STATE REPRESENTATIVE PRSRT STD

Martin Causer
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
HARRISBURG, PA
67th Legislative District PERMIT NO. 529

PO Box 202067
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2067

Upcoming E V E N T S
Emporium Smethport Coudersport
Town Hall Town Hall Office
Meeting Meeting Open House
Thursday, Nov. 12 Thursday, Nov. 19 Thursday, Dec. 10
5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 3-6 p.m.
Emporium Fire Hall, County 911 Building, 107 South Main St.,
418 North Broad St., 17175 Route 6, Room 1,
Emporium Smethport Coudersport
No registration necessary.

Attention Vietnam Veterans!

Vietnam Era veterans living in the 67th Legislative District will be honored for their service at a
ceremony next spring.
It has been my pleasure to host similar recognition ceremonies for World War II and Korean War veterans
in the past, and I am honored to have the opportunity to do the same for veterans of the Vietnam era. These
men and women are as dedicated as any veterans in our nation’s history, but in many cases, they were not
welcomed home as the heroic patriots that they are.
To take part in the ceremony, please register by contacting my offices in Bradford or Coudersport
and providing the following information: name, home address, phone number, rank and branch of
service. Veterans can also register online at www.RepCauser.com. You will be contacted early next
year with additional information about the ceremony, at which you will receive a certificate and
commemorative medal.
The 67th Legislative District consists of all of Cameron and Potter Counties. The district includes the
following areas in McKean County: The City of Bradford and the Townships of Annin, Bradford, Ceres,
Corydon, Eldred, Foster, Keating, Liberty, Norwich, Otto and Sergeant and the Boroughs of Eldred,
Lewis Run, Port Allegany and Smethport.
 Challenging Times Ahead for PA
State budget exhausts available reserves, fails to make adequate spending cuts
There’s no question that this I voted against this budget Senate were successful in our ef-
year’s state budget was the most because I am deeply concerned forts to force the governor to spend
difficult one I’ve faced in my seven that we will be facing significant less than he would have liked. In
years in the state House. But if the tax increases in the next couple of fact, the final budget spent $1 bil-
economy does not improve sig- years. lion less than what the governor
nificantly over the coming months, I am also disappointed in the originally proposed in February.
next year could be just as difficult. administration’s refusal to address It also spent less money than last
This year’s budget balanced fraud and abuse at the state De- year’s budget – that’s the first time
without any broad-based tax hikes, partment of Public Welfare. Our that has happened in quite some
but that was achieved primarily investment in welfare programs time.
through the use of one-time re- exceeds any other single appro- I am also pleased we were able
serve accounts and other short- priation in the budget. We owe it to stop the governor’s proposed in-
term funds, not by substantial to hard-working Pennsylvanians to crease in the Personal Income Tax
reductions in spending. When it ensure this money is going only to and to prevent any broad-based
comes time to formulate our bud- the people who truly need it. sales tax hike.
get next year, most of those funds Despite these concerns and my There are good points and bad
– which amount to about $2.2 bil- negative vote, I believe this budget points in every budget. Ultimately,
lion – won’t be there to cover the could have been worse. I could not support this budget be-
additional spending. Republicans in the House and cause it fails to plan for the future.

Home Heating A Win for Gun Owners’ Rights

Assistance Earlier this year, I learned the Pennsylvania State Police had been
requiring gun dealers to fill out handgun Records of Sale (ROS) for the
Available purchase of certain long-barreled firearms and limiting the sale of such
firearms to in-state residents over 21 years of age in direct contradiction
Area residents in need of heat- to the state’s Uniform Firearms Act.
ing assistance can apply for help The act is very specific about what qualifies as a handgun and requires
through the state’s Low Income the ROS form. However, the state police commissioner claimed that, based
Home Energy Assistance Program on guidance from federal agencies, certain long-barreled firearms that could
(LIHEAP). The cash grant program “readily be converted” to a handgun should also require the form.
opens Nov. 2, while crisis grants will This language is found nowhere in state law or federal law.
become available in January 2010. After months of pressuring the agency to come up with evidence to back
Households with an annual in- up its flawed policy, State Police Commissioner Frank Pawlowski sought
come of up to 150 percent of the an official opinion on the issue from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
federal poverty level may qualify for and Firearms. I am pleased to report the ATF reaffirmed my position that as
cash grants to help pay their home long as the guns in question meet the definition of a long-barreled firearm
heating bills and crisis grants for un- at the time of transfer, they should not be considered or dealt with in the
expected fuel shortages or furnace same fashion as a handgun.
purchases or repairs. People need Commissioner Pawlowski recently conceded this position and indi-
not have an unpaid bill to receive cated he will be providing gun dealers with “appropriate guidance” on this
energy assistance, and they need issue.
not be on welfare. I am pleased to be able to fend off yet another attack on our Second
To apply for LIHEAP, call or visit Amendment rights and will continue to work to protect those rights.
the local county assistance office to As a former law enforcement officer, I strongly support the work of our
set up an appointment: state and local law enforcement officers. But in this case, the state police
should stick to enforcing the law rather than trying to rewrite it.
• Cameron County
814-486-3757. Contact me:
• McKean County HARRISBURG OFFICE:
814-362-4671. PO Box 202067, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2067
• Potter County Phone: (717) 787-5075 Fax: (717) 705-7021
814-274-4900.
DISTRICT OFFICES:
Assistance is also available by 78 Main Street, 1st Floor, Bradford, PA 16701
calling the toll-free LIHEAP hotline Phone: (814) 362-4400 Fax: (814) 362-4405
at 1-866-857-7095 (individuals with
107 South Main Street, Room 1, Coudersport, PA 16915
hearing impairments may call the
Phone: (814) 274-9769 Fax: (814) 274-8159
TDD number at 1-800-451-5886). Or
visit www.RepCauser.com. E-mail: [email protected] Toll-free 1-866-437-8181

www.RepCauser.com