STATE REPRESENTATIVE PRSRT STD
John J. Taylor
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
HARRISBURG, PA
PERMIT NO. 529
177th Legislative District
Spring 2010
Dear Neighbor:
Governor Proposes
The holidays are well behind us,
$1.2 Billion State Budget
spring is on the way and legislative Education, Welfare and Corrections See Increases
activity is heating up in Harrisburg. The
governor recently proposed his 2010-11 Earlier this month, the governor announced his 2010-11 budget. The state’s
state budget. share of the governor’s $29 billion plan is smaller than last year, but the overall
Lawmakers will be looking for ways spend number is $1.2 billion or about 4 percent more than the current fiscal year
to pass a sensible plan that will address budget.
the needs of Pennsylvania citizens today One of the reasons for the increase is the availability of federal stimulus money.
while preparing for future challenges. While the stimulus money will greatly benefit Philadelphia and the rest of the state,
As we enter another budget cycle, I it will soon disappear.
am mindful of the long budget impasse The budget assumes the Commonwealth will receive about $800 million
last year that interrupted program fund- from the federal government. Also assumed is that $92.5 million in revenue will
ing and services for many in Philadelphia be generated through table games, an additional $180 million will come through
and throughout the Commonwealth. leasing more state land for gas drilling and that $472 million will come in additional
State worker pay was interrupted, and revenue from the tolling of I-80.
thousands of Pennsylvania school chil- All of this funding is speculative. The tolling of I-80 was rejected by the federal
dren started the school year without text- government in 2008 and the Commonwealth is currently awaiting a response to
books because the money to purchase its request for reconsideration.
the books was held up. I am committed With the state already facing a $525 million shortfall in the current fiscal year,
to do everything I can to see that this is we must be concerned that increasing spending during a down economy is unsus-
not repeated this year. tainable over time. We need to continue to search for ways to cut spending and to
I have several pieces of legisla- prepare for a future in which stimulus funding will not be available.
tion that I will be working to pass in the The governor’s budget calls for higher spending in the following areas:
months ahead. Several bills address • Education – $355 million increase
the issue of blight. My goal is to prevent • Corrections – $137 million increase
buildings from becoming blighted and • Public Welfare – $388 million increase
abandoned, and to enable the com- While one could argue that greater funding in these areas is necessary, our
munity to reclaim and restore buildings slumping economy and lagging revenue collections may make it difficult to consider
that have fallen victim to blight. This these increases at this time. As the budget is debated in the state Legislature in the
legislation addresses public health and weeks and months ahead, my colleagues and I will have some tough choices to
safety issues as well as property values make to ensure the greater security and financial health of this Commonwealth.
and tax revenues.
I am also sponsoring legislation to
end parole for repeat offenders who
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commit gun crimes, and a bill that ad-
dresses drug abuse and rehabilitation.
Newsletter Electronically
If you need information or help with As your state legislator, I have been exploring more cost-effective ways of communicat-
an issue involving state programs and ing with you. You are currently receiving my printed newsletter. While many of you have
services, please feel free to contact my told me these newsletters are informative, they are costly to mail. That is why I am offering
nearest district office for assistance. As you the opportunity to receive my newsletters via e-mail and on the Web. It’s convenient
always, I look forward to serving you. and cost effective.
If you would like to make the switch, please take a moment and log onto my Web site
Sincerely, at [Link]. Once there, click the “Have Your Newsletter Delivered Online” icon and
sign up. It’s that simple! If, on the other hand, you still want to receive my printed newsletter,
do nothing. It will continue to be mailed to you.
