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Summer 2009

REPRESENTAT IVE

RANDYVULAKOVICH30th Legislative District

Vulakovich Working To Advance Trust-Restoring Reforms

Visit RepVulakovich.com

Moments after being sworn in for his secondterm in office on the House floor, RepresentativeVulakovich and his wife Bobbie paused fora photograph in front of the Capitol RotundaChristmas tree.

How My OfficeCan Help You

PACE/PACENETapplications

Property Tax/RentRebate forms

Copies andstatus reports oflegislation beforethe GeneralAssembly

Voter registrationforms andabsentee ballotapplications

Birth and deathcertificates

State tax forms

Referrals toagencies toresolve state-related problems

Driver licensesand registrations

Dear Friends:

Welcome to my Summer 2009 newsletter.

This will most likely be one of the worst years inPennsylvanias history. A more than $3 billion deficitwill demand heart-wrenching budget cuts. Forthcomingriminal charges involving public corruption cast an even

larger black cloud over our states Capitol.

Due in large part to the criminal actions ofeveral elected officials and organizations, most

Pennsylvanians have legitimately lost trust in much oftate government.

t is the ethical and moral responsibility of everyelected official to do the right thing, the righ way andfor the right reasons. Anything less is an insult to thepeople that have placed their faith in us to serve themhonorably. I promise to continue to work tirelessly to

advance government reform to bring back that losttrust.

As one of 50 state lawmakers elected to office in Nov. 2006 on a government reform platform,let me assure you that establishing and maintaining ethical behavior, government transparencyand fiscal responsibility will always be among my highest priorities.

t is for all these reasons that I am co-sponsoring more than 50 pieces of substantive reformlegislation. Throughout this newsletter is a list and brief descriptions of the most importantreform bills I am supporting and will be working to advance during the 2009-2010 legislativeession to make things right!

inally be sure not to miss the extensive calendar of upcoming Community Events featuredon the enclosed insert. f you have any questions or would like to discuss a particular stategovernment issue in further detail, please feel free to stop by or contact my district office at (412)487-6600 My staff and I are here to work with you.

Serving the 30th District,

Randy VulakovichState Representative

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Gaming and Health Care Reform

Vulakovich and House Republican Health Care Task Force OfferProposals to Help All Pennsylvanians

While the debate on Americas health care system falls a close second to the current economic situation, health care costs continueo skyrocket. It is times like these when necessity prompts new ideas and new solutions to make life easier for every Pennsylvanian.

However, community leaders and legislators must be careful in their approach to this very complex issue. For this reason, all initiatives,regardless of political origin, must be considered and debated so that a cost effective and quality health care plan can be developed thatwill benefit all Pennsylvanians.

As a member of the House Republican Health Care TaskForce I continue to participate in public hearings and other meetingshroughout the Commonwealth in an effort to deliver a comprehensivereform plan that lowers health care costs for all Pennsylvanians, withoutraising taxes, while maintaining the highest level of quality medicalare.

In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to provide a$1,000 tax creditto individuals and working families who purchasehealth insurance if their employer does not provide such coverage.

Finally, as one of the original state House members to begin

oluntarily contributing 1 percent of my monthly salary to pay for healthinsurance in July 2008, recently I introduced House Resolution 132officially directing the Bipartisan Management Committee to establisha process to allow all 203 House members and employees to beginontributing toward their health care benefits--just like an ever-growing

amount of working Pennsylvania families must do.

For the latest House RepublicanHealth Care Task Force updates, visit

RepVulakovich.com

Vulakovich Continues Push for Independent Gaming OversightWith No Additional Tax Increases

PA House Gaming Oversight Committee

House Bill 852:

House Bill 1297:

$1 million per year

House Bill 1344:House Bill 1297

Rep. Vulakovich has been appointed to serve on the PA House Aging and OlderAdult Services, Environmental Resources and Energy and Gaming Oversightcommittees for the 2009-10 legislative session.

Held at Nova Chemicals in Coraopolis and attended by more than two dozen doctors andother regional health care experts, Rep. Vulakovich was joined at the Greater Pittsburgh

Area Health Care Forum (Back Row from Left to Right) by Reps. John Maher (R-UpperSt. Clair); Jim Marshall (R-Big Beaver) and Mike Turzai (R-Bradford Woods) and (Front

Row from Left) Dr. Neal Fanelli and Rep. Mark Mustio (R-Moon Township).

