STATE REPRESENTATIVE
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Michele Brooks
17th Legislative District
Spring 2010
Dear Friends,
In my ongoing pledge to keep the lines of
communication open with the people of the 17th
Legislative District, I am using this newsletter
as a way to update you on major public policy
initiatives taking place in the state Capitol, as
well as activities here in the district.
As of this writing, we are still awaiting word
from the federal government regarding the deci-
sion to toll Interstate 80. An update on our efforts
to fight this ill-conceived proposal is on page 1.
Inside this newsletter, you’ll also find information
about legislation impacting our region, our hard-
working residents and our economy.
As always, it is a privilege working with
each of you to help make our area an even
better place to live, work and raise our families.
I enjoy visiting with local residents about the
various topics at the state level, and encourage
you to let me know your thoughts, opinions and
suggestions for state government. My door is
always open.
Respectfully,
Michele Brooks
Member, PA House of Representatives
17th Legislative District
District Office Contacts
Greenville: 3 Greenville Plaza - West, Hadley
Rd., Greenville, PA 16125. Phone (724) 588-8911
| Toll-Free (800) 457-2040 | Hours: Monday-Friday
| 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Meadville Office: Vernon Twp. Municipal Bldg.,
16678 McMath Ave., Meadville, PA 16335. Phone
(814) 337-8132 | Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. | 8:30
a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sandy Lake Office: Sandy Lake Borough Bldg.,
3271 South Main St., Sandy Lake, PA 16145.
Phone (724) 376-7465 | Hours: Thursdays only |
9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
New Wilmington Office: New Wilmington Bor-
ough Bldg., 134 High St., New Wilmington, PA
16142. Phone (800) 457-2040 | Hours: Tuesdays
only | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Harrisburg Office: 153 East Wing, P.O. Box
202017, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2017 | (717) 783-
5008 | Monday-Friday | 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
PRSRT STD
HARRISBURG PA
PERMIT NO 529
Federal Agency
Still Determining I-80 Tolling
I would like to thank the many people – local resi-
dents, businesses, organizations and elected officials
– who have stood up against the tolling and had their
voices heard. We were able to forward to Washington,
D.C., hundreds of local signatures on petitions voicing
your opposition to tolling I-80. The grassroots support
undertaken by our residents, businesses and others
have been instrumental in our efforts at the state level
to try to convince the Federal Highway Administration
that tolling Interstate 80 is very bad public policy.
As of this writing, the FHWA has yet to decide
whether or not to accept an application to toll I-80. We In efforts to fight I-80 tolling, I helped
have heard since early February that the decision is coordinate a Dec. 17 meeting with members
of the Federal Highway Administration on
close, but no formal announcement has been made.
Capitol Hill to speak to them about the
For nearly three years, we have collectively worked devastating economic impact that would
to clearly point out the economic hardships and job result from I-80 being tolled. We conveyed
loss tolling would create, as well as the application’s to the federal agency the real families,
deficiencies. We continue to communicate with the businesses, farmers and industries that
FHWA that the PA Turnpike Commission’s application would suffer a severe financial setback,
perhaps leading to significant job loss in
has many holes and sets a dangerous precedent if northwestern Pennsylvania.
approved.
In our fight to prevent the tolling, I coordinated a
Washington, D.C. meeting with the assistance of Congressman Glenn Thompson so that more than
a dozen of my colleagues and I could discuss with representatives of the FHWA the negative impact
I-80 tolling would have on communities across the corridor. At the meeting, we emphasized the high
costs that would be borne by residents, including local farmers, businesses, municipalities and taxpay-
ers. We discussed the negative impact tolling would have on businesses in the 17th District, including
those in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism. Examples like Hodge Foundry, local granaries and
Anderson Coach and Travel were given as local businesses that would face significant increases in
transportation costs.
The legislation authorizing the tolling places an unfair economic burden on western and rural
Pennsylvania to fund mass transit and other highway projects in more populated regions. We also
mentioned the ways in which the proposal does not meet the strict criteria for the program and the
controversy surrounding studies and market valuations within the Turnpike Commission’s application.
Each lawmaker noted the considerable job losses and business and manufacturing closures that would
result from I-80 tolling, and we are hopeful this will resonate with the FHWA’s final decision.
