Scarnati Blasts DCNR's Quigley
A confirmation hearing was held today for Acting Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary John Quigley, and Senate President Pro Tempore took that opportunity to address the Rendell Administration's use of hyperbole in an effort to get support for a tax increase.
"The scare tactics that this administration has put out on state parks, on sex offenders being let loose on our streets, people in wheelchairs being abandoned in parks is shameless," Scarnati said. "The Pennsylvania taxpayer needs to know this is a scare tactic that isn't going to work."
"I would suggest that you and others," he told Quigley, "look at opportunities to do a job that keeps Pennsylvania services at a level they need to be, and not use scare tactics."
Besides the closing of state parks, Governor Ed Rendell has said that 800 state troopers would lose their jobs making it impossible to keep tabs on Megan's Law offenders; veterans homes would close; thousands of children wouldn't be eligible for health insurance; and spraying for West Nile Virus couldn't be done.
Scarnati went on to say that in 2003 Rendell cut $10 million from DCNR's budget and no news releases were issued saying state parks were going to close, garbage wasn't going to be hauled away and services were going to be cut.
"Never heard a whisper," he said. "Not a word."
This year, he said, Rendell cut DCNR's budget by 4.5 percent and, still, no news releases. But when the senate "cut a little more, all of a sudden the nuclear winter was going to come."
DCNR has said that as many as 50 state parks – including Kinzua Bridge State Park – would have close under the Senate Republicans' budget proposal.
"I think that is irreparable harm to the tourism industry in Pennsylvania, to those in Pennsylvania who have an income and make a living off the tourism coming in with the state parks," Scarnati said.
Quigley did promise Scarnati that he would look for every possible solution to avoid impacting state parks.
As for the confirmation hearing, Quigley's nomination was moved to the Senate floor for consideration.
"The scare tactics that this administration has put out on state parks, on sex offenders being let loose on our streets, people in wheelchairs being abandoned in parks is shameless," Scarnati said. "The Pennsylvania taxpayer needs to know this is a scare tactic that isn't going to work."
"I would suggest that you and others," he told Quigley, "look at opportunities to do a job that keeps Pennsylvania services at a level they need to be, and not use scare tactics."
Besides the closing of state parks, Governor Ed Rendell has said that 800 state troopers would lose their jobs making it impossible to keep tabs on Megan's Law offenders; veterans homes would close; thousands of children wouldn't be eligible for health insurance; and spraying for West Nile Virus couldn't be done.
Scarnati went on to say that in 2003 Rendell cut $10 million from DCNR's budget and no news releases were issued saying state parks were going to close, garbage wasn't going to be hauled away and services were going to be cut.
"Never heard a whisper," he said. "Not a word."
This year, he said, Rendell cut DCNR's budget by 4.5 percent and, still, no news releases. But when the senate "cut a little more, all of a sudden the nuclear winter was going to come."
DCNR has said that as many as 50 state parks – including Kinzua Bridge State Park – would have close under the Senate Republicans' budget proposal.
"I think that is irreparable harm to the tourism industry in Pennsylvania, to those in Pennsylvania who have an income and make a living off the tourism coming in with the state parks," Scarnati said.
Quigley did promise Scarnati that he would look for every possible solution to avoid impacting state parks.
As for the confirmation hearing, Quigley's nomination was moved to the Senate floor for consideration.
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