Dan is committed to reducing the size of the legislature. He was one of three Democrats who voted to support HB 1234 and HB 1716.
Gift Reform is the second issue Dan is co-sponsoring. Currently, legislators can receive gifts worth up to $250 and not report them. HB 1667, introduced by Rep. Saccone (R-Jefferson Hills) prohibits all gifts with some practical exceptions. I wish our school board directors had a policy about gifts. I know that a couple of our directors would ask for discounts at a failing business, now out of business, located at Lebanon Shops.
The third issue in Rep. Miller's update involves Fair Redistricting. Dan is co-sponsoring a bill which creates a Legislative and Congressional Reappointment Bureau that would operate in a non-paritsan manner.
Term limits is discussed in Dan's update, which he is co-sponsoring.
HB 989 is an Act providing for a Citizens Constitutional Convention. The last full scale PA Constitutional Convention took place in 1873. Dan feels that a review is needed to analyze how our State Government is doing and are they well suited for the times. How about measures to limit school district and municipal spending, Dan?
59 comments:
If we're going to have a State Constitutional Convention, why limit the discussion to reducing the size of the legislature?
In a Constitutional Convention anything is fair game: the governor, the legislature itself or even the state courts could vaporize!
What about addressing these issues?
* An Ammendment to the PA State Constitution granting every PA resident the Right to Privacy? (What would that mean...? )
*An Ammendment that would limit school distict or municipal expenditures to a percentage of the assessed property values - or, for that matter, we could wipe out public education in PA altogether! ( Think of it kids, going to public school could become illegal! )
Maybe education should be handled by the private sector?
* We could legislate away the teachers pension obligations! 8)
* We could create a debt-free state like Indiana, which happens to have a citizen legislature!
The possibilities are endless!
Dan Miller so far has performed as he promised and his independent attitude made him a popular official here and hope he sticks with it.
I could see him taking a shot at governor in a few years if he stays on the path he's on.
I'd vote for Dan in a heartbeat!
How's this for thinkong outside the box?
I like much of Corbett's initiatives his first term in office, some not so much, but it appears to me that he did those to get along with the democratic opposition.
What would choosing a guy from the opposing as his choice for Lt. Governor do for his re-election bid?
A guy that can break party ranks to do the right thing.
Personally, i don't care if a politician is R, D or I. I want people that represent me doing the right and smart thing.
Look, we already allow school board candidates run on both tickets, birks initially got elected as an R then promptly switched to a D. Were her votes any different because of her party affiliation?
So, what could happen if Corbett picked THE BEST MAN for the job rather than a partner because he's a republican?
First off, how could the democrats possibly say they can't work with Corbett?
You are correct - Dan Miller would be a great pick for Lt Governor!
Wonder if the Allegheny County Republicans are paying attention?
The R Party can continue to operate as they always have and possibly lose the governors office or show the people they are the party of true reform and new ideas.
You guys are no fun...
Chickens! 8)
Not sure why you're saying that Mr. K.
I'll bet Corbett isn't reading Elaine's blog regularly, but I'd bet county Rs are and could suggest the idea to him.
Do you really think that Mr. Raja would ever suggest anyone except himself?
NO!!! His ego is too inflated, hopefully there is more to the county Rs than Raja.
I can't believe Corbett inserted him into PAT! What was Corbett thinking? I suppose if you have enough money you can buy just about anything In life.
Raja is a gentleman and knows how to build a company that employees people and generates tax revenue. He embraces what this country is about. Marty Griffin could not say enough positive things about Raja on his show this past week.
Those who take shots like this at him don't know him. More Mt. Lebanon bigotry if you ask me...at least two of the descriptions apply here:
"Bigotry is the state of mind of a bigot: someone who, as a result of their prejudices, treats other people with fear, distrust, hatred, contempt, or intolerance on the basis of a person's ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics."
6:21 is that opinion or fact?
Yes Raja is a successful businessman and apparently prejudice Or bigotry didn't stand in the way of his success.
In fact to accuse Mt. Lebanon of bigotry is down right BS!
I guess bigotry got him elected in Mt. Lebanon as Commissioner.
Knock off the bull crap! He's lost every race his run in since being a commissioner.
6:21, your comments are a sign of desperation. Raja lost because he was a weak candidate and the voters rejected him.
PERIOD!
The county R party is dead on the vine. It's irrelevant. Time for local committees to start thinking independently (of course, the Lebo R faction is dead as well. Good job, Tommy Boy). The other option is a third party that can start fresh. But wake up, people. One party rule, no matter which party, isn't good for anyone.