[Link]
Investigation of Action Needed to
License Plate Abuse Ensure Children Are
by Scofflaws Demanded Not Hostage to Future
In a Feb. 5 letter to Pennsylvania Transportation Budget Negotiations
Secretary Allen Biehler, I joined state Reps. William Department of Education refused to
Keller and Ronald Waters in demanding that the state
investigate abuses to the state’s license plate distribu- order textbooks during budget impasse
tion system that has allowed some motorists to hide
thousands of dollars in unpaid parking tickets. About 275,000 non-public school children across the
We implored the secretary to investigate this clear Commonwealth did not have textbooks when the school
abuse of the system and make the necessary internal year began because Pennsylvania Secretary of Educa-
regulatory changes in procedure to stop this highly tion Gerald Zahorchak would not process textbook orders
questionable practice and ensure that no replacement for non-public schools until a state budget was passed.
tag is issued to any applicant who owes outstanding I joined with several members of the House and Senate
fines on the tag for which they are seeking replace- in urging the secretary to do so.
ment. Zahorchak’s response was that the state budget im-
The letter followed the airing of an investigative passe prevented him from processing the book orders.
news report in Philadelphia that showed the top 25 However, I believe the needs of our children, particularly
scofflaws owed a combined total of $308,193.70 for when it comes to education, cannot be sacrificed while
3,490 unpaid parking tickets. Compounding the prob- legislative leaders quibble over the details of a state bud-
lem is the fact that many of these citations were issued get that was months overdue.
for illegal parking in restricted safety zones, including Legislation that would prevent another state budget
parking in front of fire hydrants, blocking curb access impasse, like the one we experienced this year, is being
for the handicapped, and parking in spaces reserved drafted. One proposal would continue the prior year’s
for the handicapped. budget into the new fiscal year should the governor and
The city’s top scofflaw owes more than $40,000 in legislative leaders fail to agree on a new budget by June
fines. The scofflaws are exploiting a loophole in the 30 – the official end of the fiscal year.
law that allows drivers to replace license plates even if While not a perfect solution, this would have solved
that plate is linked to unpaid tickets. They then rack up the problem that kept textbooks out of the hands of
unpaid tickets on the new license plate, and when that 275,000 Pennsylvania school children.
plate acquires tickets, the driver reports that tag as lost
or stolen and continues running up more tickets.
We told Biehler that should his agency be limited
in its ability to sufficiently address this problem from
an internal regulatory standpoint, we will draft and
introduce the legislation necessary to stop those who
Tougher Parole Laws
unfairly abuse the current system in order to conceal
and avoid paying their unpaid parking fines.
Needed
While we are deeply troubled by this blatant abuse Pennsylvania’s weak parole laws have put violent
of the system, we are equally troubled to learn that a criminals back on the streets to threaten communities
good portion of the outstanding citations issued to some and the residents who live there. If tougher laws were in
of these multiple tag scofflaws were issued for illegal place, several veteran Philadelphia Police officers would
parking in restricted safety zones. still be patrolling the streets of my legislative district and
keeping us safe.
Instead, they suffered senseless deaths at the hands
of violent repeat offenders who have no place in our so-
ciety. That is why I am co-sponsoring House Bill 1567,
which would put an end to early parole and would provide
for mandatory minimum sentences for violent repeat of-
fenders.
HB 1567, which is currently under consideration in
the House Appropriations Committee, would impose a
prison sentence of 15 to 30 years for those convicted of a
second violent offense, and a sentence of 30 to 50 years
for a third violent offense. In both cases, there would be
no parole, and offenders would undergo 15 years of post-
prison intensive restriction upon their release.
During the post-release probationary period, offend-
ers are under intense supervision by the Pennsylvania
Board of Probation and Parole (PBPP). They must meet
all conditions imposed by the PBPP, must not commit
any additional crimes, may not possess illegal drugs or
firearms, and must meet any other condition set forth by
At a Philadelphia news conference, Reps. William Keller, Ron the court.
Waters and I demanded that the state secretary of transportation
take action to prevent abuses pertaining to unpaid parking Many states and the federal government have already
violations. L-R: Vince Fenerty, executive director of the eliminated or imposed limits on parole for some violent
Philadelphia Parking Authority, Taylor and Keller. offenders. It is time for Pennsylvania to catch up.
