January 8th, 2008
See this Pennsylvania news story, in which Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese denies knowing about bonuses for Democratic legislative staffers for doing political work. Although this particular newspaper story does not mention what kind of political work was involved, part of the work involved helping with the challenge to Ralph Nader’s petition in 2004.
The news about the scandal is coming at just the right time, as Nader is pressing ahead with his lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee and its alllies for its efforts to keep him off various state ballots in 2004, and also as he is fighting in court to keep his challengers from raiding his bank account.
www.ballot-access.org
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Issues Helpful Ballot Access Ruling
December 31st, 2007
On December 28, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court construed one particular state law favorably to ballot access, in the case titled In re: Nomination Petition of Paulmier, no. 172 EAL 2007.
The issue was a provision in the Pennsylvania Ethics Act that requires candidates for state and local office to reveal the sources of their income. The act does not apply to federal candidates. The Court ruled that if a candidate files the financial disclosure on time, and the form has an omission or error, the candidate may correct the error later. By contrast, the lower court had tried to keep the candidate off the ballot (the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had ordered him back on to the ballot, but until December 28, had not explained its reasoning).
The particular candidate in this case was Greg Paulmier, a Democrat who was running for Philadelphia city council.
The Court also ruled that in the case of a self-employed candidate, the law doesn’t require him or her to list all the people whom he does business with. It is sufficient for the candidate to reveal the name of his or her business, without trying to list all the customers of that business.
On December 28, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court construed one particular state law favorably to ballot access, in the case titled In re: Nomination Petition of Paulmier, no. 172 EAL 2007.
The issue was a provision in the Pennsylvania Ethics Act that requires candidates for state and local office to reveal the sources of their income. The act does not apply to federal candidates. The Court ruled that if a candidate files the financial disclosure on time, and the form has an omission or error, the candidate may correct the error later. By contrast, the lower court had tried to keep the candidate off the ballot (the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had ordered him back on to the ballot, but until December 28, had not explained its reasoning).
The particular candidate in this case was Greg Paulmier, a Democrat who was running for Philadelphia city council.
The Court also ruled that in the case of a self-employed candidate, the law doesn’t require him or her to list all the people whom he does business with. It is sufficient for the candidate to reveal the name of his or her business, without trying to list all the customers of that business.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Allegheny county meeting Tuesday
We will be meeting on Tuesday the 18th at Panera Bread on McKnight rd. The meeting runs from 7p-9p. This will be our last meeting of the year and if you have any suggestions for the new year please come to the meeting. We are trying to make it easy for everyone. I hope to see you there. If you have any questions please call me at 412-826-0516 or email me at jmurphpitt@hotmail.com.
Joe Murphy
Chairman
Joe Murphy
Chairman
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Ron Paul leading in Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- In a poll conducted Monday, Dec. 10, Channel 2 News asked which GOP presidential candidate Alaskan Republicans plan to support in the Super Tuesday caucus.
Ron Paul - 29%
Mike Huckabee - 22%
Rudy Giuliani - 14%
Fred Thompson - 12%
John McCain - 9%
Mitt Romney - 9%
Other - 6%
Ron Paul - 29%
Mike Huckabee - 22%
Rudy Giuliani - 14%
Fred Thompson - 12%
John McCain - 9%
Mitt Romney - 9%
Other - 6%
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Fawcett: Assessment flaws forced drink tax
Thursday, December 06, 2007
By Karamagi Rujumba, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In his eight years as a member of County Council, Dave Fawcett, R-Oakmont, considered himself a champion of small and efficient government.
So Allegheny County political observers and restaurateurs opposed to the 10 percent drink tax -- one of two new levies approved by council on Tuesday -- were stunned when Mr. Fawcett cast a decisive vote for the tax, which is part of a new dedicated funding stream for the Port Authority.
Mr. Fawcett, whose fights against the base year property assessment system and for the consolidation of county row offices established his credentials as one of council's fiscal conservatives, said he cast a vote for a new tax because of stark reality.
"We have come to a point in time when we're going to need more revenue as a county," he said. "There was no other option [to the drink tax]. I had proposed a compromise but it was not supported. And the thing that was extremely frustrating was that people have been ignoring the reality."
Mr. Fawcett's vote was critical for Mr. Onorato, who proposed the two new taxes, including a $2-a-day tax on car rentals, as a way of raising the $30 million county subsidy of the Port Authority.
Mr. Onorato had said a failure to enact the new taxes would force him to lay off up to 800 county employees.
Both taxes, and approval of the county's $727.5 million budget for next year, needed 10 votes of the 15-member council. Mr. Fawcett was the only Republican who voted with nine Democrats to approve the drink tax. He voted against the rental car tax.
Citing a lack of revenue for the county since the current base year plan for property assessments was implemented, Mr. Fawcett floated the idea of a 5 percent drink tax and a 0.29- mill property tax increase to balance the budget.
"The issue of the assessment is critical to understanding everything that occurred. I fought hard against that base assessment because I think it locks in inequities," he said yesterday.
"These restaurateurs are carrying the burden, but I don't think they are carrying the burden for Port Authority. They are carrying the load for those people who have gotten a free pass on their property taxes in the last few years," he added.
