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State Representative 

Bill Adolph

PRSRT ST

U.S. POSTAG

PAID

HARRISBURG

PERMIT NO.

ear Friends and Neighbors,

ope t is issue f my legislativeewsletter fi ds you w ll. A you willead in this update, there are some verymportant issues being discussed at thistime in Harri urg, a o w ic are verymportant to our community an ai y ives.

Governor Rendell has unveiled his stateudget proposal for iscal Year 2010-11e eta s o t is p an, as we as my

t oug ts on it, are iscusse insi e. T isssue also touches up n pcom ng events,ocal happenings a d information onervices available to you.

 As a wa s, my staff and I are here tossist you. Please feel free to cont ct us ortop by my office with your questions andoncerns.

Best Wishes

Representative Adolph Elected

House Appropriations Committee ChairmaIn late January, my colleagues in the House Republican Caucus elected

me to serve as Chairman of the House Appropriaons Commiee. In th

new role as a member of leadership, I will be charged with represenng

our caucus at the state budget negoang table and will oversee legisla

maers that would have a fiscal impact on the state.

It was a great honor for me to be elected to this new role. While I am v

proud to have been chosen as a member of House leadership, I recogni

this posion will also pose an array of new challenges as the state work

through these diffi cult economic mes.

Pennsylvania is facing a historic recession, the likes of which have not

been seen since the Great Depression. State revenues connue to lag a

the job market remains volale, as unemployment rates loom in the 9

percent range.

Going into the 2010-11 fiscal year, my colleagues and I will work to

address each of these obstacles in our efforts to cra� a responsible and

affordable state budget that effecvely addresses Pennsylvania’s needs. 

Proudly Serving the 165th Legislative District

Representave Bill Adolph

(standing, far right) joined the

House Republican Leadershipteam in January when he was

elected Appropriaons Commiee

Chairman. Pictured with Adolph

are (seated from le�) Rep. Mike

Turzai, Republican Whip; Rep. Sam

Smith, Republican Leader; Rep.

Sandy Major, Caucus Chairman;

(standing le� to right) Rep. Jerry

Stern, Caucus Secretary; Rep.

Stan Saylor, Policy Commiee

Chairman; and Rep. Merle Phillips,

Caucus Administrator.

Spring 2010

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Governor Rendell Unveils$29 Billion State Budget

n ea ly February, Governor Rendell presented the

people of Pennsylvania with his budget proposal for the

2010-11 fiscal year. The $29 billion plan has generated a

reat deal of concern from la makers and taxpayers alike,

s many have quesoned its affordability and long-termmpact on the state

Despite facing a projected $525 million revenue shorall

n the current year, the governor’s budget would increase

pending by more than $1.2 billion in 2010-11. ssenally,

he is proposing we spend more at a me when the state

has less.

Many believe this level of new spending in today’s

economy will only compound our exisng fiscal problems

nd create future budgetary challenges.

uch of the governor’s proposed spending ncrease ill

be supported by temporary federal smulus dollars. All

old, the plan relies on $2.7 billion in smulus funds, of 

which $850 million has yet to be a proved by Congress.

These funds have been at the center of quesons related

o the proposal and its stability.

First, without approval in Washington to authorize this

new money, the Rendell Budget proposal would yield

near billion-dollar funding hole. Pennsylvania cannot

fford to balance a budget on revenues that are currently

non-existent. Furthermore, exisng smulus funds will

be exhausted a�er 2010-11; therefore, the more they are

depended upon to increase spending in the coming year,

he greater the state’s funding gap grows in 2011-12.

The governor did offer a plan to help address the state’s

uture fiscal concerns through the creaon of a proposed

mulus Transion Reserve Fund. Unfortunately, this planonsists of a billion-dollar-plus tax increase over the next

wo years.

The concept of this fund would be to generate new

evenues to help the state address the loss of smulus

unds and the looming pension spike.

The most notable point of this proposal would be a

move to lower the state’s exisng sales tax to 4 percent,

but remove 74 items and services that are currently ta

exempt. Among the items and services that would betaxed under the governor’s new plan are non-prescrip

drugs, professional services, residenal electric and

heang fuel and personal hygiene products.

Given our proximity to Delaware, which does not

impose a sales tax, expanding Pennsylvania’s sales tax

could have a negave impact on our local businesses.

Addionally, the idea of further taxing consumers in

today’s economic climate is counterproducve to the

state’s recovery efforts.

