase of $1.15 billion or 4.1 percent after accounting for the use of nearly $2.7 billion in federal
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds in 2009-10 and nearly $2.8 billion in 2010-11. The major
spending increases in this budget come in basic education, public welfare, corrections and debt service.
While we need to enact a budget that balances fiscal restraint with thoughtful planning for the future, I am con-
cerned with the idea of $1.2 Billion in new spending at a time when projections have us facing a $525 Million shortfall
this year.
We are all being forced to make difficult decisions in our households with regard to spending habits. State gov-
ernment did not sufficiently em-
ploy that way of thinking in nego-
tiating our current budget, which
is why I voted against the plan.
Were this proposal placed on the
table right now, I would vote in a
similar fashion.
Members of the General
Assembly are sent to Harrisburg
to be effective stewards of hard-
earned taxpayer dollars. We
need to rein in spending and not
depend further on the people of
Pennsylvania.
 Rendell Proposes New Taxes
While there are no broad-based tax increases in this budget
proposal, the plan does call for more than $1 Billion in tax
increases.
Pennsylvania remains the only state in the nation that does
not tax smokeless tobacco and is one of only two states that
does not tax cigars. The governor’s plan includes a tax on both
smokeless tobacco and cigars at 30 percent of their wholesale
value.
You may have heard of the Marcellus shale natural gas
reserve, the geologic formation believed to contain as much as
500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. In a recent Marcellus shale
land lease sale, the Commonwealth received more than twice
the revenue it expected. The governor feels the industry can
bear a modest tax — 5 percent of value, plus 4.7 cents per 1,000
cubic feet of gas produced — without hurting industry growth.
Pennsylvania is one of six states that does not tax natural
gas, and should remain that way. Natural gas is a burgeoning
industry in Pennsylvania and we should not be putting up
roadblocks that may be a deterrent to what could be a solution to
our addiction to foreign oil.
What Property Tax
Relief?
The overwhelming topic brought up by
the people I meet continues to be property
tax relief. The governor addressed this in
his budget proposal by saying Pennsylvania
homeowners, on average, will continue to
receive nearly $200 in state-funded property
tax relief – with even more savings for older
adults who have the most urgent need.
When gambling was legalized in 2004,
significant property tax relief was promised.
The current budget proposal does nothing to
keep that promise. During the debate about
expanded gaming last year, House Republi-
cans attempted to have table games reve-
nue diverted to the Property Tax Relief Fund.
The legislation was defeated on a party line
vote.
My hope is that the proposed increase
in basic education funding will not only lead
to Lebanon County schools being sufficiently
funded, but also will result in the lack of
necessity for an increase in local property
taxes.

Applications Now Available for Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program

Applications for the state’s Property/Tax Rent Rebate program for tax year 2009 are now available. Eligible par-
ticipants can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on their rent or property taxes paid in 2009. The program benefits
eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18 years or
older with disabilities.
Eligibility income limits for homeowners are set at the following levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security,
Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits:

• $0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate (Homeowners and renters)

• $8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate (Homeowners and renters)
• $15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate (Homeowners only)
• $18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate (Homeowners only)

Six weeks after a resident submits an application, he or she may visit the site to check the status of the rebate by
entering the following information:

• Social Security number

• Date of birth
• Anticipated rebate amount

The service will allow applicants to confirm the status, re-

bate amount and the date a rebate is expected to be mailed or
direct deposited
The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is one of many ini-
tiatives supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery, which dedicates
its proceeds to support programs for older Pennsylvanians.
Since the program began in 1971, more than $4 billion has
been paid to qualified applicants.
Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary
income, property tax or rental information required to process
claims quickly and accurately. Applications are due by June
30.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms are available by
contacting my office at (717) 277-2101 or by visiting my Web
site at RepSwanger.com.
 Sales Tax Reduction
Shopping for Electricity
and Expansion
Governor Rendell has proposed reducing the state sales tax to Most of Lebanon County will not see
4 percent and eliminating 74 tax exemptions. He says the concept an increase in their electric bills due to
would result in $531.5 million in revenue raised during the 2010-11 the lifting of rate caps until the end of this
fiscal year. Those funds will be placed in a new Stimulus Transition year. It is not too early to start shopping
Reserve Fund to help balance Pennsylvania’s 2011-12 budget when for electric rates and possible savings you
federal stimulus funding from ARRA ends and the state’s pension might be able to realize. Please visit my
obligations begin to increase. Web site, RepSwanger.com, and click
In 2010-11, the federal government is projected to provide on Shopping for Electricity. You will find
Pennsylvania with $2.8 billion in stimulus funding, but only $500 answers to your questions about electric
million of these funds will be available in 2011-12. Unless steps choice, information on how to shop for
are taken today, the commonwealth will be faced with the choice of electricity and a list of available suppliers.
drastic spending cuts or massive tax increases.
The list of 74 items to be taxed does not include food, clothing,
prescription medications, health care services and educational
tuition; however, it is the governor’s wish to attach a sales tax to the
purchase of items such as accounting and bookkeeping services,
basic television, coal, legal fees, magazines, newspapers, residential
electric, residential fuel oil and gas and residential telephone service.
The entire list of proposed repealed exemptions is available on
my Web site, RepSwanger.com, under Budget News. While I take
issue with many of the items on this list, I stand particularly opposed
to those dealing with fuel and utility costs. Of greatest concern is the
impact most Lebanon countians are already preparing to bear when
the caps on electric rates are lifted at the end of this year. A tax on
residential electric use would place a further burden on hard-working
taxpayers and is something I cannot support.

