PICCOLA RECEIVES REMINDER OF  RENDELL INITIATIVES HE SUPPORTED

          HARRISBURG, May 18 -- Senate Democrats today delivered to Jeff Piccola’s office the commemorative signing pens for seven landmark Rendell initiatives for which Piccola voted.

          The delivery immediately followed a public attack on Rendell Piccola made on behalf of Rendell’s opponent.

          “Ironically, Senator Piccola not only voted for but was co-sponsor on two of the bills,” Senate Democratic Leader Robert J. Mellow noted. “And now he’s lamenting the very programs he supported.

          “Desperation makes people do very strange things,” Mellow said.

          Most significant among the delivery today was a pen commemorating the signing of Senate Bill 100 of ’03-‘04, more commonly known as Act 72, which Piccola co-sponsored.

          “After his ill-fated decision to run for governor, however, Piccola abandoned his support for the popular property tax reform effort that evolved into House Bill 39 and clung to an unworkable and fiscally irresponsible massive sales tax hike,” Mellow noted. “He was proud enough at the time to issue a press release in which he called Act 72 ‘the first significant change in the state’s property tax system in more than three decades,’ and said ‘This will provide taxpayers what they want – less reliance on property taxes and more local control.’ At some point, he stopped caring about what the taxpayers want.”

          Piccola also co-sponsored and supported Senate Bill 10 of ’03-‘04, which established the Economic Enhancement Fund and the Economic Enhancement Financing Authority. He also supported – but now apparently regrets – Senate Bill 80 of ‘03’-‘04, which hiked basic education subsidies by more than $150 million, provided a first-ever state supplement for Head Start of $15 million and created a $47 million tutoring program.

          “Has Piccola’s blind support for his party’s blundering gubernatorial candidate reduced him to opposing investment in public education and economic investment?” Mellow asked. “When he should be proudly touting his support of these wildly successful and popular Rendell initiatives, he’s inexplicably sabotaging his own credibility.”

          Also delivered were pens commemorating the signing of the following Rendell initiatives which Piccola supported and now regrets:

          Senate Bill 1026 of ’03-’04, the keystone of Gov. Rendell’s “Plan for a New Pennsylvania, creating the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The CFA oversees the administration of $1.135 billion in economic development investments.

          House Bill 200 of ’05-’06, establishing the “Ounce of Prevention Program” to provide grants for  home visitation and other services to low-income, at-risk expectant first-time mothers and their newborn children and families.

          House Bill 2 of ’06-’06, more commonly known as “Growing Greener II,” a voter-approved plan to clean up rivers and streams and protect natural areas, open spaces and working farms.

          House Bill 888 of ’03-’04, which expanded eligibility for affordable prescription drugs to 100,000 more senior citizens under the PACE and PACENET programs.