Tolling of I-80 Still an Open Issue

Written by Roberta Biros

In 2008 we all heard plenty about the possible tolling of I-80. It was on TV . . . it was in the papers . . . it was on political buttons. It was a great issue during an election year, so it received lots of attention. We were all made to believe that the issue of tolling Interstate 80 was ‘squashed’ by the Legislature ensuring that access to the highway would remain free . . . but, Don’t Believe Everything You Read.

We all know what we were told in 2008, but let us review the facts.

• The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Turnpike Commission submitted an application to the Federal Highway Administration in an effort to assess tolls on I-80.
  
• The Federal Highway Administration rejected Pennsylvania’s application. The rejection was based on the fact that payments to the State were “not based on fair market valuation and were not allowable as operating costs”.
  
• The rejection of the application had nothing to do with the efforts of Legislators in the Pennsylvania General Assembly . . . the application was simply rejected by the Federal Highway Administration.
  
• The issue did not ‘go away’. The application was simply rejected. The PA Department of Transportation and Turnpike Commission have the ability to reapply at any point again in the future.

Those are the facts from 2008. While the issue was used like a medal of honor by Legislators, the truth is that their efforts had nothing to do with the rejection of tolls on I-80. More importantly, the possibility of tolls on Interstate 80 is still alive and well. It did not go away!

Now let us talk about what has happened since 2008.

• In March 25, 2009, House Resolution 197 was introduced (HUTCHISON, GABLER, OBERLANDER, MILLARD, FAIRCHILD, BELFANTI, BOBACK, BROOKS, CAUSER, EVERETT, HANNA, HARHART, HARRIS, MAJOR, METCALFE, MOUL, MUSTIO, PEIFER, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, RAPP, ROAE, ROHRER, SCAVELLO, SMITH, SONNEY, STEVENSON, TALLMAN, TRUE, TRUZAI AND VULAKOVICH).
  
• The Resolution is short and to the point. It provides a list of reasons why Tolling of I-80 would be wrong, and it suggests that the House of Representatives agree that future such applications to the Federal Highway Administration be stopped.
  
• The Resolution was referred to the Transportation Committee on March 25, 2009.

As a follow up to last year’s activities, a group of Legislators got together in an effort to stop the same problem from happening again. Unfortunately, like almost all Legislation that is introduced, the Resolution was doomed to sit in Transportation Committee and never see the light of day. Legislators are great at authoring Legislation, but they have a short attention span when it comes to pushing for the passage of Legislation.

This week, however, there was an interesting turn of events . . .

For those of you that keep an eye on Harrisburg, you all know that House Bill 67 has been a big issue of contention lately. House Bill 67 was another Bill that went through the Transportation Committee. It was designed to limit the use of cell phones and “interactive wireless communication devices”, and it has been debated on the House floor for the past week or so. I watched some of the debate through the House streaming video link [CLICK HERE to go to ‘House Live’), and I found it very interesting. There were many details of the Bill that were hashed out including ‘primary vs. secondary offense’ and ‘while operating vs. while driving’. In an interesting turn of events, authors of House Resolution 197 (the resolution putting a stop to future tolling of I-80 which was described above) decided to try to slide their resolution through as part of House Bill 67. The attempt was bold . . . but it was also unsuccessful. The attempt was voted down by a vote of 87 to 106 [VIEW THE VOTE HERE]. House Bill 67 eventually passed [VIEW THE FINAL VOTE HERE] but it did not include the lock down on I-80 Tolls.

So where does that leave us? Where does it leave the issue of tolls on I-80?

Well, at any time the PA Dept. of Transportation and Turnpike Commission can re-apply with the Federal Highway Administration. If they do, there will be nothing that the Pennsylvania Citizenry can do to stop it (other than hope that it is rejected again by the Feds). The only way to stop future applications is to support Legislation like House Resolution 197 which was designed to stop the application process in the first place. Unfortunately, Legislation doesn’t get passed without lots and lots of attention. House Resolution 197 came out for a brief glimpse of daylight, but like most Legislation, HR197 is destined to never see the light of day without extra effort from our Legislators . . . but (sadly enough) they only show extra motivation during election years.

Perhaps our Legislators should attempt to get attention for the I-80 tolling again. They could attempt to garner support from their constituents . . . they could hold public meetings . . . they could discuss the issue regularly with businesses and voters . . . they could contact the press . . . they could attempt to rally the troops. That might happen, but probably not until about June or July of 2010 when they need a reason to be re-elected.

Keep an eye on this issue. It is destined to surface again . . . mark my words.

Summary from a Mercer County Prospective:

Representative Michele Brooks and Representative Dick Stevenson were included in the group introducing House Resolution 197 (as was Representative Roae from neighboring Crawford County).

Representatives Brooks, Stevenson, and Roae all voted for the version of House Bill 67 that included the House Resolution 197 verbiage.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Specter painted as Independent & Courageous, Local GOP Sees a Scheme in the Works

Written by Roberta Biros

In a press conference this morning, President Obama and Vice President Biden welcomed once long-time Republican Arlen Specter into the fold with glowing references to his “independence” and “courage”. During the LoveFest there were affectionate glances and multiple references to their ‘train-buddy’ experiences. It made me ill.

In local news, The Herald jumped into the story with both feet with a front page feature in this morning’s issue [READ HERE]. They took an interesting opportunity to discuss the party switch with Mercer GOP Chairman Dave King. Now that Specter has jumped ship, King is suddenly a “Specter Hater” (no surprise there, as that is in true Dave King style). The Herald missed a glorious opportunity, however. I would have preferred to see the reaction of Mercer County Democrat Chair, Bob Lark, to the Party switch. A phone call to Mr. Lark would have been far more interesting as I am sure he is giddy with excitement of yet another new Democrat in the Commonwealth.

A quick check into the Herald Forum showed that the same GOP critics were lined up to toss around discussion about the party switch too. As usual, their obsession with Mercer County’s newest political punching bag (a ‘former’ candidate for the office of County Treasurer) had to be interjected into the conversation.

I’ve checked out all of the State and County references to the ‘big news’. I hate to admit it, but one of the most interesting comments came from Mercer GOP Chairman King. In his interview with The Herald, Mr. King noted that he thinks that Specter’s party switch is all just a backroom scheme to neatly place Ed Rendell into the Senate seat. His hypothesis is based on the concept that Specter’s health won’t hold out through the General Election, and that Ed Rendell will simply step in after the primary to take over. The concept is very interesting. Based on the history of the Mercer County GOP and Chairman King’s experiences with ‘backroom deals’, the idea of pushing candidates through the ‘secret backdoor’ might actually carry some weight.

Pardon my obvious disappointment, but in all of this excitement, where are the references to ‘public service’? Once again, it all just looks like politicians serving politicians.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Specter Switches Parties . . . From the Good Ol’ Boys Club to the Good Ol’ Boys Club

Written by Roberta Biros

At 12:15pm today I received the first of MANY email messages regarding today’s announcement from Senator Arlen Specter [READ DETAILS HERE].

As soon as I received the email message I read it out loud to my husband . . . “SPECTER TO SWITCH PARTIES”. My husband’s reaction was “What a Jack Ass”. My response to my husband was . . . “Hey, is that your reaction every time someone switches their Party to try to win an election?”

After the LONG and UNCOMFORTABLE silence . . . we discussed it further.

My husband and I have never been fans of Senator Specter. We’ve never considered him a conservative and were always amazed when die-hard GOPers would support him . . . blindly. We looked forward to seeing him lose in his own Primary in 2010. Unfortunately, Senator Specter has taken away all of the fun by prolonging his demise until the General Election . . . maybe.

To go back to my husband’s first reaction, some might say (and have said) that anyone that switches Parties in an attempt to win an elected office might fairly be referred to as a “Jack Ass”. Perhaps they would be right. Having been in the situation myself once (not so very long ago), I can say that I was called lots of names when I decided to change Parties . . . although the only person that openly referred to me as a Jack Ass was me (it was about a week and a half ago, but it had nothing to do with my Party Change . . . it had more to do with my poor choices of friends).

