EACHUS FAILED TO MAKE TOUGH CHOICES
On July 14, 2010 the Standard Speaker ran an article entitled “Eachus: More tough choices ahead.” The problem with this year’s budget is that only the taxpayers are being asked to make tough choices. The Legislature lined the budget with more money for themselves while decreasing services to such groups as Veterans (a $1.26 million reduction), student PHEAA grants (a $15.3 million decrease), and State Police (a $7.1 million decrease). While local libraries suffer from a statewide funding cut of $5.5 million dollars, the Arlen Specter Library is being created in Philadelphia with $10 million dollars of taxpayer money. This makes no sense. Are we supposed to drive our children to Philadelphia for good books?
This year, families had to make the tough choice of not going on vacation because they cannot afford it. At the same time, our legislature increased their own legislative budget by $1.3 million dollars. This is only to be expected from a representative who collected $26,000 in per diems last year ($10,000 of which were racked up during the budget impasse).
This is the same representative who voted himself a pay raise and gave himself a 50% pension increase. Currently, our legislature is under fire for being one of the most expensive, bloated legislatures in the country. It is also the subject of the Bonusgate Grand Jury investigation which alleges lawmakers are illegally using tax dollars to campaign and maintain their well-paid, well-perked positions. Increasing the legislative budget is an insult to the taxpayers and the agencies that will go without this year. This is a classic example of how our legislature treats us, the taxpayers: Do as I say and not as I do. We Deserve Better.
Showing posts with label Corruption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Corruption. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Toohil: Misuse of Taxpayer Money IS an ISSUE
My opponent has tried to ignore the Bonusgate Corruption Scandal where millions of dollars in BONUSES were paid out to state employees who did political work illegally on state time. This is the way my opponent has been running Harrisburg.
My opponent wants to ignore the fact that he collected over $27,000 worth of per diems in 2009 which he then used to purchase a second home for himself in Harrisburg. Per diems are supposed to go towards renting a hotel room and paying for food ($163 a day= $111 for hotel + $52 for food). Mr. Eachus, since you bought yourself a house and paid your own mortgage with taxpayer money... will you return the money to the taxpayers?
My opponent wants to ignore the fact that he collected over $27,000 worth of per diems in 2009 which he then used to purchase a second home for himself in Harrisburg. Per diems are supposed to go towards renting a hotel room and paying for food ($163 a day= $111 for hotel + $52 for food). Mr. Eachus, since you bought yourself a house and paid your own mortgage with taxpayer money... will you return the money to the taxpayers?
TOOHIL DEMANDS ANSWERS ON BONUSGATE CORRUPTION SCANDAL
Tarah Toohil Demands Answers on Bonusgate Corruption Scandal
Hazleton, PA – Candidate for Pennsylvania State Representative Tarah Toohil issued a demand for answers regarding the Bonusgate Corruption Scandal from incumbent Representative Eachus on Tuesday. Toohil stated, “Representative Eachus is a major player in the Bonusgate Scandal that has rocked the capital. His name has repeatedly surfaced in the Bonusgate investigation even being named as a close ally to convicted felon and former State Representative, Michael Veon.
According to published reports, Representative Eachus’s own aide, John Paul Jones, testified before the Grand Jury that Representative Eachus directed state employees to work primarily on political campaigns while on state time. Jones admitted that he did political work for Mr. Eachus while operating under the cover story that he was a legislative research specialist making $62,000 a year in state money. Jones testified, “That was sort of like the code of, here’s what I do, but really I was solely there as a political guy.”
To the present, Representative Eachus has repeatedly refused to answer questions regarding his involvement in the Bonusgate Scandal.
In an email to spokesman, David Georges, Toohil demanded answers to the following questions:
1. How much taxpayer money was spent on political work by state employees under your direction? During what time period did this occur?
2. Did you ever utilize state resources improperly in order to assist in campaigns?
3. Were you aware that your employees were doing political work on state time?
4. Have you ever used the term “soft dollars” in referencing state money that you directed to be used for political campaigning?
5. Did you personally make campaign phone calls out of your legislative office?
6. Did you direct John Paul Jones to do political work on state time?
7. Did you authorize bonuses (paid with state money) to state employees who did campaign work?
8. Have you discussed your involvement in Bonusgate with your employees or with your former ally and convicted felon Michael Veon?
9. Why do you refuse to answer questions from the media regarding your involvement in the Bonusgate Scandal?
It was requested that Representative Eachus respond with answers to these questions by 5:00 o’clock p.m. on Thursday, September 9, 2010. Toohil stated, “Representative Eachus, the people who put you in office deserve answers to these questions. They deserve to know the details of your involvement in the corruption scandal. As an elected official you do not have the right to remain silent when it comes to answering to the public.”
Hazleton, PA – Candidate for Pennsylvania State Representative Tarah Toohil issued a demand for answers regarding the Bonusgate Corruption Scandal from incumbent Representative Eachus on Tuesday. Toohil stated, “Representative Eachus is a major player in the Bonusgate Scandal that has rocked the capital. His name has repeatedly surfaced in the Bonusgate investigation even being named as a close ally to convicted felon and former State Representative, Michael Veon.
According to published reports, Representative Eachus’s own aide, John Paul Jones, testified before the Grand Jury that Representative Eachus directed state employees to work primarily on political campaigns while on state time. Jones admitted that he did political work for Mr. Eachus while operating under the cover story that he was a legislative research specialist making $62,000 a year in state money. Jones testified, “That was sort of like the code of, here’s what I do, but really I was solely there as a political guy.”
To the present, Representative Eachus has repeatedly refused to answer questions regarding his involvement in the Bonusgate Scandal.
In an email to spokesman, David Georges, Toohil demanded answers to the following questions:
1. How much taxpayer money was spent on political work by state employees under your direction? During what time period did this occur?
2. Did you ever utilize state resources improperly in order to assist in campaigns?
3. Were you aware that your employees were doing political work on state time?
4. Have you ever used the term “soft dollars” in referencing state money that you directed to be used for political campaigning?
5. Did you personally make campaign phone calls out of your legislative office?
6. Did you direct John Paul Jones to do political work on state time?
7. Did you authorize bonuses (paid with state money) to state employees who did campaign work?
8. Have you discussed your involvement in Bonusgate with your employees or with your former ally and convicted felon Michael Veon?
9. Why do you refuse to answer questions from the media regarding your involvement in the Bonusgate Scandal?
It was requested that Representative Eachus respond with answers to these questions by 5:00 o’clock p.m. on Thursday, September 9, 2010. Toohil stated, “Representative Eachus, the people who put you in office deserve answers to these questions. They deserve to know the details of your involvement in the corruption scandal. As an elected official you do not have the right to remain silent when it comes to answering to the public.”
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