When residents go to the polls on May 17 for the Municipal Primary Election, they will be faced with deciding on a ballot question that will impact Pennsylvania's environmental future.

Voters will be asked to decide whether the Commonwealth should borrow $625 million to fund environmental initiatives under the state's Growing Greener program.

This is an important issue that has been heavily debated in the state Legislature over the past year.

The governor first developed a plan called Growing Greener II, which would have increased taxes on Pennsylvania residents to reach the state's environmental funding goals.

Republicans, also recognizing the need for a long-term commitment to the state's environmental initiatives, developed a plan known as Green PA. This plan would fund the state's primary environmental programs without any new or increased taxes.

Both plans originally targeted borrowing of up to $800 million.

However, on April 13 a compromise was reached with the House, Senate, and the governor's office to reduce borrowing to $625 million. The governor signed the legislation immediately into law so that it could be included on the ballot in time for the Primary Election.

The intent behind the measure is to fund environmental initiatives without any new or increased taxes or fees for residents or businesses. It will be up to you, the voters, to decide the fate of this environmental program.

The ballot question voters will see when they go to the polls states: "Do you favor authorizing the Commonwealth to borrow up to $625,000,000, for the maintenance and protection of the environment, open space and farmland preservation, watershed protection, abandoned mine reclamation, acid mine drainage remediation and other environmental initiatives?"

The legislation also waives certain election requirements so counties can get the question on the ballot by the May 17 Primary Election and extends the collection of absentee military and overseas votes until May 31.

If voters approve the borrowing, legislators and the governor will work out how much the Commonwealth can borrow each year and specifically how the additional funds can be used.

As chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and former chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, the issue of environmental conservation and preservation is important to me and the rich agricultural area I represent.

I encourage all registered voters to go to the polls on May 17 and cast a vote on this important issue.

4/29/2005