There is a significant difference between my decision to change Parties and the decision of Senator Specter, though. Senator Specter is one of those “life-time politicians” who has (and will) do absolutely anything to keep his elected position. He would sell his own family members into prostitution if he thought he would get a jump in his poll numbers. He has been a Republican since 1966 . . . I was born in 1966 so I know exactly how long ago that was. After all those years, he had no qualm about leaving his Party to attempt to win yet another term as a plump and well-cared for Senator. The Party change had nothing to do with his voting record . . . if politicians really cared about that State Senator Bob Robbins would have changed his Party years ago. It has nothing to do with voting record . . . it has nothing to do with core beliefs and values . . . it has everything to do with money, backing, support, and more money. That is what life-time politicians care about more than anything . . . money.

I, on the other hand, made a decision to change Parties in an attempt to retire an incumbent life-time politician. I had no vision of a long career as County Treasurer. Instead, I wanted to move into the Courthouse and make changes quickly and painlessly. My intention was to complete the major technological updates within one term, but I was willing to stay for two terms (no more) if the people of the County felt that I was worthy of the honor. I wanted to serve the County and the Community, and then move on to the next project that would be of the greatest benefit to the taxpayers.

These are two very different scenarios, in my opinion.

I wonder if Senator Specter will be welcomed with open arms by the Democratic Party? I wonder if the Chairman of the Mercer County Democrat Committee is dusting off his typewriter as I write this post? I wonder if he has already made a trip to Barnes and Noble for another copy of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” as a welcome gift for Senator Specter. I wonder if the current Mercer County GOP and the “group of disgruntled Republicans” in Mercer County will throw up their hands and say “it’s a travesty!” I wonder if the “old regime” local Republicans will scheme about how to conspire with the local Democrats to block Specter’s attempts at re-election.

If I were to place a bet, I would probably say that Senator Specter will receive a warm reception from the Democrats. He will also probably receive loving embraces from the “old regime” Republicans. Why? The answer is simple . . . Senator Specter is one of the “good ol’ boys” and he will be welcomed by both sides of the aisle.

Everything will be like “butterflies and rainbows” for Senator Specter from his long-time friends (Republicans and Democrats alike). Unfortunately, Senator Specter (and his fans) have under-estimated the anger that is building up in those that are NOT part of the “good ol’ boys” club. Conservatives have been waiting patiently for Specter’s announcement. They’ve been waiting for Specter to make his move. Why? . . . so that Toomey can walk through the Primary and eventually give Specter a run for his money in the General Election (where the decision should be made).

I’m glad Senator Specter switched. I’d rather see the fight be taken to November of 2010 so that EVERYONE can be involved in the process.

2010 is already looking to be very interesting . . .

In State-wide Pennsylvania elections we’ll have Specter vs. Toomey to look forward to.

In County State-Level races we’ll undoubtedly have . . .

• Senator Bob Robbins vs. ANY ONE (please!)


• Representative Mark Longetti vs. NO ONE (because they'd lose)


• Representative Dick Stevenson vs. NO ONE (because no one cares)


• Representative Michele Brooks vs. any one of a number of "Brooks Haters" (there are so many to choose from it is hard to make a prediction at this point . . . although I have heard directly from at least one Democrat who intends on putting his name in the hat . . . and, oddly enough, he asked for my help on his campaign)

2010 will be an interesting Election year, indeed.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Keeping an Eye on Harrisburg . . . Made Easy

Written by Roberta Biros

As you all know, I try to follow what is going on in Harrisburg . . . especially as it relates to fiscal issues.

Trying to follow issues in Harrisburg from my office in Mercer County is time consuming and frustrating. It is as though insiders in Harrisburg purposely make it difficult in hopes that regular people just won’t bother. I, however, am not deterred by these little road blocks.

I receive “Daily Session Updates” from the PA General Assembly, which are interesting. The Daily Session Update includes all actions by the House and Senate by Bill and Resolution number [if you are interested, you can SUBSCRIBE HERE]. A list of all new bills and resolutions that were introduced is also provided. I look at the Daily Session Updates each morning, but only briefly. I quickly scan the list of Bills and Resolutions from the Session Update to see if any of the bills from “my list” have had any activity. Yes, I have a “list”. I have a growing list of House and Senate Bills that I find interesting, and I have it posted in front of my monitor for quick reference. Everyone needs a hobby, right?

Anyway . . . while the Daily Session Updates are a useful tool, you can see how it might be difficult to track numerous issues at once. The PA House and Senate also have websites through which you can do some tracking. If you have the Bill Numbers handy (like on “my list”), you can search and get a detailed recording of the status of the Bill including any recent actions. A nice tool, but still cumbersome. Trying to find legislation using these sites is PAINFUL. When I was researching the various House and Senate bills regarding the Repeal of Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs), I had to sort through tons of Bills to find ones that matched my criteria. The search capability of the site is clumsy at best. I eventually found everything that I needed, but it took WAY too long.

Because I research legislation with some regularity, I’m always on the lookout for tools that might make my life easier. I found one such tool, and I wanted to be sure to share it with all of you.

The website is PennsylvaniaVotes.org and it is sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational institution. The site takes all activity from the Pennsylvania General Assembly and puts it into a usable database with all sorts of tools and gadgets for legislation geeks like myself. As per the PennsylvaniaVotes.org website, this is a list of key features:

• Concise, plain-language, objective and accurate descriptions of every bill, amendment, roll call vote and voice vote.
• Ability to track all the votes of a particular legislator, or search by bill number, category or keyword.
• Ability to view all the bills and amendments introduced by a particular legislator.
• Ability to post a public comment, view others' comments, and participate in citizen surveys on each bill.
• Automatically e-mail legislators or others about a bill.
• Ability to follow action in any one or more of 50 different categories of legislation (such as Education or Land Use or Taxes).
• Ability to sign up for e-mail notifications of action on any bill or subject area of interest, including new bill introductions.

Like the Pennsylvania General Assembly websites, you can search by keyword or Bill Number. Unlike the PA General Assembly websites, you can also search by Legislator, Category, or a myriad of combinations of data points (using the Advanced Search option).

The most valuable tools that I’ve found on the site can be accessed by first establishing an account (free, of course). Once an account is set up, you can have the site send you email notifications when any legislative actions are taken in any number of pre-defined categories. For instance, I have the categories of “Budget” and “Taxes” selected. Any time an action occurs regarding legislation that falls into either of these categories, I will receive an email message notifying me of the action. Even better, I was also able to add the House and Senate Bill numbers from “my list” to my account at PennsylvaniaVotes.org. In doing so, if anything happens with “my list” of bills, I will be notified. Wow! Now that is a big deal!

Another tool that is available on the site is a “Score Card” system. I have not had the opportunity to look at this feature in great detail yet, but the concept is that you can select Bills and rate how votes are graded for each of those bills. In essence, you are able to rate members of the Legislature on the way that they voted on those particular bills . . . thus creating your own score carding system. I can, for instance, select Bills that I feel are important, and grade all of legislators (especially those representing Mercer County) on their voting history on those Bills. THIS is a great tool that every concerned citizen should be interested in.

There are many little gadgets that are “VERY cool”. For instance, under the tool category of “Search Voting Record”, you can produce a report of “missed votes”. From this area, you can generate a “missed votes report” which lists ALL legislators along with a tally of the number of roll call votes along with a count of the “missed votes”. For those legislators that “missed votes”, you can pull up separate reports on the individual votes that were missed.

I set up my account with PennsylvaniaVotes.org about 2 months ago, and I have all of the Bills from “my list” on the watch list. Unfortunately, there has been no activity on any of the Bills from “my list”, so I can’t provide feedback on the email alert system . . . yet. Perhaps if the Legislature ever gets busy with the business of legislating, I'll have something to report. As activity occurs, I’ll be sure to share it with all of you.

Mercer County: Home of Political Corruption and Organized Crime

Written by Roberta Biros

For anyone that’s interested, complete videos are available on-line from the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference which was held in Harrisburg [ACCESS HERE]. For those that were unable to attend, the videos provide an opportunity to see what you missed. For those that did attend, the videos are a great source of memorable quotes.

Many of the presentations are interesting for entertainment value. I found a few of the panel discussions to be both entertaining AND educational.

