PRSRT STD

State Representative U.S. POSTAGE PAID

DAN MOUL HARRISBURG, PA

PERMIT NO. 529
Serving the 91st Legislative District

Please join me
FALL 2009

and my staff for our ...

Dear Neighbor,
Pennsylvania finally has a state budget, but it is far
from perfect and leaves many issues unresolved. The
budget took far too long to settle – going more than

HOLIDAY
100 days beyond the state-mandated deadline of June
30. During the impasse, day care centers, libraries and
community services that rely on state funding were af-
fected, and some people lost their jobs.
In light of the fact that our prior fiscal year ended
with a $3.2 billion budget deficit, I was determined to
OPEN HOUSE
reduce spending. I supported sensible budget plans
that cut spending below the previous year’s level yet
preserved funding for essential government services.
I also rejected attempts to impose major increases in
the Personal Income Tax (PIT) and sales tax, which I
believe would have had a detrimental effect given the
Date: Thursday, December 10th
current economic climate.
Just as most of you spend according to what you
make, I believe the state must do the same, and have a
Time: 11 am - 2 pm
balanced budget in place by June 30 each year. There
is no excuse for delays, and vital services should not and
be subject to a line-item veto that serves to pressure
the Legislature to pass a budget that is not in the best
interest of Pennsylvania citizens. 4 pm - 7 pm
I did not vote in favor of the budget because the
$27.8 billion plan overspends, burdens Pennsylvanians
with $500 million in new or increased taxes, and relies
too heavily on stimulus funding and one-time revenue.
Location: 30 W. Middle Street
It also drains critical state reserve accounts, leaving
the state without a safety net going into the 2010-11 Gettysburg
fiscal year. One of the casualties of our tough economic
times is the annual calendar that many of you have
enjoyed receiving.
Because of my mother’s passing, it was necessary
for me to cancel my town hall meetings in October. I
Moul Planning Event Honoring
hope you can all stop by and visit me at my district
office during my Holiday Open House. I hope to see
Our Veterans
you there! Next year I will be hosting an event in honor of our
military veterans. If you served in the U.S military and
Happy Holidays! you live in the 91st Legislative District, please contact
my office at (717) 334-3010, and tell us how we may
contact you. I am looking forward to meeting and
honoring those who served our great country.

