Rep. Mahoney: Winter 2012 Newsletter - Pennsylvania House ...

State Representative
Tim
Mahoney
51st Legislative district
Legislative update
Capitol Office: 324 Main Capitol • P.O. Box 202051 • Harrisburg, PA 17120-2051 • (717) 772-2174
District Offices: 66A Lebanon Ave. • Uniontown, PA 15401 • (724) 438-6100
1402 Memorial Blvd. • Connellsville, PA 15425 • (724) 626-1164
2925 National Pike • Chalk Hill, PA 15421 • (724) 437-2521
School district study update
I applaud all Fayette County school district superintendents
for meeting in January in a brainstorming session to share
cost-saving ideas that could allow our schools to operate
more efficiently and effectively.
Their willingness to begin a serious and unprecedented
dialogue represents a key step toward the goal of making
Fayette County public education less costly to local
taxpayers, and more stable for students, teachers and other
employees.
As a facilitator of this effort, I sincerely wish that our school
districts can work something out in advance of June 30, when
the current fiscal year ends. I encourage them to consider
adopting any or all of the $20 million savings outlined by the
state-funded study I have put on the public’s table, as part
of a hopefully unified effort to save millions of dollars and
minimize the pain of employee layoffs.
As a state representative, I have long realized that the support
of school district administrators and board members is crucial
to implement any meaningful change in our county’s public
education system. The most that someone in my position can
do is serve as a catalyst to get – and keep – things moving
along.
I join many citizens who think the superintendents deserve
credit for seeing the same handwriting on the wall that
we do, and for being courageous in their approach to
tackling this problem. We appreciate the effort, as well as
the willingness of Albert Gallatin Area School District and
Superintendent Carl Bezjak to host this important meeting of
the county’s top minds in education.
You can view the entire study at my website:
www.pahouse.com/Mahoney.
College scholarships awarded
Each year, I give four $250 college scholarships to deserving
students at the local high schools. I ask each school’s guidance
counselors to select a winner from their school. They are to
evaluate their students on different criteria. I want to reward
students who not only demonstrate high academic achievement,
but also demonstrate leadership, integrity, perseverance and
community involvement. These scholarships are my personal
contribution to the future education of deserving students. No tax
dollars are ever used in my prizes!
Annual fourth-grade
coloring contest under way!
My fifth annual “Welcome to Pennsylvania’s Capitol”
coloring contest is under way. Fourth-grade classes
from Albert Gallatin, Connellsville, Laurel Highlands
and Uniontown public schools and All Saints school in
Masontown, Conn Area Catholic School and St. John’s school
in Uniontown are invited to participate.
Students are encouraged to color the pictures in the coloring
book, “Welcome to Pennsylvania’s Capitol,” which has been
provided for each classroom. Students may color as many
pictures as they wish, but may only enter one for judging.
Each teacher will then select one winner from their room.
Classroom winners must be submitted to my office by
Wednesday, April 11.
Each classroom winner, two parents or guardians, the
classroom teacher, and school principal will be invited to the
awards dinner, as special guests of my wife and I, at 6 p.m.
April 19 in the Ivory Ballroom.
Rep. Mahoney congratulates the winners of the 2011 fourthgrade
coloring contest.
Rep. Mahoney presents
certificates to last
year’s scholarship
winners: at left, Justin
Teets, Connellsville
School District;
at right, Brittany
Kusniar, Laurel
Highlands School
District. Not pictured
are Kelsey Sleighter
from Uniontown and
Chealsie Shaffer from
Albert Gallatin.

Castle Doctrine finally becomes law!
As a member of the National Rifle
Association, and firm believer in the
Second Amendment right to bear
arms, I am happy to report that the
Castle Doctrine bill, which I strongly
supported for several years, finally
became law last year.
Act #10 of 2011 greatly expands
homeowner rights when it comes to
protecting both people and property.
Until this law was passed, you were
only allowed to use deadly force to
protect yourself inside your house.
Now you can protect yourself with
a legal firearm outside your home
or place of employment without
first attempting to retreat from a
confrontation.
The Castle Doctrine further expands
the areas where force may be used
before attempting to retreat or escape
to include outside areas such as
your deck, porch or patio, or in your
vehicle.
This new law does not give legal
protection for you to commit any
violence in your house without
consequences. It also does not
protect you if you attempt to provoke
a potential attacker. It does mean
if you have a legitimate reason to
fear an attacker or prowler near
your personal space, you may use
whatever force you feel is necessary to
protect yourself, your family and your
possessions.
I have been a long-time supporter
of this type of legislation because I
believe law-abiding people should
have the opportunity to protect
themselves and not be afraid their
actions will lead them to prison.
I remember the case of Stanley Tabaj
of Dunbar, who was tasered and
attacked by two men wielding baseball
bats before he could reach his shotgun.
Once he got his shotgun, he fired at
his attackers, striking and injuring one.
Under the existing law, the district
attorney could have charged him for
several different offenses. Fortunately,
the D.A. realized it was truly a case of
self-defense and did not charge Mr.
Tabaj.
This new law offers a much higher
level of protection for the property
owners, and also makes it easier on
prosecutors, helping to take away one
of their hardest decisions regarding
self-defense.
And, just as importantly, this new
law also provides civil protection
when force is used for protection. An
assailant who is injured by a person
defending himself under this law
would not be able to sue for damages,
regardless of the type and severity of
injuries they receive.
They say a man’s home is his castle,
and this new law puts that into writing!
Underage drinking attacked
On Oct. 24, the Fayette County Drug and Alcohol
Commission and I co-hosted two events to help combat teen
drinking in the area. Zack Nelson died and five other teens
were injured in an accident attributed to drunk driving on
Sept. 10.
In the morning, 1,300 high school juniors from around
the county attended a program at the State Theater which
provided a first-hand presentation of the results of a drunkdriving
accident.
A large photo of Zack Nelson was in the entry hall, with his
parents standing nearby.
Jim Mothersbaugh from Road Radio U.S.A. gave a firsthand
account of his experiences as a passenger injured in a
drunk-driving accident in 1984. He still suffers mental effects
from that accident. He graduated from high school in a
wheelchair and body cast.
In the evening, we held a town meeting in the Ivory
Ballroom to discuss the consequences of underage drinking,
and especially drinking and driving.
Tricia Nelson, Zack’s mother, spoke to the crowd about the
dangers of drinking, and encouraged those in attendance to
take a firm stance against teen drinking.
“Parents don’t think twice about locking their gun cabinets,
but parents of teenagers don’t think about locking their
liquor cabinets,” Nelson said.
State Police Sgt. Joseph D’Andrea of the Uniontown barracks
reported there was a 40 percent increase in DUI arrests from
2009 to 2010.
More information is available from the Fayette County Drug
and Alcohol Commission on its website: www.fcdaa.org.
Rep. Mahoney addresses the crowd at the town meeting on
underage drinking, held Oct. 24 in the Ivory Ballroom.
Rep. Mahoney greets Tricia and Dan Nelson, parents of
accident victim Zack Nelson, at the State Theater teen
drinking event on Oct. 24.