7:07 It is fact.
7:29 No desperation here, just disgust.
8:16 You are right on!
6:21 here
One last thing, 7:07 - compare what it took for Raja to win a commissioner seat as opposed to Linfante - hmmmm.....
6:21 /8:35 PM, I am not sure what you mean about Raja vs. Linfante.
I would like to see the thread shift back to Dan Miller. He is in Harrisburg, not Raja.
Elaine
Elaine,
Since you allowed the Raja bashing on the blog, it's only fair to permit a rebuttal.
Think about what Linfante had to do to get elected - money spent, etc. compared to Raja. Linfante had the D machine behind her, Raja had Raja. That's the point. The D machine across Mt. Lebanon and the County has done a good henchman job on Raja demonizing him while the benign R party had no clout.
-6:21
8:33 you're confusing me.
You Talk Raja up at 6:21 , then talk down the County and local Republican party.
Raja ran the local R party. He's heavily involved in the county party and yet you agree with 8:16 that the R party is dead in the county.
So, is Raja a leader, a catalyst for better government?
Please explain your position.
I'm not saying Raja isn't a good businessman, a good neighbor, a good father. Its just I don't think he makes a very good politician or public servant.
We'll see where his contributions on PAT lead, but I'm not optimistic.
OK, I permitted the rebuttal. I am a Republican and will never forgive Raja when I went to him about running for commissioner. All of a sudden, the guy who had his house on the market and wanted to get the hell out of Mt. Lebanon was seeking reelection. So enough about Raja, OK guys? This is about our State Rep's eblast.
There are five very important issues that Dan listed. Dan Miller co-sponsored Rs' HBs. Not many D's do that. I talked with Dan this morning. I thanked him for being so transparent now and when he was commissioner. He is trying to make a difference. If you write to him, he answers. That is a rarity around here.
Let's stay on topic.
Elaine
What I'd like to see is a change in the state constitution to allow two things:
1. Abolish property taxes, and
2. Implement a proposition system like CA
There would be many positive economic impacts for PA from each change.
Any thoughts?
JDK I''m voting for the party that gives me the free stuff. I don't care about redistricting or state conventions. All politicians are for sale at each election. Didn't the school board elections teach you that?
JDK: The redistricting is all about inclusion of a predominately democrat constituency to assure the election of democrat representatives from here forward. Don't you know that? You will never see another Republican State House Representative as a result.
Sorry to say you are drinking the D kool-aid.
"What the Kluck"! Maybe he has the guts to stop the madness but will the conservatives have the turn out to complete the mission,
Hum,...
I haven't had kool-aid in years, but i sure loved to make those Wyler's grape pop cycles in the summer!
I wouldn't rule out the R party yet. If everything continues on the current course there will be a collapse beyond anyone's imagination. In fact, I predict that within three to five years we will see a level of bankruptcies like the world has never seen. Puerto Rico, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Jose and many others are about to become the next Detroit. Wait until all of the state retires pensions stop. My God, what a calamity that will trigger!
it would be nice if we could all put on a happy face and spend everyone else's money forever, but the problem is that socialism works well until everyone else runs put of money. That's when the R party gets elected to clean up the mess.
There will be a day of reckoning for America's looming debt time bombs. The administrations economic policies aren't working. The debt is growing. The outcome will be inevitable.
I think that if we eliminate property taxes on PA we will attract investment from other states, and that investment will become another cylinder in the engine of economic growth for PA.
We also need more agility in Harrisburg. Don't we need two consecutive senates to repeal old laws that clutter our books? It would be nice for the people to have a voice in state legislation. Maybe we can't do anything with Miss Piggy SD, but we could get a state law to put the pig on a diet!
11:21 If you haven't noticed, Kluck is a lame duck. No one can do anything to help him.
12:05 am. Why do you call Kluck a lame duck? At least he consistently demonstrates respect for citizens and agrees that safety is a priority in the community. Off topic, I know but why put down someone without provocation?
9:56 It's not a put down at all, he just can't get anything done because he is outnumbered. That's the reality of having 4 D's and 1 R on the Commission. Kluck is against incurring more debt and the others want to float bonds and spend money we don't have.
Obama is a lame duck as well, what does that have to do with this topic or the price of hay, 12:05?
We're talking about government reform and our state representative that is willing to break ranks with his party to actually do something for a change. He's not making publuc speeches about how bad the other party is and how their ideas will be the ruination of Pennsylvania.
