I Support The Taxpayer Protection Act

NO PARTY PARTY OPINION0001NEWS RELEASE from the Commonwealth Foundation

06.20.08

Pennsylvania Senate Proposes Spending Diet Low-growth budget is a step in the right direction, but will House and Governor agree?

HARRISBURG, PA The Pennsylvania Senate recently passed a state spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year authorizing $27.9 billion in General Fund expenditures.  This represents an increase of 2.86% ($775 million) over the 2007-08 budget passed last July.  If enacted, this budget would have one of the lowest increases in spending since Governor Rendell took office in 2003.

The Commonwealth Foundation applauded the efforts of the Senate to produce a budget under the limits of the Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA).  The TPA would limit spending growth to inflation plus population growth, which would allow an increase of 3.29%, or nearly $894 million, in FY 2008-09.

“No Party” Party of Pennsylvania Candidate

An Alternate Choice to Career Politicians

Dennis Baylor, write-in candidate

Special Election for Pennsylvania State Senator 29th District:  Tuesday, March 3, 2009

How to Vote for Dennis Baylor — Write-In Voting

Within the six counties that make up the 29^th state Senate district, three types of voting machines are used.  Click on the county in which you reside from the list below to see how you can write in your vote for Dennis Baylor.

 

Berks                    Carbon

 

Lehigh                  Monroe 

 

Nothampton        Schuylkill 

 

 

Why Write-In Your Vote?

Dennis Baylor has been campaigning for the state Senate seat for over a year.  On February 13, 2008, he began collecting the necessary 1,355 signatures to appear on the general election ballot as a minority party candidate.  In November, he garnered over 2,000 votes for the position; incumbent Senator Jim Rhoades won posthumously, forcing a special election. 

 

Mr. Baylor’s votes as a “No Party” Party candidate met the qualifications for minor party status, but only briefly, as the Dept. of State withdrew its recognition after re-interpreting state election law.  He has since filed petition for review of the ballot access denial in both Commonwealth and state Supreme Courts – twice – to no avail.  Consequently Mr. Baylor’s name will not be allowed on the ballot in March, despite his ample community support.  Wrtie-in votes are now vital to the success of our ”Help Stop America’s Most Extravagant Legislature” campaign!      

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History of Dennis Baylor’s Campaign

 

Dennis Baylor announced his candidacy to the press in early February, 2008.  As a non-majority party candidate, his campaign has been based on ballot access reform to enable a more fair election process by providing voters with real choices for representation in our state government.  Mr. Baylor’s fight to put the power of choice back into the hands of voters, rather than with those who seek to promote their own personal interests, has met with many obstacles - most notably the denial of ballot access and inadequate time limits.  

 

Listed below are local newspaper articles that chronicle Mr. Baylor’s year-long campaign.  To read each article, simply click its corresponding link, and then “Go Back” when finished.

 

News Articles from Dennis Baylor’s Campaign

 

Meet the Candidate, 2/8/08

http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=79468

 

Candidate for Senate vows to clean House, 2/8/08

http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=79469

 

Baylor eyes Senate seat, 2/25/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/02/25/import/19328306.txt

 

County Democrats endorse candidates, 3/11/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/03/11/import/19378906.txt

 

State is biased, Senate hopeful from Tilden says, 6/5/08

http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=94338

 

Tilden man challenges Pa. election code rules, 8/12/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/08/12/news/local_news/pr_republican.20080812.a.pg3.pr12baylor_s1.1871363_loc.txt

 

“Oversight” excludes candidate, 10/8/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/10/08/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081008.a.pg3.pr08baylor_s1.1998324_loc.txt

 

Baylor 86’ed from Forum, 10/8/08

http://www.berksmontnews.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Weekly;jsessionid=XLT2Ls3K99lphybn9Zdtjvq4MBM0JlwwhynWp5Q3vTdq7Ln49Fy1!-505740741?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_wk_article&r21.content=/BMN/_RSSFeed/News/TopStoryList_Story_2497550&r21.pgpath=/BMN/News/Top%20Stories

 

Schuylkill chamber hosts “debate” minus incumbents, 10/9/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/10/09/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081009.a.pg11.pr09chamber_s1.2001349_loc.txt

