Pennsylvania Voter Backlash Today!

[Skinny Shooter]

High property taxes have become a big issue here in the State. A local legislator has been pushing a plan to eliminate all school taxes in favor of a state sales tax.
Back in July, our State Legislators (the folks who are supposed to work for us) voted themselves a pay raise called "Unvouchered Expenses" which is in direct violation of the Pa State Constitution.
People have had enough of property taxes going up and no relief in sight. Then this pay raise happened which resulted in an uproar amongst taxpayers.
They (State Legislators) did it in the middle of the night and some on the State Supreme Court have defended it.
After learning about it the next day, I called my State Rep and vented. She was informed that she would lose her next election and that I would be voting against her and supporting a Democrat on the sheer principle of the action that she supported. Just recently she announced that she would not be running again and she must have seen the handwriting on the wall.

Much more good stuff can be found at this site: www.pacleansweep.com

I voted "NO" to not retain 2 of our Supreme's that were up for another 10 year term. In fact, I voted for a Democrat today which is a first in a long time. We need term limits in this state which will help to throw out the carpet-baggers who don't listen to their constituents.

Supreme Court justices face angry voters in Pennsylvania after lawmakers' summer pay raise

By PETER JACKSON
Associated Press Writer

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- In any other year, Justices Russell M. Nigro and Sandra Schultz Newman might have coasted to new, 10-year terms on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

But this year, they are being forced to fight for their jobs because of rising anger toward the court, stirred largely by a pay raise that state lawmakers gave themselves in the middle of the night last summer.

Critics of the high court say Pennsylvania's justices must be held accountable for condoning such legislative arrogance.

"There is a serious disconnect in Pennsylvania between our elected officials" and the people, said Russ Diamond, chairman of PACleanSweep, a political action committee committed to ousting every incumbent in the Legislature.

Citizen activists and radio talk-show hosts who have led the rebellion against the pay-raise law have been clamoring in recent days for "no" votes against Nigro and Newman in Tuesday's retention elections.

If either justice is denied a second term, it will be the first time in Pennsylvania history that a member of the Supreme Court has been ousted through the usually low-profile, yes-or-no voting process.

The Legislature approved the pay-raise bill at 2 a.m. July 7 without debate or public notice. The bill boosted lawmakers' pay by 16 percent to 54 percent, pushing the base legislative salary to $81,050 - higher than any other state but California.

Even more offensive to some people was the way most legislators began collecting their raises immediately in the form of payments known as "unvouchered expenses," in spite of a constitutional ban on lawmakers accepting raises during the term in which they are passed. The state Supreme Court upheld that maneuver 19 years ago.

The pay-raise law - which also included increases of 11 percent to 15 percent for the Supreme Court justices and 1,000 other judges - caused such a furor that the House and Senate last week cast a nearly unanimous vote to repeal it.

As Election Day neared, both justices began airing campaign ads, with Nigro boasting in his TV spots that he has "stood up to the politicians in the Legislature."

Nigro has raised more than $400,000 in his campaign, while Newman reported contributions of more than $240,000 last week alone.

G. Terry Madonna, a professor and pollster at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, said he could not remember any TV commercials in past retention elections.

It is also unusual in Pennsylvania for justices to raise large campaign war chests, because none has ever been denied retention, said Lynn A. Marks, executive director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a group pushing for the appointment of judges rather than their election.

She said she is discouraged by the latest turn of events, worried that voters will make their decision based on anger over the pay-raise issue instead of looking at the justices' record over the past decade.

"The danger is, they're looking at a small slice," she said.

On Monday, citizens activists erected a 25-foot, inflatable pig outside the state Capitol and called for the justices' ouster. A truck flying several American flags drove back and forth bearing the message "Vote NO Judicial Retention."

Several Pennsylvania newspapers have called for "no" votes for Nigro and Newman, arguing that the court has given the Legislature free rein to routinely violate constitutional guarantees of public involvement in making public policy.

"The time has come to stand up for the constitution, and send a clear message to the courts, the Legislature and the executive branch that Pennsylvanians still claim - indeed, demand - the right to a government `of the people, by the people, for the people,'" The Patriot-News of Harrisburg editorialized Friday.

Chief Justice Ralph Cappy lobbied for higher judicial salaries and initially dismissed the criticism as "knee-jerk," but later acknowledged that he "probably used inappropriate words."

Nigro and Newman, both Philadelphia natives elected to the court in 1995, have not been outspoken about the pay-raise law that increased their annual salaries from $150,369 to $171,800. But both have defended their records on the court.

I'll post results later and we'll see if Pa voters really can stand up on their hind legs and fight for what is right.

[Skinny Shooter]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...MPLATE=DEFAULT

Nov 9, 4:34 AM EST

For first time, Pennsylvania voters oust a Supreme Court justice

By PETER JACKSON
Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Pennsylvanians have denied a state Supreme Court justice a second term, a sign of the public's anger at lawmakers for pushing through a pay raise last summer. A second justice won another term only narrowly.

