Of Calendars and Porn Taxes

Policy Blog may only be #6 in this weeks PA Blog Influence Ranking, but we made some noise over the weekend. The Pittsburgh Tribune Review featured a story on the cost of calendars printed and distributed on behalf of lawmakers. The defense:

"The calendar is one of the many informational materials made available to constituents, such as the Pennsylvania Manual, road maps, other travel information, packets of educational material for school groups, and brochures describing various state programs," said Erik Arneson, a spokesman for Senate Republicans.

We obviously don't agree, and even though the calendars don't cost much relative to the overall state budget, they serve no purpose other than to market sitting lawmakers to voters (note the "Compliments of [Lawmaker]" that appears on each calendars, though taxpayers, not lawmakers foot the bill).

Arneson's arguments didn't persuade the Trib either, as they called for "Killing the Calendars" on Sunday. That seems to be the consensus of GrassrootsPA readers (except "INSIDER") as well. UPDATE: Calendar coverage also made in into John Micek's blog and Capitolwire's "Under the Dome" (subscription service or email signup).

In other news, Tony Phyrillas' doesn't like the idea of a porn tax either. Citing my arguments and adding some of his own, Phyrillas puns, "It's a slippery pole that Sen. Orie is sliding down".