Time is on their side, so don't expect Harrisburg Republicans to be in any hurry to settle the budget impasse.

That was the message Ephrata Republicans got Friday from their state legislators, who were the guests of honor at the area committee's banquet.

"Governor Rendell tried to create this crisis,'' 43rd District Rep. Scott Boyd said. "We're not in a crisis.'' Indeed, Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell took most of the brickbats Friday for his plan to reform school financing with a 34 percent increase in the state's income tax as well as for backing a slots bill that nearly made it to passage over the summer before bogging down in the Senate.

Public school and library funding remain red-penciled, and social service agencies are still trying to cover funding cuts enacted earlier in the year, but with the economy trending up, legislative Republicans who control the General Assembly at this point don't see any urgency to the talks.

Plus, some have said privately, Rendell isn't helping by delegating the negotiations to aides rather than getting involved personally.

"It's becoming very difficult to work out a compromise with a moving target,'' Boyd told the nearly 100 people Friday at the Artworks at Doneckers.

To recap: Last winter, Rendell, harried by a legal deadline, submitted a balanced budget that slashed more than $1 billion in spending. But the governor urged the Legislature to wait for him to unveil his "Plan for a New Pennsylvania'' in late March.

The GOP majorities seized the opportunity and passed the "bare bones'' budget over Rendell's objections. The governor subsequently vetoed the education funding, and both parties have been wrangling ever since.

Rendell had backed a House-amended slots bill that avoided the income tax increase by using gambling revenues to boost school funding. But the Senate balked, and any slots initiative also remains deadlocked.

The Legislature is back in session, but not much is happening.

Using a district he represents, Conestoga Valley, as an example, Boyd said that under Rendell's plan, CV taxpayers would have gotten a $2 million property tax break but would have paid $5.2 million more in income taxes.

CV would be in line for another $300,000 in state funding. But there's a catch, Boyd said: The money would have to be spent on state-mandated programs that would cost far more than $300,000.

And that, he said, would mean a property tax increase.

"Every school district in Lancaster County would take a very serious beating but one (the School District of Lancaster),'' Boyd said.

Boyd said the Republicans are proposing another $50 million for schools, but Rendell is holding out for his program of full-day kindergarten and preschool funding.

Asked after dinner whether he expects a quick solution to the education funding, 37th District Rep. Tom Creighton shook his head.

While one school of thought in the GOP warns that Rendell may get revenge on recalcitrant Republicans by campaigning against them next year, Creighton said he figures Rendell is going to fire at vulnerable elephants (those in the Philadelphia suburbs are especially tempting targets) anyway, so giving him what he wants isn't going to accomplish anything.

Rep. Gordon Denlinger of the 99th District offered one caution in his own speech: It's not enough for Republicans to be against Rendell's plans; the party also needs a positive message to attract voters.

Boyd pointed out that the state actually finished the last fiscal year in the black, and revenue collections are up about $20 million in the first two months of the new fiscal year (and, as Congressman Joe Pitts noted, the feds are giving Pennsylvania another $910 million), so pressure is fading to act immediately.

"I think if we wait it out,'' Boyd said, "we're going to make it.''

Jim who?

Rep. Creighton surveyed the Ephrata crowd and, quoting the late Rep. Leroy Zimmerman, said, "My, my, my so many Republicans.'' With at least one notable exception.

Sitting in the middle of the room was Jim Clymer, the Constitution Party's nominee for county commissioner who precipitated a crisis in the GOP this fall when at least nine Republican committee members signed his nominating petitions.

Eight resigned under pressure, and the ninth, Jim Huber, was kicked out.

Clymer said he had a lovely time at the banquet: "Lots of people said kind things to me this evening.'' Ephrata GOP chairman Bob Bensing said Clymer paid for his tickets, and the event was open to the public anyway.

The speakers assiduously avoided noticing Clymer, and there were only the most oblique references to the petition controversy.

County GOP chairman Dave Dumeyer referred several times to the Republican "team,'' and Denlinger urged people to pull the straight-Republican lever on Nov. 4.

One banquet guest thought the reception for that exhortation was lukewarm: Some conservative Republicans are hoping to get Clymer in the courthouse as the minority commissioner, a seat normally held by the Democrats, and there's even talk since the petition imbroglio of Republicans "bullet'' voting for Clymer.

Majority Republicans traditionally have influenced selection of the minority commissioner by tossing some votes to whichever Democrat was preferable. The conservatives want to do the same for Clymer.

Clymer, in any event, is running full-out. He was in the Denver Fair parade last week accompanied by a goat wearing a sign: "High taxes got your goat?'' And Clymer noted Friday that the Republicans' speeches were mostly right up his alley.

"I don't believe that much differently from most of the people in this room,'' he said.

Double D, double duty

Not only does county GOP chairman Dumeyer have to administer his party's campaigns this fall; he has his own to deal with.

Dumeyer, who's running for re-election as a West Hempfield Township supervisor, kicked off his campaign Sept. 6 with a morning rally at Lake Grubb Park.

"West Hempfield Township is becoming a destination of choice in Lancaster County; it has become a place where people want to live, work and raise a family,'' Dumeyer told his supporters.