I came across one quote that I’d like to reference today. It was in the Panel One Discussion titled “What Pennsylvania Needs”. Representative Kathy Rapp began her presentation with a very thoughtful introduction as follows:

I think what we need in the State of Pennsylvania, after serving in the legislature (this is my 5th year), we need Republicans and we need conservatives to vote and act like conservatives. That's not just elect officials; it's the people of Pennsylvania as well. The people of Pennsylvania need to get behind "real" conservatives. Being able to tune out what is really not the conservative message but political rhetoric and get behind our elected officials at all levels . . . at the federal, state, and county levels . . . people who are truly there to serve the people.

Representative Rapp’s words were great. The thoughts were great . . . almost inspirational. There was a day when I would have been moved by the words. I would have responded with “Bravo”. That day, however, is not today.

I was once an optimistic and hopeful conservative with visions of volunteerism, public service, and meaningful and honest relationships that would help to promote smart conservative values and good government. In those days, I would have heard Representative Rapp’s words and been moved. Today, however, I’m a changed person. I’ve learned a few life lessons that cured my naïveté and optimism and replaced them with realism. As a realist I respond to Representative Rapp’s words with “Right Representative Rapp . . . nice idea but exactly how do you do that? How do you get good conservatives in office? How do you find people who are truly there to serve the people?”

There are, undoubtedly, good and honest conservatives out there. I’m sure that there are even a few that want to “serve”. They want to be involved in the process at any level and are willing to step up to the challenge. Unfortunately, if you want to be involved in politics, you are expected to “check your morals at the door”. There is no honor among thieves, and if you want to break into a corrupt system, you must ultimately become corrupt.

I’ve been told hundreds of times that politics are dirty. You are, therefore, expected to “suck it up” and play dirty in order to survive. If you choose to get involved, you become as bad as the people that you wanted to replace. Based on the stories that I’ve heard, even the supposed “good conservatives” did their fair share of “dirty tricks” to win their current and coveted positions. There are no good clean and honest politicians. . . once you fall into the much sought after positions as “elected officials”, you are spoiled goods. Once elected, the desire to help your constituents” apparently falls to the wayside and is replaced with the more important tasks of constantly seeking re-election and self preservation. It isn’t about public service anymore. It is all about self service.

I thought there were “good conservatives” out there, but “where are they?”

As an energetic and ambitious conservative I attempted to get involved as a volunteer. Surprisingly enough . . . there were no takers. I attempted to get involved through the local GOP as a committeewoman . . . again, “thanks, but no thanks”. I thought that a run at local office would find support from good honest conservatives . . . but they never showed up.

Who did show up? . . . more corrupt and self-serving vultures who were more concerned with their own agendas than helping a fellow conservative. I was told “politics is dirty, so suck it up”. When they wanted to spread continuous and ugly lies (and I protested), I was told “come on, who cares at this point if every little detail is correct”. When I finally threw up my hands and said that I’d have nothing to do with it, was I contacted by “well wishers”? No, I was attacked and criticized. No one said “I respect you for stepping above the ugliness”. Instead I was called weak. I was called a turncoat. I was called incapable and unqualified. The general consensus was “good riddance”!

People that I thought were my friends have gone silent. This weekend, one cowardly "supporter" went as far as to drop off supplies from my campaign in my neighbor's newspaper box because they were too angry to stop and talk to me directly. Another of my "supporters" has her son (an attorney) reviewing my websites (my blog and my business) daily looking for information with which to destroy me. I'm now 'garbage' and am being treated as such. All of this because I wanted to get involved but then refused to lower my moral standards to "become one of them". I don't anticipate friendly calls or knocks on my door. Instead, I wait for trash to be thrown in my yard by passing cars or for my property to be vandelized in the darkness of night. All of this because I had the nerve to be a concerned citizen. If I want to remain involved in politics and political issues, I'll be forced to do so long distance. All of this because I had a desire to be involved and to "serve".

So, Representative Rapp, where are the so-called conservatives who want to “serve the people”? How do good and honest people get involved when they are not welcomed? To the current elected conservatives out there I ask, “have you recently offered a helping hand to a good and honest conservative lately?” Or, are you, too, more concerned about your own interests and political future than you are concerned about promoting conservatism and good government?

I thought that maybe the brick walls that I’ve experienced were a local phenomenon, but response to this blog over the past few months has shown that to be untrue. There are frustrated conservatives across this State that have the same complaints. I AM NOT ALONE.

This weekend I saw something that made me stop and think (and laugh out loud). We were heading out on another cycling trip. We drove through Franklin, PA on our way to the Sandy Creek trail-head in Van, PA. As we exited Franklin we were greeted in Cranberry Township by a billboard that read:

Welcome to Cranberry Township
Home to POLITICAL CORRPUTION
and ORGANIZED CRIME

I read the sign out loud. I laughed. I laughed again. I AM NOT ALONE!

Mercer County is not special. The problem plaguing politics is an epidemic and people are sick of it. People are tired of not being heard and they are speaking out in any way possible. It made me think . . .

I have been preparing a spot on my property for a billboard. I had intended on erecting a “Biros for Mercer County Treasurer” sign, but I obviously won’t need that anymore. I had considered offering the billboard to conservative friends, but I apparently don’t have any. Perhaps I need to erect my own political activist sign in that spot that reads:

Welcome to Mercer County
Home to POLITICAL CORRUPTION
and ORGANIZED CRIME
“Where No Good Deed Goes Unpunished”

Mercer County has plenty of elected officials. Where were they when an “honest face” wanted to get involved? There were no open arms . . . there were no offers of assistance . . . there were no warm embraces. There were, however, attacks from the head of the GOP (and his goons). There were attacks from the current District Attorney. There were constant criticisms from the DAs wife and the current Controller. There was collusion between the current County Treasurer (and her goons) and the head of the Democratic Party. There were attacks from disgruntled Republicans against the current GOP leadership, and there were equal shots back. Were these actions brought on because our elected officials are “people who are truly there to serve the people”? No, these actions occurred because our elected officials are “people who are truly there to serve themselves”.

Welcome to Mercer County
Home to POLITICAL CORRUPTION
and ORGANIZED CRIME

(In a recent interview with the Sharon Herald, I was asked "have your recent experiences left a bad taste in your mouth regarding County politics?" My answer is "that doesn't explain the half of it".)

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Video Poker is Just a Carrot on a Stick

Written by Roberta Biros

I was reading my daily email messages from State Legislators (courtesy of my many newsletter subscriptions). The most interesting message today came from Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester), and it was titled “Schroder Says Now is No Time For Gaming Expansion in Pennsylvania” [READ HERE].

I’d like to start off by letting Rep. Schroder know that I’m fair. I passed along some criticism in his direction a few weeks ago regarding House Bill 1056 when I stated that it was a “waste of paper” [READ HERE]. I give kudos when you’ve earned it, but I am equally critical when I’m displeased. This week your pendulum is on the up-swing in my book! (I'm sure you've been losing sleep)

In the press release Rep. Schroder explains why the introduction of Video Poker gambling across the State is not a good idea. He sites “We should not be holding hearings on video poker or any other kind of gambling expansion before we have existing gambling under control and well-regulated.”

I concur whole-heartedly.

The press release then goes on to explain why the expansion of State authorized Video Poker machines is a bad idea as follows:

Schroder told the committee that video poker is the most addictive form of
gambling and the governor’s plan would allow these machines in 14,000 locations
throughout the state. Schroder said this is akin to having mini-casinos in every
neighborhood.

The most compelling part of the press release was the following:

Schroder said he has been told by representatives of a number of casinos that if the video poker law passes, they will sue to get back the $50 million they gave the state in license fees. He said if that happens, it will eat up any hope of meaningful property tax relief.

Schroder indicated that the governor’s real motivation may be table games. He presented a scenario whereby video poker passes, casinos sue to have their license investment returned and the compromise ends up being that casinos get table games.

Why do I find this so interesting? Well, my friends, Representative Schroder is quoting my exact prediction of several months ago. In my blog post titled “Governor Rendell Wants to Put the Screws to Casino Owners” I made the following statements and predictions:

The point that I find surprising today is that the Governor now decides that it is time to do something about these “illegal” gambling machines? AND, in doing so, he takes business away from his pals (the casino owners)? I don’t get it. Therefore, I think it is not as simple as the Governor makes it out to be. I'm sure that there is something more to it. I question the Governors motivation . . .