RepMoul.com
 BUDGET PROCESS TOO LON
While most Pennsylvanians
were relieved when Gov. Ed
Rendell ended a more than 100-
day-long stalemate by signing a
state budget into law, I voted no
due to the tax hikes and exces-
sive spending in the final budget
agreement.
Tax Hikes
The budget includes a 25-
cent-per-pack increase in the
state tax on cigarettes and cre-
ates a new tax on “little cigars”
at $1.60 per pack. The state
spending plan also calls for a
$374 million tax on Pennsylva-
nia employers at a time when
the Commonwealth’s workers
and job creators are reeling
from the international economic
recession.
In addition, the budget in-
cludes a tax on Medicaid Man-
aged Care Organizations
(MCOs).
At various points during the
budget process, the governor
called for both a Personal In-
come Tax (PIT) increase and an
expansion of the state Sales and
Use Tax (SUT). The General
RepMoul.com
Assembly was able to block both
of the governor’s broad-based tax
increases.
Draining the Reserve Accounts
Budget negotiators balanced
the state spending plan, in part,
by draining several reserve ac-
counts. The Commonwealth had
built up a $755 million Rainy Day
Fund that is intended to help the
state pay for unanticipated ex-
penses. That fund will be com-
pletely depleted during the cur-
rent budget year.
The budget also calls for de-
pleting the $708 million Health
Care Provider Retention Account
and taking $100 million from the
MCare Fund. Both of these funds
are used to help cover the cost of
medical malpractice for the health
care industry.
Furthermore, $150 million
would be taken from the Tobacco
Settlement fund, which receives
money from a federal lawsuit and
allocates those funds for tobacco
prevention and statewide health
care programs.
By draining the state’s reserve
accounts, nothing will be avail-
able next year. This could be dev-
astating in the event the economy
does not turn around. Given the
fact that state revenues are al-
ready $160.2 million short for the
year, this is a serious concern.
Federal Bailout Dollars
The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which,
among other things, provided
federal dollars to subsidize state
budgets.
The Pennsylvania state budget
includes more than $2.6 billion in
federal bailout money. Added to
the nearly $25.2 billion in state
dollars in the final budget, this
means the Commonwealth will
spend approximately $27.8 billion
in the current spending plan.
Due in part to the extensive
use of federal dollars for educa-
tion, school districts in the 91st
Legislative District received large
increases in funding within the
state budget. Although I am an
advocate for education, this level
of spending cannot be maintained
once the federal money runs out
in a couple of years, which means
taxpayers will have to make up
the difference. This, in my opin-
ion, is not an ideal situation.
2010-11 Budget Process
We will be working on the
2010-11 budget in less than
three months, and we must
follow our constitutional obli-
gation to get a state budget
passed on time.
There are several legisla-
tive proposals currently be-
ing circulated that might help
expedite the process and put
measures in place to hold the
General Assembly more ac-
countable. Those initiatives
should be coming before
the House and Senate in the
next few months.
NG, TOO COSTLY
Welfare Reform
Sorely Needed
State Auditor General Jack Wag-
ner recently released a report on
fraud and inefficiencies within the
Pennsylvania Department of Public
Welfare (DPW), and Philadelphia
District Attorney Lynne Abraham has
charged DPW employees and others
in multiple cases of alleged welfare
fraud.
Welfare spending accounts for
more than one-third of the entire
state budget. It is responsible for ad-
ministering programs and funding for
our state’s most vulnerable citizens,
including children, the elderly and dis-
abled citizens. These precious dollars
must be guarded so that monies go Moul expresses his support for a group protesting the state budget impasse
to qualified recipients. Welfare fraud on the Capitol steps in August.
drains these resources.
Wagner has so far uncovered
more than $600 million in losses
to fraud, and earlier this year 12
people, including nine DPW employ-
Table Games Threaten Equine Industry,
ees, were arrested on charges they Promise No Tax Relief
stole $500,000 from the Low-Income
Home Energy Assistance Program The original slots legislation passed in 2004 was sold to us on
(LIHEAP), which provides heating the promise of property tax relief. After five years, we have seen
assistance to low-income people. little in the way of meaningful relief. Now the state is planning to
Few safeguards presently exist to expand gaming to include the legalization of table games. This
protect the state and taxpayers from is bad policy for Adams County, the state’s equine industry and
Pennsylvania taxpayers.
these abuses. I believe that significant
A percentage of slots revenue supports the horse racing indus-
savings may be achieved by closing try in the Commonwealth. Adding table games to the mix will hurt
loopholes to ensure the integrity of the state’s equine industry by drawing people away from slots.
the welfare system. I support efforts As slots revenue declines, so does the financial support for the
to verify the identity and eligibility of equine industry. This will also have a detrimental impact on all of
those who receive public assistance the businesses that support the industry and the jobs those busi-
and other measures to ensure that nesses provide.
state money is going to those for I am not against table games to bring in added revenue to the
whom it is intended. Commonwealth. However, it must be done responsibly. Proposals
One measure would empower under consideration now would shortchange Pennsylvania in terms
county assistance offices to report of the state’s share of proceeds and licensing fees. They also ig-
cases of suspected fraud directly nore the basic premise on which legalized gambling was originally
approved – property tax relief.
to the Office of Inspector General.
This would give personnel, who are
local and have direct contact with
welfare recipients, the opportunity to
report applicants who provide false
information in order to receive public
Arts Funding Announced
assistance benefits such as Medical Congratulations to the following Adams County
Assistance, cash assistance or food cultural organizations on receiving grants from the
stamps. Pennsylvania Council on the Arts:
Commonsense measures are
necessary to protect your tax dollars  Adams County Arts Council
and to enable us to continue to serve  Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra
those who are truly in need.  The Gettysburg Review
 The Majestic Theater