[Link]
Fighting Blight Gives Taylor Backs Plan
Communities to Fight Drug
the Tools to Rebuild Abuse, Encourage
Expediting the sales of abandoned real estate and establish- Rehabilitation
ing land banks are two of the projects I am working on now to Legislation would relieve pressure
give the city and local governments throughout the state the tools
necessary to fight blight and rebuild. on law enforcement
House Bill 712, now pending in the House Urban Affairs
Committee, would establish land banks, which are public enti- With drug and alcohol abuse continuing to plague our
ties created to hold, manage and develop vacant, abandoned, neighborhoods, I joined with several of my House col-
or blighted properties that are subject to sale for municipal and leagues in co-sponsoring legislation that will strengthen
tax liens. drug rehabilitation services.
Land banking enables communities to convert vacant and Drug and alcohol addiction places an enormous strain
abandoned properties into community assets that are consistent on state resources, from health care and public welfare
with local plans for growth and development. My legislation would to criminal justice and law enforcement. An effective,
enable municipalities to establish a land bank authority, and it dedicated funding source for drug and alcohol treatment
sets parameters by which the authority may act to acquire, man- services would greatly reduce the amount of money spent
age and sell property. Eight other states, including neighboring when drug abuse is left out of control.
Maryland and Ohio, have adopted similar legislation. House Bill 1555 would require a portion of the state
I am also sponsoring House Bill 711, which establishes a liquor tax to fund programs for drug prevention and de-
process for declaring properties abandoned, and for ensuring toxification. The money would be distributed to several
that, when sold at tax sale, they are demolished or rehabilitated programs that provide drug and alcohol prevention and
in a timely manner in accordance with all municipal codes and treatment services, and would also be sent to counties for
redevelopment plans. The bill requires that the buyer post a bond local treatment services. The bill would also require the
to ensure compliance with the redevelopment agreement, and Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to
gives the municipality or redevelopment authority the power to include drug and alcohol treatment services in its sentenc-
acquire the property if the buyer fails to comply. ing guidelines.
Another bill, House Bill 1917, which I am co-sponsoring, gives Drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs save millions
municipalities a right of first refusal to purchase foreclosed tax of dollars that would be spent on domestic violence and
delinquent properties that are entered into tax sale. Under the child abuse services, foster care, even insurance. More
legislation, the municipality may also give the right of first refusal than ever, it is imperative that the state make better choices
to a local redevelopment authority or its designated agent within with our money.
15 days of the sale. HB 1555 is under consideration in the House Health
The purchaser of the property agrees to pay off any tax liens. and Human Services Committee.
The intent of this legislation is to prevent speculators from acquir-
ing properties they have no intention of maintaining, improving
or managing responsibly. Seniors Targeted by Firm
I also support House Bill 1322, which would enable a person
in possession of real property to obtain title to that property if the Charging Fees to Fill
owner of record fails to take action within a specified timeframe.
If the person has possessed the property for seven successive Out Property Tax/Rent
years and paid all taxes legally assessed on the property dur-
ing those seven years, he or she must initiate the action within Rebate Applications
seven years. Free assistance offered by
Another of my blight-fighting bills is House Bill l709. This
would allow – as a last resort – a non-profit community develop- legislative offices
ment corporation to administer the estate of a deceased indi-
vidual if no one else is willing to step forward and administer the A number of senior citizens in my district have been
estate. I have seen situations whereby an older person passes targeted by a non-government agency in Harrisburg that
away and there are no relatives nearby who are interested in is offering to fill out their Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms
administering the estate. The home of the deceased falls into for a $39 fee.
disrepair and eventually becomes a public nuisance or a place There is no reason to pay a fee for this service. It is of-
for squatters to set up shop. In no time, this house reduces the fered to citizens free of charge at my district offices. Many
financial value of homes in the neighborhood and the quality of seniors in my legislative district have already received free
life on the whole block. assistance from my district office staff in filling out their
Enacting new laws will neither fix nor prevent problems if lo- Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms, and the solicitation has
cal governments do not efficiently administer and enforce them. created confusion.