. . . it seems odd that the State (who has put so much effort into issue of legalizing Casino Gambling) would now simply abandon the casino owners and legalize gambling across the state. It just doesn't "smell right". Mark my words on this, after bar owners invest in machines and licenses for their establishments, the Governor will come through with some sort of DEAL or the Casinos again. It will be table games, or free liquor, or even full smoking facilities---something substantial . . . and the cycle will continue. He has no intention of abandoning his friends who own Casinos. It just won't happen. I don’t trust that Governor Ed Rendell is doing this without some motivation for the casino owners at some later point.

Rep. Schroder’s assessment is spot on. He has it absolutely right and he should be congratulated for seeing through the smoke and mirrors. I hope that other Lawmakers have the same “clear vision”. The entire issue of Video Poker machines has nothing to do with "tuition". It is all just a "carrot on a stick" to drag Pennsylvanians even deeper into the dependency on gambling income . . . and another way to line the pockets of the Casino owners. Anyone that is on-board with this ruse needs to invest in few lessons in common sense.

See, Rep. Schroder . . . I’m not so bad! I’ll always back smart decisions by smart Legislators.

(By the way, you’re welcome to use scenarios from my blog any time . . . you don’t even have to ask.)

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

If You’re Gonna Make an Omelet, You Need To Break a Few Eggs

Written by Roberta Biros

As a “Conservative Blogger” (a title that I remain proud of), I follow other political blogs and fellow bloggers in Pennsylvania. Like most of my readers, I also follow GrassrootsPA.com closely. Imagine my surprise yesterday afternoon when I found myself in the list of GrassrootsPA headlines (read the full discussion at Biros Drops Bid for Mercer County Treasurer…).

I’ve been managing my little campaign for the Office of Mercer County Treasurer since mid-February, but I figured it was of no consequence to anyone outside of Mercer County (and it was questionable if it was even of consequence within the County). I had hoped that “one concerned conservative” could make a difference, but it became obvious that good intentions and a goal of good government simply aren’t enough.

I’ve received lots of criticisms since my campaign began. I’ve been shot down by fellow conservatives as they saw my move to the Democratic Party as “abandoning ship”. I was referred to as a “right wing nut job” by liberals because of my conservative opinions, and they were insulted that as a new Democrat I had the nerve to state that I would remain conservative.

Now that I’ve ended my campaign, you’d think that the name calling would stop . . . but No. Conservatives are apparently still angry that I left the GOP, and Democrats still hate me for being a conservative. Sometimes you just can’t win. My short-lived campaign was a real learning experience (in both good ways and bad) . . . BUT . . . If You’re Gonna Make an Omelet, You Need To Break a Few Eggs.

For the record, I’d like to state that I intend to continue my own form of fiscal conservative political activism. I intend on pushing for good government and fiscally conservative leaders and legislation. I will continue to pester our State Legislators. I will point out when our elected officials do something “commendable”, and I will point out every instance when they are being lazy or stupid (or both). I will do this through my blog as well as through direct contact with elected officials. It is also my intention to continue to support “good and worthy candidates” in anyway that they willingly invite me “into their fold”.

With my new status as “political toxic waste” in Mercer County, I anticipate that my opportunities to assist Mercer County candidates will soon cease. I am, therefore, open to joining the team of any fiscal conservative campaign within the State. I’m willing to take my energy and activism to Harrisburg (both figuratively and literally) if the opportunity exists. I do this because I am still committed to good government. If Mercer County isn’t interested, I’m willing to take my loyalty where it will do the most good.

If anyone is looking for me, you’ll know where to find me. I’ll be right here doing my “thing”.

Roberta Biros
Mercer County Conservatives

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I’m Not Anyone’s 'Personal Tool of Revenge'

Written by Roberta Biros

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2009

I’ve spent the last several days responding to the ugliness that has surfaced in the race for Mercer County Treasurer. On Monday, April 13, 2009, I released on Open Letter that outlines my stand on all of the issues that have been discussed during the past several weeks. In that letter, I explained that I want my campaign to be about the issues and that I am hopeful that this contest can be respectable and honorable.

Yesterday, only two days after the release of my Open Letter, I found out through outside sources that the nasty attacks are continuing . . . from people who imply that they are my supporters.

For the record, I’d like to state that I DO NOT support any personal or political jabs from either side. Any attacks that have occurred have occurred without my knowledge and without my support or approval. I officially request that these self-serving individuals cease the improper activity. I do not condone it, and I will not allow it to continue with any association to me or my campaign.

It seems that there are many personal vendettas involved on both sides of the aisle in this race. I, however, have NO vendetta against anyone. If people have personal arguments between one and other, I respectfully ask that they take their arguments somewhere else. I’m not here to fight anyone else’s battles, and I won’t be used as a tool to launch personal attacks between long-time enemies.

I am in this race for only one reason. I am in this race to run for the office of Mercer County Treasurer. I feel that I have a great deal to offer the people of Mercer County. My ONLY goal is to offer my technical and business skills and my analytical abilities toward the upgrading of a County Office that desperately needs a face lift. My goal is good, smart, and lean government 'for the people and by the people'.

I want everyone to know that I am not a "tool" and I am not a “weapon” to be used in some personal argument that pre-dates my residency in Mercer County. I’m not a part of that fight . . . I am not interested in that fight . . . and I will not be USED in that fight by either side.

The only fight that I am interested in is fighting for the people of Mercer County. I’m interested in giving the taxpayers of this County the opportunity to breathe new life into an Office that has sat unchanged for too many years.

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Time to Hit the Trails

Written by Roberta Biros

Most of you know that music and sports references are some of my favorite distractions. It should not be a shock that with the wonderful weather of late, my attention has been turned to getting outside and enjoying some extracurricular activities.

Last year my husband and I re-dedicated ourselves to sports and fitness activities. In June of 2008 we both went on a low fat diet and started on a course of better health. It was late July when we decided to take up biking. I had always been an avid golfer and I always loved team sports, but biking was something that he and I could do together and it provided us with a way to enjoy the numerous area parks.

Our first ride was hilarious. We picked up our new bikes in Meadville and headed straight for the Ernst Bike Trail in Crawford County. We started at the gate near Rt. 19. It was a downhill ride for about a half mile. After the downhill coast I panicked as I realized that we would inevitably need to head back up that same hill. About another half mile into the trip I suggested that we turn back and try to tackle the hill on the way back to the car. I made it about half way up the hill and I thought I would die. My asthma kicked in and I was forced to stop and literally push the bike back to the start of the trail. I was humiliated.

We took a break for a few days and we headed back out again. From that point forward we made each trip became more difficult and challenging. By the end of the season, we had really built up our endurance. In the process, we also managed to lose a ton of weight (my husband lost 30 lbs. in 5 months and I dropped 50 lbs.).

Winter was tough on us as we couldn’t get out to exercise. We purchased a “fitness cycle”, which my husband enjoys much more than I do. I found it boring. Regardless, we both made it through winter without gaining any weight (although we didn’t lose any either). I’ve been anxious to start to enjoy outdoor activities again. It seems that I’m finally getting an opportunity to “scatch that itch”.

We assembled our new basketball system a few weeks ago, and that has provided me with an outlet as weather has permitted. This weekend was the first really good weather that allowed us to plan a bike trip. We headed out this morning to Franklin to the Justice Trail (part of the Allegheny River Trail system). I was a little concerned about our first outing as I figured that we wouldn’t have the stamina yet. I was pleasantly surprised, however. We managed an 11 mile round trip without much effort (although I’m sure I’ll feel it by the time I get up tomorrow morning). It was a great start to our season.

If you are interested, biking is a very inexpensive yet satisfying hobby. We’ve gone to several different trails and parks, and here are our favorites in order:

Justice Trail and the Allegheny River Trail (Franklin and Oil City)

A “rails to trails” path, paved, flat, straight, well maintained (we’ve only covered about 12 of the 20+ miles available).

Ernst Trail (Meadville)

A “rails to trails” path, paved, primarily flat, straight, well maintained, short (five miles total length)

Presque Isle (Erie)

Part of Presque Isle State Park, flat, well maintained, short (we’ve only done the main circle which was about 6.5 miles) . . . BUT it is crowded and the trail shares the roadway with autos in most sections

Wolf Creek Park (Grove City)

A short trail (3.5 miles, but we usually ride it twice), moderate hills, lots of bends and turns, usually well maintained . . . BUT after some severe storms last year, there were downed trees on the trails for well over a month (and we were forced to carry the bikes around the hazards . . . we haven’t been back since then)

Buhl Park (Hermitage)

Mostly flat, paved, well maintained . . . BUT the trails are all shared with autos and the traffic can be heavy on the weekends.

