The LuLac Edition #3094, December 20th, 2015

UNIONS AND TAX CRAZIES KILL BUDGET DEAL

The House yesterday voted 149-52 against a bill that would have forced newly hired teachers and state workers into a hybrid system made up of a traditional pension alongside a 401(k)-style benefit. Every Democrat voted against the bill, along with a majority of Republicans. Please re-re-read this. Every Democrat along with Republicans decided to institutionalize the Public Service Sector making it not a middle class but an income class all of its own. Instead of caring about the Middle Class tax paying homeowners, the House was worried about future employees.

BULLETIN TO THE HOUSE IN HARRISBURG: THE BUDGET CRISIS IS NOW!!!!

So in addition to not passing this bill which makes sense, The House and the unions have assured that Pension costs will increase through the years.
This means that taxpayers will foot the bill for a special class of state employees who are entitled to have more than the average Pennsylvanian in terms of benefits.
This was a bill that did not affect anyone currently working today. This was a bill that again made it possible for no property tax relief, and for the unions to squeeze the life out of taxpayers.
The GOP cleverly put House Democrats in a box because they know every Democrat is beholden to the Teacher and State Unions. Brilliant strategy. All that said, people are sick and tired of strategy. They want, in order:
A. A budget passed.
B. Property tax relief.
C. Fairness toward State Workers. 
I was in a State Liquor Store Friday night. Those State employees were working their asses off and were competent, pleasant and efficient. Any reasonable person will say they are entitled to what they are currently earning under contract. But to not change the system now for incoming workers is so illogical it can only happen in Pennsylvania. Every private business in the country has changed their pension systems. This is a joke.
Pennsylvania tax payers don’t want much.
Then there’s this guy, Rep. John McGinnis, a Republican out of Blair County who said, “We like to think that this is an honorable institution, but by under funding our pensions, we steal from children and from children not yet born. How is that honorable?”
I am soooooooo sick and tired of hearing Legislators talk about the unborn. How about the kids in Social Service with problems not getting services TODAY? How about children being shut out from Libraries that haven't received their state funds because of this budget mess TODAY? How about those school districts with kids in them that might have to shut down TODAY? How about that veteran who is homeless not getting funding from social service agencies funded by the states TODAY? How many children at risk will slide under the radar because Court systems aren't funded TODAY?
Representative McGinnis, I don’t care about how under funding a state pension for a few unborn is going to make us honorable. Honor comes in taking care of the people you are representing TODAY. These citizens  are alive TODAY and not part of the Political Class that just takes and takes. (Oh but some of them can sure share funky e mails though, can’t they on state time, right??)
As of today we have no State Budget because of a weird coalition between self serving Democrats scared to death of Unions and reactionary Republicans who can’t understand that tax increases are investments in the future. Calling this latest action a “Devil’s Pact” would be an insult to the Devil himself.
It is time to clean House in The House. 
By the way, the Legislators are home watching football today. They got out of town on our dime.