HARRISBURG (SEPT 8) – State Senator Lisa Boscola is the only one of Pennsylvania’s 50 Senators who has voted against every state tax increase, legislative pension increase, and pay raise in the last ten years. 

According to the House and Senate Journal, which is the official record of all votes cast by state lawmakers, Boscola is the only member of the State Senate who voted against all of the following state tax increases and legislative pay raises/pension increases:

• 1995 Legislative Pay Raise

• 1997 Gas Tax Increase

• 2001 Legislative Pension Increase

• 2002 State Tax Increase

• 2003 State Income Tax Increase

• 2004 Occupational Privilege Tax Increase

• 2005 Legislative Pay Raise 

Recently, Boscola voted against the 16% legislative pay raise and refused to accept the pay increase in the form of an unvouchered expense. 

As a freshman House member, she also voted against the 1995 legislative pay raise and donated her salary increase to local charities.

In addition, Boscola is also one of only ten lawmakers (out of 253) in the Senate and House of Representatives who did not accept a higher pension enacted by legislators four years ago. 

Today, Boscola’s pension remains the same as it was ten years ago when she was first elected as a member of the House of Representatives.  Her current pension is 50% less than what the vast majority of state lawmakers will receive and 25% less than what all state employees are now entitled to receive. 

The record shows that Boscola also voted against an increase in the state gas tax in 1997, an increase in the state cigarette tax in 2002, and the increase in the state personal income tax in 2003.  She also voted against the increase in the Occupational Privilege Tax in 2004. 

Citizens Against Higher Taxes twice gave Boscola its Taxpayer Hero Award in 1996 and 1998, as well as its Friend of Taxpayers Award in 2004.  CAHT is Pennsylvania’s largest statewide anti-tax organization. 

“Public service is a public trust,” Boscola said.  “I feel my record and my actions reflect my strong commitment to honor the trust that voters have placed in me.”

In 1994, Boscola was the first woman ever elected to the House of Representatives from the 135^th District.  She was elected to the State Senate in 1998 and re-elected in 2002.
                                                            # # #

 Sources: Official roll call votes on: SB 1074 of 1995, HB 1531 of 1997 (House Journal), HB 26 of 2001, HB 1848 of 2002, HB 200 of 2003, HB 197 of 2004, HB 1521 of 2005 (Senate Journal); Waiver of unvouchered expenses: Letter to Chief Clerk of the Senate, 7/18/05; Citizens Against Higher Taxes (Dr. James Broussard); pension information from Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement Board, Senators who did not accept higher legislative pension: Constance Williams, Donald White, Jane Earll, Jane Orie, Joseph Scarnati, Lisa Boscola, and Michael Stack; House members who did not accept higher legislative pension: Catherine Harper, John Yudichak, and William Gabig.