"A survey taken prior to our last comprehensive plan (900 households responded) indicates that our residents think West Hempfield is well-run. I seek re-election to continue effective management and give a vision to the people's voice.'' A supervisor since 1989, Dumeyer faces a challenge this year from Democrat Tony Crocamo.

"West Hempfield must continue to increase the recreational opportunities for our residents,'' Dumeyer said. "We hope to implement flexible zoning in our township villages that will maintain our 'small town environment' while encouraging small business growth.'' He said he's looking forward to a "spirited campaign'' this fall.

Campaign trails

Trade has emerged as an early issue in the race for a Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in 2004, with Lancastrian Charlie Crystle releasing a "Common Sense Trade'' proposal that calls for the United States to "carry a big stick'' and take decisive action with China and other violators of trade agreements.

Crystle earlier criticized his biggest opponent for the nomination for Sen. Arlen Specter's seat, Congressman Joe Hoeffel, for supporting free trade rather than fair trade.

Crystle's position paper on trade is on his Web site, CharlieCrystle.com.

On the Republican side of the Senate race, Congressman Pat Toomey, Specter's conservative challenger, took some heat in Gerontology News, a professional publication, for sponsoring a nearly successful amendment that would have eliminated money for five National Institutes of Health-funded studies, four of which were on human sexual behavior. An alert reader passed along the article.

Toomey's campaign last week was touting an endorsement by Denlinger, who had unofficially been supporting him anyway.

Also on next year's campaign trail, Democratic state Sen. Jack Wagner of Pittsburgh officially entered the race for auditor general, the office that former county GOP chairman Chet Beiler is seeking. Wagner's primary competition is likely to be state Rep. Jennifer Mann of Allentown.

In this election cycle, Democratic county commissioner nominee Bill Saylor was stumping Wednesday at the Lancaster County Council of Veterans, which represents 39,000 military vets. Saylor, a Navy man, was introduced by former prisoner of war Ed Davis, a retired Navy captain (and Republican) who said it would be "comforting'' to have a veteran as commissioner. In response to a question, Saylor said he would consider a proposal to create a board of advisers to the county's one-man Office of Veterans Affairs.

Green Party candidates are on the trail this week: At 2 p.m. Monday, commissioner nominee Scott Kender will speaking to staff and clients of CSG Outpatient Services on New Holland Avenue. And Kender, along with other Greens, will address Franklin & Marshall College's Students for Social Responsibility at 7:30 p.m. Thursday on the second floor of the Steinman Center. The party also will hold its first spaghetti fund-raiser from 4 to 7 p.m. next Sunday at the Millersville Fire Hall, 26 N. Charlotte St. Tickets are $10. Call Nick Seigert, 391-6578, for information.

The Columbia Area Democratic Club will honor John F. Haser Jr., Isabel P. Russell, John S. Broome, Charles M. Broome and the late Edwin H. Broome with lifetime achievement awards at the club's 42nd annual fish fry today. The club will also auction a painting of Columbia's market house donated by artist Tom Hermansader, with proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Club's Columbia expansion. The fish fry is from 1 to 5 p.m. at the VFW, Fourth and Manor streets. Admission is $10.

Republican city council nominee Chuck McWilliams last week advocated an ordinance outlining how city-owned real estate should be sold "at the best price and best interest of our community.'' The initiative follows a debate on whether to sell the old police station to businessman Pat Egan for below its appraised value.

"Is this a good business practice?'' McWilliams asked at a Friday press conference. "I don't believe that it is and would implore council to not even consider any offer below fair market value.'' Council has delayed any action to see if more bidders come forward.

More Moyer

One of the grande dames of the Democratic Party, Helen Moyer, will be honored Wednesday when the Lancaster Women's Alliance holds its annual deck party at the Pressroom restaurant.

Moyer will be given the Anna Estes Strawbright award by League of Women Voters president Jenny Engle.

The deck party is an annual opportunity for women candidates to share their stories. This year, the speakers are Millersville Borough Council candidate Mary Cox McLain, city councilwoman Julie Dickson, School District of Lancaster candidates Veronica Urdaneta and Rita Smith Wade-El and Columbia councilwoman Mary Wickenheiser.

Cost for the party, which starts at 5:30 p.m., is $12. Make reservations by Monday, 394-2476.

Political potpourri

Boyd will be the new Center for Politics and Public Affairs legislative fellow at his alma mater, Millersville University, for the 2003-04 academic year, MU says, noting that Boyd graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science.

Magna cum laude! Who knew?

Who knew, part 2

U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum is making his network TV debut tonight with a major role in the HBO series "K Street,'' says PoliticsPA.com. Catch Rick at 10:30 p.m., if you have HBO (or a friend who can record it for you!).

Who knew, part 3

Federal Judge Marjorie "Midge'' Rendell, the state's first lady, has a dynamite voice. She got cheers from a crowd of nearly 30,000 at last Sunday's Phillies-Mets game at the Vet for her spot-on rendition of the national anthem.

Anytime you can perform at the Vet and not get booed, it's a win!


Helen Colwell Adams is an editor of the Sunday News Perspective section. E-mail her at hcolwell+alnpnews.com, or phone 291-4962.
blog comments powered by Disqus