RepMoul.com
 CONSUMER ALERT Wine a Growing
Beware of Propane Price Gouging Agribusiness
When it comes to buying propane in Pennsylvania, you in Adams County
would do well to shop around and become an informed
consumer. The wine industry is growing in Pennsylvania and a
Propane, which is made from oil and gas, is produced good example of that growth can be seen right here in Ad-
at two refineries in the U.S. Prices for propane shot up ams County. Franklin Township is home to three winer-
last year in response to higher oil prices and increased ies -- Adams County Winery, Hauser Estate Winery and
demand on domestic energy sources. However, as market the brand new Reid’s Orchard & Winery. Wineries play an
prices for oil and gas decreased, many propane retailers important role in the county’s agriculture and tourism in-
did not follow suit. In many cases, prices remained high dustries, complementing our many local fruit growers and
and consumers were expected to bear the cost. creating jobs.
Last winter, as oil and gas prices fell, my propane I had the occasion to tour two of these wineries during
dealer was still charging me almost $4 dollars per gallon. the recent harvest. The tours are being featured on Ad-
What’s worse, the statewide average price per gallon of ams Community Television (ACTV) over the next couple
propane at that time was $2.79! Upon further investiga- of months.
tion, I found that I was paying surcharges and fees that I
had never agreed to.
In order to ensure you are not paying too much for pro-
pane, consumers must do their homework. You can check
the average retail price for propane in Pennsylvania on the
U.S. Department of Energy Web site at www.energy.gov.
Also, be sure to check your local yellow pages. You will find
a listing of propane retailers who serve your area. Compare
costs and see if you’re getting your money’s worth.
If you do not own your own fuel tank, companies that
deliver propane will provide a tank in which to store your
fuel. This is not free, however. The price of your fuel will
include an additional amount to cover the cost of the tank
rental. Those fees may add substantially to the per gallon
price you pay. Moul gets a lesson on the aging process in winemaking
from winemaker Michelle Oaks on a recent tour of Hauser
You should also know that, as a practice, companies Estate Winery.
will not put fuel in a tank owned by another company,
therefore limiting your delivery choices to the company
that owns the tank. To avoid this and the tank rental fees,
and to afford yourself the flexibility to purchase fuel at the
lowest possible price, you can negotiate with your current
provider to purchase your tank at a depreciated price. You
would also do well to avoid signing lengthy contracts with
your provider.
I encourage you to challenge the prices and fees you
are being charged. If the cost seems too high, check the
U.S. Department of Energy Web site to compare prices
in your area.
Complacency is expensive, but being an informed
consumer will save you money. Moul and Adams County Winery co-owner John Kramb
watch as a fresh load of grapes is being prepared for
production.

Applications Available for Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program

Applications for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program are still available. Eligible participants can receive
a rebate of up to $650 based on income and rent or property taxes paid in 2008. The program benefits eligible Pennsylva-
nians who are at least 65 years old, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and persons 18 years or older with disabilities.
Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary income, property tax or rental information required to process claims
quickly and accurately. The application deadline has been extended to Dec. 31, 2009.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications are available by contacting my district office at (717) 334-3010 or by visiting my
Web site at www.RepMoul.com. To check the status of a rebate, individuals can visit my Web site and click on “Where’s
My Property Tax Refund?” To check the status of your rebate, you will need your Social Security number, date of birth and
anticipated rebate amount. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is one of many initiatives supported by the Pennsylvania
Lottery, which dedicates its proceeds to support programs for older Pennsylvanians. Since the program began in 1971, more
than $4 billion has been paid to qualified applicants.

Constituent Services
My staff and I are here to serve you.
If you need help with any state-related matter, please do not hesitate to contact us.
District Office 30 West Middle Street / Gettysburg, PA 17325 / 717-334-3010 / Toll Free 1-866-646-4915
Harrisburg Office G-32 Irvis Office Building / PO Box 202091 / Harrisburg, PA 17120-2091 / 717-783-5217

REPMOUL.COM