State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe,

R-12th, this week joined with legislative co-sponsors and several leading state and federal taxpayer protection advocates to unveil an amendment to Pennsylvania's constitution that would limit state government's power to spend taxpayers' money.

"For more than three decades, the commonwealth has endured a series of bipartisan failures to limit the growth of both taxes and spending," Metcalfe said. "During these decades of unchecked fiscal irresponsibility, Pennsylvania has had no constitutional or statutory mechanism in place to limit state government's ability to tax and spend your money.

He said passage of his Tax and Expenditure Limitation act would leave Pennsylvania lawmakers "with no choice but to stop the annual budget insanity."

Under Metcalfe's amendment, all state government spending would be limited to the concurrent growth of inflation and population from the previous fiscal year. Once enacted, the TEL could only be temporarily suspended in specific cases of declared emergencies and a three-fourths majority vote in both houses of the General Assembly.

According to a recent study by the Commonwealth Foundation, the total cost of state and local government in Pennsylvania was projected to exceed $102 billion in fiscal year 2004-05 and will likely reach more than $115 billion by the 2008-09 fiscal year, Metcalfe noted.

U.S. Rep. Phil English,

R-3rd, on Wednesday applauded passage of the Energy Infrastructure and Technology Act of 2005, which would upgrade the existing energy infrastructure and develop new and improved energy technologies in the United States.

The House Ways and Means Committee-passed bill included English's provision to encourage investment in electric transmission systems and prevent blackouts.

"The Ways and Means Committee (Wednesday) took an important step toward improving our energy infrastructure. However, useful as this bill is, it is not, by itself, enough to secure adequate and affordable energy for Americans or to bring down the prices at the pump," said English, a committee member.

"For this reason, I intend to introduce further legislation aimed directly at increasing supplies of affordable gasoline for American consumers, and fight to strengthen the ultimate compromise that we develop with the Senate."

The technology act would modernize the distribution of gasoline and the transmission of electricity by promoting investment in infrastructure through tax incentives.

English's bill would encourage the development of new electricity delivery systems to better handle the sharp increase in demand.

The state House of Representatives recently adopted two amendments to the 2005-2006 state budget sponsored by Rep.

Frank LaGrotta, D-10th.

His first amendment would increase funding for Regional Marketing Initiatives from $4.5 million to $5 million, while the second would raise funding for tourist promotion agencies from $10.45 million to $11 million.

"For each dollar of tax money invested in local tourism marketing, some tourism promotion agencies have seen a return of $150 or more through sales tax and personal income tax. How many industries can offer that kind of return?" LaGrotta said.

"As we establish gaming venues across the state, it's imperative that we have a well-developed, well-coordinated outreach plan that really sells Pennsylvania as a place to vacation."

The Butler County Democratic Committee will host a candidates' forum at 6:30 p.m. April 26 at the Butler Library meeting room, 218 N. McKean St., Butler.

All candidates in the May 17 primary are invited to attend and discuss their candidacies at this open forum.

Those seeking to participate are asked to call David Mariotti, forum chairman, at 724-753-2616, or drop an e-mail at forum@csonline.net, as soon as possible