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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Activist says freshman lawmakers earn an 'F' on reform promises

Good story in the Herald-Standard by reporter Kori Walter, who asked reformer Gene Stilp to grade the 55 freshman lawmakers who took office in 2007 promising to usher a new era of reform in Harrisburg.

Stilp doesn't mince words in reviewing the freshman lawmakers' job performance so far:

"I would give the majority of the (freshman) class an 'F,' Stilp told the newspaper.

Read the full story, "Activist critical of new lawmakers," at the Herald-Standard Web site.

Stilp, who heads Taxpayers and Ratepayers United, also blasted freshman lawmakers for falling into line behind Majority Leader Bill DeWeese and for accepting perks such as taxpayer-paid vehicles, automatic COLAs and up to $150 per day expense accounts, according to the article.

"They walked in and took as much of the loot as they could," Stilp said of the freshman lawmakers.

Walter found a dense lawmaker who had the gall to say the Legislature had done a good job in 2007.

"We're a 'B' if not an 'A,'" said Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-South Union Township. "You are dealing with an institution that's been running the same way for a couple of hundred years. You are not going to change it in a year."

Sounds like Mahoney could spend the next 100 years in Harrisburg and still not have a clue.

Voters should take a close look at the 55 freshman in 2008 and get rid of the ones who failed to deliver on their promises to help clean up Harrisburg.

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