 

Rhoades likely to remain on ballot; special election could be held soon after. 10/19/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/10/19/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081019.a.pg1.pr19rhoadeselection_s1.2026034_top3.txt

 

Rhoades’ chief of staff: Campaign should go on, 10/20/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/10/20/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081020.a.pg1.pr20rhoadesupdate_s1.2027004_top3.txt

 

Baylor criticizes Pa. spending, tax system, 10/31/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/10/31/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081031.a.pg1.pr31baylor_s1.2034301_top4.txt

 

Special vote will be held after Rhoades’ re-election, 11/5/08 (?)

http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=112605

 

Letter calls for Argall to “repay” money, 12/5/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/12/05/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081205.a.pg1.pr05argall_s1.2138732_top3.txt

 

Baylor forms No-Party Party, 12/5/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/12/05/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081205.a.pg3.pr05baylor_s1.2138442_loc.txt

 

No access for No-Party candidate on ballot, 12/11/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/12/11/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081211.a.pg3.pr11baylor_s1.2152874_loc.txt

 

Baylor files suit in state Supreme Court, 12/17/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/12/17/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081217.a.pg3.pr17baylor_s1.2166979_loc.txt

 

Attorney general opposes election lawsuit, 12/30/08

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2008/12/30/news/local_news/pr_republican.20081230.a.pg1.pr30baylor_s1.2195888_top4.txt

 

GOP gets more time to respond to Baylor suit, 1/7/09

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2009/01/07/news/local_news/pr_republican.20090107.a.pg3.pr07baylor_s1.2210967_loc.txt

 

GOP asks state high court to deny Baylor’s lawsuit, 1/9/09

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2009/01/09/news/local_news/pr_republican.20090109.a.pg3.pr09baylor_s1.2216317_loc.txt

 

Pa. high court nixes Baylor suit, 1/13/09

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2009/01/13/news/local_news/pr_republican.20090113.a.pg1.pr13baylor_s1.2224304_top.txt

 

Baylor suit dismissed by Commonwealth Court, 1/15/09

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2009/01/15/news/breaking_news/doc496fad477bef6684577744.txt

 

Election code suit dismissed on technicality, 1/16/09

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2009/01/16/news/local_news/pr_republican.20090116.a.pg1.pr16baylor_s1.2234033_top3.txt

 

Re-filed Baylor suit heard today, 2/4/09

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2009/02/04/news/local_news/pr_republican.20090204.a.pg3.pr04baylor_s1.2278964_loc.txt

 

Baylor loses round in court, 2/5/09

http://www.republicanherald.com/articles/2009/02/05/news/local_news/pr_republican.20090205.a.pg3.pr05baylor_s1.2281871_loc.txt

 

PA State Gov’t: We Pay the Most, We Expect the Best.

State Senate candidate Dennis Baylor has campaigned for over a year to reduce the size of PA’s massive government and wasteful spending.  New records show that PA taxpayers provide the most funding to the largest state government staff in the country, despite the fact that we are only the sixth-largest in size.

Philadelphia Daily News political columnist John Baer reports a number of alarming new statistics regarding our legislature’s pay and staff size, and questions the necessity of its inflated funding while in the midst of ongoing corruption exposure.  To read, “John Baer: Our state lawmakers are tops… when it comes to staff numbers,” from Philadelphia Daily News, please click: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20090218_John_Baer__Our_state_lawmakers_are_tops_____when_it_comes_to_staff_numbers.html

Activist Protests PPL 40% Rate Hike

Stilp coming into Saint Clair.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA — Today Gene Stilp, Director of Taxpayers and Ratepayers United Association, walked fourteen miles in protest of the PPL Electric Utilities plan to raise electric rates by 40% for consumers from 29 Pennsylvania counties.  Due to the removal of electric rate caps by the state legislature, 1.4 million ratepayers will be harshly affected by the increase on Jan. 1, 2010.  Mr. Stilp began his protest walks in January this year, and so far he has visited seven counties urging legislators to propose an extension for the rate caps and to hold public meetings to increase consumer awareness. 

