Tea Party Speaker: "Stop the Fiscal Inferno"

The Lehigh Valley Tea Party will host two events at its monthly meeting on Friday, September 7, 2012, at the , 4100 Green Pond Road in Palmer Township.

During the 7 p.m. hour, guest speaker Nathan A. Benefield, Director of Public Analysis for the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives will present “Stop the Fiscal Inferno." Benefield will discuss Pennsylvania’s fiscal stability and ways to "fireproof" the state economy. The Commonwealth Foundation "crafts free-market policies, convinces Pennsylvanians of their benefits, and counters attacks on liberty," according to its website.

This will be followed at 8 p.m. with a Meet and Greet for all local candidates running in the November 6 election for the Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives.

Benefield will highlight continuing dramatic increases in state debt payments and in mandatory contributions to state and public school employee pensions and suggest ways to reduce these costs.  He will also offer ideas for significant reforms to stop huge automatic increases in welfare spending while the poverty rate rises and in Department of Corrections spending fueled by continuing growth of the prisoner population. 

Benefield researches and writes on public policy issues including taxation, government spending and economic development.  Frequently he testifies before Pennsylvania House and Senate committees on fiscal issues.

The meeting will adjourn at 8 pm to allow attendees to meet and speak with Pennsylvania House candidates until 9 pm.  All candidates from districts covering Lehigh Valley communities and townships were invited to participate.

The public is welcome to attend these free events.  Doors open at 6:30 pm.