Meanwhile, the governor is still strongly pushing the FHWA to approve the application, even as
the Turnpike Commission is facing significant scrutiny and is the subject of a criminal investigation.
We should not be turning over a major transportation asset and finances to an agency with such
questionable policies.
In November, I had the honor to recognize men
and women from our area who valiantly served our
country during the Vietnam War. The ceremony,
held at Thiel College, included words from Col.
Steven Painter, Mission Support Group Com-
mander, 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pittsburgh, as
well as our counties’ directors of Veterans Affairs.
I’d like to thank our brave men and women and
their families for their service to our country. We
also extend our prayers and thoughts to the men
and women and their families who are currently
serving our country.

House Approves Bill to
Better Protect Children
Legislation that would better protect Pennsylvania’s children by making
it a crime to intentionally view child pornography passed the state House
unanimously and is now law. Previous state law currently prohibited know-
ingly possessing or controlling child pornography, but it was silent on the
“intentional viewing” of child pornography.
The result was a loophole through which individuals may have been
able to use child pornography without fear of legal repercussions. House Bill
89 – now Act 15 of 2009 – would correct that oversight in the law, thereby
preventing further exploitation of our children.
Without this law, pedophiles could have viewed thousands of images of
child pornography, and as long as they did not download the images to their
computer, they could not have been prosecuted under Pennsylvania law.
To further help protect children, Pennsylvania’s attorney general
has partnered with attorneys general from around the country and
MySpace, an online social networking site, to make improvements to
the site. MySpace has made specific changes to make it more difficult
for convicted sex offenders to use the site to prey on potential victims.
During the Great Stoneboro Fair in September, I visited with fourth-
graders from Oakview Elementary School about what it is like being
an elected official representing our area in state government.
Rep. Brad Roae and I recently presented a citation from the Penn-
sylvania House of Representatives to members of the Cochranton
High School Band for its stellar performances over the past year.
The band recently captured the 2009 Lakeshore Marching Band As-
sociation Class AA Championship as well as the 2009 Pennsylvania
Interscholastic Marching Band Association Class A Championship.
During the first competition, Cochranton band members won first
place of 23 competing bands and has won that title 12 consecu-
tive years. This year marks the second time a band has won both
championships in the same year. The band is led by director Carl
Miller.
Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , e m a i l R e p r e s e n t a t i v e B ro o k s a t M B ro o k s @
Table Games Revenue
Should Support
Property Tax Relief
A promise made should be a promise kept
Gaming, which was passed before I began my service in the House,
was signed with the promise of extensive property tax relief – a promise
that I feel must be kept – and Senate Bill 711 falls dramatically short. It is
a flawed piece of legislation that I believe will lead to future problems.
This legislation contains numerous problems, from a lack of reforms
to the manner in which it went through the General Assembly and
conference committee. I believe that 100 percent of all state proceeds
from table games should be directed toward property tax relief and I
supported an amendment that would have done just that.
I am disappointed that the legislation still allows for a major conflict
of interest, in that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board can conduct
its own background checks and those of vendors and licensees through
its Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement. We believe the state police
or the Attorney General’s office – as they are both law enforcement
agencies – should conduct the background investigations and have
more oversight regarding law enforcement.
Although we have been able to put some mechanisms in place to
give greater government transparency and accountability regarding
gaming, our work is not done. Many of us are continuing to work toward
more openness and efficiency in government and change the business
as usual in Harrisburg.
Strengthening
Transparency
in State Contracts
To ensure and implement a more transparent and responsible pro-
cess for state contracts, I am supporting a series of legislative reforms
which are listed below.
In Pennsylvania, there has been much controversy and questions
surrounding the awarding of millions of dollars in no-bid legal services.
I firmly believe there are many state contracts that should be put out
for bid but are not.
Our legislative proposals would create a more competitive and open
contract process. The reforms I’ve co-sponsored include:
 Changing the Procurement Code to make it applicable to the execu-
tive, legislative, and judicial branches.
 Reinstating and expanding the open records requirements. Con-
tracts must be publicly posted for five days before execution.
 Eliminating the sole-sourcing of legal work, requiring legal contracts
to be put out for bid and subject to public review prior to execution.
