Capital Rants

A fix for unfair parking tickets

By MARK FRANKLIN

Imagine going to your mailbox and finding a notice for an overdue parking ticket. Imagine the ticket was from someplace you know you didn’t visit on the date the ticket was supposedly issued.

State Rep. Ron Miller, R-Jacobus, says he gets several of those calls each year.

He admits running into a case or two where the constituent was mistaken. Perhaps that individual didn’t get the ticket, but another driver in the family did, without sharing the information.

But the vast majority of the calls, Miller says, are legitimate complaints. In one case, the ticket was issued to a UPS truck. But the late notice wound up in the mailbox of a resident living in Miller’s district. By that time, late fees and court costs had been tacked on. And sometimes the late notice is accompanied by a threat to revoke the individual’s drivers’ license if the fine isn’t paid.

“Getting a notice like that is scary, especially if you’ve never been to the municipality (that issued the ticket),” Miller said. “Mostly, it’s carelessness. Someone transposes the numbers on the license plate when they’re writing the ticket.”

So Miller has come up with a solution, in the form of House Bill 2107. It would require the department issuing the ticket to take a photo — a photo that shows the back of the offending vehicle and the license plate.

The photo would have to accompany parking ticket notices mailed to the owner of the offending vehicle. Without the photo, the ticket would be void.

His legislation has 25 co-sponsors, including state Rep. Stan Saylor, R-Windsor Township.

When I heard about the proposal, my first reaction was, “Wow, that’s going to create a lot of extra work for police departments.” I mean, let’s remember, this would be a state law. This wouldn’t just apply to police departments in Pittsburgh, Philly and Erie.

York City would have to take a photo each time a parking ticket is issued. So would the Hanover Police Department, the Wrightsville Police Department and all the other police departments out there. Write a ticket, and you’d better take a photo.

I can’t imagine police departments rushing to endorse the idea.

But Miller doesn’t see the workload as a concern.

“Twenty years ago, that would have been a problem,” he said. “You might have needed a special camera. You would have to get film developed. But with digital cameras and people taking photos with cell phones, I think the technology has advanced to the place where we can do this.”

One thing is certain — it’s difficult to transpose license plate numbers in a photograph. And it’s a little difficult to mistake a UPS truck for a passenger car.

A school funding credibility crisis

By MARK FRANKLIN

Congratulations to state Rep. Beverly Mackereth and the other local state lawmakers who for years have been harping about the need for a new school funding formula in Pennsylvania.

They scored a major victory earlier this week when the House voted, 192-2, to form a committee that would study the issue. When interviewed earlier this week, Mackereth said she’s optimistic the overwhelming vote indicates a shift in attitude in Harrisburg — an acknowledgement by lawmakers throughout the state that the time has arrived to address inequities in the funding formula.

But she also recognizes Tuesday’s vote represents just one small step in the right direction. Next up: the Senate Education Committee, which will decide whether to move the bill for a vote by the full Senate.

I’m probably less optimistic than Mackereth that we will see a funding formula change anytime in the near future.

I’m haunted by the fact that it took lawmakers three years to change the method of collecting the $52 local services tax — in spite of the fact that every single taxpayer was going to benefit from the change.

In the case of the funding formula, voting for a committee to study the issue is one thing. The true test will come when lawmakers are asked to vote for a formula that would be less favorable to schools in their district.

Let’s remember, the goal is to direct more money to growing school districts. The following fact might surprise York County residents used to seeing open space disappear at an alarming rate: According to the U.S. Census, the majority of Pennsylvania counties lost population between 2000 and 2006. That translates into lots of lawmakers with nothing to gain from a funding formula change.

If you’re looking for reasons for optimism, there are at least two.

First, the bill up for consideration includes a “hold harmless” clause. Put simply, that means no school district will lose funding as a result of any formula change.

Second, at some point lawmakers have to recognize the state faces a huge credibility crisis. State officials are forever meddling in school district business, acting like the state knows best on most matters (witness the state Board of Education vote in favor of new graduation tests yesterday). Yet the state can’t distribute its own money to schools in a fair fashion. Little wonder school officials often seem so skeptical of state interference.

If you’re looking for a third reason for optimistic, it would be the persistence of our longtime state reps. Steve Nickol, Ron Miller and Stan Saylor also spring instantly to mind. As long as they’re in office, they’re not about to let the issue die.

They’re to be applauded for their efforts. At some point, it just might pay off.

The three don’ts of tax reform

By MARK FRANKLIN

So, state House members are taking up the issue of tax reform again.

I don’t know whether to pop the cork on a bottle of champagne or cringe in fear over what’s to come.

Celebrating would be in order because more needs to be done about escalating property taxes. After all, the amount a typical homeowner will save from the highly-touted tax relief on its way for the 2008-09 school year is going to seem like a pittance, especially once all the York County school districts raise taxes again.

But the inclination to celebrate is tempered by the state Legislature’s track record for dealing with tax reform. If it had to be summed up in one word, the word would be pathetic. Remember the Act 1 fiasco, the tax tradeoff voters almost universally rejected in last year’s election?

So here’s some advice for lawmakers as they wade into those complicated tax reform waters once more.

DO NOT consider an increase in the income tax unless you’re willing to switch from an earned income tax to a personal income tax.

There’s absolutely no excuse for taking more money from working folks while refusing to tax certain investment and pension income. State lawmakers can’t possibly be oblivious to the influx of well-off retirees who flee to Pennsylvania, knowing their fat-cat pensions won’t be taxed.

