Ex-speaker Perzel
speaks about the issues

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

State Rep. John Perzel weighs in on countless issues on the Web site keystoneissues.com but knows he has to focus on a select few.
"If you try to do everything, you won’t accomplish anything," he said.
For Perzel (R-172nd dist.), his keystone issues are the elimination of property taxes for senior citizens making less than $40,000 a year and the hiring of 10,000 police officers across Pennsylvania.
Perzel’s proposal to eliminate property taxes for middle-class seniors has already passed, in amendment form, with a veto-proof 156 votes in the House of Representatives.
The House, which returns to session on Monday, is dealing with budget issues, and Perzel is hopeful his plan will be included in the final budget, which should be approved by late June.
Some 630,000 Pennsylvania seniors would pay no property taxes under the Older Pennsylvanians Property Tax Elimination Act. Seniors who do not own their homes can apply for the state’s rent rebate program.
To fund his idea, Perzel would use the estimated $1 billion in annual slot machine revenue.
Opponents of the measure point out that nobody under 65 would benefit nor would seniors who make more than $40,000 a year.
Perzel argues that the legislature, for decades, has promised to cut property taxes for seniors. He believes older folks need the benefit most because they are at the greatest risk of losing their homes.
In addition, he thinks the benefits wouldn’t be significant if all homeowners were included.
"There’s not really enough money to take care of everybody in Pennsylvania," he said last week in an interview at his district office in Mayfair.
At the same time, as gambling revenues increase, Perzel believes more homeowners can see property tax relief.
For the time being, Perzel expects the Senate to look favorably on his bill, since leaders have already indicated they would not increase the sales or income taxes to pay for property tax relief.
Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell remains skeptical, but Perzel thinks he can be swayed.
"I think he would sign it if it would get to his desk," he said.
As for his ambitious plan to hire 10,000 cops by 2011, Rendell and Rep. Dwight Evans, a Democrat and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, are opposed.
Perzel said the 10,000 figure would be lowered if the state grants greater powers to sheriffs and their deputies.
Philadelphia would be eligible for about 1,300 officers, but would not be forced to hire that many, under the Commonwealth Officers Act.
The state and municipalities would split the cost. The state funding would come from reductions in the administrative budgets of the legislative and executive branches.
In arguing for the bill, Perzel points to New York, where the population of 8.2 million people dwarfs the 1.4 million who live in Philadelphia.
The Big Apple had a whopping 2,262 murders in 1990. In 2007, the number was a relatively paltry 494.
Perzel notes that New York hired a lot of police officers to patrol the streets. He thinks Philadelphia, which had 392 murders in ’07, would see a big drop in crime and murders with the hiring of more officers.
"We’re one-sixth the size and almost had the same number of murders," he said.
Perzel thinks more police officers will lead to higher arrest rates, especially for those wanted on bench warrants.
The bill passed in 2006, but that was when Perzel was House speaker.
Today, the speaker is Rep. Dennis O’Brien, a Republican who made a deal with Democrats to deny Perzel another term in the top job.
O’Brien was scheduled to hold a Symposium on Crime and Violence on March 26 in Harrisburg. He favors what he calls a systemic approach to crime, and Perzel’s police bill isn’t part of his agenda.
Perzel vowed to oppose any effort by symposium organizers to reduce prison sentences. And he questions the focus on job training for inmates who have been released from prison. He contends that many of those services are offered in prison but that many inmates don’t take advantage of them.
On a related topic, Perzel predicts the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn a law in Washington, D.C., that bans handgun ownership. Such a decision would force states to repeal their gun control measures.
Perzel also favors uniform gun laws in Pennsylvania. He opposes an effort to allow Philadelphia to set its own laws.
"Either we’re one commonwealth, or we’re not," he said.
Perzel, elected in 1978, is seeking a 16th two-year term. He is unopposed in the April 22 Republican primary after John McDermott was removed from the ballot for failing to file 300 valid nominating petitions.
In the general election, Perzel will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Tim Kearney and Rich Costello. McDermott will run as the candidate of the Constitution Party.
Perzel said there are two ways to run for office — unopposed or "scared as hell."
"I’m not unopposed," he said.
Perzel expects the Democratic presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York will produce a big turnout in the primary.
The incumbent plans to campaign door-to-door against McDermott and either Kearney, whom he beat in 2004 and ’06, or Costello, former president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5.
The local FOP has been a big supporter of Perzel’s and his bill to hire more police officers, but the union has endorsed Costello. Perzel said he was not surprised.
"It’s a former president of the union," he said.
As for the presidential race in November, Perzel expects Pennsylvania to be decided by no more than 100,000 votes.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, will fare well in the Philadelphia suburbs, according to Perzel, because he’s a moderate.
Conservative Southern Republicans, such as President George W. Bush, do not fare as well in southeastern Pennsylvania, in Perzel’s view. Conservatives uneasy about McCain will support him anyway, he predicts, because Obama and Clinton are so liberal.
Perzel is hoping that Republicans will win back control of the state House after the November elections.
In 2006, the GOP lost the majority. Perzel blames the unpopularity of Bush and the war in Iraq, the easy re-election victory by Rendell and the landslide loss by Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum.
All of that was enough to give Democrats a 102-101 advantage. The outcome wasn’t decided until absentee ballots gave Democrats a 28-vote win in a Chester County district. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com