Justice Russell M. Nigro, who got 49 percent of vote Tuesday, was the first statewide judge to be turned out of office in a yes-or-no retention election in the 36 years such elections have been held.

A Democrat, Nigro received strong support in and around his native Philadelphia but was overwhelmed by lopsided margins in south-central and southwestern regions of the state, where opposition to the pay raise was concentrated.

Justice Sandra Schultz Newman won a second term with 54 percent of the vote, a close margin for a retention election. In the last judicial election in 2001, the three jurists on the ballot all were retained by margins of 3-1.

Both candidates shifted their campaigns into high gear last week as lawmakers cast preliminary but decisive votes to repeal the pay-raise law - passed during the dead of night July 7 with no public notice or hearings. Legislators had increased their salaries 16 percent to 34 percent to at least $81,050 - more than any state except California.

Activists who protested the raises suggested the court bore some responsibility for the climate of secrecy in state government.

Nigro's term ends in January, when Gov. Ed Rendell will appoint a temporary successor. Voters will elect a replacement justice to a 10-year term in November 2007.

Citizen activists who advocated "no" votes on retaining the two justices cheered Nigro's defeat.

"It's a clear signal that Pennsylvanians have awoke from their long slumber," said Russ Diamond, chairman of PACleanSweep, a political action committee that aims to challenge incumbent legislators.

Nigro did not return a telephone message early Wednesday.

http://www.pacleansweep.com/pr110905.html

I wouldn't claim this as a "victory" for Pa voters but it's a good start:

November 9, 2005

CONTACT:
Russ Diamond, PACleanSweep Chair
info@PACleanSweep.com


PACleanSweep Claims Victory for Pennsylvanians


ANNVILLE, PA - PACleanSweep declared a victory for the citizens of Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth's Constitution after learning the voters had ousted Supreme Court Justice Russell Nigro in Tuesday's election. No appellate court justice has ever been not retained previously in Pennsylvania. The race was largely viewed as the first volley in a battle for the future direction of government in the Commonwealth.

In the other Supreme Court retention race on the ballot, Justice Sandra Schultz Newman narrowly retained her seat with apparently less than 54 percent of the vote. Judicial candidates for retention in Pennsylvania traditionally enjoy being retained with at least 75 percent of the vote in their favor. Newman will be forced to retire in 2007 when she reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.

"Pennsylvania has been stalled at a constitutional crossroads for four months," said PACleanSweep Chair Russ Diamond. "We're pleased that the people have decided to boldly move forward by insisting that those charged with serving as guardians of the supreme law of the land take their duties and their oaths of office seriously."

In recent weeks, the PA Supreme Court has been at the center of a controversy over an unconstitutional pay raise enacted by the General Assembly on July 7. A cadre of anti-pay raise organizations, including PACleanSweep, banded together to protest the Supreme Court's role in the pay raise, pointing out a number of questionable rulings handed down over the last few years.

In just the last week, the two chambers of the General Assembly became deadlocked over a stunning last-minute repeal of the raise, which applied to all three branches of state government. The sticking point in the legislative standoff is the judicial portion of the increase, which may have added fuel to the electorate's angst.

"Voters have sent a loud and clear message to all public officials: You will be held accountable by the voters who've elected you," said PACleanSweep Media Relations Director Jerry Kelley.

Diamond was quick to note that the election results were only the first stirrings of the winds of change in Pennsylvania.

"This is not the end of our fight, it's only the beginning of a revolution in Pennsylvania. The last four months have seen a reawakening of the Commonwealth's citizens to the need for government to regularly consider the Constitution in their day-to-day activities rather than viewing it as some archaic document hanging on a museum wall for school children to admire on field trips.

"Our attention now turns to the Governor and the Senate, who are charged with appointing and confirming a temporary replacement to the bench until a contested election can be held in 2007. We advise Mr. Rendell to tread carefully in this matter, as he is up for re-election in 2006 along with the 228 incumbent lawmakers we've been targeting since July 18th."

"These results should put the entire legislature on notice," added Strategic Director Mike Bergmaier. "We intend to hold every last one of them to the constitutional fire in the upcoming months. The people have simply had enough, and it's time for lawmakers to focus on public service, not self service. Otherwise, they'll likely find themselves in the unemployment line next to Russell Nigro."



PACleanSweep is a non-partisan effort dedicated to defeating incumbent elected officials in Pennsylvania and replacing them with true public servants. For more information, please visit www.PACleanSweep.com.

[Steverino]

I "happened across" these sage words earlier today:

EVERYTHING mentioned here is due to the choices they we all made

We think all politicians are crooked, but we don't even know who we vote for. Most of can't even name our own mayor, city leaders, state legislators or anyone else we elected

I am encouraged to see folks have some actual follow-through resulting from the actions of their local politicians. Only the public can make politicians accountable for their voting records.

