Mike's Memo

Governor signs 2009 – 2010 "Bridge Budget," Session announced

Governor Rendell signed a bare-bones version or "bridge budget" of Senate Bill 850, which authorized the State Treasury to pay state employees during the budget impasse. The Governor signed the bill after he vetoed all program funding line items except those pertaining to payroll and essential public protection. The measure is an incomplete budget of roughly $11 billion. Budget negotiations continue this week, and the Senate is scheduled to be in Session Monday, August 10, at 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., Tuesday, August 11, and Wednesday, August 12.  I remain opposed to tax increases to balance the budget.  

Governor signs bills into law

The Governor signed a number of measures into law, including:

• Senate Bill 84 (Act 26 of 2009), amends the Economic Development, Agency, Fiduciary and Lender Environmental Protection Act to extend the liability limits for economic development agencies to their officers, directors, employees and others;
• Senate Bill 536 (Act 29), my legislation to grant a pedestrian and vehicular access easement in Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County;
• House Bill 1648 (Act 32), enacts the Inter-branch Commission on Juvenile Justice Act to investigate recent events in Luzerne County involving juvenile judges and the inappropriate disposition of juvenile offenders;
• House Bill 1654 (Act 31), conforms state mortgage laws to (new) federal law on mortgages; and
• House Bill 1770 (Act 30), extends Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits for an additional seven weeks for individuals who have exhausted other UC benefits.

School rankings released

The Pittsburgh Business Times annually ranks Pennsylvania school districts, based upon three years of PSSA test scores.  Each district is scored by each test (math, writing and reading) taken at respective grade levels. The school's/district's score is based on its percentage of students placing in the top two categories - advanced and proficient – of the PSSA. That score is then compared to its departure from the average for the set being compared.  Upper St. Clair Township School District (Allegheny County) was ranked number one, and on the bottom of the list was Harrisburg City School District (Dauphin County). 

Four school districts in the 48th Senatorial District - Wyomissing Area (Berks County), Annville-Cleona (Lebanon County), Wilson (Berks County) and Twin Valley (Berks County) – were ranked in the top 100. Rankings were 53, 74, 92, and 100 respectively.

Rankings for other districts in the 48th District are: 

For more information on these issues or other legislative and state topics, or if you are unable to open the bill links, visit the Pennsylvania General Assembly website at www.legis.state.pa.us. You may also want to visit "News for Constituents", a comprehensive look into various issues affecting Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth.

Please feel free to contact me at any time on state-related issues that are of concern to you.  I may be reached through e-mail at mfolmer@pasen.gov, my website, or any one of my offices listed below.