This morning Mr. Stilp began his walk in Mahonoy City at Neal Goodman’s office and finished at Tim Seip’s office in Pottsville in the afternoon, all the while carrying a six-foot, 20-pound electric plug with a sign reading “Pull the Plug on PPL’s 40% Rate Hike.”  Mr. Stilp plans to walk in each of the 29 affected counties in his campaign against the rate hike. 

For more information, please visit www.pulltheplugonppl.com.

Remembering Founder’s Principles on President’s Day

As many of us know, President’s Day observes the birthday anniversaries of two of our nation’s most recognized historical figures — Presidents Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.  What many may not know is that George Washington was not only our first president, but he was also the first and only No Party Party president.  Mr. Washington warned our young country that dissent between opposing majority parties causes disunity among citizens and invites potential for corruption.  He cautioned against placing considerable power in the hands of mainstream party leaders, as that power could be misused for the personal gain of few at the expense of democracy for all Americans. 

President’s Day is a time to remember our country’s founders, as well as the principles that they passed on to us in hopes of continued success for our democracy.

The Baylor for Senate Campaign Commemorates the 200th Anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday

“Overstimulated:” Capitol Ideas with John L. Micek

To read the original publishing of “Overstimulated” By The Morning Call’s John Micek, please click here:  http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/2009/02/overstimulated.html

FEBRUARY 10, 2009 — The U.S. Senate is set to vote today on its $827 billion version of the Obama administration’s economic stimulus plan that would reinvigorate the U.S. economy by … erm … doing some things that we’re not sure we entirely understand, but we do know it has something to do with Pell Grants.

Last night, senators voted more or less along party lines to approve a cloture motion (from the Latin meaning, “Arlen Specter has finally made up his mind.“), thus clearing the way for today’s expected action.

Baylor Opposes PA’s Federal “Stimulus” Bailout

HARRISBURG, PA – As listed in his new budget, Gov. Rendell is expecting a federal bailout for Pennsylvania in the form of a “stimulus” package in order to save our failing ecomony.  Doing so with no forseeable solution to our debt’s causes,  among which we find soaring interest rates and wasteful government spending, would lead to increasing indebtedness and injustices.

Many oppose the governor’s plan to obtain a federal stimulus, including some economically-sound states who would fund PA’s wasteful spending, as well as our own residents.  PA state Senate candidate Dennis Baylor said he does not favor “any stimulus plan until the financial evil-doers are caught and interest rates are down to a lawful level.”  He believes that  those in the banking industry responsible for our economic situation need to be “put in jail,” and other financial reforms enacted before a stimulus plan is considered. 

Mr. Baylor said that taking these steps to better our financial structure  - before  seeking a federal stimulus - is urgent in order to avoid collapse of our economy.

LOBBYING LEGISLATORS: Conflict of Interest

HARRISBURG, PA — On Wed. the PA House voted on a measure to prevent its members from being paid by lobbying firms.  The measure was voted down after a unanimous affirmative vote was reversed, mostly along party lines.

House Republicans pushed to forbid the ability of lawmakers – who are also lawyers – to be employed by lobbyists in order to avoid conflict of interest between lawmaking and affiliation with special interest groups.  Their Democrat counterparts reversed the vote to bar this practice on the grounds that it violated separation of powers by regulating the legal profession.

House members earn in excess of $78 per year; at least two dozen are also lawyers, and some continue to practice law to earn even more.  Currently, no one among PA’s registered lobbyists is also a lawmaker.  However, the absence of preventive measure allows potential for corruption like that of former Sen. Vince Fumo.

To read “Lobbying issue puts spotlight on lawmaker-lawyers,” by Mark Scolforo (The Associated Press), please click: http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-71/1233874480311110.xml&storylist=penn&thispage=1

Gov. Rendell’s new budget proposes more wasteful spending

NEWS RELEASE from the Commonwealth Foundation
2.04.09

HARRISBURG, PA — Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette issued the following statement today in response to Gov. Rendell’s 2009-10 Budget Address:

“Gov. Rendell’s reliance on one-time federal bailout money to continue his profligate spending is as irresponsible as a family counting on winning the Lottery every year to pay its bills.

His hefty 38% increase in spending over the past six years—more than double the rate of inflation—is responsible for Pennsylvania facing a multi-billion dollar deficit, and having the 11th heaviest state and local tax burden in the nation.