REP.

GARY DAY PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
187TH Legislative District HARRISBURG, PA
PERMIT NO. 529
DISTRICT OFFICES:
LEHIGH COUNTY:
Northwest Centre, Suite 302
6299 Route 309
New Tripoli, PA 18066
Phone: (610) 760-7082
BERKS COUNTY:
127 Quarry Road, Suite 1
Kutztown, PA 19530
Phone: (610) 683-3385
HARRISBURG OFFICE:
PO Box 202187
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2187
Phone: (717) 787-3017

Dear Neighbor: Berks County Office

With the Pennsylvania budget finally passed, albeit 101 days late, I wanted to
take the opportunity to update you about what is happening in the Legislature and Now Open
throughout our district.
Berks County Office
It has certainly been an interesting time at the Capitol, and I can say that my first
Maxtawny Township Building
budget as a state legislator was extremely frustrating. Not only was this budget 127 Quarry Road, Suite 1
ridiculously late, but it was not the budget I would have chosen for the people of Kutztown, PA 19530
Pennsylvania, because it is not a responsible, forward-looking budget. (610) 683-3385
Some people may think this late budget was a failure of the legislative system, but 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mon. through Fri.
in some ways it proves the system works. If Governor Ed Rendell had the power
to unilaterally pass a budget, Pennsylvania would spend $29 billion in the 2009-10 Lehigh County Office
fiscal year and taxpayers would pay 16 percent more in income taxes. While the Northwest Centre, Suite 302
adopted budget is far from perfect, it does spend less than the governor’s original 6299 Route 309
request and does not require an immediate income tax increase. New Tripoli, PA 18066
(610) 760-7082
Perhaps the one positive aspect of this year’s budget fiasco is that people seem to
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon. through Fri.
be more interested in state government and how it spends taxpayer dollars.
I am trying different ways to keep people engaged, including e-mails and tele-
town hall meetings. Tele-towns are interactive phone calls where you can ask
questions of your legislator. To sign up for e-mails, just visit my Web site at
RepGaryDay.com and sign up for E-Mail Updates. Citizen participation makes
for better government. Everyone’s voice matters and factors into the important de-
cisions that impact our daily lives.
Finally, as unbelievable as it may seem, we are only three months away from the
governor’s annual February budget address to the Legislature, during which he will
announce plans for the 2010-11 fiscal year budget. I am hopeful this year’s experi-
ence will ensure that next year’s process will be less controversial and much more
efficient than what we experienced this year.
If you have any questions regarding the budget or any state matter, please do not
hesitate to contact my office or e-mail me at gday@pahousegop.com.
Kristy Barry, Louis Bobbyn and Kathy
McQuilken work in Rep. Day’s district
offices in New Tripoli and Maxatawny
Township.

RepGaryDay.com
 AROUND THE 187TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

Rep. Day met with members of the Virginville Volun-

Berks-Lehigh Regional Chief Michael P.
Weiser spoke with Rep. Day during Top-
ton Community Days about community
safety and neighborhood watch issues.
teer Fire Company at the Topton Parade.
Rep. Day met with workers
from Good’s Potato Chips, who
had a booth at Upper Macungie
Emergency Preparedness Day,

Rep. Day visited the Lehigh Valley Association of RE- The Topton Parade on Oct. 19 featured a Wanda Moser, a Topton
ALTORS (LVAR) and their Government Affairs Com- Crime Watch Group represented by a couple Community Days orga-
mittee (GAC) on June 5 to provide a legislative update. of young mascots. nizer, greeted Rep. Day
Pictured are (from left): GAC Chairman Frank Renaldi during his visit to Topton
Jr.; Rep. Day; GAC Vice-Chair Tiffany Hayward; and Community Days.
2009 Association President Susan Seidel.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Day Resolution