When his compromise was voted down, Mr. Fawcett said he was left with no option but to vote for the drink tax, even if it contradicted his principles as a fiscal conservative, because "you need revenue to run a government."
Karamagi Rujumba can be reached at krujumba@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1719.
First published on December 6, 2007 at 12:00 am
By Karamagi Rujumba, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In his eight years as a member of County Council, Dave Fawcett, R-Oakmont, considered himself a champion of small and efficient government.
So Allegheny County political observers and restaurateurs opposed to the 10 percent drink tax -- one of two new levies approved by council on Tuesday -- were stunned when Mr. Fawcett cast a decisive vote for the tax, which is part of a new dedicated funding stream for the Port Authority.
Mr. Fawcett, whose fights against the base year property assessment system and for the consolidation of county row offices established his credentials as one of council's fiscal conservatives, said he cast a vote for a new tax because of stark reality.
"We have come to a point in time when we're going to need more revenue as a county," he said. "There was no other option [to the drink tax]. I had proposed a compromise but it was not supported. And the thing that was extremely frustrating was that people have been ignoring the reality."
Mr. Fawcett's vote was critical for Mr. Onorato, who proposed the two new taxes, including a $2-a-day tax on car rentals, as a way of raising the $30 million county subsidy of the Port Authority.
Mr. Onorato had said a failure to enact the new taxes would force him to lay off up to 800 county employees.
Both taxes, and approval of the county's $727.5 million budget for next year, needed 10 votes of the 15-member council. Mr. Fawcett was the only Republican who voted with nine Democrats to approve the drink tax. He voted against the rental car tax.
Citing a lack of revenue for the county since the current base year plan for property assessments was implemented, Mr. Fawcett floated the idea of a 5 percent drink tax and a 0.29- mill property tax increase to balance the budget.
"The issue of the assessment is critical to understanding everything that occurred. I fought hard against that base assessment because I think it locks in inequities," he said yesterday.
"These restaurateurs are carrying the burden, but I don't think they are carrying the burden for Port Authority. They are carrying the load for those people who have gotten a free pass on their property taxes in the last few years," he added.
When his compromise was voted down, Mr. Fawcett said he was left with no option but to vote for the drink tax, even if it contradicted his principles as a fiscal conservative, because "you need revenue to run a government."
Karamagi Rujumba can be reached at krujumba@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1719.
First published on December 6, 2007 at 12:00 am
Ron Paul national events in coming week
Dec 08 215 E Main Street Rock Hill South Carolina
Event 1. Rock Hill Rally 11:00 AM ET
Farmer'’s Market Pavilion (Outdoors), 402 N Murray Ave, Anderson SC
Event 2. Anderson Rally 3:30 PM ET
300 Main Street, Greenville, SC
Event 3. Peace Center Rally (Outdoors) 7:30 PM ET
Dec 09 Univision, Miami, FL
Univision Debate
Dec 11 DeYager Student Activities Center, Dordt College, 498 – 4 Av NE, Sioux Center, IA
Event 1. Dordt College Speech 12:00 PM CT
Sioux City Convention Center, Upper Level, 801 – 4 St, Sioux City, IA
Event 2. Ron Paul Rally 2:45 PM CT
Mid America Center (Convention Center), Room A, 1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs, IA
Event 3. Ron Paul Rally 7:30 PM CT
Dec 12 PBS, C-SPAN, CNN, FoxNews
Des Moines Register's Republican Presidential Candidate Debate 1:00 PM (check local TV listings)
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Elwell Family Food Center, Des Moines, IA
Ron Paul Speaks to Rural & Middle America 6:00 PM CT
Dec 13 Eagles Hall (Fraternal Order of Eagles), 7977 Reno Hwy, Fallon, NV
Meeting with Churchill County Republicans 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM PT
Dec 14 PBS
Interview on NOW Check local listings
Red Lion Hotel and Casino, 2065 Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801
Meeting with Elko County Republicans 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Event 1. Rock Hill Rally 11:00 AM ET
Farmer'’s Market Pavilion (Outdoors), 402 N Murray Ave, Anderson SC
Event 2. Anderson Rally 3:30 PM ET
300 Main Street, Greenville, SC
Event 3. Peace Center Rally (Outdoors) 7:30 PM ET
Dec 09 Univision, Miami, FL
Univision Debate
Dec 11 DeYager Student Activities Center, Dordt College, 498 – 4 Av NE, Sioux Center, IA
Event 1. Dordt College Speech 12:00 PM CT
Sioux City Convention Center, Upper Level, 801 – 4 St, Sioux City, IA
Event 2. Ron Paul Rally 2:45 PM CT
Mid America Center (Convention Center), Room A, 1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs, IA
Event 3. Ron Paul Rally 7:30 PM CT
Dec 12 PBS, C-SPAN, CNN, FoxNews
Des Moines Register's Republican Presidential Candidate Debate 1:00 PM (check local TV listings)
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Elwell Family Food Center, Des Moines, IA
Ron Paul Speaks to Rural & Middle America 6:00 PM CT
Dec 13 Eagles Hall (Fraternal Order of Eagles), 7977 Reno Hwy, Fallon, NV
Meeting with Churchill County Republicans 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM PT
Dec 14 PBS
Interview on NOW Check local listings
Red Lion Hotel and Casino, 2065 Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801
Meeting with Elko County Republicans 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)