Last year, I was on hand to present a House citation to the Greater

Lebanon Refuse Authority (GLRA) in celebration of its 50th anniversary.
Pictured with me (left to right) are Michael Pavelek II, GLRA execu-
tive director; Roberta DeSantis, GLRA chairwoman; Donald P. Klees,
GLRA vice chairman; Curby the Recycling Robot; Joe Anspach, GLRA
treasurer, and LuAnn Horn, GLRA secretary. GLRA and PPL have con-
structed the Renewable Energy Education Facility which provides a side
by side educational experience of how wind, solar and landfill gas can
be combined in a mutually beneficial way.

Jury Commissioner Legislation

Approved by House Local
Government Committee
Legislation I sponsored that would give counties the option of
pursuing elimination of the office of jury commissioner has been
passed by the House Local Government Committee. House Bills
2000 and 2001 will now be considered by the full House.
Pennsylvania’s county governments should have the choice
to decide whether or not they wish to continue to staff the position
of jury commissioner. Our municipalities are being squeezed in
these difficult economic times, and the job of jury commissioner
has become obsolete in many of our counties because of computer
technology. Significant savings could be realized through the
elimination of this position.
In December, I spoke at a state Capitol news conference
The law would provide county commissioners with a vehicle by
announcing the National Security Begins at Home illegal
which the position could be liquidated through a ballot referendum.
immigration reform package, which would reportedly
The bills also provide for a process by which constituents could
save Pennsylvania taxpayers no less than $728 million
force the issue to the ballot.
annuall
annually.
Pennsylvania has eight classes of counties, based on
population. My legislation does not mandate that this job be
eliminated.

Visit My Web Site: RepSwanger.com

 House Passes Bill to Strengthen Military Security
The House unanimously passed my bill that would strengthen the powers of Commonwealth police officers at
Pennsylvania’s National Guard facilities.
As I am a member of the House Veterans and Emergency Preparedness Committee, the staff at Fort Indiantown
Gap, which is in my district, brought this situation to my attention. Times have changed and this legislation will bring
up to speed the abilities of the police force at the Gap, which houses the state’s Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs (DMVA) and serves as the primary training base for the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The legislation would update and clarify the powers and duties of the state military installation police forces by
organizing those responsibilities in law. It would also allow the state’s Adjutant General to enter into cooperative
police service agreements with local municipalities.
My legislation improves conditions not only at the
Gap, but at all of Pennsylvania’s National Guard facilities.
What I can do for you...
In addition, the state may have to assume a security role
for a new Joint Interagency Installation at Willow Grove,  Assist with car registrations, titles, special
and this bill would clarify the powers and duties of those tags, and license problems.
officers.
Fort Indiantown Gap is Lebanon County’s largest  Obtain birth certificates.
employer, with more than 1,300 full-time employees and
an annual economic impact exceeding $100 million. The
Pennsylvania Guard is one of the largest National Guards  Obtain copies of House and Senate
in the country and the sixth largest employer in the state. legislation.
House Bill 933 is now being taken under consideration
by the Senate.  Provide state maps and publications.

 Distribute applications for higher education

During the 2010 grants and various professional programs.
Pennsylvania Farm
Show, I interviewed
Northern Lebanon  Answer questions on Pennsylvania income
High School-student tax, senior citizen property tax and rent
Katie Donmoyer rebates and financial aid to students.
for my State House
Perspectives
program. Katie, who  Follow-up on licensing applications,
is from Harper-Dell
Farm near Ono, is
unemployment compensation problems,
also president of welfare applications, income tax rebates.
the North Lebco 4-H
Club and involved
with FFA.

RoseMarie Swanger
State Representative ~ 102nd
02nd Legislative District
DISTRICT OFFICE: HARRISBURG:
2134 1/2 W
W. Maple Street 423 Irvis Office / PO Box 202102
Lebanon, PA 17046 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2102
Phone: (717) 277-2101 / Fax: (717) 277-2105 Phone: (717) 787-2686 / Fax: (717) 260-6514

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2102
PO Box 202102
PERMIT NO. 529
102nd Legislative District
HARRISBURG, PA
PAID
RoseMarie Swanger
U.S. POSTAGE
PRSRT STD State Representative