 Limiting the use of sole source procurement by eliminating certain
loopholes.
 Prohibiting Requests for Proposals (RFPs), sole-source, emergency,
legal and insurance work from campaign contributors.
 Prohibiting the executive and legislative branches from hiring lob-
byists as consultants.
Web site: RepMicheleBrooks.com
Visit the site to sign up to receive
e-mail updates.
 State Fire Commissioner to
Discuss Funding Programs to
Local Fire Companies
Our local hard-working and dedicated first responders are crucial in
helping to protect lives and properties within our communities. I will be
hosting a meeting featuring Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Ed
Mann at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19. The meeting will be held at
Hempfield Station One Banquet Center at 28 6th Ave., Greenville.
This meeting is designed to allow fire company officials to learn more
about state and federal grant and loan programs, as well as training
opportunities and much more. All of our local fire companies and first
responders are invited to attend this informative meeting. Please call my
To allow members in more suburban areas to better understand the district office in Greenville to register.
challenges faced by seniors in rural areas, I invited Rep. Tim Hennessey,
ranking chairman of the House Aging and Older Adult Services Com-
mittee, to meet with local Area Agency on Aging officials at the Mercer
County Shenango Valley Center for Aging and Geriatric Health. Pictured
with me in the above photo are (from left): Roberta Taylor, executive Members of the
director in Lawrence County; Ann Marie Spiardi, executive director in Greenwood Fire
Mercer County; Sally Pinson, board president of the Mercer County and Rescue in
AAA; House commit- Crawford County
tee director Sharon demonstrated the
Schwartz; Rep. Hen- Jaws of Life during
nessey; and Samuel a recent training
Bellich, deputy di- exercise.
rector for the Mercer
County AAA.

In the photo at right,

we also had a produc-
tive visit with Craw-
ford County Active
Property Tax/Rent Rebate
Aging in Meadville.
Pictured are (from
left): executive direc-
Applications Available
Applications for the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program for 2009 are
tor, Donna Stimpson; now available and can help senior citizens and other eligible individuals receive
Rep. Tim Hennessey; a rebate up to $650, which is based on property taxes or rent paid during the
and committee execu-
tive director, Sharon
2009 calendar year.
Schwartz. The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years or older,
widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18 years or older with
Upcoming Events permanent disabilities. My staff and I are available to help assist in completing
rebate applications.
In conjunction with Northwest Legal Services, I will be hosting Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary income, property tax or
an “Older and Wiser Seminar” for local senior citizens. Topics will
rental information required to process claims quickly and accurately. Applications
include powers of attorney and living wills, among other issues.
A question-and-answer session will also be part of the seminars. are due by June 30, and checks will be dispersed after July 1.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms are available by contacting my district
Currently scheduled seminars include the following: offices or logging on to my Web site at RepMicheleBrooks.com.
 10 a.m. Thursday, July 8, Shenango on the Green,
238 S. Market St., New Wilmington.
 10 a.m. Thursday, July 29, Greenville Senior Community
PA Senior Law Helpline
Center at St. Paul’s, 339 East Jamestown Rd., Greenville. Free, confidential legal information and advice
for senior citizens in Pennsylvania is available through
I will also be hosting other events throughout the spring and sum-
mer months. Please check my Web site at RepMicheleBrooks.com the Internet at www.SeniorLawCenter.org or toll-free at
for a schedule and additional details. 1-877-727-7529.

Throughout last year, we enjoyed holding several town hall meetings around the district. During the meeting in Cochranton in December, residents and I discussed
various state topics. We plan on holding additional town hall meetings in the coming months.

@ p a h o u s e g o p . c o m o r v i s i t h e r We b s i t e a t R e p M i c h e l e B ro o k s . c o m

In December, I joined my colleagues in supporting a House resolution to
continue the American Cancer Society’s screening guidelines for breast
cancer mammograms beginning at age 40, instead of following a federal
task force’s recommended new guidelines increasing the age to 50. Because
early detection can save lives, I support efforts to encourage women to get
mammograms every year beginning at age 40. Pictured at the podium is
Rep. Karen Boback (R-Luzerne/Columbia).