(As far as local trails, we’ve visited Goddard several times too. I am not a fan, however. It is, therefore, not included on the list.)

If you are considering a great and healthy hobby, give biking a try. If you want to just give it a test run, there are bikes available for rent at Presque Isle so you can try before you buy. It is great fun and good for you . . . young and old alike.

I’ll see you on the trails!


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A Bold Move of Fiscal Conservatism or a Waste of Paper?

Written by Roberta Biros

Sometimes topics for this blog just end up on my desk like a gift from the “Blog Post Fairy”. I had one such gift arrive on my desk today.

I received an automated email message from Representative Curt Schroder titled “Schroder Introduces Legislative Cost Reduction Package”. As a fiscal conservative, I follow the actions of fellow fiscal conservatives throughout the State Legislature. I subscribe to email updates from Representative Schroder (among others), and I’ve found some of his proposals to be very interesting and bold. Today’s email was no different. It is definitely “bold”, but not in a good way.

In his message, Representative Schroder announces his ideas to “cut pay and perks, make Legislature more cost-effective”. Specifically, he introduces House Bill 1056 [READ THE BILL HERE]. As per Representative Schroder’s email,

“It is important that the General Assembly set the example and lead the way in cost reduction,” said Schroder. “I am proposing a package of bills that will cut the cost of state government, starting with the Legislature. House Bill 1056 would essentially return Pennsylvania to a part-time legislature, saving taxpayers $12.8 million. This would be achieved through a reduction in salaries of House and Senate members from more than $78,000 a year to $30,000, and trimming the amount of additional compensation afforded those in leadership positions. I am also proposing to eliminate state-paid health benefits for lawmakers at an additional savings of $4.4 million annually.”

As my loyal readers know, I’m an advocate for the repeal of the Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for the State Legislature and Judges. I’ve reviewed each and every COLA repeal Bill that has been proposed so far, and I’m only in full support of ONE bill (House Bill 633) [READ THE BILL HERE, read my COMMENTS HERE]. I look at each bill with an open mind. I did the same with Rep. Schroder’s House Bill 1056. Upon review, I find the Bill RIDICULOUS and a waste of the paper that it is written on.

In the introduction of any Bill, it is the responsibility of the authors to make the Bill sensible and PASSABLE. The basis of House Bill 1056 is to CUT the Legislative salaries from $78,000 a year to $30,000. I understand that the job as a State Legislator should be considered a public service, but should it also be a “volunteer position”? These people (at least most of them) give up their personal lives and dedicate themselves to their elected positions for two-years (House) or four-years (Senate) at a clip. They should be compensated for their time, and that reasonable compensation helps to insure that good people are willing to serve. Instead, Representative Schroder suggests that our State Legislators should go out and get secondary “part-time jobs” to fill in the gap financially and to provide them and their families with Health Care coverage.

The Bill is a silly waste of time, and it has absolutely no chance of ever passing. It is, therefore, CLEARLY not worth the paper that it is written on. Moreover, I’m disappointed to see that Representative Brad Roae (R-Crawford) signed onto the Bill too (INTRODUCED BY SCHRODER, CREIGHTON, HARRIS, MUSTIO, ROAE, ROCK AND VULAKOVICH, MARCH 24, 2009). Representative Roae had the right idea on House Bill 633, but by signing onto House Bill 1056, he dilutes the importance of those Bills that have already been submitted.

In my opinion, House Bill 1056 is as useless as 99% of the House Resolutions that clog up the system in our State Legislature. House Bill 1056 stands in the same category as naming April 29th as "Walk at Lunch Day" in Pennsylvania [no, I didn't make it up . . . READ HOUSE RESOLUTION 223 for proof].

In closing, if a Legislator is a true fiscal conservative, they should make every dime count. The time, effort, and paper devoted to House Bill 1056 does not pass that test. Can you be a little more selective?

I make every attempt to be honest in my commentary. I give praise when I think it has been rightfully earned, but I don't jump on the bandwagon of any idea that "calls itself" fiscally conservative. I call it as I see it . . . and I give this one two thumbs down.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

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Happy as a Lark

Written by Roberta Biros

Last week I wrote about the letter that was sent by Bob Lark, Chairman of the Mercer County Democrat Committee [READ HERE]. I wrote about the letter and I published my responses publicly because Mr. Lark felt the need to share the letter with numerous recipients (including a long list of Republicans?).

Since the receipt of the first letter, I have received two additional letters from Mr. Lark. Because the second and third letters appeared to be addressed to me only, I did not publish a public response or comment. I felt that it was a private matter between Mr. Lark and I and I decided to IGNORE his second and third letters.

Today I published an OPEN LETTER as a response to all of the sniping that has been going on. It was my formal response to all of the questions that have been circulated throughout the County. After sending the email version of my OPEN LETTER, I received an email asking if I intended on publishing Mr. Lark’s letter from April 8th? I was confused because I thought that the letter of April 8th was a private letter to me only. Unfortunately, this afternoon I found that it was forward to an undisclosed number of Xerox copy recipients . . . again.

Therefore, I think it is only fair to publish ALL of the letters that I have received from Mr. Lark to date. The first letter was dated April 4 (and received on April 3). The second letter was dated April 8 (and received on April 10). The third letter was dated April 10 (and received on April 11). All three letters are posted below in portable document format (pdf) for on-line viewing and download.

• April 4th Letter from Bob Lark
• April 8th Letter from Bob Lark
• April 10th Letter from Bob Lark

I find it impossible to even begin to respond to these letters or Mr. Lark’s obsession with me. His letters make him appear angry, insane, and illiterate. To begin to comment would lower me to his level, and I refuse. Please feel free to read the letters and take from them whatever impression you’d like.

Easter Weekend (and Basketball)

Written by Roberta Biros

I’m signing off for the Easter Weekend. I won’t be officially checking back until Monday (unless something urgent comes up, of course). I’ll attempt to post comments if they come in, but I may not respond until next week.

For those of you that were wondering . . . YES, we finally have Basketball!

We finished the assembly of our new basketball hoop this evening. It isn’t completely settled in to its final home yet, but it is standing tall . . . 10 feet tall to be exact.

It was a concentrated effort by the two of us to wrestle the thing together, but by 8pm it was ready to be tested. It took me several attempts to sink my first shot, but what did you expect? It’s normal to take a little while to warm up . . . isn’t it? I was a little aggravated when my husband told me that I “throw like a girl” . . . after 22 years together he knows how to “push my buttons”. I managed to ignore him long enough to “get my game on”. I was up to speed in no time. By the end of the weekend I’ll be ready for challengers!

Best Wishes and a Happy Easter to all of my loyal readers. I’m sure I’ll have lots of fresh material by the time Monday rolls around.

Did Lawmakers Answer the Call Regarding COLA Repeal?

Written by Roberta Biros

On April 1, I wrote a blog post titled “Opening the Lines of Communication and Pushing for Good Legislation”. In it I explained that I had authored and sent an email message to 34 State Legislators regarding the on-going need to repeal the Cost of Living Increases and my support for House Bill 633. The message was sent to the 6 Legislators that introduced House Bill 633, and the 28 members of the “House Rules” Committee that are currently “sitting on” said Bill.

I received my first response from Representative Michele Brooks (R-Mercer). Rep. Brooks is one of the Legislators that introduced House Bill 633. She responded via email within an hour of sending my message on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. Rep. Brooks shared details regarding the reason that House Bill 633 was sent to Rules Committee rather than State Government Committee like the other three House Bills. The details are interesting and I’ll share them later in this story.

I received my second response from Representative Brad Roae (R-Crawford). Rep. Roae is the main author of House Bill 633). He responded via email on Wednesday, April 8, 2009. Rep. Roae was kind enough to provide me with an update on the status of HB633 (which I’ll outline below), and he also provided some additional details regarding Legislative contacts that might be of assistance as well as recent press releases regarding the issue.

