HARRISBURG MEMO.
The People of Pennsylvania
To:
Milton J. Shapp,
Governor
From:
HARRISBURG An elderly
gent paused to talk with me
during a campaign swing through
Pittsburgh where I was attending
a senior citizens’ rally about
three years ago.
What he said to me I had heard
time and time again from senior
citizens in Wilkes-Barre,
Scranton, Hazleton, Erie,
USED PARTS
WENGER FARM MACHINERY
Philadelphia - all over Penn
sylvania.
“You know, governor, the
worst thing about getting old is
that no one seems to want you -
no one cares.”
The statement made a lasting
impression on me. I was deter
mined when I became governor
that we could change the system.
DO YOU NEED
FOR FARM TRACTORS
and
FARM MACHINERY
CALL HARRY STOHLER AT
South Race St.
Myerstown Pa. Ph 717-866-2138
I was sure we could slice through
the red tape that alienated our
elderly from society.
This year, I’m happy to report
we have succeeded in changing
the system. Pennsylvania this
year for the first time will sur
pass all other states in its
programs for the elderly.
We now lead the way in
bringing major innovations to our
senior citizens in the areas of tax
relief, free transportation,
economic assistance and social
services.
It wasn’t done overnight,
however.
In 1971, we began passing on
tax relief when we ripped out the
six percent sales tax on gas,
electric and telephone bills. We
also .abolished the six percent
sales tax on non-prescription
drugs and certain consumer
items used by the elderly and
others on fixed incomes.
We then started the state
Lottery to give property tax relief
for senior citizens. Our Lottery
now is hailed as one of the best.
Now for the second year, we
mailed property tax assistance
checks averaging $lOO to 270,000
of our senior citizens.
I am pushing right now for
passage of House Bill 924 which
will extend this tax relief to
renters and more homeowners.
When this bill is passed, we will
make tax relief available to
another quarter of a million
households to make our program,
serving 800,000 persons, the most
comprehensive in the nation.
This year I am asking for
exemptions from the state in
come tax for the elderly, the
poor, the infirm and the disabled
as permitted by the Constitution.
We began our program of free
transit for the elderly on July 1
using proceeds from the Lottery.
Today, throughout Pennsylvania
senior citizens are riding free
during off peak hours, thanks to
this program.
Our free transit program is the
only such statewide program m
the nation and represents a real
breakthrough in government
assistance to the elderly.
I also am fighting for funds to
add to federal assistance
payments to the elderly, the blind
and the disabled. The across-the
board increase in state funds of
$2O per month will bring single
persons to $l5O and couples to
$215 per month.
After an investigation my
administration found nursing
home services for low and
moderate income persons to be
totally inadequate. I already
have submitted legislation asking
the voters to authorize a $lOO
million bond issue for capital
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 27,1973
improvements to nursing homes
to make them conform with the
federal life safety code.
We have upped payments for
skilled nursing homes from 111 a
day (two years ago) to $2O a day
to assure a high standard of care
and to make available more beds
for medicaid patients. We also
have appropriated $59 million to
repair state nursing home in
stitutions.
We have started new programs
such as Late Start Centers, the
first of which my wife and I
began in our own home - in the
State Dining Room of the
Governor’s Mansion. I believe
strongly that it’s never too late to
live a full and rewarding life
when people know a little extra
about services, health provisions
and crafts.
The senior citizen in Penn
sylvania is now aware that we
care. Here in Harrisburg we
intend to keep that concern high
on our list of priorities.
more milk per cow on
Purina Milk Chow Special
Your cows may have the bred-in capacity to pro
duce an extra ton of milk per year—if you feed
them high efficiency Purina Milk Chow Special.
Milk Chow Special contains carefully selected in
gredients blended together in “just right” amounts
to help your cows produce all that’s in ’em. In fact,
many local dairymen report increases of over 2,000
lbs, more milk per cow in their first year on Milk
Chow Special!
Keep accurate records and prove to yourself that
this high efficiency ration can return you lots of
milk at remarkably low cost. Call us for details
on prices and delivery. We’d like to do business
with you.
John J. Hess, 11, Inc.
Ph. 442-4632
Paradise
West Willow Formers
Assn., Inc.
Ph; 464-3431
West Willow
Ira B. Landis
Ph: 665-3248
Box 276, Manheim RD3
Feeder Cattle
Numbers Up
Pennsylvania cattle feeders
had 53,000 cattle and calves on
feed for slaughter market on
October 1, 1973 according to the
Crop Reporting Service. This was
eight percent, or 4,000 head, more
than were on feed a year earlier.
Marketings of fed cattle during
the July-September quarter at
31.000 were 11 percent or 4,000
head smaller than marketings
during the same period in 1972.
There were 26,000 head placed
during the quarter - down 13
percent or 4,000 head from a year
ago. Expected marketings of fed
cattle, if realized, during the
October-December quarter at
24.000 would be 33 percent or 6,000
head greater than marketings
during the same period in 1972.
Keeping house to me is like
threading beads on a string with
no knot on the end
up to a ton
James High & Sons
Ph: 354-0301
Gordonville
Wenger's Feed Mill Inc,
Ph: 367-1195
Rheems
What’s Your View?
John B. Kurtz
Fh: 354-9251
R D. 3, Ephrata
19