PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
Spring 2010
Save Breast
the Cancer
Date!
Screening
Thursday, May 13
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
605 East Chester Pike
Ridley Park
(Miccarelli’s district office parking lot)
A mammography screening van pro-
vide by Fox Chase Cancer Center will
be stationed at my district office parking
lot to provide mammogram screening
for qualified individuals. All participants
must make an appointment.
Screening Requirements:
• Must be age 40 or older.
• Must provide name and address of
one of your doctors.
• Must provide prescription
from your doctor.
• May not be breast-feeding or have
breast-fed within the last
nine months.
• Must not have had a breast cancer
diagnosis within the past two
years.
• Must not be under treatment
for breast cancer.
• Must not have had a mammogram
in last 12 months.
• Must be able to board the van and
stand while being examined.
Contact Debra Resnick at the Fox
Chase Cancer Center to schedule an ap-
pointment or for more information at
(215)214-1682.
PAID
HARRISBURG, PA
PERMIT NO. 529
Legislation Would Ban Texting, Hand-Held
Cell Phones While Driving
I recently supported legislation designed to increase public safety by banning the use
of hand-held cell phones and texting while driving in Pennsylvania. House Bill 2070 has
now cleared the House of Representatives and is under consideration in the state Sen-
ate.
The legislation originally included a ban on all texting behind the wheel and a prohi-
bition of cell phones for drivers ages 16 and 17. However, an amendment was added to
the bill to expand the ban to include all hand-held cell phones for drivers of all ages.
Much of the outcry for a ban on hand-held cell phones comes from the motoring
public themselves who see such distractions causing crashes and endangering people’s
lives. We all know that texting while driving is dangerous and cell phone use hinders
one’s ability to pay full attention to the road ahead.
The ban includes any in-
teractive wireless communi-
cation device. Exceptions will
apply to operators of emer-
gency vehicles and volunteer
emergency responders who
are responding to an emer-
gency and are engaged in the
performance of their official
duties.
According to Pennsylva-
nia Department of Transpor-
tation statistics, since 2003,
397 crashes in Pennsylvania
have been recorded where
hands-free phones were a
contributing factor, while
6,877 crashes listed hand-held phones as a contributing factor. According to a 2009
poll, 85 percent of Pennsylvanians favor a ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while
driving.
In addition to the cities of Philadelphia and Harrisburg, a number of states have al-
ready enacted cell phone while driving bans.
Those who are found in violation of the legislation will face a fine of $50. Fines would
double to $100 if the offense occurs in a school zone, active work zone, highway safety
corridor or emergency response area. A portion of the fines will be used for public aware-
ness and education programs for distracted driving.
Cell phones with hands-free devices will still be permitted to be used by drivers.
RepMiccarelli.net
State Representative Nick Miccarelli
Expanded Gambling Will Bring Much-Needed Jobs,
Boost Economy
Citing the economic impact the addition of table games will have on Harrah’s in Chester and Philadelphia
Park in Bucks County, as well as the creation of hundreds of new jobs in the region, I voted Jan. 6 in favor of
allowing table games at Pennsylvania’s 14 casinos.
The addition of table games at the slots casinos in Pennsylvania represents more than putting in blackjack,
poker and roulette tables. This legislation is also about finding another way to meet an existing revenue shortfall
and to make our state more competitive. Each day, we lose thousands of both residents and visitors who go to
Atlantic City and Las Vegas instead of Pennsylvania. This keeps the money in Pennsylvania while meeting a
tremendous financial need.
Under the bill, Category 1 and Category 2 licensed slot machine facilities can operate up to 250 table games
at any one time, while Category 3 licensees could operate up to 50. Licensees approved by the Pennsylvania
Gaming Control Board to operate table games would pay a one-time fee of $16.5 million. The fee for Category
3 licensees would be $7.5 million.
In total, 14 percent of table games proceeds will benefit the Commonwealth, 1 percent will benefit the local
municipality and another 1 percent will benefit the local county.
The inclusion of table games at our state’s casinos has the potential to create more than a thousand jobs
statewide. Harrah’s in Chester is expected to add 300 jobs with the addition of table games.
In addition, several changes were made to reform the gaming industry. It is expected that the table games
will be implemented at Pennsylvania casinos in the next few months.

