Mike's Memo

2008 – 2009 Budget Process Set to Begin

On February 5, Governor Rendell will outline his state spending plan for the 2008 – 2009 Fiscal Year.  I anticipate that he will again emphasize education spending, medical assistance, and corrections as priorities.  With this in mind, I thought you might find the current breakdown of state spending priorities interesting:

Agency/Department	07-08 Allocation	Percentage of total budget
Education	$10.5 Billion	38.8
Public Welfare	$9.7 Billion	35.6
Corrections	$1.6 Billion	5.9
Treasury	$923 Million	3.4
Community & Economic Development	$631 Million	2.3
State System of Higher Education	$504 Million	.9
Higher Education Assistance	$452 Million	1.7
Health	$294 Million	1.0

You can watch the Governor's Budget Address live by clicking on Live Senate Feed.

House Hearing on Real ID Bill

The House Intergovernmental Affairs Committee recently held a hearing on Representative Sam Rohrer's House Bill 1351, which would exempt Pennsylvania from having to comply with the federal "Real ID" Act.  My Senate Bill 1220 is a companion bill that is in the Senate Communications & Technology Committee.

Advisory Meetings Announced

Please plan to join me for two of my upcoming advisory meetings:

Sportsmen's Advisory Committee – 6 p.m., Tuesday, February 19, Palmyra Sportsmen's Association.

Featured speakers:

Phil Durgin, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee and
Gail Reinard, Executive Director of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, will discuss the planned study of deer management and other issues of interest.

Business Advisory Committee – 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 20, Souptyme, Lebanon (located off of Rt. 72)

Featured speaker: Eileen Melvin, member of the Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, will discuss Unemployment Compensation cost control. Other business-related and legislative topics will also be discussed. Event is sponsored by the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce.