Tom Corporate Coming to Indian Hills on Friday

PA Governor Tom Corbett will be coming to Indian Hills Golf and Tennis Club as part of $1000/couple plate fundraiser to benefit the reelection campaign of Kurt Massser (R-107th) of Elysburg.  Just last Thursday, Shamokin Area School District furloughed 22 staff in response to the governor's budget cuts for the 2012-13 fiscal year.

While school districts are the big losers in Corbett's budget. Act 22 cuts a proposed 2 million to the elderly, handicapped, and children of Northumberland County.  Northumberland County Commissioner Steve Bridy is on the record for calling state legislator "cowardly."

“As a collective, they’re cowardly,” said Bridy, chastising the state Legislature, particularly state Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-108 of Sunbury, and Sen. John Gordner, R-27 of Berwick, for delegating the proposed cuts to the secretary of the state Department of Public Welfare. “They’re the second highest paid (state lawmakers) in the nation, and it’s just wrong to push blame on someone else. It’s just asinine and hypocritical to cut services to the elderly and needy children.”

Schlegel-Culver and Gordner basically say we didn't know this would happen????

Act 22 was intended to give Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander temporary authority to cut fraud and wasteful spending and “in no way did we think it was going to come to this. These are unintended consequences,” Schlegel Culver said of the statewide budget cuts. “I know (Bridy’s) frustrated. Everybody’s concerned about it.”

Gordner said there was no way to foresee cuts would be made in to the department of aging, but hopes the funding will be restored if state revenue rebounds for a second month in a row in April.

The big lie the GOP and Corbett tell and repeat often enough is that PA's school funding crisis has been caused by federal stimulus funds drying up and local school boards.  He blamed local school boards as recently as last week. 

So if you look at the funding crisis from the Heartland Conference point of view, the problems faced the past two years at Shikellamy, Selinsgrove, Midd-West, Lewisburg, Mifflinburg, Warrior Run, Mount Carmel and Shamokin are all the result of inept school boards, business managers, and superintendents??? That if very hard to believe governor.

If you can't read between the lines the governor is attempting to privatize public schools through charter schools and vouchers.  As collateral damage, the public school teacher's union will be crushed.  One of Corbett's top contributor's is man named, Vahan Gureghian.  Read about him and the Chester-Upland SD here.  For profit companies making big $$$ off your childrens' education.

In case Mr. Corbett forgot about the goal of public education, here is very well written letter published in the April 17th edition of the Daily-Item.

Masser touts his credentials in the April 17th issue of the News-Item saying he votes what is best for the 107th.

The most frequent criticism made by potential Democratic opponents and other political critics against state Rep. Kurt Masser is that the first-term legislator can be expected to follow the "party line" by voting for whatever Gov. Tom Corbett and the House Republican leadership want.

Masser said such assertions couldn't be further from the truth. Although he makes no apology for being philosophically in tune with and supportive of much of the Republican agenda, Masser said he carefully considers how every bill would impact his constituents.

"With every vote I cast, I do my best to represent the (107th House) district," Masser remarked. "That is my job. It is not my job to please the leadership by going along with whatever they want."

The most recent example of Masser's independence, he said, was his vote against the voter ID law. Masser agreed with the "heart of the bill," he said, but strongly believed its implementation should have been delayed until 2013.

Voter fraud was so rampant around the state, Act 13 was passed with the fury of a flash flood.  Make sure to disenfranchise the electorate.  I agree with Mr. Masser it needed to wait until after 2013.  Again, Corbett needs to do all he can to stop President Obama.

The Daily-Item had some disagreement with Mr. Masser with HB 153.

Over the last 50 votes, the four representatives serving the Central Susquehanna Valley voted identically 47 times. Keller went his own way three times. On one of those occasions, Culver agreed with Keller.

Ninety-four percent of the time we could easily save $240,000 in salary by eliminating three of those legislators and never know the difference. Keller seems to be the legislator most inclined to think for himself. Why not pick him?

Who will be at the Indian Hills on Friday for dinner?  Not that the fare is bad as I myself am a member, but my guess is Senator Gordner, Rep. Culver, Rep Keller, some heavy hitters from the gas industry and Moran Industries.

As a side note, if you want to see what is happening to the Susquehanna River and water under the governor's watch, check out the Susquehanna River Sentinel. 

When election day comes up in November, ask yourself the following question, "Do you want to be able to buy dinner for your family or do you want the scraps off the $1000 plate????"

To borrow a line from the governor himself, "remember the children."

On a 2-1 Vote, Northumberland County Passes 2011 Budget

Let the fireworks begin.  All three commissioners seats will be up for reelection in 2011.  Let this serve notice as the first shots fired during the election season.  All three can claim they didn't raise taxes until after November.

While Clausi goes on about a rant and rave about the union contracts, the big bite is the 25% increase in health care premiums. Does walking into a doctor's office cost 25% more on January 1st? 

While Clausi threw Masser under the bus just after the November election, Vinni is longing for the days that Masser was a county commissioner taken from the News-Item.