Stay in touch with Representative Vul

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Legislature Reduction andFiscal Reform

House Bill 55: Increased accountability creditability and

dramatic taxpayer savings, hese are just some of the manyreasons that this legislation to substantially downsize the Penn-sylvania General Assembly, Americas second largest andsecond most expensive state Legislature must be enacted.

House Bill 113: prohibits state lawmakers from receivingan annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) unless staterevenue projections are met as ofOctober 1 for each year.

House Bill 698: ensures Pennsylvania Lottery Fundrevenue will be used strictly to provide benefits and services

forolder Pennsylvanians as originally intended.

House Bill 854: authorizes the Auditor General to conduct aperformance audit on every state government program.

House Bill 937: facilitates on-time state budget process andsuspends state lawmaker pay or every late budget

House Bill 991: creates legislative oversight council tomonitor statewide distribution o federal stimulus revenue

House Bill 1057: prevents legislative staff rom receiving aCOLA orsalary increase during 2009 ( ould potentially save$3.5 million).

House Bill 1058: establishes $60 million operating fund tohandle potential budget impasse (could potentially save $65million o $140 million ).

House Bill 1059: eliminates Discretionary Legislative Grants( ormerly known as WAMs

orWalking AroundMoney to potentially save $250 million to $600 million).

House Bill 1061: changes Pension System or legislatorsonly rom defined benefits to a defined contributionsystem.

House Bill 1100: the Tax and Expenditure Limitation Actwould constitutionally limit state government spending tothe concurrent rate ofinflation and population growth

House Bill 1131: calls forlimited constitutionalconvention

focusing on public official salaries size ofPennsylvania General Assembly government spending limits

and education funding

House Bill 1432: places limitations annuity amountthat state government pension plan members can receive atretirement

House Bill 1554: creates a part-time legislature limits legis-lative session time in Harrisburg and provides for a biennialstate budget process

2009-2010 Reform Priorities

House Republican Whip Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) presents RepresentativeVulakovich with a certificate of commendation for attending all 2007-08 Housevoting sessions.

Election, Ethics andOpen Records Reform

House Bill 166: establishes a maximum ofthree consecutive four year terms for both stateRepresentatives and state Senators to serve in anyone office

House Bill 320: taxpayer-funded Public ServiceAnnouncements will no longer identify statelawmakers o avoid use as a campaign tool

House Bill 636: eliminates lame duck votingsessions unless necessary, forspecial orextraordinarycircumstances.

House Bill 1001: strengthens state employee whistleblower protections by creating a fully independent Officeof Inspector General

House Bill 1227: provides strict rules relative to politicalphone calls and election campaigns.

Pay to Play Politics, Lobbyingand State Contracting Reform

House Bill 384: he Private Attorney RetentionSunshine Act would require open and competitive biddingfor any government contract exceeding $500,000

House Bill 812: establishes Income EligibilityVerification System (IEVS) to find and root outgovernment fraud.

House Bill 1368: enhances penalties for any lobbyist

found to be in violation, non-compliance or negligently failing

o register with the Department of State.

House Bill 1383: requires a cost-benefit analysis o beompletedon all state government contracts exceeding

$500,00 before being awarded.

House Bill 1460: establishes he PennWATCHearchable online database to allow taxpayers to accurately

monitor all state government spending includingvendor information and state governmentcontracts.

kovich by visiting RepVulakovich.com

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STATE REPRESENTATIVE RANDY VULAKOVICH

District Digest

DISTRICT OFFICE: 1407 Mt. Royal Boulevard, Glenshaw, PA 15116 / Phone: (412) 487-6600 / Fax: (412) 487-6607

HARRISBURG OFFICE: 08 Irvis Office Building, PO Box 202030, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2030 / Phone: (717) 260-6407 / Fax: (717) 783-5740

Visit RepVulakovich.com

District 30 Volunteer First Responders ReceiveNearly $120,000 in State Assistance

Twelve $119,851

at least 80 percent

Representative Vulakovich and members of the American Legion Ridersvisit long-term care patients at the Heinz Division VA medical center.

Wheres My Property Tax/Rent Rebate?

Find Out at RepVulakovich.com

Property Tax/Rent RebateDec. 31, 2009

RepVulakovich.com

July 1

RepVulakovich.com Wheres My Property Tax Refund?