Reminds me of that old Eagles tune 'Take It Easy'- "So often we live our lives in chains never realizing that we hold the key."

[Skinny Shooter]

It may be working.

http://www.readingeagle.com/re/news/1452313.asp

House bill to rescind raises has momentum
The state Senate majority leader says his chamber will abandon its amended measure to consider the new proposal, which deals only with the controversial pay increases.
By Kori Walter
Reading Eagle

The curtain goes up Monday on Week 3 of the legislative pay-raise repeal drama in Harrisburg.

And lawmakers are hoping a fresh script will help the feuding cast in the state House and Senate settle their differences.

Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill, a Lebanon County Republican who represents part of Berks, said lawmakers plan to work on passing an entirely new pay-hike repeal bill that was introduced in the House.

That means a Senate pay-hike repeal bill volleyed back and forth between the two chambers since Nov. 2 will be abandoned.

Brightbill said lawmakers are starting with a fresh bill because of concerns that the courts could strike down the Senate version.

That's because the repeal effort started when the Senate gutted a bill dealing with revenue-collection regulations and inserted language to repeal the pay hikes for lawmakers, judges and the executive branch.

While the practice of changing legislation is common, lawmakers don't want to risk the courts ruling that the Senate bill was improperly amended, Brightbill said.

The new House bill deals exclusively with the pay-raise issue.

“As this has developed, it is more important than I suspected, both to the Senate and the House, that we make as good an attempt as possible to repeal (the raise for) all three branches,” Brightbill said.

The House could vote on the new bill as early as Monday and the Senate could consider the measure on Wednesday, he said.

Of course, lawyers for both chambers still are working out language regarding the repeal of the judges' pay raises.

A disagreement between the House and Senate on how to interpret a state constitutional ban on reducing a judges' salaries midterm has been the major sticking point in repealing the pay raises.

State Rep. Dennis E. Leh, an Amity Township Republican, denied claims that House members are scheming to pass a bill that will result in a court ruling restoring the pay raises.

Leh said voters already agitated by the 16 percent to 54 percent pay hikes lawmakers approved for themselves July 7 would not let the Legislature get away with a ploy like that.

“There's no way that we are even going to try to get it (saving the pay raises) through a back-door method,” Leh said. “I'd rather stand out on the Warren Street Bypass in the middle of rush hour. I'd have a better chance of staying alive.”

Voters vented their frustration over the pay hikes Tuesday by denying a second 10-year term to Supreme Court Justice Russell Nigro.

Brightbill said that stunning defeat will give a boost to pay-raise repeal efforts.

“If there were people who had second thoughts about this (repeal), they don't now,” Brightbill said.

[Skinny Shooter]

http://www.readingeagle.com/re/news/1454085.asp

PAY RAISE DEAD
By Kori Walter
Reading Eagle

HARRISBURG The legislative pay hike born in the middle of the night more than four months ago died just after noon Wednesday.
The state Senate issued the equivalent of a death certificate, voting unanimously to repeal the unpopular raises rammed through the Legislature without debate on July 7.

Senate Majority Leader David J. “Chip” Brightbill apologized to constituents and Republican senators for using poor judgment in supporting the pay-raise bill in July.

“You all trusted me to exercise good judgment,” said Brightbill, a Lebanon County Republican who represents part of Berks. “I did not, and I am sorry.”

Gov. Ed Rendell quickly signed the repeal bill, which also rolls back pay raises for the governor, members of his Cabinet and judges.

Rendell did not talk to reporters, but issued a statement acknowledging that four months of unrelenting criticism from constituents forced the Legislature to repeal the raises.

“I urge the Legislature to return to the people's business and hope that by signing this bill we can channel the great interest and energy that was focused on this issue for the good of the citizens we serve,” Rendell said.

While the repeal forces lawmakers to give up raises that ranged from 16 percent to 54 percent, their paychecks will get fatter in December.

That's because the bill signed into law Wednesday reinstated the cost-of-living adjustments for all three branches of government that had been included in the previous salary law.

The increase will be 3.6 percent, according to the state Department of Labor.

The minimum salary for lawmakers will be $74,104 per year, with legislative leaders receiving additional pay.

The repeal does not require lawmakers to return the portion of the pay raises they already have collected through a process known as unvouchered expenses.

About half of the 253 state lawmakers have been collecting unvouchered expenses since August.

Brightbill and some other members of the Berks delegation said they will return the unvouchered expenses, which the state considers taxable income.

“It's a personal decision that my wife and I made,” Brightbill said of his decision to return roughly $11,000 in unvouchered expenses. “It's perfectly legal to keep the money, but we just decided not to.”

Senate Minority Whip Michael A. O'Pake and state Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone said they donated their unvouchered expenses to charities.

But the two, both Reading Democrats, said they will repay the money.

O'Pake said he received more than $10,000 and Caltagirone reported getting roughly $4,400.

“I don't want to look like a pig and keep this money for myself,” Caltagirone said. “I felt returning the money was the honorable thing to do.”