Resolution Requests Federal
Official to Reject PA
as 9-11 Terrorist Trial Site
To honor and respect the memory of the heroic passengers and
crew killed aboard United Flight 93 in Somerset County on Sept. 11,
2001, and to protect the safety of state residents, I am sponsoring a
resolution urging the U.S. Attorney General to remove Pennsylvania
as a possible location for the upcoming trial of the terrorists.
The resolution asks Attorney General Eric Holder to eliminate
Pennsylvania from consideration as an alternative location for the
trials of these terrorists. They are slated to go on trial in New York
City; however, the administration has since announced that alternative
locations are being considered. That decision is being left up to U.S.
Attorney General Holder.
Since this announcement at the beginning of the year, the federal
court in the Western District of Pennsylvania – which includes all of
Pennsylvania – has been mentioned as an alternative.
The military should be handling these trials as the risks are too
great to our security. Although the federal government is now pledging
$200 million for security costs, there is no indication that this amount
will cover all of the necessary expenses.
We owe the brave men and women aboard that flight our eternal
gratitude and respect for their bravery and patriotism shown in their
final hours. These people were true American heroes. To consider
Pennsylvania as a location for the trial is dishonorable at best.
Lash Field (second from left) celebrated his 100th birthday at the James-
town Masonic Hall on Feb. 13. Pictured with us are (from left): Doris
Livingston and Mary Ann Stuyvesant, his daughters; and Right Worship-
ful Grand Master Thomas Sturgeon. Other birthday celebrations were
held by the Jamestown Lions Club and the Linesville Senior Center.
I enjoyed having the
opportunity to visit
Jim McCullough and
ride along with him
during his corn har-
vesting in Jefferson
Township.
Working to Change
and Clarify Federal
Standards on PA Farmers
After a safety audit conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration, it was indicated that under the threat of losing federal fund-
ing, Pennsylvania needed to revise its intrastate transportation regulations
regarding commercial motor carriers.
With the help of the PA Farm Bureau, we were successful in efforts to
ensure that the new PennDOT regulations intended to oversee motor carriers
do not apply to farm tractors. Without everyone’s intervention, there would
have been even more serious consequences for farmers in Pennsylvania
with the new regulations approved by the Independent Regulatory Review
Commission. However, even with the clarifications, many Pennsylvania
legislators believe there is still work to be done by the federal government
to ease the burden of these standards on our farmers.
While our successful efforts included obtaining some last-minute “inter-
pretations” from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA),
which stated that the new rules would not apply to farm tractors, there
still remains ambiguity regarding the impact on our farmers. Because of
the questions still surrounding these regulations, many PA legislators are
encouraging Congress to correct these federal standards by a change in
the federal statute. We have expressed our support for H.R. 1220, presently
before Congress, to Pennsylvania’s entire federal delegation. To view letters
sent by us to IRRC and our federal delegation, visit my Web site.
We were also very surprised by the Department of Agriculture for its
insistence that the regulations be approved without further improvement or
discussions on ways to help farmers. A copy of a letter from the agriculture
secretary to IRRC is posted on my Web site. In this letter, the Secretary of
Agriculture said: “It is our position that.....they [the new regulations] offer
farmers more relief from the regulation of commercial vehicles than they
previously enjoyed.”
However, my colleagues and I question whether or not all regulatory
alternatives and possible farm-related exemptions that may have been
available have been explored; for these reasons, we vehemently opposed
approval of the regulations. In the meantime, we are continuing our efforts
in working with the Farm Bureau to ensure further mandates are not placed
on our farmers.
As a way to bring agriculture into local classrooms, the Pennsylvania
Farm Bureau’s Mobile Ag Ed Science Lab offers exciting and interactive
science lessons for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Re-
cently, the mobile ag lab visited first-graders at Jamestown Elementary
School where Cathy Vorisek (center) spoke of the importance of bees to
our food. Pictured with me and the students are: Donald Koontz, Mercer
County Farm Bureau and member of the PA Farm Bureau State Board of
Directors; Steve Paxton, Mercer County Farm Bureau; Tracy Reiser, prin-
cipal, Jamestown Elementary School; and Shane Murray, superintendent,
Jamestown Area School District.