Open letter to the governor

Dear Governor Rendell, Have you ever wondered why politicians, politics and government receive black eyes from the public and the press? Decisions! Improper decisions! You and your friend, President-elect Barack Obama will and are hurting the very people you are claiming to be helping; the taxpaying citizens. Pennsylvania and the United States are bleeding red ink. By law, Pennsylvania’s budget must be balanced. By your own words, we must reduce spending as we’re facing nearly a $2 billion budget deficit shortfall in this fiscal year. To your credit, you, along with many other state employees have refused your annual COLA’s. You have supposedly reduced and in some cases eliminated unnecessary spending. You have imposed a hiring freeze on most state agencies. All these actions will help reduce the deficit. Why? Why then did you create a $95,002 position of senior adviser for the Pennsylvania Wilds? Out of curiosity, what’s the $2 for in the $95,002? Why not just $95,000? Remember, we still have an active illegal bonus investigation continuing by our Attorney General, Tom Corbett. In a letter sent to you this week by six responsible legislators including my Representative Glen Grell of the 87th Legislative District; they stated in the second paragraph - “Bluntly, we are troubled by the recent news that you have hired former House Democrat leader Dan Surra to fill an apparently specially-created, $95,000-plus-per-year job with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). We feel this is truly an egregious slap in the face to hard-working Pennsylvanians across this Commonwealth.” I concur! Why the special treatment of a former politician? Is it you owed Dan Surra a favor for the many votes he has cast in your favor? Mr. Surra does not need the financial help as he spent 18 years as a state representative. With the help of his many votes for benefits of current and retiring legislators; the taxpayers will take care of his needs for life. Must we now add to our deficit over $95,000.00 annually in addition to his already financial stability? I wonder what the present employees in the DCNR must be thinking. Your actions have proved cronyism and nepotism still continue as a way of life in our state government. This is further proof that Pennsylvania is in desperate need of change, permanent change. This will only happen with a Constitutional Convention. Until that happens, we can expect more of the same old, tired politics and the associated costs. As usual, a signed hardcopy of this letter will be sent to you. Never having received a reply in the past, I do not expect one. I do expect you to address the six responsible legislators and their concerns. Bill McIntyre Camp Hill