While there is sll uch negoang to be done rela

to the state budget, the Rendell plan as a whole is – in

opinion – too costly.

Like families and businesses are doing during these

tough economic mes, we need to enact a budget bas

on what is affordable Through controlled spending an

responsible fiscal management, we can help Pennsylva

create a climate that promotes its economic recovery.

- $1.2 Billion Increase

  - Public Welfare- Basic Education- Corrections- Debt Service

- Sales Tax Expansion

- Natural Gas Severance Tax- Smokeless Tobacco Tax- Business Taxes (Combined Reporting)- Eliminate Vendor Discount on Sales Tax

- Unaffordable Spending- Relies on Yet-to-be-Approved Revenue- Proposed Tax Increases

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Important Breast CancerScreening Event

  PennDOT recently announced it would once again

acvate ramp meters at the on-ramps to the Blue

oute from several locaons in Delaware County. The

first ramps expected to see the new meters are those

ocated at MacDade Boulevard, Balmore Pike and

oute 1. According to PennDOT, other ramp meters wille acvated along the Blue Route through the month

of March.

Given the problems relang to traffi c backups and

congeson that resulted from the original meters

over the last several years, I expressed my concerns

to PennDOT on this decision during a recent budget

earing. It is my hope that the new meters will be

ore effecve for motorists.

ransportat on ews

Blue Route Ramp Meters

Parents and Students:We are Here to Answer Your Financial Aid Questions

This is the me of year when students and parents are

reparing for life beyond high school. For those who intend to

ursue a higher educaon, it is important to have a plan to fund

the next step.

There is no doubt that financing higher educaon can be anoverwhelming and somemes confusing process. However, there

are resources available to help navigate the financial-aid process

and provide support for those who have quesons or concerns.

For local families and students who may be in need of assistance,

lease know that my offi ce can help in compleng student loan

applicaons and offer addional informaon and resources to

guide you through the process. If you have quesons or would like

ore informaon, please contact my offi ce at 610-544-9878 or

isit my Web site.

Representave Adolph, who serves as Chairman of 

the Pennsylvania Higher Educaon Assistance Agency

(PHEAA) Board of Directors, recently sponsored an

informaonal seminar on college financial aid for parent

and students at Cardinal O’Hara High School.

Friday, May 14, 2010Beginning at 9 a.m.

Springfield Country Club400 W. Sproul Road

Springfield, PA 19064

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STATE REPRESENTATIVE 

BILL ADOLPH

District Office920 West Sproul Road

Springfield PA 19064

(610) 544-9878

Capitol Office245 Main Capitol

arr s urg,

717) 787-1248

House Appropriations Committee Chairman

Valley Forge Military College (VFMC) is among the most well-

espected and accredited instuons of its kind. As residents of 

outheastern Pennsylvania, we are fortunate to have this local asset

n our community.

In an effort to extend premier educaonal opportunies to more

oung men and women, VFMC recently adopted a new programalled the Legislave Appointment Iniave Program. As supported

hrough House Resoluon 565, the program will enable state

awmakers to form selecon commiees that will annually appoint

one person to the college’s freshman class.

I am currently in the process of forming a commiee to help

oversee the selecon process in naming a local appointee to the

ollege. I believe this will present a great opportunity to students

cross the state and in our community, and I am pleased to support

he program and VFMC.

Valley Forge Military College Kicks Off Legislative Appointment Initiative Program

  Representave Adolph was among several state lawmakers

who joined VFMC in February to support the new legislave

appointment program. Pictured above with Representave

Adolph are Cadet Sergeants Alexandra Wade and Jena Presle

both of whom are scheduled to aend the United States Mil

Academy at West Point.

E-mail: wadolph@pahousegop.com

Among the local police chiefs who visited the Capitol and met with Representave Adolph earlie

this month were (pictured from le� to right) Chief Joseph Daly, Springfield Township; Chief Tom

Murray, Marple Township; and Chief Eugene Guarnere, Morton Borough.

Local Police Chiefs Visit State Capitol  Earlier this month, police chiefs from all across Delaware County came to th

state Capitol in Harrisburg to aend a meeng of the Municipal Police Offi cer

Educaon Training Commission. The chiefs met with me and several other are

lawmakers to discuss ways the state may be able to improve and enhance the

training process for municipal police offi cers.

To help with this effort, I recently added my support to a $250,000 grant

applicaon prepared by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Associaon. The gra

request submied to The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquenc

would provide funding for a pilot on-line training program for municipal offi cestatewide. The grant was approved by the commission on March 10.