Mahoney holds toy drive
I hosted my second annual holiday open house and
toy drive on Dec. 17. Toys collected were distributed
to families throughout Fayette County by Children and
Youth Services of Fayette County. I was thrilled by
the response this year. And in the middle of the event,
I had the opportunity to present a House citation to
members of the local Salvation Army, acknowledging
their work every Christmas season.
I can’t wait until next Christmas!
Rep. Mahoney and
his constituent
services office staff:
front row, from left:
Beth Frazee and
Marsha Widmer;
back row, from left:
Alyssa Clark, Neal
Christopher, Santa,
Rep. Mahoney,
Jennifer Jeffries,
Jim Conway.
Rep. Mahoney
presents a House
citation honoring
Salvation Army
Red Kettle
month to the
local Salvation
Army during his
Christmas toy
drive.
Rep. Mahoney’s office is overrun by toys brought
in for his annual toy drive.
Christmas dinner for all!
On Christmas, I hosted my second annual Christmas Day dinner at the Ivory
Ballroom. I started this as a way to let people who would otherwise be dining
alone on the holiday share a meal with others.
The response was overwhelming. This year, more than 100 people joined me
for dinner, and we had more than 100 volunteers as well. Last year, we had
about 50 volunteers. It seems like they all brought friends and family to help
this year. I always thought that helping others is a way to help you, too, and I
think my volunteers feel that way as well.
The dinner was a traditional holiday meal, including turkey and stuffing,
mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans, served at the table.
We also had an assortment of toys and gifts under a lighted tree.
I am often asked how I got the idea to host this dinner, and I need to give credit
to a priest at St. John’s Roman Catholic Church. Several years ago, the sermon
topic was “What is Christmas all about?”
So what is Christmas all about? It is about giving back!
This seemed like a perfect example to set for my children and get the
community involved, and boy, did they ever get involved!
I am already beginning plans for the third annual Christmas Day dinner!
Volunteers serve the food.
Volunteers and diners mingle at the second
annual Christmas Day dinner.
Mahoney honors Fairchance Fire Department
On Dec. 9, I presented members of
the Fairchance Borough Volunteer Fire
Department a citation honoring the
department for 100 years of service to
the community. Congratulations, and
thanks for your continued service to
the community.
Rep. Mahoney presents the citation
to officials of Fairchance Borough
and the fire department. Pictured
from left: Neal Christopher, borough
council; Bob Miller, past fire chief;
Marcia Goisse, borough council; Rep.
Mahoney; Chief Raymond Eicher; and
Dannie Lee Thompson, past chief.

State Representative • 51st Legislative District
Tim Mahoney
P.O. Box 202051
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2051
INSIDE
School district study
update
Stopping underage
drinking
lpo.ts.0212
Scenes from my Senior Fair
at the Uniontown Mall
Rep.
Mahoney
with
attendees
at last
summer’s
Senior Fair.
Rep. Mahoney talks with some of the seniors.
Free screenings were available to all who attended.
My office can help you with:
Car registrations, special tags, handicap placards, titles
and driver’s license applications
Information on financial assistance for higher education
Assistance in obtaining and completing state forms of all
kind
Voter registration and absentee ballot applications
Unemployment compensation, disability and workers’
compensation
Birth and death certificates
Problems with the Department of Public Welfare (food
stamps, medical and income assistance)
Pennsylvania income tax questions or problems
Requests for literature of all kind – bills, regulations,
statutes, Pennsylvania maps, senior citizen information
Citations from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
for outstanding accomplishments and family milestones
Complaints or questions about utilities and the Public
Utility Commission
Complaints and problems with insurance companies
Renewal of state-issued licenses or certifications
Property tax/rent rebate problems or questions
Problems or questions about the state lottery
PACE prescription drug cards for senior citizens
Consumer complaints
Liquor Control Board concerns or questions
Tours of the state Capitol for individuals or groups
Information about federal, state and local government
agencies
Any question about state government!