Santorum, R-Va. / Is the senator an 'inhabitant' of Pennsylvania?

[No Mandate Here.]

<http://www.postgazette.com/pg/04324/414066.stm>

The Lead editorial in Friday's Post Gazette... SLAM.

The Penn Hills School District asked Sen. Rick Santorum a $38,000 question. That is whether his children are residents of the municipality to the point that their educations should be paid for by Penn Hills taxpayers.

On Wednesday he gave his answer and it was no.

<snip>

All of which begs a much bigger question: Is Rick Santorum R-Pa. or R-Va.? No one should represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate because he once lived here or because he visits all 67 counties every year. A traveling salesman can do that.

<snip>

It gets worse. The two-bedroom house that the Santorum children called home for education purposes and that gives Mr. and Mrs. Santorum the right to vote in Pennsylvania lacks an occupancy permit. And the property tax break from the homestead exemption claimed by the Santorums on the Penn Hills house is allowed under law only if the dwelling is their "permanent home."

It's a strange case of political turnabout. In his initial House race against Rep. Doug Walgren in 1990, challenger Santorum attacked the incumbent from Mt. Lebanon for buying a house and raising his children in McLean, Va. Now Rick Santorum of Leesburg, Va., is saying that he is and he isn't a resident of Pennsylvania.

<snip>

By rights, the Santorums should pay back to Penn Hills the cost of the education provided by local taxpayers for their out-of-state children. What's more, the senator has to prove to the people of Pennsylvania that he is one of them, not just a visitor from the state of Virginia.


I love his quote -stolen from the pResident - that he "works very, very hard" for the state of PA. Deception must be difficult.

[LynneSin]

1. Santorum is going down in 2006

Hopefully dems won't screw it up by running too many philly dems that they cancel each other out. Obviously the key to winning Pennsylvania is Philadelphia and the key to winning Philadelphia is having a candidate that folks will come out and vote for. Philly loved Clinton, loved Gore & even loved Kerry. And Philly really loves Gov. Ed Rendell (former mayor of Philly).

The math works folks - Philly is the key!

[The Zanti Regent]

10. Here's the person who will unseat him!

Go, Barbara, GO!

http://www.treasury.state.pa.us/BarbaraHafer.html

[demnan]

2. Well it sounds like in 2006 you guys can have him back

We have enough Republican religious nuts of our own here in Virginia, thank you.

[sam sarrha]

3. sounds like that Carpet Bagger from Connecticut living in the White House

[Ducks In A Row]

4. the worse kind of, yep

[yellowcanine]

5. Looks like Ricky has some "splainen" to do. I love it when pubbie

wingnuts have "splainen" to do. Where did that popcorn bowl go, anyway? Has Specter or any PA Pubbie Congress critter defended Ricky yet?

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

6. GREAT SUBJECT LINE...I'm in PA and called the DC office...

I told them I'm a PA Republican and understand that "our Senator is not a resident of Pennsylvania". Got some defensive answers from the DC staffer and should expect to get a letter from Ricky in the future explaining his residency. (I didn't tell them I supported Kerry and frequent the Democrat's blogs for rational, intelligent life)

I wish Chris Heinz would run against Santorum to reclaim his father's PA Senate seat.

[donheld]

8. "pubbies" don't "splain"

ask Tom Delay. Remember we live in a double standard time zone.

[meow2u3]

7. Sanitarium will try something really sneaky

I'll bet that Ricky will get an apartment in the summer of '06 and register to vote in the Pittsburgh area--at the last minute--only to try to trick Pennsylvanians into thinking he's a Pennsylvania resident. After the election, he'll abandon the apartment and move back to Virginia.

I wouldn't put it past that scumbag. :grr:

[TheDonkey]

9. I'm lovin' it! Gear up the attack ads for '06

that bigotted dweeb can finally retire in Virginia.

[struggle4progress]

11. Oh dear.

:evilgrin: