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Welcome to "Mike's Memo," an update on what's happening in the 48th Legislative District, the State Capitol, and the progress on my "Promise to Pennsylvania," a pledge to advance government reforms, enact meaningful lawsuit abuse reform, eliminate wasteful state spending, and cut taxes. If you haven't done so already, please take a few moments to visit my website at www.senatorfolmer.com to learn more about issues that may affect you and your family. Week of August 9, 2010 Who's Certifiable? To me, controlling spending is the key to reforming governments, protecting taxpayers, and avoiding higher taxes. Unfortunately, with billion dollar state budgets and trillion dollar federal budgets, tax money is treated like play money: there's little understanding of the costs. Most people understand what $100 is because they can hold it in their hands and they know what it can buy. However, few really know, understand, or appreciate what $100,000,000 ($100 million) or $100,000,000,000 ($100 billion) is. Yet, such figures are regularly thrown around by state and federal officials. When Governor Rendell came to office, the state budget was $20,306,542,000. During his eight years, spending has grown by 38 percent ($7,736,595,000): to $28,043,137,000 (don't forget: he proposed spending nearly $1 billion more, $29,029,507,000). Neither Pennsylvania's population nor the cost of living has risen this fast over these past eight years. Government has simply grown faster than the ability of the taxpayers to pay for it. During my nearly four years in office, I have worked to ensure the Commonwealth is squeezing every penny out of each tax dollar. Among the many expenditures I have questioned are no-bid, sole source contracts, agreements between the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Intermediate Units, and the use of federal stimulus money (I'll never understand why some people think federal money doesn't come from the same place – taxpayers). While the General Assembly was successful this year in stopping tax increases – so far (we return in September to consider possible natural gas taxes) – we face a structural deficit of approximately $5 Billion next year as federal moneys dry up, the costs of eight years of borrowing come due, and other costs continue to rise (most notably state pension costs). In the interim, consider how much we are spending under Pennsylvania's new 2010 – 2011 budget of $28,043,137,000: approximately $76 million per day, $3 million an hour, $53,000 a minute, and $889 a second. Imagine holding nine $100 bills in your hand. Look: they're gone in the blink of an eye (one second)! That's how fast the Commonwealth is spending your tax money. Who's certifiable? 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. 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. Was this message forwarded to you? Visit my website if you would like to receive your own copy of "Mike's Memo." If you no longer wish to receive "Mike's Memo,"
e-mail mtribioli@pasen.gov. Please allow 1-2 issues for removal to
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Offices 101 Municipal Building 509 W. Penn Avenue Email: mfolmer@pasen.gov
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