Senator Jim Ferlo entered office in 2003 pledging to fight within the legislature for property tax reductions, address health care access, and to always be vigilant in protecting the environment and our shared history. Through the legislative process he has maintained his pledge by introducing and helping to enact important legislative initiatives.
One early success, along with passing new gaming legislation, was the significant reduction in school property taxes. Home owners annually receive hundreds of dollars in reductions in their school property taxes. Seniors fare even better, often times seeing their entire school property tax bill eliminated. The result of combining general property tax reduction with Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program money allowed approximately 120,000 Pennsylvania seniors to see an elimination of any school property tax in 2010. More details about the benefits of the gaming industry can be found at the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board website.
Senator Ferlo has introduced Senate Bill 400, known as the Family and Business Healthcare Security Act. This legislation would enact a statewide, comprehensive healthcare package for all Pennsylvanians. The proposal preserves patient choice, while at the same time creates cost-saving efficiencies that will improve the economics of healthcare in the Commonwealth. The Senator has annually built support for his proposal increasing his co-sponsors from three in 2005 to eight today. At the same time he is working statewide with Healthcare 4 All PA (http://www.healthcare4allpa.org/) and the Western Pennsylvania Single Payer Healthcare Coalition (http://wpasinglepayer.org/) to broaden support for the plan.
Protecting some of Pennsylvania’s most important assets, the environment and our historic places, has always been important to Senator Ferlo. Most recently, he has been front and center in the battle to ensure that the burgeoning natural gas drilling industry proceeds in the most environmentally sensitive ways possible. Senate Bill 680 embodies Senator Ferlo’s vision for balancing the protection of the environment and other endangered resources with the economic opportunity offered up by the drilling industry. The bill offers a reasonable tax, well site setbacks which protects Pennsylvanians and water supplies, improved bonding requirements to guard against pollution in the future and ensures that local zoning is kept strong to protect the character and uniqueness of our Commonwealth’s communities.
Though this is only a small fraction of the breadth of the legislative initiative the Senator has undertaken, they do reflect his legislative philosophy which is rooted in accessibility, accountability, and advocacy on behalf of his constituents. In order to get a fuller understanding of some of the ongoing legislative initiatives I have undertaken you can refer the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s webpage which tracks bills and other information for the Senate and House of Representatives.