I’d like to thank Representatives Michele Brooks and Brad Roae for their attention to this matter. Of the 34 Legislators that were contacted, Reps. Brooks and Roae were the only ones that took the time to respond. You would think that answering questions from concerned citizens would be high on the list of priorities of ALL Legislators, but that is simply not the case. To be fair, the State Legislature is currently on Easter/Passover break until April 20th. It is refreshing, however, to see that “some Legislators” are still hard at work during this “break”. I’ve been in my office EVERY day this month . . . how about you?

According to my review of details provided by Representative Brooks, the House has a really odd way of handling Bills that are introduced. According to the “Office of the Speaker”, there are 25 committees in the House and there is easily some overlap among them. It was determined that the other COLA Bills that were introduced fell under the auspices of Rules, State Government, Appropriations and Finance. House Bill 633 deals solely with the legislature and was referred to Rules. While all of the Bills “could have” gone to Appropriations or Finance, “the Speaker chose instead Rules and State Government Committees, respectively.”

So even through all four of the House Bills were regarding the same issue (repeal of COLAs), the Speaker just “decided” to send them in different directions. It is as though they play a game of “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe” when divvying out Bills to Committees. You’d think it would be more common-sense oriented than that . . . but it is not. It is all just “luck of the draw”, and House Bill 633 drew a short straw.

According to information provided by Representative Roae, House Bill 633 is still sitting in Rules Committee. He has promised to continue to push the issue of COLA repeal and he provided an additional list of contacts that might need a “tickle” to help move things along.

Mercer County Conservatives isn’t alone on this story, though. This week, the story was revived in the Pennsylvania press. There were two stories published on April 7, 2009. One was in the Erie Times News [READ HERE] and the second was published in the Patriot News [READ HERE].

The story from the Erie Times [READ HERE] talks about those local Legislators who "have" and "have not" returned their pay raise since December of 2008, and it also mentions Rep. Roae’s House Bill 633. The article does a half-hearted* job (* - I was going to a use a different phrase here, but I thought it might be inappropirate) of describing HB633, but at least it does give a little attention to the issue. The story from the Patriot News [READ HERE] states that THREE bills have been introduced regarding the repeal of COLAs. Again, I’m glad to see that these Bills are getting some attention in the press, but the fact is that there are actually a total of 5 House and Senate Bills under consideration at present. If anyone would care to read the complete facts, please refer to my blog post titled “Legislator Pay Raise Update” for an outline of all 5 bills along with summaries and links to the text of each Bill.

While these recent stories lack sufficient detail for “this reader”, it is good to know that the concern over Legislative pay raises and Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) has not completely disappeared. The most encouraging information that I read in the referenced news stories was a quote from Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) regarding the possibility of the COLA repeal becoming a part of the 2009-2010 budget negotiations. Senator Pileggi stated,

“If it’s something that we end up doing as part of the budget . . . it might end up being more logical to make it for the next fiscal year”.

I, personally, would LOVE to see some fiscal conservatives stand up during budget negotiations and TRY to trim expenses wherever and whenever possible. We all know that a budget will eventually pass . . . we might as well do everything that can be done to trim it down as far as possible before that happens.

I will continue to do what I can do, and I encourage you all to do the same. As I pointed out in a previous blog post [READ HERE], proposed Legislation has a “slim to none” chance of every being passed . . . a dismal 5% chance based on my quick calculations. It takes extra effort from concerned citizens and concerned lawmakers (when they aren't on "break") in order for any Legislation to even be discussed . . . let alone passed. There is no time for laziness or complacency as an activist or as a public servant.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

HUMOROUS SIDE NOTE:

In the article in the Patriot News [READ HERE] it is again confirmed that Legislators representing Mercer County have returned their pay raises. Representative Mark Longietti is not mentioned because his pay raise was returned in the form of a contribution to a local charity. Rep. Michele Brooks, Rep. Dick Stevenson, and Sen. Bob Robbins are listed as having returned their pay raises to the State Treasury. Senator Robbins is specifically listed as “Sen. Robert Robbins, D-Mercer” . . . which I found to be rather funny. It seems that even the Patriot News has heard that Senator Robbins is closely tied to local Democrats . . . so much so that they have decided to represent him as a member of that Party. Allow me to be the first to officially welcome you to the Democrat Party, Senator Robbins!

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Kochems Was Wrong . . . His Words Not Mine

Written by Roberta Biros

For those of you that didn’t have the pleasure of listening to the Ron Errett Show 790 am tonight, let me fill you in on what you missed. Realize that I didn’t catch the whole discussion either. I received a telephone call around 5:15pm stating that District Attorney was doing an interview on 790 am. I tuned in only moments later to find out that the discussion was regarding the topic of Mr. Kochems’ public request for my personal income tax records [READ MORE HERE]. I didn’t catch the first 15 minutes, but the part that I did catch was VERY TELLING.

Ron Errett asked Mr. Kochems his thoughts on the request that he made for my personal income taxes to be posted on the internet. Mr. Kochems stated, “In hindsight, it was a mistake”. He went on to explain that his position as District Attorney is more important that his role as a concerned Democrat, and the position of District Attorney should be non-partisan. He admitted that he was wearing his “Democrat hat” when he should have been wearing his “District Attorney hat”.

I hate to repeat a theme that I used earlier this week, but . . . Hmmmmm?

Ron Errett went on to ask if Mr. Kochems plans on requesting personal tax returns from the current incumbent County Treasurer as well. Mr. Kochems stated that he is basically backing away from the issue and doesn’t wish to discuss it further.

Again, not to repeat myself but . . . Hmmmmm?

I’m sure that the morning that the District Attorney decided to ask me a litany of questions regarding my candidacy (and my personal finances), he didn’t expect the response that he received. I answered his questions, but then I wrote about my experiences. It seems that my “sharing” has made for some bad press for Mr. Kochems . . . and that was unexpected. It was a surprise for him, but not a pleasant one . . . if you know what I mean.

I’m glad to see that Mr. Kochems has determined that as an elected official he has a responsibility to remain impartial. I wonder if he has changed his thoughts on other issues too? During the same meeting, Mr. Kochems criticized me for stating that the office of Mercer County Treasurer should be a non-partisan position. He also criticized me when I stated that I was going to make my campaign a non-partisan one. I wonder if he has had a change of heart regarding that issue too? Hmmmm? So many questions . . . so few answers.

I’d like to close in the same manner as Ron Errett’s interview. Ron Errett basically told the District Attorney that if he manages to keep his “DA hat” on between now and next month, they will not need to have "this discussion" again. My thoughts exactly.

Some Assembly Required

Written by Roberta Biros

Last week was a taxing one. No, that isn’t a reference to my much requested personal income tax records. Instead, it is a reference to a series of events that made last week particularly long and tiring.

My week started off in search of some new embroidery equipment for my business. We need to purchase an additional embroidery machine to keep up with our steady flow of incoming orders, and we were pushed to make this important decision very quickly. The project forced us to make multiple trips to the Pittsburgh area to test new equipment and assess the capabilities of said equipment. It was “taxing” to be sure. We were making our last trip down to southwest PA on Friday morning when I was notified by phone of the “infamous Bob Lark letter” [READ HERE]. It was a perfectly “taxing end” to a perfectly “taxing week”.

We spent the remainder of the day on Friday as well as most of the day on Saturday addressing the “infamous Bob Lark letter”. By Saturday afternoon, I wanted a little break. The weather was looking nice and we decided to do a little research on a personal matter . . . our desire to purchase and install a much needed basketball hoop!

My loyal readers know that I make frequent musical and movie references, and some of you also know that I am an avid follower of sports. A basketball hoop is something that my husband and I have been talking about for about a year and a half, but we never were motivated enough to take the big step. The “spring like” weather of this weekend (and the winding down of March Madness) pushed us to the edge. It was time to take the plunge and purchase, assemble, and install a basketball hoop.

We approached this purchase in much the same way that we approach all “big decisions” in our household. We sought to gather information. We took a trip and visited 3 or 4 stores that carry “basketball systems”. We then returned home and researched on-line options for such a purchase. We then examined where and how the installation would occur, and we outlined the specific responsibilities of such an endeavor. On Sunday afternoon, we made the official trip to purchase our “new project”.

