Mike's Memo

Budget Impasse Ends, 2009-2010 Spending Plan in Place

After the Senate (42–7) and House (107–93) passed the state budget for 2009 – 2010, House Bill 1416, the Governor signed it into law.  I was not able to support this $27.799 billion spending plan because of the taxes needed to sustain it. 

Fiscal Code Changes

The Senate (35–14) and House (106–92) also passed House Bill 1614, amendments to the Fiscal Code that established budget implementation language.  I was not able to support this measure either because of the taxes, transfers from other state funds, and various other provisions included in the proposal.  However, I do like the proposed new organization House Bill 1614 would establish - the Independent Fiscal Office.  While this new entity will automatically sunset upon enactment of the 2010 – 2011 budget (unless reauthorized by the General Assembly), I see a greatly improved budget process through this new agency.  If reenacted, the Independent Fiscal Office would be established through a selection and organization committee compromised of the chairs and minority chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the Majority and Minority leaders of the House and Senate, the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Governor.  This Committee would organize the office and select an executive director.  Once up and running, the office would be responsible for: 

• Forecasting revenues;
• Analyzing the budget;
• Assessing the Commonwealth’s fiscal condition; and
• Developing performance measures for programs.

Currently, the General Assembly is dependent upon the Governor for this information, which can lead to major disagreements even before a budget is considered. 

New Laws

The Governor also signed a number of bills into law, including:

• Senate Bill 369 - provides death benefits to survivors of law enforcement officers and professional emergency responders who die in the line of duty; SB 369 also extends the current one-time $100,000 death benefit to hazardous material response team members and to voluntary emergency responders;
• Senate Bill 607 - increases the maximum grant amount under the Rural Pennsylvania Revitalization Act; and
• House Bill 1607 - consolidates and modernizes state laws related to constables. 

Table Games Unresolved

Although the full Senate passed Senate Bill 1033 by a vote of 29–20, legislation that would bring table games to Pennsylvania casinos, it was not considered by the House.  As I do not support expanded gambling, I was not able to support SB 1033.  The Senate also unanimously passed Senate Bill 1088, which would bring needed changes to Pennsylvania’s current gaming law.