Deadline Extended Proclaims September
I would like to inform residents that the deadline to file for the state’s Property
as Drug and Alcohol
Tax/Rent Rebate program has been extended from June 30 to Dec. 31, 2009. Recovery Month
Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on their rent or
property taxes paid in 2008. The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who I recently sponsored a House resolution
are 65 years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18 years that passed the House unanimously. It
or older with permanent disabilities.
Eligibility income limits for homeowners were expanded last year to the fol- proclaims September as National Alcohol
lowing levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security, Supplemental Security and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in
Income, and Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits: Pennsylvania.
My goal in sponsoring the measure is
• $0 and $8,000, up to $650 rebate (Homeowners and renters). to raise awareness of the importance of
recovering from drug and alcohol addiction
• $8,001 to $15,000, up to $500 rebate (Homeowners and renters).
and to appeal to people in our communities
• $15,001 to $18,000, up to $300 rebate (Homeowners only). not to turn a blind eye from their friends,
• $18,001 to $35,000, up to $250 rebate (Homeowners only). family and neighbors who have are facing
the challenges drug and alcohol addiction.
 The 2009-10 Budget: The Highs and Lows
The 2009-10 fiscal year budget in Pennsyl-
vania was not finalized for 101 days because
it was difficult for the negotiating parties to
find common ground for compromise. Some of
us in the Legislature wanted to cut the size of
government. We opposed tax increases. Some
members favored increasing taxes and the size
of the state budget.
I saw lawmakers sink to new lows during
this process. I was astounded when the gov-
ernor needlessly vetoed billions of dollars in
funding for public schools and social services
to put pressure on the Legislature to increase
taxes, and I was astonished when the House
Democrat leadership proposed a state budget
that completely eliminated funding for higher
education. The tricks and ploys seemed never
ending during the impasse.
On a positive note, I was also thrilled when
a small group of House Democrats joined with
their Republican counterparts to oppose an in- 2009-10 Budget
crease to the Personal Income Tax (PIT). Our
bi-partisan alliance essentially killed the idea Fast Facts
of raising the PIT, taxing the arts and placing a • Final 2008-09 deficit (last
new tax on our local fire departments and com- fiscal year): $3.25 billion.
munity organizations. • Total 2009-10 spending
This was a year when leadership made deals (current fiscal year): $27.8
and the “powerless” rank-and-file members billion.
refused to be forced into voting for legislation • New or increased taxes:
they could not support. That is why there were
$1 billion a year.
three different highly publicized “deals.”
In the end, I joined the majority of my caucus • Revenue shortfall to date
in opposing the final budget proposal for sev- 2009-10 fiscal year: $160
eral key reasons: million and counting.
• It spends more than current • Rainy Day Fund balance
revenues can sustain. after this budget: $0.
• It increases taxes on employers, • Health Care Provider
which will stifle economic growth. Retention Account bal-
• It completely drains all of ance after this budget: $0.
Pennsylvania’s reserve funds.

Local School Districts Receive Increases in State Budget

School District 2009-10 BEF Inc. 2009-10 BEF Ttl SEF Ttl BEF/SEF/ARRA
Inc. over 08-09 BEF
Brandywine Heights Area $076,984, 2.00% $3,926,155 $0,986,747 $05,445,766, 12.6%
Fleetwood $495,861, 9.31% $5,822,082 $1,149,678 $07,584,247, 17.1%
Kutztown $062,099, 2.00% $3,167,034 $0,858,066 $04,600,743, 16.1%
Parkland $270,179, 4.28% $6,585,611 $3,261,344 $12,559,160, 31.1%
Northwestern Lehigh $157,876, 2.97% $5,475,614 $1,269,852 $07,372,662, 11.9%

BEF = Basic Education Funding SEF = Special Education Funding Ttl = Total Funding
ARRA = American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Efforts to Change Budget Process