Upon arriving home, we divided the tasks. My husband was assigned the responsibility of setting up the location for the installation of the hoop. I was responsible for the assembly.

I opened the box to find HUNDREDS of unmarked pieces and parts. “Some Assembly Required” actually means “Complete and Total Assembly Required” nowadays. After about 5 hours, my husband had completed his portion of the task, but I was only about half way done with my part. We tucked everything away in the garage in anticipation of completing the project in the next day or two.

Unfortunately, the crazy weather around here has slowed our efforts. We will be forced to wait for sunshine and clear weather before we can attack the finishing touches on our project. Until then I’m left to dribble my new basketball in the garage as I look at my new basketball hoop laying in semi-assembled pieces on the garage floor. So, today, I dribble and I think . . .

The political wrangling of late could actually be correlated to a great competitive basketball game. The clear underdog is running against the undefeated local champ. The undefeated champ may have a long history, but the young and spunky underdog has drive and determination. “Foul” is called and the crowd cheers “YOU CAN’T DO THAT” or “You Fouled Because You Touch Too Much” (or in this case “You Fouled Because You TALK Too Much”)------both references that you could only understand if you’ve ever attended a local high school basketball game. While this “game” is only in the first quarter and far from its conclusion, one can see that it is going to be an exciting contest none-the-less. I don’t foresee any chants of “Warm Up The Bus” until the closing seconds of this match up. In fact, I’d look for a 3-point shot from half court by the underdog with 1 second on the clock . . . to win the game (of course).

We need to get our basketball hoop assembled soon, as I can see that I’ll need some practice for the “big game” in November.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm

Written by Roberta Biros

I’m known for my numerous musical references and my many movie references. Today I will use both. First, I’ll make my movie reference. Last night my husband and I were watching the Denzel Washington movie “Remember the Titans”. "Remember the Titans" is a football film . . . a film genre that both my husband and I enjoy. In the film, there was a great quote that I found to be particularly timely for me personally. The character of “Coach Boone” was reacting to acts of intimidation and he stated:

I don’t scratch my head unless it itches.
I don’t dance unless I hear some music.
I will not be intimidated. That’s just the way it is.

I heard the quote and said “Wow . . . that was a great quote”. My husband knew that in “code” that meant to pause the DVR and rewind so that I could write it down. I did, and now I’m repeating it here. I now consider these to be MY words.

Second, my music reference comes from C&C Music Factory . . . “Things That Make You Go Hmmmm”. I put some additional thought into the “infamous letter” that I received on Friday [READ HERE]. As you ALL know by now, I am an analyst. As an analyst, I’m distracted and disturbed by loose ends. In my post regarding the “infamous letter” I pointed out an interesting fact that some of the information included in the letter “would have ONLY been known and supplied by key members of the Republican Party”. I also pointed out that “Mr. Lark was careful to include those Republican Friends as “Xerox Copy” recipients”. This issue has sparked some private email conversations during the past 24 hours, so I feel that it is worth further investigation. This is a loose end, and I’d like to analyze it now.

I’d like to parse out the details of the long list of “Xerox Copy” recipients to try to determine why each name was included and how they tie into the bigger picture. Here is the complete list of the 19 “xc” recipients:

Roberta Biros
Irma Brenneman
Michele Brooks
Michael Coulter
Edna Gibson
Natalie Kennedy
David King
Helen Kirk
John Lechner
Amy McCamey
Rhonda McClelland
William McConnell, Jr.
Harold McQuistion
Virginia Richardson
Jo-Anne Riedmuller
Robert Robbins
Matthew Snyder
Richard Stevenson
Elva Ward

The list is in alphabetical order. For easier review, I’ll reorganize the list below in order to group the names together by “associations”:

GROUP ONE:

Roberta Biros

GROUP ONE DESCRIPTION:

This is “Me”. I am the key focus of the letter. I’m glad, I suppose, that Mr. Lark was kind enough to include me as an “xc” recipient.

GROUP TWO:

Amy McCamey
Jo-Anne Riedmuller
Elva Ward
Helen Kirk

GROUP TWO DESCRIPTION:

These are people directly mentioned in the letter. Amy McCamey, Jo-Anne Riedmuller, and Elva Ward were called out in “the letter” because Mr. Lark perceives that they have “assisted” my campaign in some way. Ms. McCamey and Ms. Riedmuller wrote letters to the editor regarding issues discussed in this blog. Ms. McCamey and Ms. Riedmuller have been following my blog for quite some time. Ms. Ward (a VERY spunky and energetic senior citizen) assisted me by circulating petitions on my behalf. Helen Kirk was mentioned in the letter as she is the mother of Elva Ward.

GROUP THREE:

Natalie Kennedy
Matthew Snyder

GROUP THREE DESCRIPTION:

These are representatives of the press. Natalie Kennedy from the Record Argus, and Matt Snyder from the Sharon Herald.

GROUP FOUR:

Edna Gibson
John Lechner
Rhonda McClelland
William McConnell, Jr.
Virginia Richardson
David King

GROUP FOUR DESCRIPTION:

These individuals are Republicans from the “Mercer County Officials Listing”. Unfortunately, this group leaves me with some unanswered questions. IF this is a list from the “Mercer County Officials Listing”, why are some Republican names missing? My review of the data shows that six (6) Republican names ARE included, but four (4) Republican names ARE NOT included. How did Mr. Lark make his choices and why? Hmmm?

GROUP FIVE:

Irma Brenneman
Harold McQuistion

GROUP FIVE DESCRIPTION:

I don’t know these individuals, and I don’t believe that I’ve ever met either. I specifically asked Mr. Lark about who they are and how they are related to “the letter”. He stated that I should know them as they are important leaders in the Republican Party and they were very involved in the McCain campaign. I explained that I was not involved in the McCain campaign, and he told me that I SHOULD know these individuals. Hmmm?

GROUP SIX:

Michael Coulter

GROUP SIX DESCRIPTION:

I don’t know Michael Coulter. Mr. Lark did not explain Mr. Coulter’s inclusion on this list. I did some research regarding Mr. Coulter and found that Mr. Coulter is simply another individual with which Mr. Lark has an axe to grind. According to my research, Mr. Lark complained to the Sharon Herald in October of 2008 regarding Mr. Coulter’s involvement in a scheduled debate. According to the Herald,

Lark accused Coulter of involvement with a Republican mailer sent to 4,000 county Democrats attacking Democratic county commissioner candidates several days prior to the 2007 election, too late for a Democratic response. He also said Coulter is a partisan, and that in a Grove City debate he hosted, a reception afterwards was for Republicans only.

Pardon my language, but this DAMN “infamous mailer” keeps getting mentioned, and I’m confused. What exactly was the “infamous mailer”? How, exactly, am I related to this “infamous mailer”? Why do Bob Lark’s frustrations with the “infamous mailer” have anything to do with me? Hmmmm??

GROUP SEVEN:

Michele Brooks
Robert Robbins
Richard Stevenson

GROUP SEVEN DESCRIPTION:

I find this group of “xc” recipients to be particularly confusing. Every other member of the “xc” list has some local/county tie to this discussion of county politics (sort of). Yet, Mr. Lark includes Representative Brooks, Senator Robbins, and Representative Stevenson . . . STATE Legislators. What exactly is their involvement in this? Why is it necessary for the Chairman of the Democratic Party to have discussions with State Legislators regarding a County race?
Hmmmmm?

SUMMARY OF GROUPS:

Back to my original concern, I have a loose end in this story as some information from the letter appears to have come from a prominent Republican source or sources. Based on the analysis of each group above, I’m left with a few major question marks in Groups 4 through 7.

Based on those “question marks”, I’ve compiled a list of the individuals from Groups 4 through 7 that have either had any association with me on political issues, had any knowledge of the issues referenced in the letter, or who have something to gain or loose in the race for County Treasurer. Those names are:

John Lechner

I spoke with Mr. Lechner regarding Woodland Place in December of 2008. I have no other ties to this gentleman and I don’t know him personally.

Virginia Richardson

She is the current County Treasurer and Treasurer of the Mercer GOP. She is the 16-year incumbent opponent in the race with which I am involved. I have talked with her personally a few times in the past.

