Legislators: Governor punishing them for budget vote
Gov. Tom Wolf
Jim McNutt/Observer-Reporter State Rep. Pete Daley, D-California, expresses his views about the election system at the League of Women Voters luncheon Friday at SpringHill Suites at Trinity Point in South Strabane Township.
Some Democratic state representatives are accusing the governor’s administration of making them go over a new hurdle to help constituents after they sided with Republicans to help bring a nine-month state budget impasse to a close.
All but two of the 13 House Democrats who voted for the GOP plan sent a letter to fellow Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday, saying state agencies have treated some of their staffs in a “dramatically different” way since they voted last month to approve a Republican-crafted supplemental budget, which Wolf opposed.
The lawmakers said in the letter that when their aides contacted state agencies about constituent services, they’re now redirected to the Office of Legislative Affairs, a separate office in the Wolf administration. The lawmakers say the change makes it harder for them to help constituents.
“I’ve experienced Democratic governors and Republican governors, and I’ve never seen a governor or his staff punish anyone in this way,” said Rep. Pete Daley, D-California, one of those who signed the letter.
The governor’s office denies anything has changed regarding constituent services. “Assisting the people of Pennsylvania is the governor’s top priority,” said Wolf spokesman Jeffrey Sheridan.
“Everything, as it always has, is being responded to in a timely and efficient manner,”he said.
Daley isn’t so sure.
On Monday an aide in his Donora office called the Department of Human Services. The aide was trying to help a senior citizen who receives assistance for her energy bill through one of the agency’s programs but had run out of money, and had asked Daley’s office for additional money to help pay her bill.
A Human Services official sent the aide to the Office of Legislative Affairs. On Thursday morning, Daley’s office still hadn’t received an answer.
“This is a minor, yes-no issue,” Daley said. “We’re not asking to build a bridge.”
Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, said state agencies began treating her office differently “as soon as I cast my yes vote.” Her signature is on the letter.
The directive appears only to apply to Democrats who voted with the Republican majority.
“I’m not aware of that procedure being utilized for any of our members,” House Republican spokesman Steve Miskin said.
House Democratic spokesman Bill Patton wasn’t aware of any Democrats in the House who voted against the supplemental budget who’ve had to go through the Office of Legislative Affairs for help. Patton said he hasn’t seen the letter, but “our understanding is there’s no problem here.”
“From what I’ve been told, there hasn’t been any change in answers or services, except that some legislators have been asked to call a different person,” he said.
Wolf allowed the supplemental budget to lapse into law late last month, ending a deadlock in Harrisburg that had held up money for education and other state-funded services during the fiscal year that began July 1.
Republicans included none of the new taxes that Wolf sought to boost state revenue.
In announcing his decision not to sign the supplemental plan, Wolf said it would increase the $2 billion deficit projected for next fiscal year by another $300 million.
Democrats who signed the letter to Wolf called their decision a “vote of necessity” to avoid school closures and other cuts to services.
“I don’t know what else could have been done to get the revenues that were needed to do what the administration wanted to do,” said, Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane, who also signed the letter.