I am drafting my own legislation to improve the budget pro-
cess and establish milestones that must be met by legislative
leadership and the governor, who are largely responsible for the
pace of the budget process. It was a gross misuse of power by
the majority Appropriation Committee chairman, who did not
introduce a budget bill until July 11. This single act caused at
least a 30- to 40-day delay and contributed to the 101-day bud-
get impasse. My legislation would take away their leadership
position for a two-year period for missing budget deadlines.
This would be more persuasive than docking pay.
Other members have also proposed that the executive branch
and General Assembly meet deadlines. The following measures
would help prevent a handful of people conducting backroom
meetings from blocking a budget deal. We can never again al-
low individuals, families and services to be held hostage to force
a tax increase.
• A bipartisan Speaker’s Commission on Budgetary Re-
form has been proposed that would determine timelines
and milestones in the budget process and institute conse-
quences if these are not met. Performance-based budget
principles would be adopted and greater involvement by
every House member would be ensured. This commission
could also implement budget continuity for state government
operations to prevent state workers or service providers who
depend on state money from being held hostage in the future.
• House Resolution 460 would institute a Committee of the
Whole process to resolve budget impasses, allowing House
members to openly discuss budget-related topics and reach a
compromise.
• House Bill 936 would automatically extend the last year’s budget if
no new state budget is enacted by 12:01 a.m. on July 1.
• House Bill 937 creates a more definitive timeline for future
state budgets. If deadlines are not met by the House or Sen-
ate, the daily pay for each member in the chamber delaying
the process would be docked until action is taken.
• House Bill 1629 proposes salary forfeitures by the governor,
his cabinet and secretary of the budget, as well as House
and Senate members when a budget impasse goes past July.
Salaries would not be restored retroactively.
• House Bill 1751 would ban the act of leveraging roll call
votes for promises of legislative favors, hiring of staff, grant
approvals and capital projects.
 Day Details Some
New Pennsylvania Laws
Following is a brief description of several laws that have been enacted
in Pennsylvania so far this year. If you have any questions regarding the
information contained in this section, contact my office.
• Act 2 of 2009 brings the mini-COBRA option to Pennsylvanians
working for employers with between two to 19 employees. This law
is extremely relevant at a time when many people are losing their jobs
and their health care coverage. Traditionally, COBRA, which allows
a person to maintain health insurance coverage after the loss of em-
ployment, was only available to those working for larger companies.
For more information, visit www.ins.state.pa.us, subject search “mini
cobra.”
• Act 4 of 2009 will allow parents or guardians to elect extended health
coverage to dependents, through age 29. Several conditions exist to
this elected coverage, such as the dependent must reside in Pennsyl-
vania or be enrolled as a full-time student at an institution of higher
education, may not be married or have dependents of their own, and
may not be covered by any other health insurance policy. The provi-
sions of the bill apply to Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO)
and Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans. Any premium increases due to the
addition of dependents will not be the responsibility of the employer,
but contributions may be agreed to by the employer.
• Act 37 is a revamp of Pennsylvania’s emergency medical services
(EMS) law. It amends the state’s Health and Safety Code to modernize
the scope and practice of EMS providers and brings these in line with
national standards of practice rather than having it based on the EMS
curriculum. The law calls for permanent licensing (currently only
paramedics have this) with registration parameters and modernizes
the professional standards of ambulance services. The law requires all
EMS agencies to have a medical director on staff or on contract and
requires ambulance drivers and ambulance attendants to be certified
as emergency responders. One key feature allows the state Depart-
ment of Health and regional EMS councils to adopt medical treatment
protocols without doing so
through regulations. One final
change excludes vehicle driv-
ers who operate vehicles ex-
clusively for Quick Response
Services from the three-year
registration and the continuing
education requirements which
apply to other EMS drivers.
• Act 51 amends the state’s Gary Day comments on legislation
Emergency and Law Enforce- at a House Insurance Committee
ment Personnel Death Ben- meeting on Senate Bill 189, which
efits Act to clarify the state’s became Act 4 of 2009. It provides for
death benefit eligibility for a health insurance coverage for certain
surviving spouse or if there children of insured parents.
is no surviving spouse, to the
minor children of a law enforcement officer, ambulance service or res-
cue squad member, firefighter, certified hazardous material response
team member or National Guard member who dies as a result of the
performance of his or her duties. The benefit would be paid within 90
days from the date of death, and would be $100,000 plus the equiva-
lent of the monthly salary (minus certain workers’ compensation or
pension or retirement benefits paid to such survivors) of the deceased
paid firefighter, ambulance service or rescue squad member or law en-
forcement officer until there is no eligible beneficiary to receive them.
For eligible deceased volunteers, ther payment would be $100,000 and
if there is no surviving spouse or children, the amount of $100,000
would be paid to the parents.
See Day’s Cable Show
The following channels air Rep. Day’s monthly
half hour cable show at the following times.
Hometown Utilicom - Kutztown/Channel 2
Mon., Thurs. & Sun., noon and 10 p.m.
RCN Communications/Channel 50
3rd Friday of each month, 6 p.m.
Service Electric - Berks /Channel 2
Tuesdays 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Service Electric - Lehigh /Channel 2
4th Monday at 8 p.m.
Blue Ridge Communications/TV 13
Airs Mon. & Tues. between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
WTVE-TV/Channel 51
Air dates and times variable.
LIHEAP Opened Nov. 2
Pennsylvania’s Low-Income Home Energy As-
sistance Program (LIHEAP) will begin accepting
applications for cash grants Nov. 2. Crisis grants
will be available on Jan. 4, 2010.
LIHEAP helps low-income people pay their heat-
ing bills through home energy assistance grants and
crisis grants. Cash grants are awarded based on
household income, family size, type of heating fuel
and region. Crisis grants are provided in the event
of a heating emergency, including broken heating
equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or
replaced, lack of fuel, termination of utility service
or danger of being without fuel or of having util-
ity service terminated. In most counties, assistance
with home heating crisis situations is available 24
hours a day.
Applications will be available at the Lehigh
County Assistance Office at 101 South 7th Street,
Allentown, PA 18101-2295. The phone number is
(610) 821-6509. The LIHEAP number is (610) 821-
6702.
The Berks County Assistance Office in the Read-
ing State Office Building, 625 Cherry Street, Read-
ing, PA 19602-1188. The phone number is (610)
736-4211. The LIHEAP number is (610) 736-4228
or there’s a toll-free number: (866) 215-3911.
Income eligibility for cash grants is listed below
by household sizes and income limits.
Persons in Income
Household Limit
1................................$16,245
2................................$21,855
3................................$27,465
4................................$33,075
5................................$38,685
6................................$44,295
7................................$49,905
8................................$55,515
Applications are also available from local utility
companies and community service agencies, such as
Area Agencies on Aging or community action agen-
cies. LIHEAP cash grant applications are available
online or compass.state.pa.us or through a link at at
RepDay.com.