Miller's talkin' the talk and walkin' the walk! I hope he stays " true to thine own self."
I'd think it takes a helluva lot of backbone for a freshman representative to break with his party and vote with the other.
If we really want reform in our state government we need to cover his back.
Unfortunately, we've seen a propensity by our local leaders to turn on their party associates, friends, neighbors if they don't tow the line.
I have to make a statement to all of the Republican's out there....
Our party has never been the majority party. We're missing the boat by trying to become the majority party.
That strategy will never work.
What we are is a very determined and very well organized minority party.
That strategy has worked very effectively for decades.
I'd rather see the party focused on our conservative principles, standing unified and cutting deals with "left-out" Democrats rather than to pursue a centrist strategy of inclusion that is doomed from the start.
Have we all forgotten about the Reagan Democrats? Have we all forgotten about the conservative southeastern conservative Democrats in the Senate who propelled one Reagan budget after another through the Congress?
We're not the majority opinion, but unified, we have more power than the majority.
History has proven me correct.
Does anyone know if Dan is from a Republican family?
He's been a fantastic leader and I am looking forward to seeing him move up!
Time will tell, 10:43, time will tell.
Yes, Dan comes from a family of Republicans, not that it matters. Dan is the first Democrat I ever supported.
I hope he doesn't mind me saying this, but he did get some resistance from Harrisburg(?) about his newsletter. It was too long and they wanted it shortened. There was no way that was going to happen. It was his message and he wanted it sent the way he wrote it.
PS. He was against deer culling in Mt. Lebanon. ;)
Elaine
JDK, You're flat wrong. First, if you look at almost any opinion poll on any issue in the last 30 years, a majority of Americans align with positions taken by the Republican party. So in terms of sentiment, the Rs are the majority. But, and to your second incorrect point, the R party is nowhere near as organized as the D machine. People only elect Rs as a reaction to D incompetence and dishonesty. The reality is, the R party is weak and ieffectual, particularly in Allegheny County.
Miller isnt "breaking ranks". He has thr blessing and approval of the House leaders to do what he's doing. Before everyone jumps on the local-boy-done-good bandwagon, let's all see where the dust settles. I would agree with some of the comments that suggest Miler focus on real issues like property tax elimination. He's moving in the right direction but proof is in thr pudding.
Dan seems like he is on his way on to doing great things. He is definitely my kind of Democrat.
Being from a Republican home but being a Democrat (life long), it is always nice to see a Democrat do right by his own principles and not get buffaloed into going against everything he believes in.
Sooooooooo,....
History shows that we function best as the minority party. The current impass in Washington is an excellent example.
Bob Dole led a valiant effort (by leading the minority party) to halt socialist rule when Bill Clinton was elected. Eventually, the movement was extinguished when Newt took over and we were in the majority.
The problem with the Democratic party is that it tries to be too many things to too many people. What happens is that they have formed a pyramid and those at the top get the lions share of the money when it gets dished-out.
That's where we come in.
A well organized minority can engage those disenfranchised and disgruntled Democrats, incorporate their votes and form a leading coalition.
It's a very effective strategy and everyone gets their cut.
The problem is that our party leadership is too weak at the moment.
We need to find men with the cojones to lead the party. They're not there right now.
I don't understand the question regarding the political leanings of his family growing up.
I grew up in a family where the grandparents were of one party, the parents were registered with the other and my sibling was with the grandparents and I was independent.
I do agree that the proof regarding Miller will be over the long haul.
So far, he's started off on
the right foot and if we want him to stay on the right path we must support him when he's right and alert him when he's not.
Bill Clinton wasn't a socialist. Stop with the silliness. Clinton no more believes in socialism than did Reagan. He is an opportunist. And Bob Dole?? Are you kidding? He was useless. Gingrich was the one who acted as a rampart against government over-each. but they didn't stop anything. What we see today is the legacy of the Clinton era. He owned the media lock, stock and barrel. It's never subsided.
The R party isn't weak "at the moment" unless by moment you mean the last 25 years. I do agree it needs people who can lead.
Mt. Lebanon Republicans as I was told held a decided advantage in R voter registrations to D voter registrations for much of its 100 year history. Something like 3 Rs to every 1 D.
It was known throughout Allegheny as one of the few communities that leaned that way in a city/county where democrats ruled.
I don't know when it cjanged, but Mt. Lebanon certainly insn't your grandfathers Lebo any more.
