Candidate for
State Representative; Pennsylvania State House of Representatives; District 97

We must offer highly effective public schools in every community if we are to meet society's expectation of knowledgeable, employable, and engaged citizens. These classrooms must be centered on the needs and learning styles of each student rather than unattainable percentages on standardized tests. The curriculum standards and testing measures we put in place must focus on student learning and participation and no longer on penalizing school administrations and professional employees.

Not only must we restore funding to education which has been lost but we must also assure that the funding will be available in the future. To accomplish this, we must restructure the tax system as well as modify our spending. This will mean fairly distributing the tax burden to all corporations who do business in the Commonwealth and adjusting the burden on all individuals, especially elderly homeowners. Each budget line must be scrutinized and, if justifiable, then fully funded.

Equal access to education can be accomplished with the necessary funds. Urban and rural districts share the burdens of low tax bases and specific student and program needs. Within a restructured tax system which moves away from reliance on property taxes, funding can be channeled to those specific needs. In short, if we value education, and we must, then we must find the means to fund it.

A top priority while in office will be to address the 50 billion dollar unfunded liability associated with the public pension. This issue is specific to all residents in the 97th District including homeowners, renters and parents with school age children. This is an obligation which has grown unmanageable because it has been left unpaid. We must take immediate steps to pay the bill! If we continue to do nothing our property taxes are set to more than double in the next ten years. I believe we need to funnel funds that come from closing tax loopholes and imposing a severance tax on the gas industry into the pension fund to give our school districts immediate relief. Adjustments to the pension system may provide flexibility in the future but cannot address the immediate need. I believe it would be my obligation to study and implement any long-term, reasonable adjustments to the pension system.

I believe government has a role and responsibility in maintaining a vibrant and secure economy for all citizens. This is achieved through a balance of initiatives which address the needs of both industry and labor impartially. I believe that balance is lost if we allow any further dismantling of collective bargaining rights. We must support business and industry by making Pennsylvania competitive with fair taxes and support for new projects and facilities which create employment opportunities while we secure family-sustaining wages, public pensions, and access to healthcare for all workers

Any discussion of the future of our Commonwealth must include economic development and environmental protection. Pennsylvania has not seen an increase in permanent jobs or the influx of business growth promised and we have seen a minimum of revenue generated from the natural gas industry. Meanwhile, health and safety issues abound for the residents and the natural resources of the Marcellus Shale region. Additionally upsetting is the State's presumption that local municipalities should have no say in the location of future wells, pipelines, or be able to take legal action against waste water contamination or future impacts of the growing industry. Any development of the natural gas resources should benefit the people of Pennsylvania over out of state corporations with no allegiance to us. Revenue generated from the extraction and sale of natural gas should be earmarked to address our funding needs and to bolster the Department of Environmental Protection which regulates the industry.

The issues are broad and complex. The stakeholders are many. Let's be sure all citizens are being heard. The answers lie with legislators such as myself who will go to Harrisburg for the purpose of studying and solving problems.