Pennsylvania’s Financial Difficulties Continue in 2010

It is hard to believe, but Pennsylvania lawmakers are already starting to work on the 2010-11 fiscal year
budget. From the looks of things, we are in for another extremely difficult year. As of the end of January, Penn-
sylvania was $374 million behind projections for revenue collections, and January marks the 21st consecutive
month the state has failed to meet these revenue projections.
Compounding our economic troubles are empty state savings accounts, like the Rainy Day Fund, federal stim-
ulus funds that are set to expire at the end of next year, a looming spike in the employer contribution of the public
pension system, and the governor’s indication the state will end the fiscal year with a significant budget gap.
I am hopeful that in the next few months we can work together in the General Assembly and with the gov-
ernor to create a state budget that adequately funds needed services and programs while keeping spending under
control.
Following is a breakdown of the priorities the governor outlined during his budget address in early February:

Spending: The governor has proposed a $1.2 billion increase in spending using $26.27 billion in state dol-
lars and an additional $2.76 billion in federal stimulus funds. It is important to note that $800 million of these
federal funds have not yet been approved, so there is no guarantee we will actually receive these dollars.

Sales Tax Expansion: The governor is proposing a reduction of the sales tax rate from 6 percent to 4 percent,
but would expand the tax to cover 74 items and services that are currently exempt – food, clothing and prescrip-
tion medicines would still be tax exempt. He would place the extra revenue raised from this tax in a reserve
account called the Stimulus Transition Reserve Fund to help offset the termination of stimulus funds in 2011.

Basic Education: The governor is calling for 7.28 percent increase in basic education funding. We have not
seen a breakdown of this $5.88 billion in education spending, which would be allocated among the state’s 500
school districts, but I will advocate for fair distribution to the schools in the 162nd District.

Budget Cuts: The governor is calling for reductions to the budgets of the Department of Environmental
Protection ($3.8 million cut), the Department of Health ($7 million cut), the Department of Agriculture ($5.4
million cut), the Department of Labor and Industry ($3.1 million) and the Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources ($1 million cut).

Budget Increases: The governor would increase funding for basic education, county child welfare pro-
grams, mental retardation services, services to senior citizens, the state police, the Department of Corrections,
the Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs.