Philadelphia, like many local governments in the commonwealth, Anyone who receives this solicitation may bring their
must bolster enforcement of existing federal, state and local laws, questions, concerns or complaints to the Office of Attorney
including its own building code. The city, like all municipalities in General, Bureau of Consumer Protection at (800) 441-2555
the state, must ensure that negligent property owners are held or visit the attorney general’s Web site at attorneygen-
accountable for the condition of their properties. [Link]. Consumers may also contact the U.S. Postal
Certainly, the right to own property is an important one. I Inspection Service at (877) 876-2455, and the Philadelphia
believe it is just as important for responsible homeowners to Corporation for Aging (215) 765-9040.
be able to enjoy their property without having to deal with the My district staff is available weekdays to assist you with
devastating socioeconomic consequences of blight caused by state forms or any other constituent service. My district of-
irresponsible landowners. fices are located at 2901 East Thompson St., 1039 East
Hunting Park Ave. and 4725 Richmond St.
[Link]
Thanks to all who helped families at
Ronald McDonald House
District office collects aluminum tabs to cover charity’s operating costs
I want to thank all of my constituents who dropped off soda can tabs at my district office to aid families of children
with cancer. The tabs were sold as scrap metal and the proceeds were donated to the Ronald McDonald House,
which provides area families a place to stay while their children undergo cancer treatment.
My district office, which has been collecting the tabs for the local Ronald McDonald House for eight years, col-
lected five more five-gallon tubs and two more 50-gallon bags of tabs.
I want to personally thank each of you for helping our friends and families who are helping sons or daughters
battle life-threatening illnesses.
The Ronald McDonald House, a 44-room home-away-from-home at the Oncology and Cardiac Centers at The
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, provides shelter and comfort to more than 2,100 families a year whose children
are undergoing medical treatment. No family is ever turned away due to inability to pay.
While about 10 percent of its operating expenses come from Ronald McDonald House Charities, the remaining
90 percent must be raised from individuals like you. In 13 years, the local Ronald McDonald House has collected
168 tons of aluminum tabs.
“We rely on the generosity of many people like you,” said Caroline Coleman, who coordinates the tab program
for the local Ronald McDonald House. “Your donation will enable us to better serve the families who come to us at
the most stressful time in their lives. You really do make a difference.”
The Ronald McDonald House at Children’s Hospital, founded in 1974, was the first in the nation. It became the
model for the 288 others throughout the world.
Apply Now for Property Tax/Rent Rebate
Applications for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Social Security number
Rebate program are now available. Eligible participants Date of birth
can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on rent or Anticipated rebate amount
property taxes paid in 2008. The program benefits eligible The new service will allow applicants to confirm the
Pennsylvanians who are at least 65 years old, widows status, rebate amount and the date a rebate is expected
and widowers 50 years or older, and persons 18 years to be mailed or direct deposited.
or older with disabilities. Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary
Eligibility income limits for homeowners are set at the income, property tax or rental information required to
following levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security, process claims quickly and accurately. Applications are
Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement due by June 30. The Department of Revenue will begin
Tier 1 benefits: distributing rebate checks on July 1.
$0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate (Homeown- Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms are available
ers and renters) on my Web site at [Link], or by contacting
$8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate (Hom- one of my district offices listed on the back page of this
eowners and renters) newsletter.
$15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate (Ho- The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is one of
meowners only) many initiatives supported by the Pennsylvania Lot-
$18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate (Ho- tery, which dedicates its proceeds to support programs
meowners only) for older Pennsylvanians. Since the program began in
Six weeks after a resident submits an application, he 1971, more than $4 billion has been paid to qualified
or she may visit the site to check the status of the rebate applicants.
by entering the following information:
DISTRICT OFFICES:
2901 E. Thompson St. / Philadelphia, PA 19134 / Phone: (215) 425-0901 / Fax: (215) 560-3996
1039 E. Hunting Park Ave. / Philadelphia, PA 19124 / Phone: (215) 744-3009 / Fax: (215) 560-5776
4725-27 Richmond St. / Philadelphia, PA 19137 / Phone: (215) 744-2600 / Fax: (215) 744-2605
HARRISBURG OFFICE: PO Box 202177 / Harrisburg, PA 17120-2177 / Phone: (717) 787-3179 / Fax: (717) 260-6519
[Link]