The encroachment of government continued during the month of March like lava from a volcano.  The issue that dominated the attention of the media was the federal takeover of health care in the United States. 

I am a cosponsor of two pieces of legislation that we have introduced in Harrisburg to protect Pennsylvanians from being forced into the new socialized health care system.  Last week, I also signed a letter with many of my Republican colleagues in support of our Attorney General, who has joined with other state Attorneys General in challenging the constitutionality of federal health care legislation.

In the wake of the federal government health care take over, Rendell's accomplices in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives advanced his spending plan for 2010-11.  The budget proposal would spend $29 billion.  The current year's budget is $27.8 billion.  The current year's revenue was anticipated to be $25.5 billion and is currently about $500 million below expectations.  The governor and his friends in the legislature are proposing to spend $4 billion more in next year's budget than is currently expected in collection for the current year's revenue.  Please note that I joined with the majority of my Republican colleagues to vote against this spending plan. 

Only in government could someone propose such an irresponsible and incompetent act and not be fired.  The areas of the budget which received the largest increases are welfare, basic education, corrections and debt service.  Over the last seven years the current administration's "close your eyes and authorize" policies have added over 600,000 new welfare recipients.  The governor has pushed spending levels at a rate of almost twice that of inflation.   Although, spending at nearly twice the rate of inflation has not been enough to satisfy his insatiable spending appetite which has been pacified through increasing the state's debt.

Even an elementary math student can confirm that you cannot collect $25 billion in revenue and spend $29 billion.  The governor is planning on federal money to fill the hole, which just comes out of your pocket that the feds dip into of course.  If the federal money does not arrive, the governor's backup plan is more tax increases.  He came into office increasing taxes and it appears he will leave office attempting to take more of what you earn.

Our state faces economic challenges of historic proportions.   One of the challenges is the state and school employees' pension systems.  The media has reported on the potential tax increases that may be proposed to address the liabilities, but another problem, that is not widely recognized, is the additional liabilities that taxpayers face with local government employees' pension system.  We must reform government pension systems to protect taxpayers the same way as private sector pension was changed to protect shareholders.

The way to grow our economy is not on the backs of taxpayers but through reducing the taxpayer's burden.  Reducing the overhead of government will increase the amount of money in the pockets of individuals, who through their own choices in the marketplace will create jobs. 

I will continue the fight to protect taxpayers!