DO NOT attempt to disguise a tax increase as part of the tax reform effort. A year ago, Gov. Ed Rendell was pushing for a sales tax increase to provide property tax relief.

Problem was, only part of the revenue raised from the sales tax increase would go to property tax relief under that proposal. Some of the revenue would have been diverted for other uses.

The temptation to divert revenue for other uses might be even greater this year if an economic slowdown also slows the flow of tax revenue into state coffers.

DO NOT enact tax reform without taking more measures to control school district spending. School districts were singing the budget blues when the last version of tax reform passed in the summer of 2006. The mantra was along the lines of: “How will we possibly survive?”

Yet nearly every school board got the state’s permission to raise taxes above its inflation index last year, without voter approval. Yet local school boards have managed to approve such essential expenses as artificial turf fields and new sports teams in the past year. And let’s not forget Central’s $4.7 million pool.

Most damning of all, the state asked school districts to apply for free consulting help on ways to save money. Nine York County school districts — Central, Dover, Eastern, Hanover Public, Red Lion, South Eastern, South Western, Southern and West York — decided the state’s Common Cents program would be too much bother. Three of those districts — Red Lion, Dallastown and Central — raised taxes by more than 60 percent in a seven-year span between 1998-99 and 2005-06.

Passing another version of tax reform without tighter spending controls will ensure just one thing: We’ll be looking for property tax relief again a few years from now.

Front-row seat for smoking debate

By MARK FRANKLIN

Mid-February. That’s when the state Legislature might be ready to vote on long anticipated smoking ban legislation, by state Rep. Ron Miller’s estimate.

Miller, R-Jacobus, has a front-row seat for the debate. He’s one of six lawmakers serving on a conference committee charged with hashing out a compromise proposal after the House and Senate passed different versions of a smoking ban last year.

Both bills would have banned smoking in most public places and workplaces. The Senate bill provided exceptions for portions of casinos, nursing homes, addiction treatment centers and bars where food makes up less than 20 percent of sales.

The House bill not only included fewer exceptions, it also allowed municipalities to adopt smoking bans stricter than state law. It was rejected in the Senate by a 36-13 margin.

Enter the conference committee. Once its members reach a consensus, the proposal will go directly to the House and Senate for a vote with no chance for amendments (aka further tinkering).

Miller says the committee is making progress and has vowed to meet weekly until it’s work is done.

You’ll recall Miller introduced his own piece of compromise legislation on the issue last year. That bill would have left the decision on whether to go smoke free up to the business owner.

Among the key provisions: Individuals under 18 would have been prohibited from entering an establishment that allowed smoking without a parent or legal guardian. The business would have to post signs at all entrances announcing that it permits smoking, and the signs would have to be visible from 15 feet away. And employees would be eligible for unemployment benefits if they opted to look for work elsewhere because of the decision to allow smoking.

Miller said Monday he thinks such a bill “could pass.” But he said he’s not pushing the proposal. He doesn’t think touting one’s own proposal should be the role of a member of the conference committee.

“I don’t particularly favor a total ban for everyone,” he said. “If we allow the free market to do this, we’ll wind up there anyway. When a place goes smoke free, it sees an increase in business. My gut feeling is that if we allow the market to do it, I think we’ll see 95 percent go smoke free almost immediately.”

Personally, I prefer Miller’s approach. Nudge restaurants and bars toward smoke-free status. Let consumers do the rest with their pocketbooks. The Roosevelt Tavern went smoke free at the start of the year, and is benefitting from increased business as a result, according to its general manager. If that’s the case, others will follow, though Miller’s 95 percent figure might be a bit optimistic.

Problem is, Miller’s nudge might pass muster in the House and Senate, but it’s not likely to secure the governor’s signature. Gov. Rendell threatened to veto the Senate proposal last summer because he considered it too lenient.

Stay tuned. If Miller’s correct, the smoking ban debate will soon jump back into the forefront in Harrisburg.

Lottery catches the ‘Idol’ craze

By Mark Franklin

The start of season seven of “American Idol'’ is just a week away.

But for those who just can’t wait for Idol 2008 … well, you could always make a run to the Colonial Park Mall in Harrisburg Saturday afternoon.

Believe it or not, the Pennsylvania State Lottery is joining in the Idol craze.

The lottery is unveiling an “American Idol” instant game this month. And it’s launching the endeavor with karaoke events at seven shopping malls over the next three weekends.
The closest to York is the one running from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Colonial Park Mall.

The first 50 visitors get a free $5 “American Idol” scratch-off ticket … as long as they sing.
Hey, if that’s not enough of an enticement, those who stop by the booth can also have their photo taken with a cardboard cutout of Gus, the lottery’s mascot, typically touted as the second most popular groundhog in Pennsylvania.

Personally, I think I’ll skip the event. It’s going to take a lot more than $5 in gas to get to Harrisburg and back. And the only place I sing is in a car (when I’m alone) or behind closed doors. Yeah, that bad.

As for the game, I wince at forking over more than $1 for any type of lottery ticket.
But, hey, best of luck to those who play. Accumulate three losing tickets — yikes, that’s $15 worth — and you can enter a second-chance drawing where 10 lucky individuals will win a trip for two to the “American Idol'’ finale.

And best of luck to the lottery folks. When you’re competing against Pennsylvania’s spanking new slots parlors, I guess you need new gimmicks.

As for the real Idol, yeah, I’ll be watching Tuesday. The audition shows quickly grow tiresome. But watching the competition between the final 12 is one of my guilty pleasures.