I am back in Harrisburg today for session and a Finance Committee hearing. The hearing was on the reappointment of the three members of the State Tax Equalization Board or STEB. These men will next face of confirmation vote of the full Senate. The big news today was the installation of our new member, Bob Mench. Bob was a State Rep. who won the recent special election to fill the vacancy following the resignation of Rob Wonderling. Bob is a Republican who replaced a Republican keeping the numbers in the Senate at 30 R’s to 20 D’s. Something happened on the Senate floor today that I have not seen in the almost 3 years I have served, a glass of water was spilled on someone’s desk. We have a glass of water on the corner of our desk each session day. Each desk is original, made of mahogany and over 100 years old. After the installation of Bob Mench, the members all came to the front of the chamber to greet and congratulate him. Senator Andy Dinniman bumped the full water glass on Kim Ward’s desk and water went over her papers, under her laptop and inside the desk through the hinged top. If anyone ever asks, how many state senators does it takes to clean up a water spill, the answer is four, plus two staffers. Several more supervised from a distance. The desk looked good and should survive for another 100 years.

- John