I will continue to bring you the latest budget news, and I would be happy to answer any questions you might
have. Feel free to contact my office or e-mail me at nmiccare@pahousegop.com.
 Applications Now Available
for Property Tax/Rent
Rebate Program
Applications for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program
for 2009 are now available by contacting my office or visiting
my Web site at RepMiccarelli.net. My staff is also available to
assist residents in filling out the forms.
Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up to $650
based on their rent or property taxes paid in 2009. The pro-
gram benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years or
older, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18
years or older with disabilities.
Eligibility income limits for homeowners are set at the fol-
lowing levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security, Sup-
plemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Tier 1
benefits:
• $0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate
(Homeowners and renters)
• $8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate
(Homeowners and renters)
• $15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate
(Homeowners only)
• $18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate
(Homeowners only)
Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary income,
property tax or rental information required to process claims
quickly and accurately. Applications are due by June 30.
Apply Now for State
Education Assistance Grants
Students seeking state higher education assistance
grants for the 2010-11 academic year may now begin
submitting applications.
Need-based Pennsylvania State Grants are pro-
vided to qualified Pennsylvania residents through the
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
(PHEAA) and do not have to be repaid. Students
must complete and submit the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered.
Individuals with Internet access may file their
FAFSA electronically at www.PHEAA.org/FAFSA
or at fafsa.ed.gov. Completing the FAFSA online re-
duces errors and speeds up the processing time.
May 1 is the deadline for the Pennsylvania
State Grant, but families should contact the schools
their student is interested in attending, as many have
earlier financial aid deadlines.
Federal, state and institutional student aid pro-
grams have varying deadlines. Be sure to submit a
completed FAFSA prior to the earliest deadline for
awards for which the student may be eligible.
For more information on FAFSA Workshops,
PHEAA grants or for an application, visit my Web
site at RepMiccarelli.net or contact my district of-
fice. My staff is available to assist in filling out any
necessary paperwork.
Serving the People of the 162nd Legislative District
Call Now to Schedule
Free Income Tax
Assistance for
Low-Income Individuals
and Families
My district office will be offering
free income tax filing assistance from
2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March
19. Assistance is available for those in-
dividuals and married couples earning
less than $50,000 in 2009.
This free service, provided by Path-
Ways PA’s free Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance (VITA) program, provides
free basic income tax preparation ser-
vices to help tax-filers access their
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and
other tax credits without incurring high
preparation fees. All of PathWays PA’s
tax preparers are IRS trained and certi-
fied and the services are completely free
of charge.
All financial information is kept pri-
vate and confidential. Residents inter-
ested in using the service are asked to
contact the district office at (610) 534-
1002 to schedule an appointment.
College Savings Plans
for Parents
College Corner
With the costs of higher education increasing
each year, Pennsylvania government is taking strides
in helping to keep expenses in check.
Through the state Treasury Department’s nowU,
Pennsylvania’s 529 College Savings Program, par-
ents and other family members can select from two
ways to save for the ever-growing costs associated
with obtaining a college degree: a guaranteed savings
plan (GSP) and an investment plan. Though tu-
ition increases typically vary from school to school,
average projected increases have been as high as 7
percent, which far outpace national inflation rates.
The GSP is helpful for families who want to
keep pace with tuition inflation while the invest-
ment plan gives college savers the choice of 13 dif-
ferent investment options, from conservative to ag-
gressive.
Grants and scholarships can often help students
meet their needs, but they are not a guarantee to be-
ing able to pay for a higher education. Saving, even
a small amount, is better than borrowing money
with large interest payments.
More information for both the GSP and the in-
College
vestment plan are available by visiting my Web site
at RepMiccarelli.net and clicking on “nowU Col-
lege Savings.”
 Free Free
Event Shredder
Event!
Saturday, April 24
9 a.m. – 11a.m.
605 East Chester Pike
Ridley Park
(Miccarelli’s district office parking lot)
Take this opportunity to do a little spring
cleaning and bring documents containing
your personal information, such as your birth
date, Social Security number, bank account
information, or credit card number, to be
shredded and recycled.
By shredding documents that contain
personal information, you are protecting
yourself from becoming a victim of identity
theft. This service is free, simply drive or walk
up with your papers on April 24, and watch
them go through the shredder.
Check It Out!
RepMiccarelli.net is just a click away for
your convenience. The Web site provides resi-
dents with 24-hour access to upcoming events,
state forms, press releases, legislation, state
agency links, and student homework sites. You
can also read Rep. Miccarelli’s biography and
e-mail the district office any questions or con-
cerns you may have. Check it out at RepMic-
carelli.net
carelli.net.
Sign Up Now to
Receive Electronic
Newsletters
I have been investigating alternative ways
to communicate with you that are informa-
tive, environmentally conscious and cost ef-
fective.
You are currently receiving my printed
newsletters through the mail, and although
constituents tell me they are worthwhile,
they are costly to mail. Using improved tech-
nology, electronic communication is an ef-
fective tool to keep you informed. Via e-mail
and the Web, I am able to communicate with
you at a much reduced cost.
To accomplish this goal, I am offering
you the option of receiving future newsletter
from my office in an online format. If you’d
like to make this switch, please take a mo-
ment and log onto my Web site at RepMic-
carelli.com and click the “Have Your News-
letter Delivered Online” icon. A simple form
will be there for you to complete.
Residents Learn About Available Ser-
vices at District Office Open House
Upon my return from a tour of duty in Iraq, I hosted an open house in the dis-
trict office on Jan. 9.
It was important for me to touch base with the residents I serve and spread the
word about the many services my district office provides.
Those services include:
 Free notary service
 Driver’s license and vehicle registration applications and renewals.
 Assistance with PennDOT paperwork.
 Copies of birth and death certificates.
 PACE and PACENET applications for seniors.
 Property Tax and Rent Rebate forms and applications.
 Voter registration forms and absentee ballot applications.
 State tax forms.
 Student aid applications.
 Free state maps, state park information, and PA Vacation Guides.
 Copies of legislation.
 Referrals to agencies to resolve state-related matters.
District office hours are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In addition to the district office, I also offer a mobile office in Sharon Hill to
provide more convenient service to residents in the surrounding towns of that area
of the district. The office is open from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Wednesday of
every month. It is located in the Sharon Hill Borough Hall at 250 Sharon Ave.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
NICK MICCARELLI
162nd Legislative District
605 East Chester Pike
Ridley Park, PA 19078
Phone: (610) 534-1002
Fax: (610) 534-1710
In Harrisburg
406 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202162
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2162
Phone: (717) 787-3472
Fax: (717) 787-8215
Monday -Friday
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.