I think Kendrick is right about men with cajones, so call me a sexist too.
What do you call women that would love to cut off your cajones if you question their nonsense and disagree with them? Chauvinist?
The Free Dictionary
chau·vin·ism (shv-nzm)
n.
1. Militant devotion to and glorification of one's country; fanatical patriotism.
2. Prejudiced belief in the superiority of one's own gender, group, or kind:
What if "balls" have nothing to do with rational discussions? No wonder there is a boy's club. They feel threatened by a woman who question THEIR nonsense and disagrees with them.
I am not saying either sex is better, but it seems that you all believe that only men can "lead the party".
People, people! This isn't about testicles. Or Raja. It is about a State Rep who LISTENS to constituents. Can we try to focus?
How about some comments on the issues presented?
Elaine
What changes would you guys want to make to the structure of PA government?
Does everyone understand what it means to have a Constitutional Convention?
Seriously, maybe some of you want a parliamentary system?
I SURE DON'T!
I listed the changes that I'd like to see...
Come on - fair is fair!
6:19, never, ever said balls were a prerequisite for rationall discussions.
"No wonder there is a boys club." Really? Look at some recent issues of MTL magazine... boys clubs?
Check out the cover of the June 2013 issue. In big pink letters-- Girl Power!
"Learning to Lean into Politics" is the subtitle inside. Now then don'tget me wrong, I'm not suggesting women should be barefoot pregnant and in the kitchen. But, I don't remember a MTL magazine cover with the words "Boy Power".
Don't boys or men need to lean into politics? 20-30% voter turn out suggest they need to as well as girls.
Plus, why the singling out? Thought politics was gender neutral?
Who said "only men can lead the party", 6:19? Elsie Hillman lead the Allegheny Republican Party for years! If Elsie spoke, people jumped and no one questioned whether a woman was leading or not.
So once again knock off the nonsense.
I stick with my 4:00 pm comment, Elaine.
I like Millers performance his first few months in office and if he veers off track IMO I'll let him know, and he knows I will.
I liked him as commissioner, had some doubts during his campaign that caused some apprehension, but he's been doing a stellar job so far.
Keep it up, Dan!
Who said 6:58? Look at JDK at 3:59, that's who! The nonsense didn't come from me!
Ummm, 7:47, he didn't say "only men can lead the party."
He said: "we need to find men with cajones to lead the party." there is a substantial difference.
In a way I sort of agree with him. We need to find 'smart' people (men or women) with backbones to lead the party.
We found an example ofgood one to send to the State House. Hopefully there are more of either sex still living in Lebo!
Just wait until the Dem. cities want a bankruptcy bailout to save cities' pension plans. JDK will be proven right about hard times.
Some people weren't happy with Dan Miller as a commissioner. He had some closed door meetings that ticked off residents and dismissed their concerns. Did you also notice how his street had some major traffic calming upgrades while he was commissioner? If you look back through other streets that qualified, you might notice that they were in line before his street and didn't get any so called "traffic calming".
I am not jumping on the bandwagon. Just because he is "nice" and "listens" doesn't mean he is trustworthy. I hope he has changed for everyone's benefit.
You want traffic calming, slow and get the police to ticket those that don't.
Speed bumps unbelieveable!
Follow some drivers around that live on streets that clamored for speed bumps.
Do you guys realize what would happen if PA has a Constitutional Convention?
The governor, our courts, our legislature could be gone! Hopefully none of these choices will be made, but don't take your life, liberty or freedoms for granted! We believe that they are inalienable rights, but the stroke of a pen at this meeting could change everything!
We could end the meeting outlawing ownership of private property!
Doesn't anyone have any ideas for changes in PA government?
6:51 In case you forgot, Sheryl Sandberg is still the COO of Facebook.
Sandberg has been under an intense public microscope lately, garnering extreme praise and extreme criticism for her bestseller “Lean In.”
Her book is what the "leaning-in MTL article is about.
Yeah so!
She is as as you mention COO of a multi-million $ company.
Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State, we have governors of states, female Supreme Court Justices and you're still going to whine about glass ceilings and inequality!
Sarah Palin was governor of a state and when she was selected as a VP candidate, her "I am woman, hear me roar sisters" turned on her with a vengence.
Give me a break.
Oh yeah...
http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/08/14/sheryl-sandberg-leans-in-to-another-controversy/
http://m.theweek.com/article.php?id=241769
I remember Orchard Drive got speed bumps when a past commission president lived there. Did someone say Dan Miller's street got speed bumps too?
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