While it is possible to re-open the budget in the new year and consider layoffs and spending cuts, Clausi is convinced it will never happen since he is the minority opinion despite being in the majority party. It requires a majority vote to do this.

He promised Sawicki and Phillips to remind them of their votes when they are struggling to stay within the budget.

"I miss Commissioner Masser today," said Clausi as the budget discussion ended, referring to former Commissioner Kurt Masser who resigned in November after he won the legislative seat in the 107th district.

Corbett and Masser set to attend MCA game at Southern Columbia

107th District candidate Kurt Masser and Republican gubenatorial candidate Tom Corbett will attend the Mount Carmel at Southern Area football game tonight according to the News-Item.

Passing Judgement

Who are we to pass judgement?  Martin Luther King once asked a nation to judge a man by the content of his character.  Earlier this week in a legislative debate in the PA 107th District a 20 year domestice issue was brought up by a panelist citing an ad by the PA House Democratic Campaign Committee. (Don't shoot the messenger)

The story in the election cycle started back in July when Republican Kurt Masser held a press conference citing that he had been involved in domestic violence event while married to his ex-wife.  "It was the worse day of my life," Masser had said. 

During the debate held on Monday between Masser and Democratic Candidate George Zalar, more graphic details surfaced to the public light.  Both sides since are crying foul.  The Democratic Campaign Committee were hoping to raise an issue with women and use the old campaign theme that a cover-up is worse than the crime. The issue may have backfired.  Although how horrible and violent, there have been couples and spouses to overcome domestic violence in 107th including Masser and his ex-wife.

Character

Whether it has been maturity or an epiphany, Masser has a 20-year record of community service. Masser and wife ended their contract with each other moved on while raising a son currently in law school.  She publicly forgave him in July and earlier this week. Over the years, Masser has helped out organizations raise fund for scholarships and many other worthy causes throughout the 107th. Some were made public and some not.  Masser never asked for anything in return and stayed out of the limelight.  He also volunteered and served as a coach with the Ralpho Youth Sports Authority. He also has 7 years of a legislative record while serving as a Northumberland County Commissioner. 

While Masser and I have worked together on some scholarship efforts together, we couldn't be any more far apart politically.  I respect his view and hope he respects mine. (This has been the butt of jokes long before his entry into the state arena)

Typically, candidates appeal to voters that are similar to themselves, but a little better then themselves or someone to look up to and count on. On November 2nd, voters of the 107th should do their do their due diligence and look at the issues facing Pennsylvanians and the 107th today and what both candidates bring to the table.  Only each individual voter can decide if what was in the past, remains in the past.

Events for Candidates in the 107th and 108th PA Legislative Districts

As election day draws closer this weekend will be the chance to meet the candidates if you have not already done so.

Lynda Schegel-Culver (R) of Rockefeller Township  and Tony Michetti (D) of Herdon are running for seat being vacated by Merle Phillips in the 108th.

George Zalar (D) of Coal Towship and Kur Masser (R) of Elysburg will battle for Robert Belfanti's seat.

Schlegal-Culver will be having a sporting clay shoot on Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm

Tony Michetti  will be wrapping things up at the Gratz Fair today.

Zalar according to his website and Facebook doesn't have any events scheduled.

Masser will be hosting a Margaritaville Party featuring Parrot Beach on Sunday from 2 pm until 8 pm at the RCA grounds in Ranshaw.  Check out Mr. Masser's website and Facebook.

Competing for time with Penn State and the Bloomsburg Fair may be difficult this weekend.

Belfanti joins Phillips and Fairchild on Boot Hill

Rep. Robert Belfanti D-107 will not run for a 16th term as reported in the News-Item. Belfanti who has had major health issues the last few years, has decided he can no longer ignore them.

While his seat his still warm in Harrisburg, Coal Township Commissioner George Zalar and Northumberland County Commissioner Kurt Masser have thrown their respective hats into the ring.

With Reps. Phillips and Fairchild already announcing retirements, Belfanti's retirement puts a huge gaping hole in leadership and seniority in central PA.

With a few other legislators moving on in NEPA, I wonder what the main issue that is looming in Harrisburg?

Personally, I would like thank former Governor Tom Ridge for my back door tax increase for electricity. I got my first bill under deregulation with a 20 percent increase. But hey, I got to choose my supplier and did save 10 percent.

Blowing in the Wind Part 2

As reported in today's edition of the Daily-Item, two different administrations were advised against renewing the lease with Pennwind.

The big concern to taxpayers would be how long Pennwind or any affiliation with Pennwind could control county(public) land without developing it. Also, it was learned Pennwind is marketing it's interest in the lease to an outside company from California.

Commissioner Kurt Masser received $1200 in campaign contributions from three Pennwind representatives in the 2007 election.

Whatever the shortcomings of the current deal, this is still a worthwhile project to pursue. After an initial start up cost of environmental and site studies plus the cost of the farm itself, the wind will be a constant source of energy and power generation.

Beginning on January 1st, rate caps have been removed on electricity generation. Both parties stand to benefit from rising electricity rates in the future.