David King

He is the Chairman of the Mercer County Republican Committee. I’ve only talked to Mr. King twice. The first meeting was specifically regarding issues of the Republican Party. Our second meeting was a very heated discussion regarding his complaints about my candidacy for County Treasurer (and my challenge of Ms. Richardson's long-held position).

Michele Brooks

She is a State Representative representing portions of Mercer County. I met her initially in September of 2008 during her re-election campaign. I have had numerous discussions and email correspondence with her regarding legislative matters.

Robert Robbins

He is a State Senator representing Mercer County with which I have had brief correspondence regarding legislative matters. I personally met Mr. Robbins once at a public gathering. My husband and had dinner with him at the gathering, but I would bet he has no recollection of it. As I understand it, he is a STRONG supporter of my opponent and has spoken on her behalf at recent public events.

Richard Stevenson

He is a State Representative representing a small portion of Mercer County. I have had minimal email correspondence with him and his office regarding legislative matters. I’ve been at events with Mr. Stevenson but I’ve never spoken to him personally.

All of these names make me go Hmmmmm.

Are one or more of these individuals the “source” of the Republican information referenced in Mr. Lark’s letter?

Do one or more of these individuals have personal and professional ties to Mr. Lark?

Do one or more of these individuals have a reason to assist Mr. Lark with his characters assassinations of me and my supporters?

Do one or more of these individuals have something to loose or gain in the race for Mercer County Treasurer?

Did I leave any names off of this summary list?

Have I included names on the list that don’t deserve to be there?

Would any of you like to join in on the conversation? You can either use the “Comment” feature and post using your own name or as Anonymous . . . or you can email me directly and your contact with me will be kept completely private.

This issue (and the issue of the “infamous letter”) is all part of a bigger story and a bigger problem in Mercer County. In Mr. Lark’s letter of April 2nd, he called out three individuals who were simply using their rights offered by the First Amendment or who were fulfilling a civic duty. These individuals have been unfairly challenged by Mr. Lark’s letter. I will not submit concerned citizens to personal assaults like the one perpetrated by Mr. Lark. If you contact me, our association will be kept private for your protection from the Democratic and Republican “machines” of Mercer County.

Mr. Lark's letter makes it clear that the leadership of the Republican and Democratic Parties in Mercer County seem to be closely associated with one another, and they ALL seem to have something to gain in keeping ALL incumbents in office. They are ALL willing to do whatever it takes to protect themselves, and they don't care who they take down in the process. It makes you wonder why ANY concerned citizen would support ANY of THEM.

Mr. Lark’s letter is an attempt to intimidate me and anyone that has the nerve to support me or my campaign. As a final response, I offer you my quote from the movie reference from the beginning of this post . . .

I don’t scratch my head unless it itches.
I don’t dance unless I hear some music.
I will not be intimidated. That’s just the way it is.


Hmmm . . .


.

Lemonade Anyone?

Written by Roberta Biros

You’ve all heard the saying . . . “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Well, a boat load of lemons were delivered on my doorstep today. It looks like I’ll have a bounty of lemonade to share with all of you.

For those of you that didn’t receive it, there was a letter distributed today by Mr. Bob Lark, Chairman of the Democratic Party in Mercer County. In it, I was called out for . . .

1. Having the nerve to change my Party affiliation to Democrat.
2. Originally registering as a Democrat when I was 18 years old.
3. Allowing a senior citizen that was a former Republican to circulate petitions on my behalf.
4. Allowing the Sharon Herald to publish “letters to the editor” by two registered Republicans regarding an issue that I discussed in this blog.
5. Being so lame as to have four (4) dogs as pets.
6. Having never contacted the Chairman of the Democratic Party in Mercer (regardless of multiple phone calls that went unanswered and two letters which were supposedly never delivered).
7. Being a puppet of some “internal Republican feud” and having something to do with an “Infamous Negative Republican Campaign Flyer” in 2007 (of which I have absolutely no knowledge).

In closing, it was suggested that I join the Green Party . . . Socialist Party . . . or Communist Party . . . OR, create my own “BIROS POLITICAL PARTY” with all of my Republican friends.

After insulting both me and the one and only person who circulated petitions on my behalf, the letter writer attacked every one of the thousands of disillusioned Republicans that switched parties to Democrat during the past year.

The letter makes it very clear that the relationships between the leadership of the Democratic and Republican Parties in Mercer County are cozier than one would ever know. There are pieces of information in the letter that would have ONLY been known and supplied by key members of the Republican Party, and Mr. Lark was careful to include those Republican Friends as “Xerox Copy” recipients.

If you are a concerned citizen, I urge you to read the letter and make your own judgments. It is posted HERE as a downloadable PDF.

It appears that this “concerned citizen” that wanted to be a public servant has now simply become a political “hot potato”. I will, however, continue my grassroots campaign without the assistance of either political Party. I will continue to gather support from fellow taxpayers that are sick and tired of the “establishment” in this fine County. I will run on the idea that “The Office of Mercer County Treasurer is a public service . . . NOT a career!”, and I will advocate my platform of “Change That Works”.

If you are “with me”, please feel free to contact me by email. If you are not, your silence is sufficient testimony.

BLOG ADDENDUM

Oh, and by the way . . . for those of you that haven't read it yet . . . please be sure to read the opinion of the most read news source in Mercer County, the News Now Network, in his latest post titled "Mercer County Democrats Snub Biros Campaign, In Writing- Editorial, And Todays WTF".

Opening the Lines of Communication and Pushing for Good Legislation

Written by Roberta Biros

On March 27, I wrote a blog post titled “So Much Legislation, So Little Time”. If you haven’t read it, you should. It gives an analytical overview of the amount of legislation that is sitting around in Harrisburg. It also gives a pretty realistic view of how impossible it is to get good legislation passed.
Based on the data presented in the blog post mentioned above, typical legislation only has about a 5% chance of being passed through the Pennsylvania Legislature. Those numbers aren’t promising for normal folks like you and I. If you find yourself serious about any particular piece of legislation, it is almost necessary to get a job in Harrisburg so that you can spend your spare time visiting each and every Legislator in search of support. Since that isn’t an option for most of us, I’m going to see how successful I can be in attempting to “tickle” our Legislators long-distance from my office in Mercer County. Here is the plan.

As most of you know, I’ve been following the issue of the Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for the PA State Lawmakers since December. First, I supported those Legislators that offered to “Give Back” their raises, but then I pressed for a repeal of the COLA legislation. When I last checked, there were five bills active in the House and Senate that addressed the repeal of COLAs. Those bills were outlined in detail in my blog post titled “Legislator Pay Raise Update”. In that post, I analyzed the five bills and determined that House Bill 633 was the “best of the bunch”. At the time, House Bill 633 had been referred to the House RULES Committee.

I’ve done some follow up since then, and it seems that a Bill being sent to the House RULES Committee is a bit of a “kiss of death” to legislation. This concerned me. Seeing that Bills only have a 5% chance of passage anyway, a “good bill” receiving the “kiss of death” on day one was troubling. I’ve decided to give “our bill” (HB633) a little extra help to see if one concerned citizen in Mercer County can “make a difference” in Harrisburg. I’ve decided to open the lines of communication with our fine Legislators in Harrisburg to see who is listening.

This afternoon, I drafted an email communication regarding House Bill 633. I’ve sent that message to the 28 members of the House Rules Committee along with the 6 Representatives that introduced the Bill. I’m curious to see if the leaders in Harrisburg care at all about what concerned citizens think. I want to see “who does” and “who does not” respond to my query. I want to see “who does” and “who does not” attempt to do anything to at least give House Bill 633 a chance for committee review.

Will “our Bill” have a chance in Harrisburg? OR, will it simply die a slow death like 95% of the bills that are introduced in Harrisburg? The truth is that it won’t get passed on its own. It will only move along through all of the “red tape” in Harrisburg if it has “concerned citizens” or “concerned legislators” to push it through. Let’s see if House Bill 633 has either.

UPDATE:

I sent my 34 email messages out at 2pm today, April 1 (no, this was not an April Fools joke). At 2:56pm I received an email response from State Representative Michele Brooks providing additional details regarding the reasons that House Bill 633 was sent to House Rules Committee (rather than “State” Committee like the other House Bills).

Once again, it is good to know that there are concerned Legislators that are willing to “keep the lines of communication open” with concerned citizens.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives