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GUEST COLUMN |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Bill Thomas |
State Rep. Joe Brennan
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ATTENTION EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR: Please consider publishing the following guest column by state Rep. Joe Brennan, D-Lehigh/Northampton, on the OP-ED or Guest Column page of your newspaper. Please use the contact information above for questions or confirmation. Thank you for your consideration.
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Monday, March 19, 2007
State House reforms only the first step
By state Rep. Joe Brennan, D-Lehigh/Northampton.
Earlier this month, members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives took a bold step in providing openness and transparency in state government. By reforming its rules and essentially providing a new and formidable way it conducts business, the House has answered the call of the people and has done away with the old way of politicking that was the norm in Harrisburg for the past 12 years.
The new rules that were adopted by the House and put into place on March 13 will provide significant reforms and allow for greater accountability. We voted to end ghost voting, middle-of-the-night sessions and private vehicle leases, and we eliminated the opportunities for a select few to control the path of a bill, strengthened the committee process and improved the legislative management of tax dollars. As a first-term lawmaker, I am proud to have helped set the tone of reform at the state Capitol, something that I know I was elected to do.
The progressive reforms we adopted, however, are merely the first elements of a new era in Harrisburg. Addressing the rules of the House was an important first step because they are the foundation upon which all legislation is built. Now, I am glad to say that we can move forward with other issues that directly relate to the quality of life for the people of Pennsylvania. More specifically, I am eager to focus my attention on enacting real property tax reform, controlling the cost of health care, improving education for our children and reducing our dependence on foreign oil and creating jobs in Pennsylvania by investing in alternative energy opportunities.
These are real issues that will affect each and every Pennsylvanian, especially our state’s most vulnerable citizens. It will be my hope to advance programs already in place, such as the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, and its expansion through Cover All Kids, as well as develop new state sponsored initiatives that will provide meaningful services to many area residents.
Currently, we have before us an ambitious budget proposal that has some significant and positive ideas. The governor’s plan to reform the state’s health-care system is a truly innovative and aggressive plan, and I am hopeful that we can take a look at its elements and implement many of its ideas. But the task at hand is to take a look at these programs and decide if they are feasible and if the costs associated with them are worth our investment.
In addition, the House Majority Policy Committee will be traveling across the state to obtain public input and comment on many of the proposals contained in Gov. Rendell’s budget, as well as other policies the House will be addressing. It is important that we take the issues to our communities and involve our constituents in the process. Legislative reform does not begin and end with how we vote within the House chamber. It also requires us to open up the process outside of Harrisburg and do what we can to increase the participation of the citizens we represent.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns on any state-related matter, or if you want to provide input on specific legislation, please feel free to contact me and my constituent service office staff at 610-882-1510, or through my official Web site at www.pahouse.com/brennan. Also, my constituent service office is located at 7 W. Fourth St., Bethlehem, PA 18015, and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Through the public’s outcry for change, the state House revamped and reformed its rules. This is simply a beginning, and I encourage everyone to continue being vocal and letting us know the issues that matter to you most.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Rep. Joe Brennan
State House of Representatives
133rd Legislative District
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