The federal government wants to plunge American taxpayers deeper into debt with the $700 billion bailout of the financial community. On a smaller scale, Gov. Ed Rendell wants to send Pennsylvania deeper into debt with a $400 million plan to pay for water and sewer projects.
When Pennsylvania voters go to the polls on Nov. 4, they will be asked to approve a referendum authorizing Rendell to borrow $400 million to provide grants and loans to municipalities and public utilities for the water and sewer infrastructure projects.
I don't know about you, but I'll all tapped out. I'm voting "NO" on the referendum question.
State spending has increased by $8 billion since Gov. Rendell took office in 2003. And Rendell also increased the state debt by $3 billion. Where did the $8 billion go? I know that at least $1 billion went for no-bid contracts Rendell awarded to political cronies. As for the rest, it's anyone's guess.
I do know Rendell included $800 million in spending for water and sewer projects in his $28.3 billion General Fund budget this year, but that budget is hemorrhaging red ink and the state could end up facing a $1 billion deficit by the end of the fiscal year.
Rendell spent an entire week on a bus this summer stopping at various places across the state to hand out hundreds of millions of dollars in giant checks to various public and private interests. He's addicted to spending other people's money.
I'm tired of Rendell spending my money. I'm voting "NO" on the referendum question on Nov. 4 and I urge my fellow Pennsylvanians to do likewise.
We have to draw a line in the sand. It looks like taxpayers won't get a say in the Wall Street bailout, but at least Pennsylvania voters can have a say in how much more debt the politicians pile on.
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